Up and Eat ‘Em: The Best Breakfast Spots in Fort Worth

Fort Worth loves a good steak for dinner, a killer sandwich for lunch, and a rack of ribs for an afternoon snack. But most Fort Worthians will agree that our love for early morning culinary communion is unmatched by any other meal. 

We’re talking breakfast, of course. Many of us pine for the sights and smells of the most important meal of the day: the crackle and pop of sizzling bacon, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, the steam that emits from a biscuit you just tore in half. Unhealthy, yes, but we indulge anyway, once a month, once a week, once a day, in a variety of Fort Worth locales — burrowed in a handsome, snug booth at one of the city’s top-notch hotels, sitting at a rickety table at a timeworn cafe, grabbing and going a breakfast taco from a tiny taqueria. 

Some of you, it bears pointing out, are part-time breakfast lovers — commonly known as the brunch crowd. You only like breakfast on weekends. We do not fault you. Matter of fact, we’re often by your side, downing mimosas and talking very loudly about what we did the night before. 

Our ode to the best brunch spots in town is another story for another day, though. For this story, it’s all about places that serve breakfast during the week, Monday through Friday, before many of you even roll out of bed. There’s a bit of brunch/breakfast crossover in that some of the city’s best brunch spots do double duty as breakfast places — and we do love a good mimosa on a Tuesday. 

With that in mind, here’s a look at 23 of our favorite breakfast spots in Fort Worth. Up and Eat ’Em. 

Click here to see our pick of north side breakfast spots.

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Classic Cafes

(Beloved breakfast veterans and newcomers that seem like old-timers.)  

Blue Mound Cafe

Similar to the Dixie House breakfast and lunch cafes, this formidable newcomer started in the Blue Mound area in 2020 and has since expanded to Fort Worth and, more recently, North Richland Hills. Opened late last year, the Fort Worth location took over a former Dixie House on East Belknap, bringing affordable and filling breakfasts back to the Riverside area. The breakfast menu is absolutely huge, encompassing various egg and meat plates; extravagant breakfast sandwiches, some made with pancakes instead of bread; three-egg omelets; breakfast tacos; and stomach-stuffing plates like pork chops and eggs that’ll surely do you in for the day.

Perfect for: Those with hearty appetites who can go home and pass out afterward.

Definitely try: The amusingly named “Meat Head” omelet, an appropriately named beast filled with an ample supply of thick-cut bacon, breakfast sausage, and ham. It’s topped with shredded cheese and served with a side of hashbrowns. 

Info: 3701 E. Belknap St., 817.887.9366   

Carshon’s Deli

We know and love Carshon’s mainly for its incredible lunch sandwiches. But here’s a good pro-tip: It serves excellent breakfast. Many of the dishes are made with its famously wonderful deli meats. Try the salami, onion and eggs, all scrambled together and served with your choice of toast or bagel. Breakfast is cheap, too, with most dishes under $10. Breakfast there is such an if-you-know-you-know type of thing; it’s usually nice and quiet — the calm before the lunch storm. 

Perfect for: A relaxing breakfast. 

Definitely try: The corned beef and eggs scramble, which’ll set you back a mere $7.

Info: 3133 Cleburne Rd., 817.923.1907 

Montgomery St. Cafe

Classic diners like Montgomery St. Cafe used to line our highways and backroads, as common then as 7-Elevens are now. They’re a dying breed, but Fort Worth diners have kept a handful alive, including this gem, open since 1949. Here, your coffee cup is never empty, servers call you by your name or the name they give you (which varies between “sweetie” and “hon”), and the food is as adamantly old-school as it is delicious. Claudette Finley, an 80-something former American Airlines flight attendant who has owned the restaurant since 1986, can often be seen serving huge biscuits, maybe the city’s best, and big plates of grits, eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns, all freshly cooked within inches of your wobbly table, creaky booth, or squeaky counter stool. This is one of the last vestiges of old Fort Worth. Here, you’re safe and sound from the passage of time. You’ll wish you could stay here forever. 

Perfect for: Those wanting to time warp back to Fort Worth’s younger, simpler self.

Definitely try: Biscuits and gravy. Or biscuits and anything, really. Many Fort Worthians argue they’re the best in the city.

Info: 2000 Montgomery St., 817.731.8033

Ol’ South Pancake House

One of the city’s few 24-hour restaurants (breakfast is served round-the-clock), Ol’ South has been a Fort Worth mainstay for more than 60 years. You go for the German pancakes and endless cups of excellent coffee and the utterly fascinating people-watching. National bands and artists in town for gigs will often dine here at 2 in the morning, after their shows. People from the Stock Show pile in. There are college students everywhere. Every walk of Fort Worth life, sooner or later, passes through the doors of Ol’ South. It can get rowdy, but you know that already, and you’re probably one of the people making it rowdy. There’s nothing else in Fort Worth quite like it. 

Perfect for: The late-night crowd and those who love German pancakes, the restaurant’s signature dish. 

Definitely try: Available all day and night, the German pancakes are a culinary wonder, a thick pancake, made tableside, doused in powdered sugar, butter, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Tip your server well; those things are a pain to make.

Info: 1509 S. University Drive, olsouthpancakehouse.com

Old Neighborhood Grill

Since opening in 1998, this charmingly countryish neighborhood joint has been a gathering spot for Park Place residents bent on starting their days with gigantic, fruit-topped pancakes and lively conversations. Oftentimes, those convos take place while one person is in line and the other is seated at a nearby table, their stories and anecdotes bouncing around the room like a boomerang. It’s lively, fun, and very, very Fort Worth. The food’s dynamite, too. Owners Brenda and Wallis Lester, who purchased the restaurant from founder Peter Schroder in 2017, serve terrific renditions of archetypal breakfast eats: thick, thick pancakes; fluffy biscuits with peppered cream gravy; and omelets with your choice of fillings. The hallmark dish of any good breakfast joint, hashbrowns, are perfect specimens. Don’t leave without getting ‘em. 

Perfect for: Convos as good as the food.

Definitely try: If you’re looking for a good eggs Benedict, theirs is hard to beat. 

Info: 1633 Park Place Ave., 817.923.2282

Paris Coffee Shop

This legendary breakfast spot has been a staple of the Near Southside long before there was even a Near Southside, its roots harking back to the 1920s. Owners and locations have changed through the years, but dining here remains an essential rite-of-passage or everyday habit for hungry early risers. Owned and recently revamped by local food and beverage kingpins Lou Lambert, Chris Reale, and Mark Harris, Paris offers an extensive breakfast menu dominated by classic morning fare and a few nice surprises. For hearty appetites, there’s a chicken-fried steak and eggs plate that’ll require a subsequent nap, more than a dozen omelets, and combinations of eggs, waffles, pancakes, and hashbrowns. The new owners brought along some cool new dishes, such as breakfast hash made with smoked carnitas. Those with smaller stomachs and not so many death wishes can nibble on a power grains bowl or excellent whole-grain pancakes.

Perfect for: Fort Worth newcomers who want to dine in a 100-year-old restaurant; people-watchers who can easily spot local movers and shakers; Near Southsiders who can walk there.

Definitely try: If you’re going to Paris, you may as well go all in and get something hearty and filling, like pork chops and eggs. And you’re gonna need a slice of pie to finish things off. Yes, pork chops and pie for breakfast. Fort Worth, y’all.

Info: 704 W. Magnolia Ave., pariscoffeeshopfw.com

Spiral Diner

We live in a vastly different world than we did, say, 30 years ago, when we maybe didn’t pay that much attention to eating as healthily and socially consciously as we should have. But in Fort Worth, at least, changes were ushered in 20 years ago by this forward-thinking Near Southside diner, which serves vegan renditions of classic breakfast fare — food that’s a little healthier and a lot more conscious of its origins. For her all-day breakfast menu, owner Amy McNutt serves egg-less eggs, meat-free breakfast meats, organic pancakes, and cheese-like cheesy breakfast quesadillas in a kitschy atmos designed to bring to mind the classic diners of yesterday. Colorful shakes, floats, and sundaes in vibrant, dairy-free flavors add to the “Back to the Future” vibe. There’s a full bakery, too, along with a coffee and smoothie bar. 

Perfect for: Families, couples, anyone who’s cool with the vegan lifestyle and maybe wants to give it a whirl. 

Definitely try: Pancakes are a must here, and they come in two varieties: organic or gluten-free. They’re served with vegan butter and, if you want, toppings such as blueberries, pecans, and chocolate chips. 

Info: 1314 W. Magnolia Ave., spiraldiner.com

Vickery Cafe

A little off the beaten path, in a strip mall along the boulevard that bears its name, Vickery Cafe isn’t as well known as some of its breakfast cafe brethren, but this charming, upbeat cafe is every bit as good, and in some ways maybe even better. You can get your classic diner breakfast fare here — appropriately fluffy omelets stuffed with cheese and bell peppers and chorizo and bacon; gargantuan pancakes dusted with powdered sugar and butter; and a Texas-shaped Belgian waffle, one of the items many longtimers love. For those craving something a bit more adventurous, owner Curtis James offers dishes with chef-inspired touches: Recent specials have included banana pudding blintzes, a chipotle pulled pork omelet, and tres leches French toast. Love the cool retro vibe, too. 

Perfect for: Great spot for families with a little something for everyone.

Definitely try: The breakfast Monte Cristo, comprised of a brioche dipped in French toast batter and filled with bacon, tasso ham, fried eggs, and Swiss cheese, then topped with powdered sugar and housemade chipotle raspberry jam. 

Info: 4120 W. Vickery Blvd., vickerycafe.com

West Side Cafe

What makes a diner great, besides the food, of course, is the atmosphere — and this long-running spot on the city’s west side has it in spades. That’s why it’s packed for breakfast every morning. It’s a high-energy place, with servers that zip around the room, carrying plates of eggs and waffles and pancakes on their arms, like you see in the movies, while regulars chat about the long days they’re about to have. A recent change in ownership (longtime general manager Joel Hancock now runs it with his son, Brian, in partnership with Westland Restaurant Group) went off without a hitch. It’s very much the same place many Fort Worthians have grown to love, no matter what side of the city they’re from. 

Perfect for: A good inexpensive breakfast.

Definitely try: Its pancakes recently won an award from the Star-Telegram readers. We will not argue.

Info: 7950 Camp Bowie W. Blvd., westsidecafefw.com

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Breakfast Plus

(Think classic breakfast but upped a notch.)

Eggtastic

Among the many breakfast spots to open in north Fort Worth recently is this bustling cafe in Alliance Town Center. Opened last spring by the local Kim family, who also run a similar restaurant in Frisco called Berries & Batter, Eggstatic stands out among this area’s increasingly crowded breakfast club for the enormity of its menu, super-friendly service, and on-point food. People who live in the north Fort Worth corridor jam the place for crepes smothered in sweet lemon ricotta sauce; skillets stacked with bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, and veggies; and pancakes topped with, well, what are they not topped with? There are more than 20 pancake toppings, including some you don’t normally see, like granola and lingonberries. To drink, there’s a vast selection of hot and iced coffees, but many opt for the $40 make-your-own mimosa flight that includes four fresh fruit juices and a bottle of champagne — a fun thing to order, especially for big parties. You’re gonna be stuffed, and you’re gonna be tipsy; get an Uber.  

Perfect for: Couples and big parties who are totally fine with eating monolithic portions of unapologetically indulgent food. Kids are cool, too; all of the dishes on the kid’s menu are $6.

Definitely try: The Eggstatic coffeecakes, which aren’t coffeecakes at all. Instead, this is for someone who wants to try both pancakes and waffles: Two pancakes, made with coffee cake batter and streaked with a caramel glaze, are topped with a Belgian waffle dusted in powdered sugar. Yes, this is a real thing — a waffle on top of pancakes. We swear we didn’t have too many mimosas.

Info: 9160 North Freeway, Ste. 452; eggtasticcafe.com

Hot Box Biscuit Club

Popular spot in the South Main area serves chef-inspired dishes that revolve around everyone’s favorite breakfast side: buttermilk biscuits. Here, though, they’re the main course — building blocks used by owners Sarah Hooten and Matt Mobley to construct imaginative breakfast sandwiches. See: the Mattie Melt, a handheld featuring housemade sausage, caramelized onions, grape jelly, and your cheese of choice; or their vanilla bourbon bread pudding French toast, made with biscuits soaked in cream, bourbon, and vanilla, then griddled and served with whipped strawberry butter, maple syrup, and toffee topping. 

Perfect for: Adventurous eaters with a soft spot for biscuits. 

Definitely try: First-timers should try the Hottie, a biscuit sandwich made with sugar cane-brined fried chicken tenders, hot sauce, whipped honey butter, and a secret blend of seasonings.

Info: 313 S. Main St., hotboxbiscuitco.com

Righteous Foods

Owned by Lanny Lancarte of the Joe T. Garcia’s family, Righteous Foods is a cherished anomaly in Fort Worth’s breakfast scene in that it takes a sproutier approach to classic diner fare. Think of Austin breakfast landmarks like Kerbey Lane and Magnolia Cafe, and you’ll get a good idea of what this colorfully decorated and designed cafe has in store: an avocado breakfast pizza layered with guacamole and organic eggs on naan bread; artfully presented acai bowls with housemade granola and organic acai; a veggie omelet with organic eggs, piquillo, black beans, organic marinated kale, tomato preserves, and goat cheese. Lancarte keeps all diets and preferences in mind, so there are plenty of gluten-free and vegan options. There’s a full menu of cocktails, coffees, and cold-pressed drinks, too, perfect for summer sipping on the wood-accented, foliage-surrounded patio. 

Perfect for: Anyone who wants something a little different — and a little healthier.

Definitely try: The green egg chilaquiles & ham, Lancarte’s delicious riff on chilaquiles, comprised of corn tortillas, slow-roasted pork, housemade tomatillo sauce and, on top, a pair of organic eggs cooked over medium, plus a sprinkling of queso fresco. 

Info: 3405 W. Seventh St., eatrighteously.com

Snooze

Along with Yolk, this Colorado-based chain helped usher in the daily brunch concept. The enormous menu at the Fort Worth location, near the West 7th area, is truly a something-for-everyone affair, from simple bacon and egg dishes to over-the-top pancakes streaked in cream cheese and piled on with fruit and other toppings to Benedicts and burritos. Of course, there are boozy drinks to get you buzzing and hot and cold coffees to help sober you up.

Perfect for: Brunchers anxious to have brunch.

Definitely try: The pancake flight, which offers three of the restaurant’s signature pancakes: pineapple upside down, blueberry Danish, and sweet potato.

Info: 2150 W. Seventh St., snoozeeatery.com

Taste Project

We’ve professed our love and admiration, many, many times, for this Near Southside breakfast and lunch cafe, where diners pay what they can for chef-inspired cuisine. Fort Worth’s sole nonprofit eatery is geared toward people who are homeless or struggling, but it’s always packed with foodies who hold in high regard owner/chef Jeff Williams’ seasonal fare. Williams’ current summer menu includes peach and honey ricotta toast, huevos rancheros made with refried black beans, and, ideal for summer, the overnight oats, a bowl of chilled oats and flaxseed bloomed overnight in almond milk and garnished with marinated fruit and toasted almonds. 

Perfect for: Those who appreciate both good food and a good cause. 

Definitely try: Williams’ rendition of shakshuka, a North African dish comprised of poached eggs in a spicy garlic chili sauce.

Info: 1200 S. Main St., tasteproject.org

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Mex-Mex and Tex-Mex Breakfast

(Plenty of local Mexican restaurants offer rise and shine cuisine.) 

Chuy’s

Not the Austin-based chain with a location near West 7th, but the local Chuy’s founded by Jesus “Chuy” Adame in 1982. Decades later, it’s still one of the best — and cheapest — places to get a good breakfast. The Fort Worth location on Boat Club Road offers faithful renditions of classic Mexican breakfast plates, like chilaquiles and huevos rancheros, plus huge breakfast burritos stuffed with bacon, chorizo, cactus, potatoes, and other items. There are also daily breakfast specials for $9, including their excellent huevos con chorizo, a mix of scrambled eggs and chorizo; all breakfast specials come with freshly made flour tortillas, some of the best in the city. 

Perfect for: Those hankering for authentic Mexican breakfast fare.

Definitely try: The burritos are huge — big enough for two.

Info: 9120 Boat Club Road, chuysftw.com

Esperanza’s Restaurant & Bakery

There are two locations of this Joe T. Garcia’s spinoff — one just a couple blocks over from Joe T.’s on the city’s north side and one in the Park Place area. Both are known for their all-day breakfast menus, comprised of dishes such as migas, chilaquiles, and eggs scrambled with chorizo, bacon, cactus, potatoes, and veggies. Made with fresh flour tortillas, the breakfast tacos are excellent. 

Perfect for: Tourists and locals alike. There’s a kid’s breakfast menu, too, making it ideal for families.  

Definitely try: Chicharron con huevos, a hearty mix of soft or fried pork skin scrambled with eggs and served with refried black beans.

Info: 2122 N. Main St., 1601 Park Place Ave., esperanzasfw.com

La Rueda

Housed in a beautiful old ranch home on the city’s east side, La Rueda is a family-run Mexican restaurant open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It goes against the grain of the Mexican breakfast norm, though, with attractively presented — and wholeheartedly delicious — plates of chilaquiles, French toast topped with so much fresh fruit, you can barely see the toast, and firm yet fluffy pancakes — just the way we like ‘em. 

Perfect for: Those who can’t decide between a Mexican or American breakfast.

Definitely try: The chicken-fried steak and eggs. It’s not a day-destroyer like other places. The CFS is on the manageable side, not too big, not too thick — perfect for breakfast. 

Info: 2317 Oakland Blvd., laruedarestaurant.com

Tacusa 

This small indie Mexican restaurant in north Fort Worth (there are also locations in Arlington and Hurst) specializes in tacos, nachos, tortas, and burritos. At breakfast, though, there’s a nice surprise: Salvadorian food. Specifically, there are pupusas, along with an all-encompassing Salvadorian breakfast plate, the must-get dish.

Perfect for: Those who want Salvadorian food the sec the sun comes up.

Definitely try: The Salvadorian breakfast plate comes with fried plantains, refried black beans, sour cream, tortillas and eggs bathed in a spicy ranchero sauce; it’s one of the best breakfasts around. 

Info: 7420 N. Beach St., tacusatx.com

Tesoro

One of Fort Worth’s most exciting new restaurants, this small mom-and-pop breakfast and lunch joint is helping bring new diners to Riverside’s Race Street area. Tesoro’s small menu is all about chilaquiles — there’s nearly a half-dozen variations of the beloved Mexican staple, comprised of eggs, proteins, and salsas piled on a bed of crispy corn tortilla chips. Other breakfast items include a burger topped with bacon and eggs and artfully presented pancakes crisscrossed with chocolate streaks and topped with berry compote and Gansito Mexican candy. 

Perfect for: Those craving authentic Mexican breakfast fare — and don’t mind a slight wait. It’s usually crowded.

Definitely try: The restaurant’s signature dish, birriaquiles, a plate of crispy tortilla chips topped with birria beef stew, salsa, beans, cheese, sour cream, and cilantro. Super messy but very, very good.

Info: 2919 Race St., instagram.com/tesoromexican

Click here to see who we picked as our 6 favorite breakfast taco spots in Fort Worth.

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Staycation Breakfasts

(Some of the city’s grandest hotels serve equally grand breakfasts.) 

97 West Kitchen & Bar

At 97 West, the modern-rustic on-site restaurant for the Fort Worth Stockyards’ Hotel Drover, executive chef Grant Morgan dishes out Texana-heavy takes on American classics — appropriate for guests wanting a Stockyards-inspired experience. Items include breakfast tacos made with marinated prime rib, arugula and a unique hot sauce-hollandaise; a goat cheese omelet, peppered with pickled Fresno chiles and roasted tomatoes, made and served in a cast iron skillet; a smoked brisket Benedict; and buttermilk biscuits and gravy served with a side of breakfast potatoes, because carbs aren’t a bad thing here. There are Avoca coffee drinks, too, along with freshly squeezed OJ, lemonade, and hot tea; there’s also a full bar.     

Perfect for: Hotel guests and those needing a pitstop while prowling the Stockyards.

Definitely try: We usually avoid avocado toast, but 97 West’s is worth ordering. Three words: Bloody. Mary. Aioli.

Info: 200 Mule Alley, 97westkitchenandbar.com

Emilia’s

Newly opened in the Cultural District, Emilia’s is the in-house restaurant at the luxurious Crescent Hotel. North Texas native and chef Preston Paine heads the kitchen at this elegant, and elegantly designed, signature restaurant, open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Hotel guests swoon, but the restaurant also caters to locals who appreciate the stately atmosphere and Paine’s Mediterranean-inspired interpretations of land and sea staples. For breakfast, there’s a little bit of everything, from freshly made butter, chocolate and almond croissants to a pecan praline waffle drizzled with caramel sauce and dolloped with vanilla whipped cream to an Italian omelet made with Italian sausage and scamorza, a Southern Italy cheese known for its silky texture and mildly rich flavor. The peaches and cream bowl, made with fresh peaches, soaked oats, and brown sugar crumble, is a sweet delight. Lots of hot teas. 

Perfect for: Those looking for a high-end breakfast experience.

Definitely try: Steak and eggs feature a tender and well-marbled flat iron steak, cooked medium-rare, and served with a slightly spicy tomatillo-based salsa.

Info: 3300 Camp Bowie Blvd., emiliasfortworth.com

Bricks & Horses

Bricks and Horses is the in-house restaurant at Bowie House, one of two new luxury hotels in the Cultural District. Part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, the hotel plays up its western heritage inspiration, with design and architectural homages to ranch and cowboy culture. Leading the kitchen is chef Antonio Votta, who has designed breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner menus that revolve around Texana and Americana favorites. Of note for breakfast is the excellent eggs Benedict, made with crispy prosciutto and tarragon hollandaise, and a bacon jam quiche with goat cheese and frisee. For lighter appetites, there’s a whipped yogurt with a crazy amount of cut fresh fruit, along with freshly baked pastries from skilled pastry chef Laura Cottler. 

Perfect for: An elevated breakfast in a warm, welcoming space.

Definitely try: The house breakfast sandwich, made with thick-cut peppered bacon, aged cheddar and a fried egg, served on a freshly made croissant.

Info: 3700 Camp Bowie Blvd., aubergeresorts.com/bowiehouse/

West + Stone 

Downtown’s Sheraton Hotel recently unveiled a $50 million renovation — one of the largest hotel renos in the region. In addition to room and event space revamps, the hotel opened a new restaurant called West + Stone. The breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus are heavy on upscale Mexican/American, with nice little touches that set them apart from average hotel restaurant menus. Breakfast items include tacos filled with your meat of choice, eggs, and housemade salsa; ginormous pancakes topped with fresh fruits; and avocado toast. 

Perfect for: Early morning downtown wanderers.

Definitely try: The eggy, crunchy French toast with fresh, seasonal berries.

Info: 1701 Commerce St., marriott.com