Five Favorite Breakfast Spots

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become a huge fan of going out to or (in our current climate) picking up breakfast. As a kid, I just wanted the day to get going instead of lingering over a meal in the morning. Now, as a wizened adult, I understand the allure of a tasty breakfast. I’m not a picky breakfast eater. Of course, I enjoy a hearty meal with eggs, breakfast meat, and homefries. But conversely, a breakfast sandwich or a healthy acai bowl is also on my menu.  We’re traveling to three states today for some of my favorite breakfast items. From the White Mountains of New Hampshire to Southeastern Connecticut, here are five of my favorite breakfast spots.

Water Street Cafe

For a hearty breakfast, I head to Water Street Cafe in Plymouth, Massachusetts. This is a classic breakfast spot. Not fancy inside–just perfect for a breakfast and lunch spot. Going out for breakfast is a rarity in my house. With two young kids, it’s not an easy task. For this reason, when I go to Water Street, I go all out. This means the Water Street Breakfast. It’s two eggs, a mound of zesty home fries, toast, and sausage. But I add in the crispy stuffed French toast. This is French toast coated with panko breadcrumbs and stuffed with a blueberry cream cheese filling. And a side order gets you four pieces of this magical stuff. When I’m extra hungry I may throw in a side of corned beef hash which is top-notch. Water Street Cafe is located on Water Street in Plymouth. 

Vela Juice Bar

The antithesis of the cholesterol bomb mentioned above would be my favorite menu item at Vela Juice Bar. Vela is also located in Plymouth and has a second location in Buzzards Bay. Vela is a very popular spot for smoothies, bowls, and other healthy treats such as salads and juice. I enjoy many of their smoothies but my absolute favorite selection is the protein bowl. I’m a sucker for blueberries, so this dish is right up my alley. Imagine a puree of acai berries, blueberries, peanut butter, and strawberries with whole blueberries, bananas, and strawberries on top. A dollop of homemade peanut butter and granola round out this amazingly delicious and amazingly satisfying meal. It’s so good and very healthy too! (This bowl is featured at the top of this post.) Vela is located on Court Street in Plymouth. 

The Foodsmith

Rumor around the South Shore is that the Foodsmith in Duxbury, Massachusetts, makes the best breakfast sandwiches in the area. I enjoy a breakfast sandwich, but to me, I typically can’t differentiate between an egg and something sandwich from Dunkin’ versus somewhere else. I recently called ahead at the Foodsmith and took the ride for my sausage and cheese on an English muffin. My first bite was WOW, this is something special. The rave reviews are heralded. I’m not quite sure why this is so good but it really is. Simple: egg, cheese, and sausage on a Stone and Skillet, a Boston area bakery, English muffin. I never wanted this breakfast sandwich to end, it’s that good. On each bite, the egg, cheese, sausage and muffin could be tasted fully with immense flavor. The Foodsmith is located on Standish Street in Duxbury. 

Poppy & Rye 

One of the first breakfast sandwiches that stood out for me was the sausage, egg, and cheese at Poppy & Rye Bakery and Cafe in the Taftville section of Norwich, Connecticut. This place bakes fresh bagels which I like to bookend my sandwich with. The bagels are doughy and soft, allowing the egg, cheese, and sausage flavors to complement each other nicely. Poppy & Rye has tasty baked goods too, but my go-to is the breakfast sandwich with its homemade bagels, which makes this a must on my list of five favorite breakfast spots. Poppy & Rye is located on Norwich Avenue in the village of Taftville and was recently mentioned in this article.

White Mountain Cider Company

On a recent vacation to the White Mountains, I headed for breakfast at the White Mountain Cider Company in Glen, New Hampshire. Similar to breakfast sandwiches, a muffin really needs to be special for me to think that it stands out. I ordered a blueberry muffin. It was soft with a firm top and full of blueberries, with a great mixture of the sweet from the sugar, the blueberry bursts, and the cake-like muffin taste. Additionally, their cider doughnuts are delicious. A classic doughnut taste highlighted by apple cider. On my second trip, I tried the breakfast sandwich which was yet another standout on their menu. White Mountain Cider Company has a store and restaurant. It is located on Route 302 in the Glen section of Bartlett. 

Five Favorite Breakfast Spots

If you find yourself in the South Shore of Massachusetts, in eastern Connecticut, or in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, here are five of my favorite breakfast spots. Dig in and enjoy!