Exploring Manhattan Beach, CA – Top Breakfast Spots

Exploring Manhattan Beach, CA

Top Breakfast Spots

With Spring here and Summer on the way, beach communities like Manhattan Beach reawaken. Winter slumber gives way to a vibrant beach town. And, when exploring Manhattan Beach, CA, fun & tasty eateries abound! A great meal or happy hour with friends… with the beach as a backdrop? I’m in!

Manhattan Beach

In addition to being the cradle of beach volleyball, Manhattan Beach (10 min South of LAX) is also known for great shopping, surfing and restaurants. Local & visiting foodies love the wide variety of culinary choices MB offers. And, thanks to covid (what a strange thing to say) most restaurants now have permanent, scenic outdoor dining options; the beach serves as the perfect backdrop.

The Most Important (fun) Meal of the Day

Breakfast/Brunch with friends is a great way to kick off a day of hanging in Manhattan Beach. If you’re a “Brekie” there are a number of great  breakfast places to check  out.

Today, we look at our  3 favorites.

BlueStone Lane –  7am to 4PM Daily

Located on Manhattan Beach Blvd, in the heart of town

The Australian inspired coffee shop is a relative newcomer to Manhattan Beach & fast becoming one of my favorite breakfast spots. With coast to coast locations, it’s possible you’ve already enjoyed breakfast at BlueStone Lane. Their unique creations, centered around premium coffee & delicious, healthy breakfast choices are hard to beat.

BlueStone also roasts, sells and serves its own coffee beans, crafting fresh takes on lattes, Cuppaccinos, cold brews and the like. Organic teas & wellness drinks are also available, if espresso isn’t your thing.

Our Favorites

There are no bad choices, but if we had to pick…

Coffee – The Flat White (double espresso, with a textured layer of your milk of choice & another layer of micro foam) A popular Aussie classic.

Tea – The Matcha Latte (uber healthy matcha green tea powder and steamed almond milk)

ATHLETES BURRITO  – A tasty combo of egg whites, sautéed spinach, roasted tomatoes, avocado, lentils, feta & chimichurri mayo served with dressed salad.

BL BIG BREKKIE – Avocado smash on toasted multigrain with two poached eggs, smoked bacon, roasted tomatoes, field mushrooms & baby kale (Try the vegetarian version as an alternative)

BEST MATES BOWL – Harvest roasted brussels sprouts & field mushrooms, served with soft scrambled eggs, baby kale, farro, pickled onion, feta, chili flakes and toasted seeds.

If you’re more of a purist, you can also build your breakfast from the sides menu. Sides offers eggs, toast, smashed avocado, bacon, potato wedges etc… to create what you want.

QR codes & the App – fast, convenient

BlueStone provides QR codes at each table as well as the BlueStone App, to place your order. I hate to credit the covid era with yet another  positive innovation, but I’ve come to prefer pulling up my app and placing an order. The QR code and App also automatically recognize which table you’re sitting at, for the food to be delivered.

I really  love completing the order, paying and including the tip, before the food arrives; then getting up and heading out when it’s convenient.

The staff is also friendly, attentive and are quick to fix any issue, which is the perfect compliment to a technology driven ordering system. If your not familiar with the QR setup or the App, your server will gladly assist. As we tend to frequent BlueStone Lane, the app lets me accumulate loyalty points within the loyalty app. It’s nice to get the occasional free latte or discount!

Good food, great service & a prime location for indoor or outdoor dining make BlueStone an easy choice.

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Uncle Bill’s Pancake House – 7am to 3pm Daily

Located on Highland Ave, 3 blocks off the main street

If you’ve been exploring Manhattan Beach, CA for several years, this option won’t be a surprise. Since 1961, Uncle Bill’s Pancake House has been serving up the classic Americana breakfast to Manhattan Beach locals. The turn of the century house that is home to Uncle Bills harkens back to when Manhattan was a sleepy little beach town. The cozy atmosphere, comfort food and friendly staff are beloved by locals and visitors alike.

Ordering is traditional table side, with your server. The specialty coffee of the house is, well… coffee (also served table side).

The portions are large, tasty and filling. Pancakes, waffles, Omelets & Uncle Bill’s famous potatoes are fan favorites. For those wanting to transition to lunch, burgers, hot/cold sandwiches, chilli, soups, salads are available too.

Our Favorites

It’s always fun to build your own omelet with a wide array of options… and add a side of Uncle Bills potatoes .

The Istanbul – A tasty omelet filled with Swiss cheese, turkey & sour cream

JD’s French Toast – Sourdough french bread, topped with bananas & Strawberries, then laced with powdered sugar. The coffee and french toast can fight it out for control of your mental faculties afterewards! 🙂

Old school it with Corned beef hash and eggs!

Uncle Bills has indoor and outdoor seating. They do a brisk business everyday, so expect some wait time, unless you’re there for an earlier breakfast. The tables turn fairly quickly so, sit back, enjoy the view of the ocean and shortly you’ll be knee deep in comfort food!

Un Caffe Altamura – 8am to 4pm daily

Located on Highland Ave, just off Manhattan Beach Blvd

Un Caffe Altamura is another more recent addition to Manhattan Beach. The recently renovated location has an upscale modern, European vibe. With ample indoor/outdoor seating and a bar rail that faces out on the front of the caffe, there’s a cozy spot for everyone.

Similar to BlueStone Lane, Caffe Altamura offers a wonderful selection of curated coffee and tea drinks as well as a small but eclectic mix of breakfast and lunch offerings. Doing a handful of things really well has always had its appeal. The food & drinks are unique, flavorful with a nice mix of healthy and decadent options.

Un Caffe Altamura offers breakfast and lunch options.

Ordering is done at the front counter &  you’re issued  an order number. After settling on the perfect spot, servers will deliver the food and drinks, as they come out.

Again, I have come to really appreciate the convenience of completing all the paperwork of the dining experience upfront, before your meal gets underway. Then you can simply wander out at any time, after your meal.

Our Favorites

In addition to straightforward breakfast fare…

Ginger, Turmeric Latte – Silky smooth with a flavorful mix of ginger/Turmeric & your favorite milk. Healthy and delicious!

Honey Lavender Latte – A locals favorite. The name just screams tasty.

Signature egg white Frittata –  veggie medley, pancetta, serrano peppers, grilled bread & simple salad. Flavourful and hearty!

British Breakfast – broiled tomatoes, sauteed shrooms, seasoned beans, rosemary ham, spinach, organic eggs. Who says the Brits don’t throw together a memorable breakfast!

Matcha Pancakes – Organic matcha, mixed berries, blueberry & basil creme fraiche. House made rosemary lavender syrup. Sweet, healthy goodness !

Un Caffe Altamira’s upscale casual vibe serves unique and delicious breakfast offerings; perfect to kick start your visit to downtown Manhattan Beach.

Honorable Mention

If any of the above choices are unavailable or you’re looking something else, here’s a ferw more options to consider.

Le Pain Quotidien – Everyone has been to a Le Pain somewhere in the US. Great omelets, pastries, coffee etc…

The Kettle – Another Manhattan Beach institution, similar to Uncle Bill’s Pancake House. The Kettle is also open 24 hours a day! If you’re jonesing for bacon & eggs in the middle of the night, the kettle is the spot for you. We came home on a very late flight last summer and headed to the Kettle. It turns out there are LOTS of people having breakfast after 1am 🙂

Strand House – Fancy brunch with premier views of the Manhattan Beach Pier, strand & the  ocean.  Weekends only as of this writing.

Verve – light breakfast fare & they roast/brew their own coffee great coffee.

Exploring Manhattan Beach, CA in the coming months combines all the carefree fun of the beach with shopping, great people watching & yes… several terrific breakfast spots. From long established diners to uniquely curated breakfast cafes, the choices abound!

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