The second its doors opened in St. Paul’s Lowertown, the Buttered Tin became a local breakfast favorite. Here, old-school breakfast favorites are given new life: Try a Benedict made with Lake Superior walleye, banana foster French Toast, or a smothered breakfast burrito. The Buttered Tin also serves boozy breakfast drinks, like Irish cream cold press, mimosas, and a sparkling rose.

Hope Breakfast Bar specializes in over-the-top breakfast food like banana churro waffles, German chocolate pancakes, and biscuits smothered with chili and topped with eggs. There’s also an impressive lineup of creative espresso drinks and breakfast cocktails: Favorites include banana milk coffee, peach and rose punch, and espresso martinis. (A note for suburbanites: Hope Breakfast Bar also has a second location in St. Louis Park, and more to come around the metro.)

The French Hen Cafe serves a French and Creole-influenced breakfast menu daily in Cathedral Hill. Anyone with a sweet tooth should try the coconut lime French toast — on the savory side, there’s a mushroom vegetable crepe and a Creole market hash. Split the difference with the massive, salty-sweet pancake, which is loaded with bacon, cheddar, and chives, and served with sides of maple syrup and honey butter. 

 Marty’s Deli, which operated as a roving pop-up for two years, opened as a permanent sandwich shop in Northeast Minneapolis in January. The best part — besides the sunny new digs — is that owner Martha Polacek added a customizable breakfast sandwich to the menu. Served on her airy, golden focaccia, these sandwiches pair a neat egg patty with thick slices of Peterson bacon, a sausage patty, braised greens, or even hash browns. The real clincher is the combination of garlic aioli and sharp American cheese, which meld into one gooey, creamy bite. Get there before 11 a.m. to grab one.

A Monroe Street favorite in Northeast Minneapolis, Mexican cafe and bakery Vivir serves an excellent breakfast burrito, stuffed with tender braised beef, rice, beans, pico de gallo, and scrambled eggs. Also on the morning menu are chilaquiles verde, breakfast tacos, cemitas. If you like to end breakfast on a sweet note, save room for chocolate mole cupcakes and conchas.

Alma’s lovely, mellow cafe serves excellent baked goods (think seasonal fruit galettes, blueberry danishes, and chocolate croissants) from the pastry case. On the breakfast menu are egg sandwiches, baked egg strata, and more, served all day. The steel cut oatmeal comes topped with brown butter roasted apples.

Al’s Breakfast is the Twin Cities’ greatest old-school breakfast diner. As Dinkytown’s dining scene has shifted throughout the decades, Al’s 10-foot-wide storefront has barely changed since 1950. Grab a seat at one of the 14 bar stools for an iconic American breakfast: a salami scramble, poached eggs over corned beef hash, or blueberry-walnut pancakes with pure Minnesota maple syrup. Al’s opens at 6 a.m. most days, but plan to wait a while for a seat during the breakfast rush.

Maria’s robust pancake menu makes for a fantastic breakfast feast: Choose between chocolate chip, wild rice, plantain with cotija cheese and more. A cozy neighborhood gathering spot, Maria’s serves Columbian fare and American breakfast classics. The weekend specials feature arepas, black beans, sauteed yucca, and sweet plantains.

This classic south Minneapolis restaurant has been serving Cuban favorites and classics for more than 20 years. Order the Basque stew — eggs with a Creole stew of Spanish chorizo, ham, and vegetables — or the slow-cooked ropa vieja with eggs and plantains. Victor’s has a great coffee menu, too: Try grab a creamy cafe con leche from the little sliding glass window out front. The tropical-themed patio is a great spot for sunny weekend mornings.

May Day is a quirky Powderhorn cafe and bakery with great vegan options. The menu changes frequently: Expect dill pickle cheese scones and cranberry bread on Friday and raspberry pistachio doughnuts on Saturday. (Keep an eye on May Day’s Instagram for the timeliest updates.) There’s also a breakfast menu of hearty dishes like quiche, breakfast sandwiches, and burritos — and coffee, of course. Take the day’s bakery haul over to nearby Powderhorn Park for a picnic.

Sun Street Breads serves stellar baked goods from award-winning baker Solveig Tofte in Minneapolis’s Tangletown neighborhood. The atmosphere is casual and, of course, sunny: Light pours in from floor-to-ceiling windows, and a sidewalk patio is open in the warmer months. For a heartier breakfast, pair a delicate cardamom bun with a biscuit egg-and-bacon sandwich, or poutine.