29 editor picks across United States.
29 cafe restaurants worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
Lazy Jane's Cafe on Williamson Street, the Marquette breakfast and bakery since 1998, runs scratch scones and brunch on the Willy Street corridor citywide.
OrderA signature scone with a coffee, or the weekend brunch breakfast burrito.
TipBrunch only on weekends; weekday cafe runs 07:00-14:00 Monday through Friday.
Tartine Manufactory in San Francisco is Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt's larger Mission site, with bread, pastry, plates and a wine bar under one roof.
OrderThe morning bun and a country loaf to take home.
TipSkip the queue at the Guerrero Street original; the Manufactory has the same bakes plus a sit-down kitchen.
James Beard Best Chef Midwest winner Kevin Nashan works a changing chalkboard menu in a century-old Benton Park storefront, the city's special-occasion table.
TipThe menu is recited tableside from a chalkboard, so ask questions. Reserve on Resy or by phone a week or two ahead.
Amelia's at Bluebeard on Virginia Avenue in Indianapolis is the bakery side of the James Beard semifinalist room. Sandwiches on naturally-leavened sourdough.
OrderA pressed sandwich on country loaf, a slice of brioche bostock, plus a Tinker pour-over coffee.
TipMorning queue Saturday and Sunday. Coffee bar runs until midday.
Outerlands in San Francisco is the Outer Sunset's surf-side cafe and dinner room, with house bread, a tight California menu and the fog rolling past the door.
OrderEggs in jail: thick toast with an egg cracked in the centre, griddled.
TipWalk-in only for breakfast and lunch; the dinner room takes reservations for parties of 4 or more.
Mark Miller built the modern-Southwestern playbook here in 1987; Coyote Cafe today still serves elk, tellicherry ribeye and a seasonal Rooftop Cantina.
Middle Way Cafe has been Spenard's vegetarian-leaning anchor since 1994. The kitchen runs wholesome breakfast, lunch, vegan and gluten-free options.
Tiny Boxwoods in Houston is the garden-cafe on West Alabama in the Thompson + Hanson nursery, with a chocolate chip cookie that became a Houston object.
OrderThe chocolate chip cookie warm with milk. Whichever pizza is on. Salad of the day at lunch.
TipBrunch on weekends draws a 90-minute line. Weekday lunch is the move. Order an extra dozen cookies for home.
The Russell on Main Street in Kansas City's Midtown is Amanda Lopez's all-day cafe and lunch counter, with house-baked biscuits and a strong vegetarian.
OrderEgg-and-biscuit sandwich for breakfast, or the daily quiche with salad.
TipTue to Sat 7:00-14:00, Sun 8:00-14:00, closed Mondays. Gluten-free and vegan options strong.
Elemental Coffee on N Hudson Avenue in Oklahoma City is a specialty roaster and cafe serving pour-overs alongside breakfast and lunch in Midtown OKC.
Elemental Coffee on N Hudson Avenue in Oklahoma City is a specialty roaster and cafe serving pour-overs alongside breakfast and lunch in Midtown OKC.
Cafe Monarch in Old Town Scottsdale is a family-run tasting-menu room on a string-lit alley, serving a changing eight-course menu of small, refined plates.
OrderThe chef's eight-course tasting, the deepest version of the kitchen's seasonal cooking.
TipThe candlelit back alley is the seat to book; the menu is prix fixe only.
Burlington's waterfront creperie on the corner of Lake and College streets on Lake Champlain. Member of the Vermont Fresh Network sourcing local producers.
OrderChoco Monkey sweet crepe and the Johnny Crepe with maple-BBQ pulled pork.
TipLake patio in summer and expect a 20-30 minute wait on weekend brunch; the Choco Monkey crepe goes to nearly every table.
The Tuck Box serves scones and Welsh rarebit inside a 1927 Hugh Comstock fairy-tale cottage in Carmel, a tearoom trade running since the 1940s.
OrderHouse scones with olallieberry preserves and a pot of tea.
TipNo reservations, first come first served; mid-morning on a weekday is the calm window between breakfast and the tea crowd.
Lillian's Petite Market & Eatery in Charleston runs an all-day cafe and market from the old Harold's Cabin space on Congress Street since 2025.
OrderThe breakfast plate with potatoes and the daily pasta at dinner.
TipOpen 07:15-22:00 daily. Walk-in; small market shelves at the front.
Brewed on Magnolia Ave in Fort Worth is a popular neighbourhood cafe offering craft coffee, rotating local beers on tap, and an all-day breakfast menu.
OrderAvocado toast with local egg, house-roasted drip coffee, biscuit sandwich.
TipBeer on tap from local Fort Worth breweries is poured from 10:00 onwards. The 11:00-15:00 window is the quietest time to visit.
Brewed on Magnolia Ave in Fort Worth is a popular neighbourhood cafe offering craft coffee, rotating local beers on tap, and an all-day breakfast menu.
OrderAvocado toast with local egg, house-roasted drip coffee, biscuit sandwich.
TipBeer on tap from local Fort Worth breweries is poured from 10:00 onwards. The 11:00-15:00 window is the quietest time to visit.
Please & Thank You on Mass Ave in Indianapolis is a record-shop coffee bar imported from Louisville. The chocolate chip cookie is the city's reference cookie.
OrderA chocolate chip cookie and a cortado off the house espresso.
TipThe vinyl wall is the shop's other reason. Order at the counter.
Mildred's in Kansas City has run breakfast, brunch and lunch since 1994, with the Standard Breakfast Sandwich the city's most-ordered counter item.
OrderThe Standard Breakfast Sandwich: egg, cheddar, bacon on a butter-toasted brioche.
TipSouth Plaza shop at 5060 Main is the newest in 2025. Daily 7:00-14:00 in the Crossroads.
Emigration Cafe on 1300 South, Scott Evans' Pago Group all-day cafe in Yalecrest, runs breakfast, sandwiches and salads through the afternoon hours.
OrderA breakfast plate in the morning or a seasonal sandwich at lunch with an espresso drink.
TipMorning rush peaks 08:00-10:00; weekend brunch is the busiest window. Closes mid-afternoon.
Emigration Cafe on 1300 South, Scott Evans' Pago Group all-day cafe in Yalecrest, runs breakfast, sandwiches and salads through the afternoon.
OrderA breakfast plate in the morning or a seasonal sandwich at lunch with an espresso drink.
TipMorning rush peaks 08:00-10:00; weekend brunch is the busiest window. Closes mid-afternoon.
Vintage Coffee Cafe in Mount Pleasant runs an all-day breakfast and brunch menu from a 1930s cottage on Simmons Street since 2014. Priced at $$.
OrderA breakfast biscuit and a flat white in the courtyard.
TipOpen 07:00-16:00 daily. The courtyard has a kids' truck and shade.
You Say Tomato in Kansas City's Brookside corridor is a quirky neighbourhood cafe with daily specials, veg-friendly options and a slow-paced breakfast.
OrderThe breakfast sandwich with the daily soup or quiche.
TipWed to Sat 8:00-14:00, closed Mon, Tue, Sun. Walk-in only, expect a wait on weekends.
A family-owned North Raleigh institution since 2012 built around community. Counter Culture coffee, handcrafted food, and an annual ALS fundraising 5K.
OrderCounter Culture espresso, Handcrafted seasonal food
Raleigh's flagship independent specialty coffee brand with four city locations. Direct-trade sourcing globally; in-house roasting launched in 2024.
OrderSingle-origin pour-over, Espresso drinks
Bakery Lorraine grew from a Pearl farmers-market stall into a full cafe and patisserie, with macarons, quiche, and croque monsieur from a bright counter.
OrderMacarons, quiche and a croque monsieur.
TipThe macarons are the calling card, but the savoury quiche and croque make it a proper lunch stop.
Stone Oven Bakery Cafe on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights, an artisan bread, soup and sandwich shop for over 25 years, runs the Cedar-Lee block from morning.
OrderA house-baked sandwich on artisan bread plus the soup of the day.
TipCounter service; weekday lunch runs fastest. Additional outlets at Eton and the Galleria.
Char on Ashland runs from 06:00 coffee to wood-fired pizza dinners in Chevy Chase, the all-day 2025 arrival Lexington uses for pancakes and pasta alike.
OrderWood-fired pizza, Fluffy pancakes
TipJapanese-style fluffy pancakes anchor the morning menu; dinner picks up again at 17:00 after a short break.
A well-established downtown all-day cafe on Hargett Street serving quality coffee alongside bagels, sandwiches, omelets, and daily specials. Reliable all-day.
OrderBagels, Egg sandwiches, Cold brew
Private tour · 3 hours
Discover Kansas City’s flavors on a private chocolate and wine tour through the Power & Light District and Crossroads Arts District. Tastings included with a local guide.
Private tour · 3 hours
As you stroll through the heart of the city, you’ll be the star of a culinary adventure, indulging in the finest artisan chocolates and exquisite local wines.
Guided tour · 3 hours
KC all its own: smoky, bold, and full of stories. Let a local guide take you through the heart of it, one extraordinary bite at a time, all the way to a rooftop Secret...
