This funky spot near Pinnacle Peak draws hikers, bikers and families, oh my.
Courtesy of Soul Café
Soul Café is not so much Southern as Southwestern. Traditionalists will appreciate the long list of omelet options as well as the catalog of pancakes, including a couple of completely unique savory options (like the “Some Like it Hot,” two savory cakes made with corn, zucchini, red peppers, jalapeño, and onions, served with eggs and jalapeño-infused bacon). Make sure you don’t miss this place's house favorites. “Eggs Jared,” the restaurant’s version of a Benedict, is made with bacon, tomato, and a jalapeño cheese sauce that is both light and creamy. The dish comes with the restaurant’s signature roasted tricolor potatoes. It's one of many can't-miss offering on a nicely creative morning menu.
Grounds for Thought is a favorite of college kids at Mesa Community College.
Samantha Pouls
Grounds for Thought on Mesa Community College's campus serves unique coffee drinks inspired by a barista's favorite movies. Espresso Patronum is the most popular of the specialty drinks and will surely satisfy fans of Harry Potter. It's made with white chocolate, coconut, two shots of espresso, and whole milk. Bianca Mihalcescu, creator of the drink, says it can be served hot, cold or blended. Bianca's work has gained such a following that she now has her own permanent menu on the board — Bianca's Menu. The shop also has your typical drip coffee and lattes, along with delicious baked goods to soak up the caffeine. There are also several smoothies featuring classic fruit like bananas, strawberries, and blueberries. You can supplement them with whey and other additions. A few more traditional breakfast offerings round out the menu, including a breakfast burrito, fruit parfait, fruit plate, and order of hard-boiled eggs.
An egg bowl with cauliflower cakes
Chris Malloy
Breakfast Kitchen Bar — one of Scottsdale Quarter's newer residents — has a luxe vibe. A tiny bar commands the room's focus. Bright lights hang and illuminate cut glass shades with a glow more suited to Tempranillo than omelet. Below, regulars casually fuel up early on weekday mornings. The menu at Breakfast Kitchen Bar is wide-ranging, with robust dishes like chilaquiles rojo and more traditional choices like pancakes or a yogurt mountain jeweled with fruit. The restaurant serves some heartier morning meals, benedicts and breakfast bowls, and also lighter fare. You can pick from egg-and-grain bowls, yogurt, smoothies with gluten-free protein powder, and even a house-made protein bar. If you're looking for a sugar rush, check out the churro waffle.
Dapper & Stout: A picture is worth a thousand square feet.
Melissa Campana
It’s easy to drive past Dapper & Stout. The coffee stand is no more than a window, a countertop, and two patio tables. The place's menu is limited to ready-made sandwiches and pastries. A “breakfast bagel,” which features scrambled eggs, roasted red peppers, mozzarella, and a delicious pesto mayo, is excellent. And a banana-Nutella panini is exactly what you dream it will be: a gooey mess of hot hazelnut spread on toast. Add to that an espresso menu that feels more West Hollywood than West Side (cold brew, butter coffee, and almond milk all make cameos), and we’ll totally be fine with hitting this place on the reg. If trendy, tasty coffee and a quick bite are what you’re after, look no further than this strip mall gem.
Chris Malloy
Boss Coffee is the kind of place where people linger reading papers, milking Wi-Fi, sitting out on a porch that overlooks North Scottsdale's sweep south back toward Phoenix. Coffee is the name of the game here. Boss uses three roasters, including the nationally renowned Stumptown (Portland, Oregon). All beans used to create nitro have been roasted by Espressions Coffee Roastery (Tempe). The nitro at Boss is a mellow version, with pools of a light, creamy froth sluicing between ice cubes. The cream doesn't vanish as you drink. The menu of savory goods is small: an egg bowl, a few croissant sandwiches, two wraps. Croissants are heavily grilled, giving the buttery pastries a shattering texture that matches nicely with the hot eggs, cheese, and ham inside. Danishes, muffins, scones, and similar baked goods fill out the food menu.
