The Hands-Down Best Breakfast Sandwich Spots In The US

These days, breakfast sandwiches are such a must-have component of any morning menu that it’s tough to imagine them ever not being there. But at one time, mornings were without that iconic combination of meat, cheese, and egg between bread. That changed in 19th-century London, England, when factory workers needed a quick, filling meal to get them started before a long day’s work. So, the “bap” sandwich was born, named for the bread used to house the sandwich. Later, the satisfying sandwich became a staple for Americans, too, especially among working Americans in the 1950s and 1960s who wanted quick, convenient eats.

In the coming decades, the breakfast sandwich has both changed and stayed the same, depending on who you ask. While you can still get a breakfast sandwich within minutes from any city bodega, you can also find them made with care and locally-sourced ingredients by award-winning chefs. You can find the same range at these hands-down best breakfast restaurants in America.

Islands rounded up the best breakfast sandwich spots around the country, stretching from New York City to Honolulu. To determine which restaurants made the cut, we evaluated those with the highest Google ratings (at least 4.5 stars) and the most media accolades. We also considered which ones have the most interesting and thoughtful breakfast sandwiches for a bite worth standing in line for.

Chef Oscar Diaz, a two-time James Beard Award semifinalist, loves a good breakfast sandwich. But one thing he never liked was when they fell to the wayside at coffee shops, dumbed down to simple reheated egg sandwiches trapped behind glass. So, when he opened Aaktun Coffee & Bar in Durham, North Carolina, he decided to make sure breakfast sandwiches aren’t taken for granted. 

And judging by the restaurant’s Google reviews, they aren’t. “Incredible range of dish options, excellent coffee and cocktails, and an awesome atmosphere akin to Star Wars meets New Mexico meets the Amazon jungle,” wrote one past visitor on Google. “So far we’ve had the Bacon Egg and Cheese, which is hands down the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had.”

All of Aaktun’s breakfast sandwiches are served on challah bread with locally-sourced eggs, American cheese, chives, and housemade white sauce. Favorites include the classic BEC sando with scrambled eggs, American cheese, and Benton’s bacon, as well as the chorizo papi sando with scrambled eggs, chorizo, carrots, and hot sauce.

The ambiance at Aaktun Coffee & Bar is just as thoughtful as its breakfast sandwiches. Customers enjoy their fare in a Tulum, Mexico-inspired dining room, as the space reminds Diaz of his Mexican heritage, resembling a Mexican cenote with its cavernous ceilings. That beachside tiki flair continues through the pink seating, tropical greenery, and coastal drinks such as the passion-fruit matcha and berry tonic espresso.

Through both its name and its breakfast sandwich menu, Bodega Park in Los Angeles, California, pays homage to the classic New York City bodega that we all know and love. It serves breakfast sandwiches all day, like the fried mortadella and cheese with Molinari mortadella, melted fontina cheese, a fried egg, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard on a toasted roll; and the avocado toast sandwich with sliced avocado, English cucumber, shaved red onion, baby kale, olive oil, and sumac on a toasted roll. 

“Stopped here for breakfast and picked up a kale salad, a mortadella and cheese and a pork bulgogi,” wrote one past visitor on Google. “All were delicious!” Casual customers aren’t the only ones who love Bodega Park. The shop was named the second-best sandwich spot in the nation by Food & Wine.

Its story is even happier considering that when owners Eric and Miriam Park opened Bodega Park, they were uncertain about their future. They previously owned Black Hogg Sandwiches and Ohana Superette, but when COVID-19 hit, they were forced to pivot. Thus, Bodega Park was born, a culmination of many years of Eric’s sandwich-crafting experience dating back to before he even went to culinary school. Bodega Park’s menu, too, is a culmination of the sandwiches that Eric has made and loved throughout his career.

Buldogis, an Asian fusion restaurant whose name is a play on Korean bulgogi and hot dogs, is a Las Vegas restaurant best known for its playful, international takes on hot dogs. But if you only opt for a hot dog at this casual counter serve eatery, you’re missing out. 

This Korean street food spot also serves “eggdropps,” which are breakfast sandwiches on toasted herb-garlic bread with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, sweet sriracha aioli, sweet mayonnaise, and herbs. Customers can choose from additional toppings such as kimchi, egg, and cheese; pork belly; and sausage. They can also opt for their sandwich on toasted cinnamon-sugar bread instead of toasted herb-garlic bread for a sweet kick, accompanied by powdered sugar and syrup.

“If you’re visiting Vegas, it’s worth the short drive to Buldogis…especially for breakfast!” wrote one past visitor on Google. “The eggs in the eggdrop sandwiches are so damn tender!” It’s no wonder, though, that the eggdrop sandwiches are so delicious. The restaurant makes everything to order, and it prides itself on using only the freshest ingredients. Even the kimchi is made fresh in-house from a long-running family recipe. To no surprise, it often has a line during the breakfast rush, although it’s worth the wait. Plus, once you get to the counter, don’t expect to wait too long for your meal.

To Northeasterners, a bagel-and-breakfast-sandwich joint in New Orleans, Louisiana, is likely to raise some eyebrows. But Flour Moon Bagels in the Crescent City gives Big Apple bagels a run for its cream cheese thanks to founder Breanne Kostyk, who got on the bagel train as a Brooklyn college student. She hand-rolls her bagels with flour, water, salt, Louisiana cane syrup, malt, sourdough, and yeast, then ferments them for 18 hours, then kettle-boils and bakes them in a 500-degree oven.

Those bagels make the perfect vessel for Kostyk’s breakfast sandwiches, like the Bluebird with smoked turkey, jalapeño cream cheese, blueberry jam, arugula, and pickled hot banana peppers, and the hot smoked salmon with kippered salmon, kimchi cream cheese, pickled red cabbage, and mustard seeds. “But this place is not only one of the only places in town to get a bagel, it’s one of the BEST bagel sandwiches I’ve ever had,” wrote one past visitor on Google. “As a former New Yorker, I like to think that holds some water.” 

They’re not the only ones. Flour Moon Bagels was the first Louisiana-based bagel maker to be honored at New York’s BagelFest, as it placed second in the “Best Bagel Beyond the Boroughs” category. It was also named one of the best bagel shops outside of New York by Bon Appétit for its open-faced tartine bagel breakfast sandwiches.

At the Hen & Egg in Jackson, Mississippi, former “Chopped” and “Top Chef” contestant Chef Nick Wallace combines his traditional Southern cooking roots with a modern mindset to create inventive, yet comforting, fare. That’s especially reflected in his “Which Came First?” chicken-and-egg sandwich with crispy chicken, a fried egg, tomato jam, lettuce, herb mayo, and potatoes on harvest bread. “The food was amazing!!! Unique flavors to traditions southern favorites,” wrote one past visitor on Google. “We ordered grits, burgers, chicken sandwiches, peach cinnamon roll, beignets. Everything was delicious!”

Wallace’s food — and his restaurant’s name ­­– are inspired by his grandmother, Lennell Donald, whom he sees as the “hen” and himself as the “egg,” continuously learning from her. Just like she taught him, every ingredient and component of the Hen & Egg menu is thoughtful and quality, all the way down to its house-made ketchup and warm jam, the latter of which Donald taught him to make.

When I Egg You first opened in Washington, D.C., it was just a pop-up experiment created as the pandemic-era brainchild of Scott Drewno and Danny Lee. But soon, it proved so popular that it was owed a brick-and-mortar location, which it earned in 2023 when it opened in Capitol Hill.

Since then, it’s served creative breakfast sandwiches made with locally sourced ingredients, such as smoked salmon from Ivy City Smokehouse in Washington, D.C., and Logan Sausage in Alexandria, Virginia. Drewno and Lee’s efforts in breakfast sandwiches and beyond have even earned the duo the title of James Beard Award semifinalists in the Outstanding Restaurateur category, as well as the title of Restaurateurs of the Year by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington.

I Egg You’s breakfast sandwiches include the DL’S Egg Drop with bulgogi, a Fontina cheese egg scramble with chives and spicy Gochujang aioli on milk bread, as well as the You Bacon Me Crazy with bacon, a brown butter fried egg, and Fontina cheese on milk bread. 

“This was my favorite item,” one past customer wrote about DL’S Egg Drop on Google. “The bulgogi was tender and perfectly seasoned, and their Gochujang aioli was epic! I don’t think the milk bread is even necessary for this, the scramble is so hearty and filling.” All of I Egg You’s fare is served in an intimate 60-seat space, creating a humble, accessible setting for these sandwiches that pack a global punch.

Good things come in small packages at the Kitsch Café, which has three locations in Baltimore, Maryland. Although its original location is only 400 square feet, its food is larger-than-life, especially its breakfast sandwiches. The small space actually inspired owner Jacqueline Mearman to offer breakfast sandwiches, an item that doesn’t require much space, at her café, which opened in 2020.

The menu includes the Monte Cristo with turkey, jalapeño, a fried egg, cheddar cheese, strawberry jam, and powdered sugar on brioche, and the Steak & Egg with brisket, beef jus, mushrooms, a fried egg, pepper jack cheese, and spicy honey on brioche. “That sandwich was SOooo delicious!!” one past customer wrote on Google about the Steak & Egg sandwich. “I’m still thinking about it the next day. And, the staff was informative, helpful, and proud.” Creative customers can also make their own breakfast sandwich with ingredients ranging from vegetarian “sausage” to hummus, and substitute bread with other types and vessels.

Kitsch Café’s digs are just as colorful as its eats. The eatery is adorned with offbeat artwork, cat clocks, and other eclectic décor, which was purposefully curated by Mearman. She previously worked in corporate dining, so when she finally went off on her own to open Kitsch Café, she was ready to stretch her imaginative wings.

In New York City, where breakfast sandwiches rule the table before noon, there are plenty of spots for a stellar brunch. However, New York native and former “Top Chef” contestant Lee Anne Wong found that wasn’t the case for Honolulu, Hawaii, when she moved there. So, in 2014, she opened her own breakfast and brunch restaurant, Koko Head Café, alongside Chef Kevin Hanney. The colorful, friendly spot in the Kaimukī neighborhood serves creative breakfast fare to a big crowd, as it’s always busy — with both tourists and locals alike. Since its inception, it’s served over one million customers.

One of the favorite dishes is the Egg Handwich, served with two French-style scrambled eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese, local greens, and maple tobacco sauce on a toasted bun. It’s presented on a humble chalkboard menu that helps give the Koko Head Café the jolly personality that its customers love so much. 

“Egg handwich was solid and nice jam to add some interesting sweetness,” wrote one past visitor on Google. The egg handwiches, as well as everything else on the menu, are made from scratch every day using locally-sourced ingredients. Just a few of the local purveyors that help make the Koko Head Café what it is today include Eggs Hawaii, La Tour Bakery, and Big Island Coffee Roasters. Or, for a unique taste of breakfast in Hawaii, check out these 5 best places to get a malasada, Hawaii’s most iconic breakfast food.

No matter which of Liberty Bagels’ seven New York City locations you visit — one in New York’s famous historic district that has one of the city’s most underrated dining scenes — you’re bound to enjoy a stellar breakfast sandwich on a bagel. The shop is known for hand-rolling and kettle-boiling its bagels on-site every day, making for the perfect wrap for a breakfast sandwich full of eggs, meats, cheese, and more. Plus, there’s a breakfast sandwich for every craving, ranging from the healthy Empire sandwich with turkey, egg whites, avocado, tomato, and spinach to The Works with eggs, hash browns, sausage, bacon, and cheese.

Liberty Bagels has been fine-tuning its bagel and breakfast sandwich expertise since 1995, when its founders entered the bagel business. They embarked on a new journey in 2018 when they started Liberty Bagels, and since then, have earned rave reviews and accolades from all over the city. “The staff was friendly, the service was quick, and the food was incredible,” wrote one past visitor on Google. “I had a blueberry bagel with egg, sausage, and cheese—honestly, one of the best bagels I’ve ever had. And don’t skip the hash browns—they’re worth it!”

Whether you’re looking for a traditional breakfast sandwich on bread or one on a Southern biscuit, the Red Eyed Mule in Atlanta, Georgia, has you covered. This spot is known for those dishes, all served at affordable prices, with breakfast sandwiches ranging from $5-$9. Those include the smoked sausage and egg sandwich, the country ham and egg sandwich, the chicken sausage biscuit, and the applewood bacon biscuit. Plus, there’s always a Morning Mule breakfast sandwich special, too. “Hands down, their country ham, egg, and cheese biscuit was the best I’ve ever eaten. And they are huge. I will be back and bring friends,” wrote one past visitor on Google.

The Red Eyed Mule has been dishing out its delectable breakfast sandwiches since it opened in 2010. From day one, its philosophy has been to do a few things exceptionally well, which is why its menu focuses on just breakfast sandwiches and a few other categories of fare. If you’re down for a big morning meal but you’re not craving a breakfast sandwich, you can also check out Atlanta’s hands-down 5 best breakfast restaurants in the downtown area.

The food is just as imaginative as the ambiance at the Saddle Creek Breakfast Club in Omaha, Nebraska. The pink-walled dining room is surrounded by photos of celebrities in bed — a nod to eating breakfast in bed. It was designed by co-owner and chef Chase Thomsen’s wife Niki Nichols Thomsen and complements the bright pink sign that’s become an iconic marker of the restaurant. The tables inside are always full, even on weekday mornings.

Here, breakfast and lunch fare with a Mexican twist is served. The Mexican nod is due to Chef Maria Batista’s Mexican heritage. The menu includes breakfast sandwich items like the chorizo and egg burrito with Mexican rice, jalapeno, salsa, and shredded cheese; the egg salad club with lettuce, avocado, bacon, and egg salad on a croissant; and the Cali Club with bacon, avocado, chipotle cream cheese, smoked cheddar, and a fried egg on a croissant. 

“Hopped in for breakfast after an early Monday appointment close by and was blown away by how amazing the food was,” wrote one past visitor on Google. “And my son got a breakfast club croissant sandwich and said it was really good. Will definitely be coming back here again!” After your visit, check out this Omaha neighborhood that’s a charming escape packed with funky bars and dog-friendly spots.

For most of us, the extent of our consumption of English muffins starts at the grocery store and ends at our kitchen toaster oven. But Vinal Bakery in the Union Square neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts — one of the “world’s coolest neighborhoods” — gives them the spotlight they deserve with their breakfast sandwiches, some of which are made with seasonal ingredients. The menu includes sandwiches like the Garden Party with an over-medium egg, pea pesto, tarragon-chive mayonnaise, Maplebrook Farm feta cheese, arugula, and pickled red onion, and the Miss Maple with an over-medium egg, cheddar cheese, and maple butter.

“Tried the Miss Maple sandwich,” wrote one past visitor on Google. “Highly recommend with a hint of maple, but not too sweet. The English muffin is large, probably double the size of what you might be used to.” Artisan ingredients in the various breakfast sandwiches include Feather Brook Farm eggs, Kate’s buttermilk, King Arthur flour, North Country smokehouse bacon, and Cabot butter and cheese.

Breakfast sandwiches are what inspired Vinal Bakery owner Sarah Murphy to open her own spot in the first place. She griddles her oversized English muffins before finishing them in the oven. Her efforts have even earned the bakery a feature on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” which spotlighted Vinal Bakery’s griddled meatloaf sandwich.