Mom always said breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and who are we to argue? Whether you're just waking up or never went to sleep, a big plate of something delicious is vital -- and we're full of ideas about where to get it.

Here are Chow Bella's favorite breakfast spots in town:

1. Matt's Big Breakfast

Yeah, this one's a no-brainer. One of our colleagues recently swore to never write again about a spot visited by Guy Fieri, but screw that. We want bacon. Specifically, the organic, peppered bacon they cook up at Matt Pool's namesake diner, where breakfast's served all day. The toast is thick, the jelly's sweet, and your plate will have enough hash browns on it to feed a small army. Amen.

2. Scramble

This little Sunnyslope spot features two versions of one our critic Laura Hahnefeld's favorite breakfast dishes: Eggs Benedict served Santa Fe style with jalapeno corn bread, cured ham and chipolte hollandaise sauce. Or gobble it up, traditional-like. 

Hungry for more? Fill up after the jump.

3. Comedor Guadalajara

Our friends in South Phoenix put Comedor Guadalajara on their regular rotation -- with good cause. There's more to the first meal of the day than a breakfast burrito and this is the place to get your south of the border b-fast fix. Get things started with carne asada con huevos (that's steak and eggs to you, man) or even try a breakfast chimichanga! Hey, life is short. (Particularly if you eat like that.)

4. Over Easy

Ditto on that Guy Fieri thing. The basics (as seen above) are wonderful at Over Easy but The Crying Pig omelet -- bacon, sausage, onion and Swiss cheese -- makes us weep. Chef Aaron May offers a house-made protein bar for the health conscious; screw that, give us the M&M pancakes. With a side of waffle dogs, please. They're the best thing Chef Beau MacMillan ever ate.

5. Essence Bakery and Cafe

The eggs are just as buttery as the croissants at Eugenia Theodopolous' little breakfast/lunch spot. Her macarons are famous, sure, but what you might not know is that her staff makes the best crepes and French toast this side of Paree. They even make cream of wheat sound good at this place: "Blend of Organic Oatmeal, Wheat Bran, Flax Meal, Wheat Germ, Raw Sugar and Soy Milk, Topped with Organic Yogurt & Toasted Pecans." Sign us up.

Editor's Note: This post has been edited from its original version to reflect that Matt's Big Breakfast isn't closed on Sundays.

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