Richmond, VA is home to some fabulous restaurants, bars, and breweries. It’s also an excellent destination for great a breakfast.
Whether you’re in the mood for a decadent brunch, savory or sweet waffles, mouth-watering pancakes, incredible mimosas, Bloody Marys, or delicious biscuits, Richmond has something to satisfy your cravings for the most important meal of the day!
Below are my top recommendations for the best breakfast in Richmond, VA.
| If you’re in the mood for more food in Richmond, check out my picks for the Best Ice Cream in Richmond and the Best Burgers in Richmond! |
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Table of Contents
- Millie’s Diner
- Capitol Waffle Shop
- Perly’s
- Moore Street Cafe
- Lulu’s
- McLean’s Restaurant
- City Diner
- 821 Cafe
- The Fancy Biscuit
- 521 Biscuits & Waffles
- Lillie Pearl
- Bar Solita
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Millie’s Diner
Location
2603 E Main St, Richmond, VA 23223
Hours
Wednesday to Sunday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Description
Millie’s Diner earns top honors as one of the best brunch spots in Richmond! In fact, they have been named Richmond’s Best Brunch almost every year since they first opened!
They serve flavorful creative entrees like the Black Bean and Cheddar Cheese Burrito, Lump Crab and Scrambled Egg Enchilada, and Scrambled Eggs and Lobster.
You’ll also want to try Millie’s Famous Bloody Mary. They also have creative cocktails like the Beermosa (Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc and orange juice), Manmosa (vodka, sparkling wine, and orange juice), and Poinsettia (cranberry juice and sparkling wine).
You can find a full menu online.
| If you want a meal with a view, check out my top picks for the Best Rooftop Restaurants in Richmond! |
Capitol Waffle Shop
Location
1110 E Main St Ste B, Richmond, VA 23219
Hours
- Monday and Tuesday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
- Wednesday to Sunday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Description
Capitol Waffle Shop is one of the best places for fantastic waffles. They have multiple locations throughout Richmond and Virginia.
The Richmond area locations are Downtown Richmond, VCU Campus, and Midlothian Shops at Aboretum. There are additional locations in Norfolk and Harrisonburg.
Their menu is filled with mouthwatering waffles galore! Some of their savory waffles include House Chicken and Waffles; Buffalo Chicken Waffles; and Bacon, Egg, and Queso Waffles.
You can also order plenty of sweet waffles, like One Sweet Waffle (with strawberries, blueberries, oreo, m&ms, chocolate sauce, powdered sugar and whipped cream) and The Martha Waffle (with coffee cake, crushed cinnamon toast crunch, blueberries, caramel, powdered sugar, and whipped cream).
For a special holiday treat, you’ll want to try the decadent Christmas Cake Waffles (with vanilla ice cream, Christmas cake crumbles, whipped cream, raspberry sauce, holiday-themed sprinkles, and powdered sugar.)
Beyond waffles, you can get Funnel Cake with caramel, chocolate, raspberry, vanilla, or peanut butter drizzle; Iron Baked Mac & Cheese with Queso; the Hashbrown Tot Waffle (the perfect combination of hashbrowns, tater tots, and waffles); and Stroopwafel (syrup waffle).
Other decadent dishes include the Sriracha Baked Mac & Cheese Waffle, as well as Scrambled Egg Bowls, which are scrambled eggs topped with jalapenos, bacon, sundried tomatoes, and more.
Capitol Waffle Shop also has plenty of cocktails to create the perfect brunch, like the House Mimosa and Main Street Mimosa (with Champagne, orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, and grenadine.)
You can find a full menu online. Please note that the menu varies by location.
Perly’s
Location
111 E Grace St, Richmond, VA 23219
Hours
Wednesday to Sunday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Description
Perly’s is one of the best breakfast spots in Richmond. They are a Jewish Delicatessen serving up traditional Jewish cuisine with a modern twist.
For Brunch, you can get a Blintz (stuffed with ricotta cheese and orange, and topped with blueberries), Schnitzel Perlstein (with breaded veal cutlet, 2 eggs sunny side up, smoked trout salad, and lemon vinaigrette), and Corned Beef Hash.
Other great dishes include the French Toast (Cinnamon Babka French Toast with maple syrup, stewed apples, golden raisins, and pecans), and the Benny Goodman (two potato latkes cakes, with smoked salmon, poached eggs, dill hollandaise, and salmon roe. )
You can find a full menu online.
Moore Street Cafe
Location
2904 W Moore St, Richmond, VA 23230
Hours
- Tuesday: Closed
- Monday to Friday: 6:00 am – 11:00 am (Breakfast), 11:00 am – 2:30 pm (Lunch)
- Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm (Breakfast all day)
Description
The fun and funky Moore Street Cafe is another great place for breakfast in Richmond. They’re open for breakfast and lunch. You can get breakfast all day from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday!
They are known for their excellent pancakes and hearty breakfasts. They feature a large variety of favorite dishes like a Western Omelet, Veggie Omelet, and Greek Omelet (with spinach feta and onion).
Their breakfast specials include The Moore Street Big Breakfast (with three eggs, bacon, sausage, and grits), House-Made Corned Beef Hash, Country Fried Steak & Eggs, and Ham Steak and Two Eggs. You can also order a Breakfast Sandwich like the Breakfast Club, Grilled Cheese, BLT, and the Good “Moore-Ning” Reuben.
You can add a number of different sides to your meal, including hash browns, pancakes, bacon, turkey bacon, house-made sausage, tater tots, oatmeal, grits, and much more.
The Moore Street Cafe also serves a wide variety of delicious mimosas, including Pineapple, Cranberry, Raspberry Lemosa, and Fanta Orange.
You can find a full breakfast menu online.
Lulu’s
Location
21 N 17th St, Richmond, VA 23219
Hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Description
Lulu’s is another one of the best brunch restaurants in town. They’re located in Shockoe Bottom and serve brunch on Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm.
Some of their specialties include unique dishes like Red Velvet Waffles (with pecan cream cheese and strawberries) and Shrimp & Stone-Milled Pimento Grits.
You can also find classics like French Toast (with strawberry compote and cinnamon creme fraiche), Huevos Rancheros, and Corned Beef Hash.
They serve up delicious omelets like the TOA Omelete (tomato, onion, and avocado), Crab Omelete, and Atlantic Omelete (with lobster, jumbo lump crab, bacon, white cheddar, and hollandaise.)
You can also get fancy buttermilk biscuits like the Lobster Biscuit, Chicken and Biscuit, and Biscuit & Gravy.
You’ll want to indulge in Lulu’s Famous Bloody Mary. Or you can get a specialty mimosa like the Brazillian Mimosa (with sparkling wine, pineapple juice, and a float of The Kraken Black Spiced Rum) or Tropical Mimosa (with sparkling wine, pineapple juice, and Malibu Rum.)
You can find a full menu online.
McLean’s Restaurant
Location
3205 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23230
Hours
Open Daily: 6:00 am – 3:00 pm
Description
Mclean’s Restaurant is another great place for Breakfast, Lunch, and Sunday Brunch. They pride themselves on providing “good food, fast service, and friendly faces.”
Their extensive breakfast menu includes hearty Breakfast Platters like Steak and Eggs, Pork Chop Platter, and Fish and Eggs Platter.
To satisfy your sweet tooth, you can get buttermilk pancakes, french toast, or specialty pancakes (chocolate chips, bananas, blueberries, and even bacon pieces!)
Omelete lovers can find a wide range of options like the Western Omelete, Veggie Omelete, Cordon Blue Omelete, and Cheese Steak Omelete.
Their brunch menu also includes Salads, Sandwiches, Grilled Sandwiches, Wraps, and Burgers.
You can find a breakfast and lunch menu and brunch menu online.
City Diner
Location
2237 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23220
Hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday – Sunday: 6:30 am – 2:00 pm
Description
City Diner is another great option for breakfast in Richmond.
Their menu includes all of your favorite breakfast items, like Pancakes, French Toast, Belgian Waffles, Western Omelete, Ham and Cheddar Omelete, California Omelete (with chicken, broccoli, tomato, and cheddar), Breakfast Burrito, Biscuits & Gravy, Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs, and much more.
Some of their weekday specials have included favorites like Tuna Melt and Eggs Benedict.
You can also indulge in M&M Pancakes, which have chopped M&M’s baked into the pancakes, as well as Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Pancakes! Mmm!
You can find their latest menu and specials online.
821 Cafe
Location
825 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23220
Hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday and Wednesday: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Thursday and Friday: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
- Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Description
821 Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. As a nice bonus, they serve breakfast all day!
They have a large selection of omelets, including the Huevos Omelet (with Black Beans, Cheddar, Avocado, and Salsa), the Bacon & Brie Omelet, the Potatoe Omelet (with Smashed Potato, Cheddar, Bacon, Sour Cream, and Green Onion, and Veggie Omelet (with
Cheddar, Swiss, Provolone, Sauteed Onion, Peppers, Mushroom, Spinach, Tomato, Squash, and Broccoli).
You can also find a variety of Breakfast Sandwiches, such as the Egg & Cheese Sandwich, Vega Breakfast Sandwich, and Veggie Chicken Biscuit.
They have some unique sweets for breakfast too, like Nutella Stuffed French Toast, Lemon Curd Stuffed French Toast, and Vegan Chai French Toast.
You can also order a wide variety of side dishes, like a Buttermilk Biscuit, Bagel with Cream Cheese, Fresh Fruit, Grits, and Rosemary Potatoes.
You can find a full menu online.
The Fancy Biscuit
Location
1831 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23220
Hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday to Friday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Description
The Fancy Biscuit serves great food that focuses on Southern comfort foods made from locally sourced and regional products.
Some of their dishes include such Southern staples as Fried Green Tomatoes with Pimento Cheese, Tasso Ham and Cheese Grit Tots (served with sriracha hollandaise), and Deviled Eggs.
They have a large number of filling entrees, like the B’ N G (Buttermilk biscuit(s) & hearty sausage gravy), BLT, Quiche, Pulled Pork Sandwich, and Chicken Sandwich (signature fried chicken with bread and butter pickles arugula, and garlic aioli, on a toasted brioche bun.)
You can order a variety of sides too, such as Collard Greens, Fresh Fruit, Sweet Potato and Bacon Hash, and Tasso Ham and White Cheddar Grits.
You can find a full menu online.
521 Biscuits & Waffles
Location
521 E Main St, Richmond, VA 23219
Hours
- Wednesday to Friday: 8:00 am – 11:00 am
- Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Description
521 Biscuits and Waffles is another great breakfast destination for, you guessed it, biscuits and waffles!
From the Biscuits side of the menu, you can find the classic Buttermilk Biscuit with jam or butter; Egg & Cheese Sandwich; Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich; or a biscuit with a twist: The Beaut (Cage-free egg, cheddar cheese, bacon, avocado, and hot sauce.)
On the Waffles side of the menu, you’ll find Classic Waffles (naturally!), Blueberry Waffles, ChocoKoah Waffles (with chocolate and coconut flakes), Brown Sugar Pecan Waffles, Bananas Waffles, Raspberry White Chocolate Waffles, and for the choco-holic: Double Trouble ( with Cocoa and chocolate chips.)
They also sell different kinds of delicious scones, like the Blueberry Walnut Scone, Cherry Chocolate Scone, and Raspberry White Chocolate Scone.
You can find a full menu online.
Lillie Pearl
Location
416 E Grace St, Richmond, VA 23219
Hours
- Monday to Saturday: 11:00 am – 2:30 pm (Lunch), 4:30 pm – 11:00 pm (Dinner)
- Sunday: 11:00 am – 2:30 pm (Brunch), 4:30 pm – 9:00 pm (Dinner)
Description
Along with being a great place for Sunday Brunch, Lillie Pearl is also open for Lunch and Dinner each night. Their unique dishes are inspired by Southern African American Cuisine.
You definitely want to check out the delicious food on the menu for Sunday Brunch! They have new twists on southern classics like Cheddar Biscuits, Fried Chicken and French Toast (with bread pudding French toast and honey butter), Peach Cobbler French Toast, Short Rib Breakfast Burrito, and Shrimp and Grits.
For drinks, you can order classic Mimosas, a Bloody Mary, or Summer Sangria.
You can find a full menu online.
Bar Solita
Location
123 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23220
Hours
- Monday to Friday: 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
- Saturday: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
- Sunday: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Description
Bar Solita is another great breakfast spot in Richmond. They’re open for Brunch on Saturday and Sunday. They’re also open for dinner service Monday through Saturday.
They have an extensive Brunch menu, including Shrimp & Grits, Chimichanga, Breakfast Empanadas, Huevos Rancheros, and Breakfast Tacos.
Their omelets include The Mediterranean (with tomato, feta, bell pepper, onion, and za’atar spices), The Little Mexico (with onion, cheddar, bell pepper, tomato, chorizo, and jalapeño), and Farmer’s Omelet (with onion, mushroom, spinach, and parmesan.)
Bar Solita also serves excellent cocktails including Aperol Spritz (a fun and airy Italian cocktail), Mimosa, Bloody Mary, The Richmond Espress (with Blanchard’s coffee, Cirrus vodka, and Kahlua), and French 75.
If you head over there for dinner, you’ll find classic Tapas dishes like Empanadas, Papas Brava, Smoked Salmon Bites, and Crispy Zucchini Fritters. You can also get a wood-fired pizza, such as Basil Pesto, Hawaiian, The Honey Badger, Buffalo Chicken, and Classic Margherita.
You can find a full menu online.
Learn about even more great things to do in and around Richmond, VA!