The Yellow Deli

The Yellow Deli in Vista at 315 East Broadway Vista Village Vista, California 92084 (760) 631-1888   is a classic example of a type of restaurant hospitality often lacking in today's establishments. The whole experience is immediately welcoming from the soft instrumental music that sets the mood to the intricate and beautiful craftsmanship of the interior design. Seated by the fireplace only added to the hominess. An extensive selection of teas was a welcome change from the average "cup of Joe" and the perfectly prepared poached eggs with their fantastic homemade whole wheat bread was an excellent choice.
A genuine pride in the whole enterprise is reflected in the homemade baked goods and the fresh ingredients. The overall wholesome preparation of each dish makes a meal at the Yellow Deli feel like you are truly a guest in a good friends home.http://yellowdeli.com

Pipes Cafe

http://pipescafe.com

Pipes Cafe at 121 Liverpool Dr, Cardiff, CA provides diners with the classic Southern California "vibe". This great seaside cafe in Cardiff-by-the-Sea is the place for that endless summer, surfer feel with a side of breakfast! The green flowered awning that hangs over the front patio boldly proclaims that this is "A Breakfast Place" but the real emphasis here is on early bird surfers and their Gidgit-like companions who crowd the patio drinking specialty coffees and praying for tasty waves.

Breakfast burritos and scrambles make up a sizable chunk of the menu and portions are large. The staff is extremely friendly and both locals and tourists are given a warm greeting. The inside is decked out with surfboards and photos of classic beach scenes. Inside and outside seating is available for the seemingly endless rotation of diners.

A plate dubbed "The Big Breakfast" certainly lives up to its name as the plate is filled to the edges and piled up with scrambled eggs, house potatoes with peppers, onions and cheese, two French toast slices or two pancakes, English muffin and two strips of bacon. The coffee drinks are fantastic and affordable and they better be, as the place is within spitting distance of a Starbucks.
A great place to go for a hearty breakfast and a day spent at the beach.

Claire's On Cedros

Claire's On Cedros located at 246 North Cedros Solana Beach, CA 92075 858-259-8597 is one of the top breakfast restaurants in San Diego County. It has earned its top spot in local polls by offering a great menu with creative seasonal additions that really shows the thoughtfulness with which the local flavors are incorporated into the experience. I ordered the pear French toast which was added to the fall menu and it was excellent. This French toast was made with fresh baked brioche, stuffed with Ricotta cheese and topped with a pear compote and fresh chopped walnuts. A surprising Autumn flavor. The in-house bakery is amazing and offers a wide array of tasty choices.

The interior is comfortable and stylish and a garden-style back deck is spacious and relaxing The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and more than willing to offer suggestions on old favorites and the many seasonal additions.

Clair's On Cedros is an excellent start to your day with a great year round menu and not-to-be missed seasonal menus that entice return trips.http://clairesoncedros.com

The Cottage

The Cottage, located at 7702 Fay Ave. La Jolla, CA 92037 Tel 858.454.8409, is a fantastic place for breakfast, boasting a menu full of excellent dishes. The perfectly arranged interior was very clean and welcoming and the staff helpful and friendly. A large patio provides ample open air seating for those who prefer to dine outside. Their extensive menu covers everything from eggs prepared to order, omelets, French toast, pancakes and baked goods. They also offer a number of tasty variations on the classic eggs Benedict. I settled on the fried egg sandwich with toasted homemade sourdough bread and topped with bacon, onions, tomato, and arugula. The addition of fresh avocado, as suggested by the waiter, made this egg sandwich the best I've had.. This unique egg sandwich offered an incomparable blend of flavors. Delicious! The plate was filled up with perfectly seasoned breakfast potatoes and their many coffee offerings were expertly made with freshly whipped cream. An excellent meal in a comfortable environment, guarantees many return trips.http://www.cottagelajolla.com/

Felix's BBQ With Soul

On a return trip to Felix's BBQ With Soul, located at 3613 Ocean Ranch Blvd 760.439.7072  http://felixsbbq.com/, I was once again impressed with the authentic Southern cooking offered on the breakfast menu. Fried catfish with eggs can be ordered with a side of grits and a sweet potato pancake. An excellent southern breakfast combination. The delicious homemade corn muffins are served to the table in a bottomless basket.  Salmon croquettes are another Southern Specialty rarely seen on breakfast tables outside of Dixie. I ordered the pancake sandwich and it was a nice change of pace, combining two pancakes sandwiching an egg made to order and two strips of bacon with a cup of maple syrup. A slice of sweet potato pie finished the meal with style. The huge tables, extremely friendly and attentive staff provide a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. With so many different options, Felix's is a place you will return to again and again.

Cafe 222

http://cafe222.com/Cafe 222 at 222 Island Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101 619/236-9902 is a cool downtown eatery featuring an extensive menu full of original creations. Their peanut butter banana stuffed french toast as featured on The Food Network is delicious, but the menu goes much deeper and offers a thoughtful blend of flavors in a wide variety of enticing options. Sweet Cornbread Waffles and Orange-Pecan Pancakes beg the breakfast diner to return for repeated dips into a menu that can't be fully experienced in just one visit.  The Cafe is definitely on the small side, but it is comfortably designed with bold colors and hip architectural flourishes.  Close proximity to the downtown convention center make Cafe 222 ideal for conventioners and travelers. It is a little off the beaten track of the nearby Gaslamp Quarter, but locals are quick to point it out to out-of-towners.  Extremely personable staff, indoor and outdoor seating and reasonable prices make this breakfast place a must.

Allen's Alley

http://www.allensalleycafe.com/Allen's Alley located at 124 Hanes Place, Vista, Ca. 92084  Phone: (760)726-4433

I returned to Allen's Alley this week sure that I would have an excellent dining experience. This time, I went with a traditional breakfast called Sabrina's combo. The plate came out looking picture perfect. Two eggs over easy, two strips of bacon (or sausage) and two hotcakes were excellently prepared and the hotcakes with a touch of sweetness made these pancakes the best in North county.

I finished my coffee with a slice of their homemade pumpkin pie. I was impressed with the truly homemade flavor of the pie perfectly combining the right blend of spices setting this far and above any store bought pie. With its top notch food and authentic diner feel, Allen's Alley never disappoints.

The Breakfast Club Diner

http://thebreakfastclubdiner.com/

The Breakfast Club Diner.com 228 Northcoast Highway Oceanside, CA (760) 722-3124

Theme restaurants are a common enough phenomenon on the dining scene, but a restaurant specializing in breakfast usually forgoes the "high-concept" route in favor of a more down-home approach. The Breakfast Club on Pacific Coast Highway in Oceanside goes for the obvious Eighties association where diners of a certain age immediately begin to hum "Don't You Forget About Me" while thrusting a triumphant fist in the air a la Judd Nelson.

And the Eighties flourishes are extended to a complete immersion in pop culture references from the Reagan Era. I ordered the Boar's Nest Country Breakfast which was a fairly typical American breakfast dish with Country Biscuits and Gravy that alluded to the Southern fried Dukes of Hazzard television show.The Dukes of Hazzard recur in the large wall mural which depicts a beach scene populated by everyone from Michael Jackson to C3PO to Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times At Ridgemont High.The decor is fun, and it is spot-on in hitting all the right nostalgia buttons.

Interesting menu choices are sprinkled throughout the large breakfast selection. A stuffed pancake stands out as a unique option, as does the Greek flavored Zeus' Breakfast Burrito. Pumpkin Nut pancakes make an appearance for the autumn season, but overall the emphasis is on a wide selection of trusted favorites in a fun environment.

The Yellow Deli

http://yellowdeli.com/ Step into the Yellow Deli at

315 East Broadway Vista Village Vista, California 92084 (760) 631-1888 and you will feel like you're not in Vista anymore. The Deli serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on an off-beat schedule that find's the establishment open 24 hours a day until 3pm Friday, then it closes until noon on Sunday when it reopens for another five-day 24 hours a day haul.  Speaking of  off-beat, that is the perfect adjective for the Yellow Deli.  It is a good-vibey hippie place with a warm down-home feel.  Great care has been taken in the building's craftsmanship and the restaurant boasts quaint details like a pulley controlled dumb waiter and a spacious open-hearth fireplace alongside modern conveniences like a handicap accessible elevator and wireless internet connection throughout.  The custom made wood furniture is top quality with soft leather accents.  Various seating areas upstairs, downstairs, inside and out; as well as a comfortable coffee lounge makes the Yellow Deli a popular destination for a broad spectrum of diners.

Fresh baked breads and pastries and home grown vegetables from their local farm add to this restaurant's charm. A small breakfast menu is highlighted by their Breakfast "Lambwich". A tasty blend of egg, two types of cheese, special sauce and thin strips of lamb all on a homemade egg roll.  After a hearty breakfast, patrons would do well to order some homemade bread and "Yellow Deli Jelly" to go!

Ricky's

Ricky's 2181 Hotel Circle South San Diego, CA 92108 (619) 291-4498

Ricky's famous apple pancake is famous for a reason. A unique oven baked eggy pancake covered with apples and cinnamon & sugar. The "few extra minutes for preparation" are well worth the wait.The wide selection includes everything from steak and eggs, bicuits and gravy, French toast, pancakes, chorizo and eggs and corned beef hash. 

The decor is that of a contemporary diner and the prices are reasonable. Ricky's is great for tourists as it is located in Mission Valley's Hotel Circle. The staff is knowledgeable and courteous albeit a little rushed because of the crowds.http://rickyssandiego.com/

Fig Tree Cafe

http://www.figtreecafepb.comThe Fig Tree Cafe at 5119 Cass Street San Diego CA 92109 858/274-2233, is a cozy neighborhood eatery in beautiful La Jolla. Minutes from the beach, this cafe has a large patio seating area leading to a rear open-air courtyard that gives the feeling of garden dining.

The breakfast menu offers interesting twists on established breakfast favorites with a handful of truly original signature dishes. A slice of their own pecan coffee cake was just the right amount of sweet to start off this fine breakfast. A pecan, crumb topping crowned a vanilla infused spongy base. Setting the stage for one of their original dishes, the "meatloaf hash". Combining a homemade pesto with spinach, tomatoes, diced meatloaf and their own house potatoes, they've created a unique hash that gives a taste of several menu items.  Excellent. I'm looking forward to the strawberry, mango stuffed french toast on my next visit.

The Original Pancake House

The Original Pancake House 160 S Rancho Santa Fe Rd, Encinitas, CA 92024 (760) 943-1939 With several locations across San Diego, The Original Pancake House is able to avoid predictable trappings of large chain restaurants by providing original creations and using fresh ingredients. Their Dutch Baby offers a unique twist on the traditional pancake and their other menu items provide a wide array of top notch dishes. The seasonal offerings are great using in season fresh fruit (strawberries and peaches come to mind) and the pumpkin pancakes in the fall are excellent. Whipping their own cream is a nice touch giving this breakfast restaurant a true down home feel. The decor is like a personal dining room (especially the location in Encinitas) and the service is fast and efficient.
http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/ 

Allen's Alley

Allen's Alley located at 124 Hanes Place, Vista, Ca. 92084  Phone: (760)726-4433

This Vista gem hidden off of Main Street is a great place for comfort food. The large portions and low prices make this a must for people looking for a classic diner experience. The extremely attentive and personable staff make for a real down home experience. The biscuits and gravy are the best in North County while other selections rate just as high. The Country Benedict with hash browns is a must and the Red Delicious omelet is exactly as the menu says; "Try it once and you'll never think twice again."

Felix's BBQ with Soul

http://felixsbbq.com/Felix's BBQ With Soul located at 3613 Ocean Ranch Blvd., Oceanside, CA - 760.439.7072

Felix's offers a wide variety of fantastic breakfast dishes. The Southern-themed breakfast plates are both generous and reasonably priced. Stand outs include the chicken and Belgian Waffle and Catfish.

Be sure to order the grits and cornbread as your sides for the catfish and soak up the maple syrup with the fresh spinach garnish from the chicken and waffle plate. Service is great and at times, Felix himself stops by and is always glad to discuss the restaurant's history and any new endeavor he's undertaking.