We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it's even better when you can stretch it out into a leisurely brunch. The USA is home to some brilliant joints serving up both, whether you like your first meal to be sweet or savoury, topped with poached or scrambled eggs or served on pancakes or waffles. We've done the hard work for you and uncovered the best breakfast and brunch spots across the US, with options in every single state.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the top brunch and breakfast spots in every US state, counting down to the best of all. 

We've based our ranking on the reviews, awards and accolades of each breakfast and brunch spot, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.

For a cosy, leisurely breakfast or brunch, look no further than Rooster in downtown St. Louis. Made with locally sourced ingredients, the dishes range from crêpes and sandwiches to scrambled eggs and other breakfast classics. Much-loved among customers is the Rooster Slinger – andouille sausage, eggs, breakfast potatoes and sausage gravy, served over thick-cut toast. There's a tasty vegan alternative, too.

A favourite for brunch, you'll find FIVE in Tuscaloosa, plus an extra location in Athens, Georgia. Fluffy beignets, a breakfast cheeseburger and tasty tacos are just a few of the reasons why diners love this brunch spot – but the chicken 'n' waffles (pictured) is the standout dish. Fresh chicken thighs and drumsticks are covered in the joint's famous batter and fried to perfection before they're served with honey and walnut waffles, whipped butter and maple syrup.

Hell's Kitchen is kind of a big deal in Minneapolis. Famous for its unusually named sausage bread (made with toasted walnuts, blackcurrants, black coffee, a ton of spices and, of course, sausage), there's much more to love on its daytime menu. You'll want to save space for the hash and eggs served with crispy walleye fish and blanketed in wild mushroom cream sauce – or, if you've got a sweet tooth, try the famous lemon ricotta pancakes.

There are simply too many fantastic breakfast and brunch options in California to choose from – but if we had to pick a spot you won't want to miss, East Hollywood's Sqirl is an LA brunch classic. There's pretty much always a line here and for very good reason. Favourites include the sorrel pesto rice bowl (pictured) – a healthy morning bowl with a poached egg and watermelon radish plus optional bacon, kale and avocado – or the ricotta brioche toast with seasonal jam.

With brunch available every day, it’s hardly surprising this Williamsburg destination has such a reputation – and that’s even before you’ve seen the menu. Home to a beautiful interior and curb-side seating, this spot boasts an array of tasty dishes, from shakshuka with runny eggs to Cheddar biscuits and gravy, but it’s the Sunday Pancakes people line up around the corner for. Giant and fluffy, these come smothered with hazelnut maple praline and brown butter.

A part of the Bridgeport community for decades, Harborview is a classic American diner with a family feel that focuses on excellent breakfast sandwiches and wraps, omelettes and pancake platters. Customers praise the almond croissants and other baked goods, as well as the French toast. For a slice of nostalgia, though, go for the house-made waffles with berries and whipped cream – they'll make you feel like you're in a classic American movie scene.

The main thing to order at this brunch favourite is the Hoss (pictured). A definite customer staple across the locations in Salt Lake City and Draper, this epic breakfast consists of a fried chicken breast, egg, bacon and Cheddar stacked on a biscuit, slathered in sausage gravy, and topped with green onions. Other equally outrageous options include the biscuit bread pudding bake, made with blueberry biscuits, yogurt and honey.

Sure, you could enjoy exceptional bakes from Buffalo's Five Points Bakery or head to the Catskills for breakfast at the charming Phoenicia Diner – but stop by Buvette in NYC's West Village and you'll be instantly transported to Paris. There is no bad choice here, but the waffle sandwich (pictured) – with a sunny-side up egg, bacon and Gruyère – is a thing of beauty. Buvette also has branches in Paris, Tokyo, Seoul and Mexico City.

Located inside the former 101 Coffee Shop, this legendary building has been reimagined, serving up old-school classics in a modern way. Go traditional with the corned beef hash with eggs and toast, or opt for the breakfast burrito stuffed with bacon, egg, cheese, potato and onion. Whatever you order, you won’t be disappointed.

With three locations in Baltimore (including one at the airport) and one in Annapolis, Miss Shirley’s is a Maryland institution for breakfast or brunch. Because it’s so popular, you’ll probably have to wait to be seated – but those who’ve tried dishes like the chicken and waffles (pictured) and plates of ham and eggs recommend hanging around. It’s also known for fabulous pancakes, with a new flavour released each month.

Open since 1971, Frontier is one of Albuquerque's most popular casual restaurants and the breakfasts here are as delicious as the enchiladas and burritos. The huevos rancheros are great, plus there are several egg and hash brown combinations with bacon, tortilla or carne adovada (New Mexican red chile pork stew). A real stand out, though, is the breakfast burrito. Combining an egg, hash browns, Cheddar, green chilli and your choice of meat, it's a great way to start the day.

Known for having the best coffee in the state (no mean feat in Washington), Camber's Flagship Cafe serves excellent brunch food alongside its perfect brews. The breakfast sandwiches are huge and come packed with everything from chicken sausage and egg to tofu patties and black bean spread, while the breakfast salad offers a lighter, but no less tasty, option.

A modern spot in the heart of Providence, Nicks on Broadway focuses on fresh, seasonal and local ingredients that are transformed into delicious and inventive meals. Customers love the Mexican-style eggs with black beans and sweetcorn, while the scrumptious honey chilli chicken and biscuit sandwich with chipotle sauce, egg and Vermont Cheddar (pictured) won't disappoint.

For a Nordic-inspired breakfast on the other side of the Atlantic, head to Chicago's beloved Tre Kronor. Here delicious Swedish cinnamon rolls, Danish pastries, vanilla and orange French toast and omelettes with salmon, sausage or Danish blue cheese await. Anything with lingonberries comes highly recommended but, really, it's all good.

Pancakes at Rapid City's Tally’s Silver Spoon are an absolute must and so is pretty much everything else on the menu. You can get a stack of blueberry, chocolate chip or plain, or bury a pancake, French toast or waffles in a heap of bananas, blueberries or strawberries. Fancy something savoury? Opt for a topping of egg with bacon, ham or sausage instead. There are lots of other great breakfast dishes and omelettes too.

Self-proclaimed 'A.M. eatery' Snooze has a dozen outlets across Colorado, plus a few in other states. There's something for everyone on the menu, from omelettes and giant breakfast baps to pancakes and eggs Benedict, plus a selection of delicious drinks, too. You won't go wrong by ordering the pineapple upside-down pancakes (pictured) – the dish is a firm customer favourite.

It's not hard to guess what Biscuit Love, one of Nashville's hottest places for breakfast, is known for. Forget about sharing and instead go all in with the East Nasty – a buttermilk biscuit topped with fried boneless chicken thigh, aged Cheddar, sausage gravy and an optional egg. There's also the classic biscuits with sausage gravy, plus a few options for those who don't want biscuits.

Since 2014, Milktooth has been the go-to breakfast place in Indiana and has attracted many visitors from other states too. When it opened, chef Jonathan Brooks excited everyone with Dutch baby pancakes and a rotating selection of toppings. Not much has changed since then, although the menu is a bit more refined with options like beignets with whipped cream and smoked turkey sandwiches. And it's still so good that you'll want to eat as much as you possibly can.

You can't really do much better for breakfast or brunch than Goldy's create-your-own. First, pick your eggs – think sunny-side up, scrambled or an omelette – then add your choice of meat (options include everything from pork sausage and bacon to chorizo). Finish the plate with some potatoes and bread, biscuits or pancakes. And if you think chicken-fried steak for breakfast is off-limits, Goldy's proves otherwise.

Perhaps New York’s most famous spot to grab a salmon and cream cheese bagel, Russ & Daughters has garnered a global cult following. Stopping by the Houston Street local is a must, but for a more relaxed, sit-down affair, try the café on Orchard Street. Here you’ll find everything from potato latkes topped with apple sauce and sour cream to eggs Benedict and omelettes. That said, The Classic board, complete with smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato, onion, capers and your choice of bagel, bialy, shissel rye or pumpernickel, is hard to beat.

Boasting locations in Kenosha and Milwaukee, Mad Rooster Cafe is filled with classic menu favourites. Order highlights include the spicy asada tacos, stuffed French toast and huevos rancheros. Breakfast sandwich lovers should turn their attention to the Monte Cristo, packed with ham, Cheddar, bacon and egg; you can even swap the bread for an indulgent French toast version.

Commander's Palace is without a doubt one of the must-visit places in New Orleans. Brunch – usually served to live jazz – is just as much of an event as dinner, with an array of Louisiana classics like Creole gumbo and Gulf shrimp offered alongside more traditional brunch favourites with a twist. The eggs Benedict come on buttermilk biscuits with slow-cooked shoulder of pork.

For a weekend brunch with a difference, look to Austin’s Dai Due. This trendy spot has become renowned for its weekend menu, featuring innovative, flavourful and delicious dishes. Expect all the usual classics to be given the special treatment here, including the pastrami sandwich with pepper Jack and sauerkraut and sourdough pancakes with cherry syrup and pistachio butter.

Stopping by Willa Jean for breakfast or brunch when visiting New Orleans is a must, as is ordering its exceptional avocado toast, which comes complete with fresh cheese, pickled serrano, shallots, rocket, sunflower everything spice and a poached egg. On the sweeter side of things, the French toast with fresh fruit and maple syrup is also very good, as is the WJ granola with Greek yogurt, seasonal jam and fruit.

Determined to 'give the proper respect to the most important meal of the day', Big Bad Breakfast is the vision of James Beard Award–winning chef John Currence. The sprawling menu offers everything from biscuits and various egg dishes to sandwiches and chef's special breakfast picks. Whatever you get, make sure it's slathered in tomato gravy – an incredibly delicious regional alternative to the usual American gravy. There are further locations in a few other states, too.

Even though this Anchorage spot serves food all day, it's the breakfasts that you can't miss. From omelettes you'll only find in Alaska (snow crab, anyone?) to poached eggs on Alaskan red king crab cakes and a selection of delicious pancakes, there's everything you need to start the day right. The stuffed French toast is a customer favourite, shown here served with toasted walnuts, berry cream cheese, whipped cream and syrup.

From fluffy, syrup-smothered buttermilk pancakes to huge ham and cheese omelettes, The Pancake Shop is renowned for its signature breakfast offerings. Serving up house-made dishes and hot coffee since 1940, it’s firmly established itself within the Hot Springs community as the place to go in the morning. The friendly staff will make you feel right at home, while the freshly squeezed orange juice is enough of a reason to visit alone.

A strong favourite for breakfast and brunch, Prep & Pastry has two outlets in Tucson and one in Scottsdale, where you can find everything from traditional breakfasts to French toast and avocado toast with a herby twist. The brunch crowd especially love the Smoked Salmon Beni, an English muffin loaded with poached eggs, spinach, capers, goats’ cheese hollandaise and potatoes and the Monte Cristo (pictured) – brioche French toast served with honey-roasted ham, Swiss cheese and pineapple-jalapeño mascarpone.

In Georgia, biscuits – whether served plain, smothered in gravy or accompanied by fried chicken – are pretty much standard on breakfast menus. Stop by Atlanta's Home grown GA and start your day with a sort of a build-your-own biscuit – you can add ham, pork sausage, bacon or eggs, or just go all out with an open-faced chicken biscuit blanketed in sausage gravy.

Offering elegant plates of comfort food, Millers All Day is a Charleston favourite. Serving an all-day brunch menu, it's a pretty spot to enjoy a cup of morning coffee and fuel up. Customers love the biscuits, which are served with a wide variety of toppings like fried chicken and mustard, fried bologna sausage and American cheese or sausage gravy. Other popular options include the grit bowl and the Millers plate – bacon, two eggs, a biscuit and grits or home fries.

The reputation of this Detroit brunch bar precedes it and one glance at the mouth-watering menu is enough to see why. Since it opened downtown in 2014, Dime Store has been dishing out tasty eggs Benedict, omelettes, waffles and French toast. Looking for something with that extra oomph? Check the chef's specials for creative and consistently delicious dishes. Another location has since opened in Rochester Hills. 

Trendy artisan café and bakery WheatFields is loved by Lawrence's young and hip university crowd. Here, zingy breakfast burritos and egg-topped ciabattina (ciabatta made with semolina) sandwiches sit alongside more traditional menu options like breakfast hash and biscuits and gravy. Everything is spectacular. Don't miss the chance to pick up a freshly baked loaf of artisan bread on the way out either.

While the three guest rooms at Gralehaus are almost always fully booked, the staff try their best to feed all the hungry people flocking to this hip Louisville establishment for the incredible weekend brunch menu of whipped burrata toast, biscuits and gravy and blueberry and basil French toast. The coffee and wellness shots are well worth taking advantage of too.

Vermont is the top producer of maple syrup in the US, so it wouldn't be right to have a breakfast in the state without it. Sugar and Spice is a working sugarhouse that produces maple syrup and also happens to run a café serving all-day breakfasts and lunch classics. Diners especially love the pancakes and the French toast – it's sliced thick and fried in egg batter, then drowned in the house maple syrup.

Serving brunch seven days a week, Portland's Screen Door focuses on Southern soul food and has received countless accolades since it opened in 2006. It's famous for its incredibly tender fried chicken (pictured) and praline bacon, but other menu highlights include breakfast shrimp and grits, buttermilk biscuits and gravy, French toast, pancakes and waffles.

With an ethos centred around locally grown and sourced produce, and a mission to benefit the community through food, Little Rock's Root Cafe does a lot that's great, including breakfast. The favourites are the Root Benny (poached eggs served over local greens, ham and hollandaise), the tofu scrambler and the breakfast bánh mì. The latter is a take on the classic Vietnamese sandwich, served here with fried eggs and toasted baguette on the side.

For a slice of Australia in the middle of Iowa, head straight for St. Kilda, with two Des Moines locations and one just outside the city, in Clive. Serving up photogenic plates of grain and salad bowls, as well as sweet potato and chorizo hash tacos, it's a breakfast spot you won't want to miss. The avocado toast is by far the favourite, combining smashed avocado, charred corn, chickpeas, pickled red onion, feta, tomato salsa and cucumber with poached or scrambled eggs, all on toasted sourdough bread.

In a state that loves its diners, Tops Diner tops them all. This classic spot, open since 1942, serves huge portions from the early hours of the morning right through to very late at night. Breakfast comes highly recommended, with a menu of favourites like brioche French toast, buttermilk pancakes and chicken and waffles.

Largely unchanged since 1938, Polly's Pancake Parlor in the aptly named town of Sugar Hill is a must-visit for any pancake fan. Buckwheat, cornmeal and whole wheat pancakes are made with flour ground on the premises and come topped with a generous drizzle of maple syrup and an array of toppings. One of the favourite choices is Kathie's Combo, a selection of three pancakes with two eggs and sausage, bacon or locally smoked ham.

Cute, French-style bakery Persephone is highly rated for its coffee, breakfasts and flaky pastries. The perfectly sized breakfast menu has French toast and a herbed omelette on offer, as well as customer favourites like the croque madame and the incredible egg sandwich. The latter comes on a croissant with Gruyère, a delicious Dijon aioli and a choice of ham, bacon or tomato.

Located in historic downtown Abingdon, this restaurant and juice bar has an all-day breakfast menu that makes the most of locally sourced ingredients. Here, they specialise in an array of cold-pressed juices that burst with freshness and flavour, and the customers love the smoothie bowls (pictured) and farm-to-table approach. The menu includes gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options too.

With several locations across Oklahoma, Neighborhood Jam is a top spot for breakfast classics and brunch favourites, served every day. The breakfast menu is huge, featuring everything from pancakes and eggs Benedict with a twist to breakfast tacos and sandwiches. Customers particularly love the avocado toast and the Heap – a generous portion of hash browns covered with cheese, two eggs, a choice of meat and avocado.

The Little Grill may have changed hands over the years, but it remains the beating heart of the Harrisonburg community when it comes to breakfast. The local spot boasts a homey interior, black and white checkerboard flooring and old photographs. The menu follows suit, with comforting dishes such as cinnamon rolls, chilli and Cheddar omelettes and the Focaccia Yeah!, a scrambled egg and cheese sandwich with herby pesto, lettuce and tomato on fluffy focaccia.

The type of diner that’ll bring movie memories from your childhood flooding back the moment you step inside, Olde Country Diner exudes an old-school charm that’s hard to beat. The menu is stacked with all the usual diner favourites, including omelettes, hotcakes, breakfast sandwiches and chicken and waffles. That said, it’s the breakfast skillet – complete with a biscuit, eggs, your choice of gravy and shredded cheese – that keeps guests coming back for more.

A Canadian diner in the heart of Texas, Maple Leaf serves oversized plates of incredibly delicious food. Thankfully, breakfast here is served all day, every day, so you're never too far away from the diner's famous country sausage waffle, steak waffle or chicken and bacon waffle (pictured). Don't go home without trying one of the joint's legendary stuffed cookies.

For those looking for a brunch spot with a difference, Tampa’s authentic Greek restaurant Psomi is sure to satisfy. This trendy spot offers a tasty brunch menu at the weekend, filled with classic dishes with a Greek twist. Menu highlights include the loukoumades (Greek-style doughnuts with baklava and honey), Greek custard–stuffed French toast, and the Americani – a hefty sandwich filled with house-cured bacon, scrambled egg, caramelised onion and American cheese. Customers recommend subbing the seedy bun for a flaky croissant for an indulgent feast.

If you can't imagine your morning without a proper cup of coffee, this is the place for you. With a selection of artisan coffees, rustic-style baked goods (from blueberry scones to sticky buns) and four locations in Columbus, Dublin and New Albany, Fox in the Snow is a morning haven. Alongside the pastries and the coffee, you'll want to order the souffléd egg sandwich (pictured), which sees toasted ciabatta packed with fluffy souffléd egg, candied bacon, Swiss cheese, rocket and Dijon cream.

In Nevada, you'll find everything from greasy spoons serving towering stacks of pancakes to fine dining brunches. For something in the middle, try AmeriBrunch Cafe – a family-run restaurant in downtown Las Vegas that serves great coffee and perfectly prepared brunch favourites. Customers can't get enough of the avocado toast with cherry tomatoes, micro greens, crushed red pepper and white balsamic vinaigrette.

This neighbourhood spot is loved by locals and visitors alike, with people flocking here for its balmy covered patio and relaxed atmosphere. The food is spectacular; favourites include the cinnamon toast with whipped mascarpone and walnut streusel, steak and eggs and the Texas hash. The latter comes complete with roasted pork, sweet potato, onion, kale, poached egg and pecan mole.

For a casual, no-frills breakfast that's easy on the wallet too, look no further than Café La Maude. The excellent all-day breakfast menu offers pain perdu (a type of French toast), shakshuka and French omelettes alongside more traditional options likes eggs Benedict and plates of fried eggs with hash browns and sausage patties. The breakfast crowd also loves healthier choices like warm porridge or lemon yogurt topped with nuts, berries, seeds and shaved coconut.

There's no doubting that BernBaum's bagels are very special, and they keep customers coming back time and again. For a heartier breakfast, order one of the bagel plates, which are served with everything from house-cured gravlax and lox to baba ghanoush and smoked carrot. The other options are great too, including savoury porridge and shakshuka.

Moments from St. Augustine’s sandy shores, Beachside Diner has a reputation for its hearty breakfast plates. Complete with classic diner interiors, from red leather–lined stools to a juke box, the space is welcoming and homey. Make your way through plates like crab and shrimp crêpes and spicy chicken and waffles drizzled with honey. The crowd favourite, though, is the Big Country Steak topped with house-made gravy, eggs, toast or biscuits, and a choice of home fries, hash browns, grits or fresh fruit.

There's no better place to fuel up for a day exploring Montana's natural wonders than the Echo Lake Cafe and one of its most popular dishes, eggs Benedict, is sure to hit the spot. Two English muffins are topped with Canadian bacon and poached eggs, slathered in house-made hollandaise, and served with a generous helping of pan-fried potatoes. Now that's a breakfast.

Angelo's Luncheonette was founded by the Muzzi family in the late 1960s, and they proudly profess that they're in it to make friends, not money. Staff members make everyone feel welcome and serve consistently great food at even better prices. The menu features grilled cheeses, pancakes, eggs with bacon and breakfast muffins – it's nothing fancy, but as we all know, food doesn't have to be complicated to be brilliant.

Cape Cod has several exceptional French bakeries, but the 30-minute wait at Maison Villatte is still worth enduring. Once you get to order, there's an overwhelming choice of stunning French pastries, breads and other bakes, as well as French-style sandwiches, mini quiches, cakes and tarts. No order is complete without a croissant, and customers can't stop raving about them. There's another location in Woods Hole, too.

Omaha's top destination for trendy breakfast dishes like banana pancakes, omelettes with pesto and burrata toast with strawberry and rhubarb jam, Saddle Creek Breakfast Club is the place to go for innovative bites. Customers constantly praise the friendly service, the creative menu and the delicious coffee that makes their breakfasts even better. The vegan take on huevos rancheros – loaded with jackfruit and tofu scramble – is particularly great.

The Sunny Point Café is pretty small and very famous, so chances are you won't get to sit down and order straight away. Wait it out, though, and you'll be rewarded with the best huevos rancheros (pictured) you've ever had. It departs from tradition with feta, green salsa and coriander crema covering black bean cakes, all served with two eggs, avocado, tortilla chips and optional chorizo. Those with a sweet tooth will also love the French toast.

Portland is home to countless breakfast spots, but Palace Diner in Biddeford has the edge partly because it's set up in a vintage dining car. The all-day breakfast menu ranges from buttermilk flapjacks to French toast and several plates featuring the joint's exceptional crispy potatoes. Really hungry? Stuff yourself silly with the lumberjack breakfast – flapjacks, two eggs, potatoes and breakfast meat.

If you like to kick off your day with something sweet, the place to go in Honolulu is Leonard's Bakery. The longstanding spot is known for its excellent malasadas (pictured). Descendants of Portuguese fritters, these doughnut-like delights are coated in sugar or filled with custard, dobash (Hawaiian chocolate cake icing), guava custard or haupia (a Hawaiian coconut dessert). There's also a monthly special flavour, too.

Now discover the best diners in every US state 

Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.