It’s like a broken record: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And yet it seems to be the hardest one to achieve; we choose an extra hour of sleep, we’re too hurried to sit down to—much less prepare—a real meal, our sleepy appetites are sluggish. But traditional breakfast foods are undeniably tasty, both sweet with nostalgia and ripe for creative updates. So why limit breakfast foods to a certain time of day? When we were kids, “breakfast for dinner” nights were an exciting and rare treat (even if it meant that Mom or Dad was too tired to cook), and there’s no reason to let kids have all the fun. Waffles, French toast, and bacon and eggs are welcome at any hour; besides, in this global economy, one person’s happy hour is another person’s breakfast, so dig into that omelet with abandon, and add a glass of wine if you’d like. Here are some great local breakfasts to enjoy in the p.m. hours: Comfort and creativity at your service.
BREAKFAST PIZZA
Village Sports Bar
We’ve all secretly enjoyed a cold slice of pizza left over from the previous night’s revelry, but how about a pre-emptive pizza? The breakfast pizza at the Village offers a brilliant amalgam of breakfast and classic sports bar food: a hand-tossed pizza crust laden with lemony hollandaise sauce, diced ham, sausage, melted Colby jack cheese, chunks of bacon and fluffy scrambled eggs. With this under your belt, you can stay up and watch the game, then sleep in and opt to skip breakfast the following morning. Nine-inch pie, $8.
3600 Hoffman Road, White Bear Lake; 651.770.8670
LATE-NIGHT BREAKFAST
Washington Square
From Thursday through Saturday, Washington Square serves a late-night breakfast until 12:30 a.m., i.e., the sacrosanct wind-down period between a raucous party and settling in for bed. It’s a time to soothe the stomach and review the events of the evening. It will make sleep easier and you’ll feel better in the morning (don’t dwell on the calories). Get the late-night skillet, a righteous mound of hash browns sautéed with onions, peppers, cheese and spicy chorizo sausage. It’s topped with two scrambled eggs and served with your choice of toast. This monster-sized mess is the perfect punctuation for a busy night; you might even take home some leftovers to eat the next day. $12.95.
4736 Washington Square, White Bear Lake; 651.407.7162
BREAKFAST FOR DINNER
Café Cravings
Café Cravings is in on the secret: Breakfast for dinner is awesome. It’s both a thrill and a comfort, sort of like wearing your favorite old jeans to the office on casual Friday. Café Cravings has set aside a section of the menu called Breakfast for Dinner, a bona fide breakfast array that includes specials like the quiche of the day ($8). The apple walnut pancakes are vying for your undivided attention, but they don’t have to vie too hard since they are off-the-hook amazing in both conception and reality: three homemade pancakes laden with cooked apples, walnuts, a bit of cinnamon, and drizzled with a luscious maple butter, reminiscent of the best coffee cake you’ve ever had, deconstructed. $9.
1600 County Road E, White Bear Lake; 651.482.7742
THURSDAY NIGHT BISCUITS AND GRAVY
EAT! @ Banning and 5th
Primarily a lunch and breakfast joint, this eatery is open till 8 p.m. on Thursday evenings, when you can get a solid breakfast (except waffles and pancakes) for dinner, while supplies last. When the breakfast foods run out for the day, that’s all there is, so come early. The biscuits are made in-house and they’re heartbreakingly tender. Served with smooth, lightly peppered sausage gravy, they are perfection on a plate, capable of obliterating those extra-hungry evenings in a few heavenly bites. $4.50.
2202 Fifth St., White Bear Lake; 651.653.1225
85th STREET OMELET
Keys Café and Bakery
There’s no other way to put it: This omelet sounds downright odd. But try it, you’ll love it—we sure did. This Thanksgiving-inspired dandy is bursting with slices and chunks of roasted turkey—the real, carved-from-the-bird kind—with steamed broccoli, onions, hash browns and melted Swiss cheese. We told you it sounded weird; no matter, it’s scrumptious, and very filling. There are nice toast choices, but it almost doesn’t matter which one you settle on; they’re all made in Keys’ formidable bakery, meaning they’re all excellent. $9.95.
2208 Fourth St., White Bear Lake; 651.426.2885
HUEVOS RANCHEROS
Don Julio’s
The doors open at 11 a.m. at this cantina; the kitchen awaits your hungry bones. You need huevos! Huevos rancheros are a classic breakfast dish: Two fried eggs topped with a red enchilada-like Mexican sauce and baked till the yolks are done to your preference. It’s got the hefty protein dose of the morning’s eggs with the spice and verve to suit the evening hours. The dish comes with a mound of Mexican rice, refried beans and tortillas. $6.
4660 Highway 61 N., White Bear Lake; 651.407.2888
