Brunch has always been a pet peeve of mine. I mean, what is it really but a slightly fancier version of breakfast at inflated prices? And it's not even served until mid-morning -- and only on weekends. I'll take breakfast any day over brunch -- especially on weekends. Here are some of my favorite breakfast spots:
Big Wong King, 67 Mott St., between Canal and Bayard streets (tel. 212/964-0540). No eggs. No coffee. No pancakes. Can this be breakfast? You bet it is! Not much is more satisfying in the morning than a hot bowl of congee (rice porridge with either pork, beef, or shrimp) accompanied with a fried cruller and tea served in a glass. It might sound a little unusual, but you won't be alone; Big Wong is a favorite for breakfast among the residents of Chinatown. Opens daily at 8:30am.
Bubby's Pie Company, 120 Hudson St., at North Moore Street (tel. 212/219-0666; www.bubbys.com). I don't usually order grits north of the Mason-Dixon line, but I make an exception at Bubby's. They are the perfect complement to Bubby's Breakfast: two eggs, toast, bacon, and a cup of joe. Open at 8am Monday through Friday and 9am Saturday and Sunday.
Clinton St. Baking Company, 4 Clinton St., at Houston Street (tel. 646/602-6263). The lines are long on weekend mornings, but you can get breakfast all day here. Meaning you can eat their unbelievable pancakes at four in the afternoon -- if that's breakfast time for you.
Good Enough to Eat, 483 Amsterdam Ave., between 83rd and 84th streets (tel. 212/496-0163). The wait for breakfast at this Upper West Side institution on the weekends is ridiculous, so try to go during the week when you can gorge on pumpkin French toast; a "Wall Street" omelet, with honey-mustard-glazed ham with Vermont cheddar; or "Peter Paul" pancakes, filled with Belgian chocolate chips, coconut, and topped with coconut. I'm getting hungry writing this. Opens at 8am Monday through Friday and 9am Saturday and Sunday.
Norma's, at Le Parker Meridien Hotel, 118 W. 57th St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues (tel. 212/708-7460). An ode to the ultimate comfort food. It's pricey, but worth it for classics done with style and creativity.
Veselka, 144 Second Ave., at 9th Street (tel. 212/228-9682). The Greek diner might be extinct in Manhattan, but this Ukrainian diner lives on. And we are all grateful because New York just would not be the same without Veselka's buckwheat pancakes and cheese blintzes. Open 24 hours.
