Just around the corner from the shops that dot along 9th Avenue, Darla’s is a Sunset district favorite for hearty breakfast dishes, burgers and sandwiches. For those looking for morning fare, choices worth sampling include their variety of customizable omelettes, fluffy pancakes, and French toast. For lunch, their specialty would have to be their selection of customizable burgers and fries. My favorites would be the Patty Melt or their customizable burger, which are served with fries, garden salad, potato salad or soup. Darla’s also makes some great hot and cold sandwiches.

The dinner menu served after 5pm is reasonably priced with items like their rib-eye steak served with a green salad, garlic mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables for only $16. Hearty salads and soups also grace the menu and can be a nice alternative for those looking for something besides a burger. For dessert, be sure to get one of their fresh baked brownies. |Darla’s|

Hours of Operation:
Mon-Fri: 10am – 10pm
Sat-Sun: 8:30am – 10pm

2330 Taylor Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 776-8735

Not far from the Powell Street cable car line turnaround, Pat’s Cafe is an unpretentious, charmingly small North Beach restaurant, best known for their brunch and breakfast dishes. I like this place for the neighborhood cafe feel, the personable service, and convenient North Beach location.

Let the tourists wait in line at all the crowded traps (i.e. Mama’s) around Washington Square; I’d rather not start my day with a hour plus wait just for some hearty breakfast. My favorites include the French toast, pancakes, and the scrambled eggs with cheese and chicken-apple sausages. The free Wi-Fi is a nice perk, and I heard they recently started dinner service. |Pat’s Cafe|

Open 7 days a week:
Mon-Sun: 7:30am-2:30pm
Wed-Thurs: 5:30pm-9pm
Fri-Sat: 5:30pm-10pm

At risk of increasing the already long wait times at Chloe’s Cafe, I was initially reluctant to write about this Noe Valley gem. The cafe is tiny, the kitchen is even tinier, and getting a coveted table in the sun outside can take upwards of an hour on the weekends. The breakfast is that good here, that I am willing to give up parking in the Marina and drive across town to Noe Valley, just to wait in line for a table.

My favorites include croissant french toast with fresh strawberries, customizable egg scrambles, and fluffy banana & walnut pancakes. I love this place for the fresh avocados in the scramble, the locally baked rosemary toast, fresh fruit instead of home-fries, and a patio that is sunny most of the year.

Open 7 days a week:
Mon-Fri: 8am-3pm
Sat-Sun: 8am-3:30pm
Cash only.