My Ideal Breakfast

If I could magically blend the best elements of all my best breakfasts into one giant meal, this is what I would sit down to (the links go to my reviews, when available).

[Last updated 8/2/11.]

Best Regular Coffee: Yeah, Me Too (Columbus, OH)

Best Espresso: Ninth Street Espresso (New York, NY)

Best Tea: Little Africa (Grand Rapids, MI)

Best Juice: Northstar Cafe orange juice (Columbus, OH)

Best Eggs: Nancy's Home Cooking (Columbus, OH)

Best Toast: San Chez Cafe (Grand Rapids, MI)

Best Potatoes: Real Food Cafe (Grand Rapids, MI)

Best Bacon: Cafe Corner's sweet/spicy bacon (Columbus, OH)

Best Sausage Links: Hardwick House sausages (Stratford-upon-Avon, England)

Best Sausage Patties: Kitchenette (New York, NY)

Best Ham: Jon Hamm's John Ham

Best French Toast: Blue Sky Cafe Banana Bourbon French Toast (Bethlehem, PA)

Best Waffle: The Breakfast Club Belgian Waffle (Tybee Island, GA)

Best Regular Pancakes: Northstar Cafe Cloud 9 Pancakes (Columbus, OH)

Best Flavored Pancakes: Winchell's Restaurant Blue & White Pancakes (blueberries & white chocolate) (Lexington, KY)

Best Burrito: Northstar Cafe Big Burrito (Columbus, OH) (Also awarded the Best Single Breakfast Item Award.)

Best Oatmeal: Gravy's Oatmeal Brulee (Portland, OR)

Best Plain Grits: Doodles (Lexington, KY)

Best Flavored Grits: Banana Bean Cafe Cedar Key Shrimp & Grits (Columbus, OH)

Best Hash: Gravy's Smoked Salmon Hash & Eggs (Portland, OR)

Best Biscuits with Sausage Gravy: Tasi Cafe (Columbus, OH)

Best Steak & Eggs: Spagio Restaurant (Columbus, OH)

Best Country Fried Steak: The Best Breakfast & Sandwiches (Westerville, OH)

Best Eggs Benedict: Real Food Cafe (Grand Rapids, MI)

Best Seafood: Banana Bean Cafe Eggs del Mar (Columbus, OH)

Best "All-Inclusive" Breakfast: TIE between Jack & Benny's Gutbuster and DK Diner DK All the Way

Best Donut: Lindsey's Bakery pumpkin donuts (Circleville, OH)

Best Pastry: Orange Blossom Bakery & Cafe apple ugly (Buxton, NC)

Where Has Nick Had Breakfast?

Complete listing of breakfast reviews, organized first by state, then alphabetically. Reviews without active links are coming soon.

ILLINOIS
West Egg Cafe (Chicago)

KENTUCKY
Coffee Pub (Lexington)

Doodles (Lexington)
Ramsey's Diner (Lexington)
Winchell's Restaurant (Lexington)

MARYLAND
Blue Moon Cafe (Baltimore)
Broadway Diner (Baltimore)
Cafe Hon (Baltimore)

MICHIGAN
Founder's Brewery (Grand Rapids)
Marie Catrib's (Grand Rapids)
Real Food Cafe (Grand Rapids)
San Chez Cafe (Grand Rapids)
Van's Pastry Shoppe (Grand Rapids)
Wolfgang's (Grand Rapids)

NEW JERSEY
Time to Eat Diner (Bridgewater)

NEW YORK
The City Bakery (New York)
Jing Fong (New York)
Kitchenette (New York)
Magnolia Bakery (Midtown) (New York)
Ninth Street Espresso (Chelsea Market) (New York)
Sarabeth's Bakery (New York)

NORTH CAROLINA
Bojangles (Williamston)
Dajio Restaurant (Ocracoke)
Diamond Shoals Restaurant (Buxton)
Gingerbread House Bakery (Frisco)
Island Perks Cafe (Buxton) - CLOSED & MOVED
Oceana's Bistro (Avon)
Orange Blossom Bakery & Cafe (Buxton)
Out Back Kitchen (Avon)

OHIO
Banana Bean Cafe (Greenlawn) (Columbus) - NOW COYOTE JANE
Banana Bean Cafe (German Village) - CLOSED & MOVED
The Barnstormer (Columbus) - TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Beechwold Diner (Columbus)
The Best Breakfast and Sandwiches (Westerville)
Bob Evans (Lewis Center)
Buckeye Donuts (Columbus)
Cafe Corner (Columbus) - SEE KATALINA'S FOR UPDATED POST
Cambridge Tea House (Grandview)
The Clarmont (Columbus)
Clever Crow Pizza (Columbus)
Cornerstone Deli & Cafe (Columbus)
Cotter's Restaurant (Columbus) - CLOSED
Dan's Drive-In (Columbus)
Daybreak Diner (Columbus)
Der Dutchman (Plain City)
DK Diner (Grandview)
Due Amici (Columbus)
First Watch (German Village) (Columbus)
First Watch (Polaris) (Columbus)
Fitzy's Old Fashioned Diner (Columbus)
Foodie Cart (Columbus)
Gena's Restaurant (Westerville)
German Village Coffee Shop (Columbus)
Hang Over Easy (Columbus)
Honey Dip Donuts (Columbus)
Jack & Benny's (Columbus)
Jack's Sandwich Shop (Columbus)
The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls (Logan)
Katalina's Cafe Corner (Columbus)
Kitchen Little (Columbus)
Linden Cafe (Columbus)
Lindsey's Bakery (Circleville)
LJ's Coffee Shop & Restaurant (Logan)
Luck Bros Coffee Shop (Grandview)
Market 65 (Columbus)
Michael's Goody Boy Drive-In (Columbus) - CLOSED
Nancy's Home Cooking (Columbus)
North Market Poultry & Game (Columbus)
Northstar Cafe (Beechwold) (Columbus)
Northstar Cafe (Easton) (Columbus)
Northstar Cafe (Short North) (Columbus)
Our Lakeside Diner (Buckeye Lake)
Resch's Bakery (Columbus)
Rise & Dine (Grandview) - CLOSED
Scrambler Marie's (Cleveland Avenue) (Columbus)
Skillet (Columbus)

Sloopy's Diner (Columbus)
Smothered Gravy (Columbus)
Starliner Diner (Hilliard)
Sweet Clove Sunshine Cafe (Dublin)
Tasi Cafe (Columbus)
Taste of Belgium (North Market) (Columbus)
Taste of Belgium (Wexner Center) (Columbus) - CLOSED
Tee Jaye's Country Place (Columbus)
Tommy's Diner (Columbus)
Warehouse Cafe (Columbus)
Wildflower Cafe (Columbus)
Worthington Inn (Worthington)
Yeah, Me Too (Columbus)

OREGON
Gravy (Portland)
Helser's on Alberta (Portland)
The Tin Shed (Portland)
Voodoo Doughnut (Portland)

PENNSYLVANIA
Blue Sky Cafe (Bethlehem)
Cracker Barrel (New Stanton)
French Creek Cafe (Franklin)
Kumm Esse Diner (Myerstown)
Paxton's Family Restaurant (Greenville)
Risser's Family Restaurant (Womelsdorf)
Square Cafe (Pittsburgh)

TENNESSEE
Aretha Frankenstein's (Chattanooga)
City Cafe Diner (Chattanooga)
Porter's Steakhouse (Chattanooga)

WEST VIRGINIA
Biscuit World (Winfield)
Cracker Barrel (Beckley)

Breakfast at the Pumpkin Show?

This picture isn't the greatest, but I just had to share a moment from the parade in the Circleville Pumpkin Show. We ventured down there despite the rain, and were rewarded with a light mist and no crowds. During the parade I caught this little gem: a mother, daughter, and their dog dressed as eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Bizarre, yes, but breakfast in a parade never hurt anyone.

Miscellaneous breakfast news in Columbus

Some random breakfast-related updates from around Columbus:

- Banana Bean Cafe has closed their original location on E. Whittier St. in German Village (boo! I liked the close comfort of that place). The location is now occupied by Skillet, serving "Rustic.Urban.Food." They're only open for lunch right now, but hopefully breakfast is on the way!

- Mac's Cafe in Short North has begun serving breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays, starting at 10 a.m. Can we say Scotch Eggs and gravy?

- Nancy's Home Cooking in Clintonville is aiming for a November 1st re-opening! You can follow along with their Facebook profile, or with the Save Nancy's Home Cooking FB group. They are still in need of some donations for final renovations - check out the pages for details on that. The best part about the planned re-opening? Breakfast served all day!

That's some of the news I've heard. Anything else happening out there?

The £10 Breakfast!

My wife found this brief article from a British website about the £10 breakfast served by Mario's Cafe in Westhoughton, England. The £10 refers to the cost of the meal as well as the weight. It consists of 10 fried eggs, 10 pieces of bacon, 10 sausages, 10 pieces of toast, 5 black puddings, tomatoes, beans, and mushroom. It's Man Vs. Food, English breakfast style! Eat it all in 20 minutes and it's free!