The most important meal of the day is breakfast! West Hollywood has been home to some of the most famous and best breakfast places in the USA. A night out on the Sunset Strip would often end with the sun rising over Mel’s Diner. One of my favorite breakfast hotspots in Weho was the diner inside the old Standard Hotel. And of course, there was Hamburger Hamlet on Sunset where you could be greeted by Francis Davis, the wife of Miles Davis. Ah, the good old days!
Along Robertson, we had Ed’s Coffee Shop, a legendary family business, and La Conversation, another hotspot for residents to meet and greet each other.
Santa Monica Blvd in the 80s and 90s was a great place to go for breakfast. Friends would meet at Dukes at the old Tropicana (Ramada Hotel), and the Silver Spoon. Before Covid, many would meet at Basix or any number of coffeehouses like the Coffee Bean or the big Gay Starbucks. Breakfast was a community event where many of us said hello to each other to start the day. But the Queen of WeHo breakfast spots was a toss-up between the French Market and Yukon Mining Co. Gays, lesbians, and allies were regulars. And then there was Eat Well, a hometown favorite. The prices were affordable, and they offered a safe haven filled with Weho character and charm.
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There are many new places around town, most of which are upscale, such as Bottega Louie, Breakfast Republic, and the new Zinc Cafe. The Baker’s Daughter on Sunset, Verve on Melrose, and some of WeHo’s finest hotels offer fabulous breakfast with a view, like the Edition or the Kimpton La Peer Hotel. But my favorite hotel breakfast or lunch is a short walk from my house at the Le Parc Hotel dining room on the 3rd floor. Perfect!
Let’s give some credit to the survivors! Urth Cafe, one of the most famous, and Hugo’s and Kitchen24, WeHo Bistro, Joey’s Cafe, and the Original IHOP are still serving WeHo after all these years. Plus, the Dialog Cafe and Street Fair. But the best crispy bacon in town can only be found at Astro Burger! And WeHo still hosts three Starbucks, two Coffee Beans, and a Miss Melbourne. (And one McDonald’s with 99 cents any size hot or cold or flavors coffee on the McApp.)
Hollywood Burger is a “sleeper” in Boystown, with the best avocado toast in the city. And just outside of WeHo on La Cienega, there is the legendary Norm’s. You can still get a bigger, better breakfast for under $10.
Poll: What is your favorite old breakfast spot? And what is your favorite new breakfast spot?
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I guess Breakfast Republic doesn’t count since it’s on the East Side?
Might want to read again because Breakfast Republic is mentioned. Your supposition has no merit.
There’s a massive gap in the layout!!!
dont be a jerk, larry
We just had breakfast at Breakfast Republic for the first time this morning. I can’t wait to go back again.
I miss Ben Franks but to be honest, Mel’s is just as good. I guess I just miss the old places out of nostalgia. But Dukes was pretty great. Loved the bench seating for meeting people.
You forgot Bravo Toast, and you waaay underdiscussed the happy local story that is the Dialog Café juggarnaut
How about The Griddle Cafe on Sunset? I know it is not “technically” WeHo but it as WeHo as Norm’s is Weho. The line is down the block and the wait is usually over an hour on the weekends.
Where is Breakfast by Salt’s Cure?
Not a breakfast spot but Ggiata has a bacon egg and cheese bagel (bagel from Jyan Isaac bread) on the weekends that is 10/10.
❤️❤️❤️ Ggiata
Have we opened this up to any egg place in LA County? Ok then, Rockin Egg Cafe, Eagle Rock.
Ggiata is in West Hollywood.
i was going to be a smarta** and say the article is about weho, but i must say, Ggiata is great. good call.
Ggiata is in West Hollywood.
Maybe their newer location, but the original is in Hollywood.
https://www.ggiata.com/our-story/
Thank you for the list of great places gone. Send it to Horvath Shyne Ericsson and the remaining clowns that helped destroy iconic business.
Most of those establishments closed before they were on the council…but okay sure, blame everything on them.
I notice Mel’s is in the “old” section here with restaurants that have closed…Unless it closed this afternoon, it was open for breakfast this morning…and it’s a classic!
Maybe they meant Ben Franks??? That was there before Mel’s
Not only is it sad to see this list of restaurants erased from West Hollywood, this also shows the erasure of a level of the city’s culture and social engagement. Very sad that the City has little regard for the infrastructure both built and human.
Not only s it sad to see this list of restaurants erased from West Hollywood, it also erased a level of the cities culture and social engagement. Very sad that the city has little regard for the infrastructure both build and human.
We had lots of great places but the city council did whatever they could to get them to shut down, (crime, no parking, crazy forced salaries for unskilled labor, etc). I’m confident more close per capita in weho than in other cities. $25 for a simple breakfast isn’t worth it. I remember Duke’s on Sunset when a busboy lifted a rubber mat and I saw a thousand roaches scramble.
I haven’t been to Kitchen 24 since the waiter took the liberty of rounding off my bill to the nearest dollar and keeping 25 cents. When I asked for the 25 cents he brought me back two quarters. Bye, bye.