There’s nothing like starting your day with a good breakfast. Whether you’re in the mood for something hearty or healthy, North County San Diego has options galore, all served up with a side of sweeping ocean views.
From the savory to the sweet, served on a plate, in a bowl or wrapped in a tortilla, there are some delectable options that’ll fuel you through the holidays and well into the new year. Here are some of my favorite places that will get you eggcited to jump out of bed!
Bowl of Health: The Açai Bowl at Swami’s Café, Encinitas
Located just south of downtown Encinitas, Swami’s Café is a favorite among locals for breakfast and lunch. Their menu ranges from the usual breakfast fare of pancakes and french toast, to uniquely filled omelettes, savory huevos rancheros, and of course, the original Açai Bowl. This legendary bowl, said to energize the spirit and detoxify the body, is topped with berries, coconut, bee pollen and bananas. Boasting all of the health benefits and power derived from the superfood-classified Açai berry, you can fill up on your daily dose of antioxidants and vitamins, and kick-start your healthy eating habits for 2012.
After you fuel up, be sure to head over the café’s namesake spots: the internationally renowned surf spot Swami’s to catch some perfectly formed waves created by the point break; or meditate at the Self Realization Fellowship Hermitage & Gardens founded by the famous Swami Paramahansa Yogananda.
Best Wrapped Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos & Surfers at Pipes Café, Cardiff-by-the-Sea
In the quaint beach community of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, across highway 101 from the infamous Cardiff Kook statue, is the favorite breakfast nook among local surfers, Pipes Café. Serving up the best breakfast burritos in town, you’ll likely find a long line of sandy footed and salty surfers, hungry from their morning session and eager to sink their teeth into one of their delicious burritos, like the #3, which includes fluffy scrambled eggs cooked to perfection, cilantro, green chiles and cheese and their secret pica sauce, all perfectly wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. Served with a side of their homemade roasted salsa, it’s big for enough for two meals (at least for me). With other breakfast offerings like pancakes, french toast, scramblers and fresh-baked muffins, the place is usually packed with surfers, families and dogs alike.
If there is a line, the wait is definitely worthwhile, especially if you keep your eyes peeled for pro surfers who frequent the place. Be sure to bring cash, but if you forget, there’s an ATM machine conveniently located inside. With a walk-up espresso bar to boost, Pipes is the perfect spot to curb your morning cravings, whatever they may be.
Historic Breakfast with Iconic Views: La Jolla’s Brockton Villa
Nestled along the hillside by La Jolla’s famous Cove is the quaint and charming Brockton Villa Restaurant. First built as beach cottages in 1894, the building is now a San Diego Historical Landmark. With sweeping views of La Jolla Cove, no wonder they’ve won such coveted awards as “Best Breakfast in La Jolla” by the La Jolla Village News.
Brockton Villa’s award-winning breakfast menu boasts such unique dishes as the Crab Ipanema. Soft poached eggs rest atop succulent blue crab cakes with sliced tomatoes, artfully placed on an English muffin and topped with a spicy tomato coconut sauce. Served with a side of breakfast potatoes, it’s large enough to share, or last you well through early evening if you manage it all in one sitting. Their most popular breakfast dish is the Coast Toast, which Brockton also generously shares the recipe on their website. The thick cut French Toast infused with a hint of fragrant orange and served with Wisconsin maple syrup also comes with a side of fresh fruit.
With breakfast meals like this, you’ll have enough energy and fuel to last you through an active day exploring San Diego. What’s your favorite San Diego breakfast spot?