Breakfast in San Mateo
Skyeler’s 2026 Guide
Breakfast is my favorite meal. I love a specialty coffee drink, fresh baked good, and delicious omelette. Sam & I religiously go out to different breakfast places, drink coffee, listen to other peoples’ conversations, and do the crossword!
So, now I have written my official San Mateo breakfast guide based on my ~3 (non-continuous) years of living in the San Mateo area.
Backhaus: San Mateo Location or Burlingame Location
If you had to choose only one place, come here!
Backhaus San Mateo is our all-time favorite. The best mochas in the Bay Area (the chocolate ganache is to die for) along with some of the best pasties I’ve ever had in my life. Everything at Backhaus in SM is amazing: hazelnut chocolate croissants, almond croissants, cheese twists, cookies, pretzel bread, tomato girl! And you can enjoy it all in the most luscious and cozy back garden, with perfect tables and sunshine and fresh herbs. There’s a window into the kitchen where you can watch the talented bakers at work. There’s also beautiful pothos and monstera everywhere! On weekends, there’s often a long line and after 10 am, you may find them sold out of some of the sweeter treats. But if you can sneak away at 7:30 on a weekday, it’s heaven.
We also adore the Burlingame location: they serve brunch! The space in Burlingame is super spacious and has the most amazing upstairs: skylights with lovely plants. Sam, of course, adores the breakfast sandwiches and I am a huge fan of the french toast. Both locations are incredible, but Backhaus San Mateo is our place.
Apple Fritter
This is our original classic San Mateo breakfast spot. When we first moved here in 2021, Apple Fritter was our favorite establishment. We used to be able to walk here! They, of course, have amazing apple fritters but also great donuts! And their breakfast dishes are to die for. Apple Fritter has home-style cooking, like a classic American diner, including the best breakfast sandwiches and tastiest hashes. We have so many memories sitting on their shaded porch together (the day Sam bought his PC! and when both of our parents visited!). The inside is so kooky in the best way: lego, fun pop art, cats, stickers, Keanu Reeves!
Apple Fritter even has some family history. When my dad visited us many years ago, we took him here. He was telling us about how he used to work right around this area and would go to this Taco Bell. But it had closed! He kept checking Google Maps but couldn’t find the building. Then it hit! When we were sitting outside Apple Fritter, dad realized this was the Taco Bell! It had been transformed, but under the covered porch was the original Taco Bell-style roof. One could say that this place has been feeding McQueens for decades!
Bonjour Bakehouse
This is our newest find (as of 2025). Bonjour Bakehouse is in a really weird spot: tucked back in a neighborhood, right by the 101, near a bunch of car repair shops and industrial offices. A genuine hidden gem! Yet Bonjour Bakehouse has the best scones I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting. They’re buttery, flaky, and incredible. Every baked good I’ve tried has been to die for: marble scones, blueberry scones, pear scones, and even the Kouign-amann! Sam is obsessed with the salmon lox scone & has also enjoyed the prosciutto. The owners are very French and very kind. My only note: this is a place you go for baked goods, not coffee. The coffee is fine, but not amazing.
We love going to this place after I take a morning dip in the Bay at Coyote Point. Bonjour Bakehouse is (in classic bakery fashion) open the earliest of anywhere listed: 7:00 am on weekdays!
Kaizen & Coffee
Kaizen & Coffee was our 2024 hot spot. Conveniently located on El Camino, Kaizen has a classic Bay Area vibe: slightly anime themed, neon lights, plants, and baristas in really cool leather aprons. Kaizen has the best coffee of anywhere listed: multiple of my bougie coworkers have agreed. Supposedly their pour over is amazing (unfortunately I’m a flavored latte girl, so I’ve yet to confirm) and their lattes are imaginative and original. Miso-caramel latte? Yes. Ube latte? Killer. Black Sesame latte? Undeniably good. Kaizen is the best. They also sell very fancy beans that I’m sure are better than what we buy on-sale from Safeway. The matcha at Kaizen is also really good!
This is almost the opposite of Bonjour Bakehouse: where at Bounjour, baked-goods > coffee, at Kaizen, coffee > baked-goods. The baked goods are good, but not amazing. This is the place to take your coffee-snob friends!
Toast in Town
Okay, so Toast in Town is technically in Foster City but it is close enough to San Mateo to make my list! This place feels like home to me. Within walking distance of the public library and the beautiful Leo J. Ryan park, Toast in Town is our brunch spot. The food is so delicious (the sweet and savory both hit) and the drinks are rather tasty (I love the ube latte!). It feels like a family spot, in the best way. The decor is cute and a little kitschy: at one point, they inexplicably had a giant statue of an orc! They even dressed him up for Christmas with a little Santa hat. At Toast in Town, I feel like a local and a part of the community. It is very special to me.