10 cracking breakfast spots to start your day at in Jeddah
However you like your eggs, here’s where to eat them in Jeddah
Breakfast is a big deal, wherever you are. And in breakfast in Jeddah is awesome. Whether you’re after piles of pancakes with lashings of syrup, eggs Benedict, French toast, flaky, buttery croissants – all washed down with orange juice and coffee, there’s loads to dig into. So the question is – how do you like your eggs in the Red Sea city?
For diner-style dishes: American Corner
This old-school US diner has been a favourite for breakfast in Jeddah since 1989, so you know it’s a tried and trusted when it comes to all-American classics. Whatever time of day or night you’re ready for a US feast you’ll find it here, but we’re all about the breakfast – and you won’t be disappointed at this banging Jeddah breakfast joint.
Massive pancakes, sunny side up eggs, tasty waffles slathered in syrup, giant stacks of buttered toast and mugs of steaming coffee – it’s all here for you to kick-start your morning in style. And if you can leave without getting a gooey brownie or slab of cheesecake to take away for later, we applaud you.
Prince Saud Al Faisal, Al Khalidiyyah
For the coffee fans: Brew 92
Whether we’re talking about iced Spanish lattes, flat whites or single-origin nitro brews, Jeddah dwellers know and love their coffee. It’s no surprise then that trendy KSA-born speciality café and roastery Brew92 is one of the most popular morning spots in the city. The interiors here are seriously stylish (think exposed brick walls, custom coffee bar and plenty of statement ceiling lights) and the baristas are coffee-obsessed experts.
The brilliant thing about this place though is that the food is just as good as the brews.
The breakfast menu features winning dish after winning dish, with healthy options such as honey, raisin and grated coconut-topped porridge and fresh fruit platters sitting happily alongside ever-so indulgent, unabashedly extra meals like the fried chicken and waffles with BBQ sauce and filled-to-bursting breakfast of champions that is the breakfast burger. Take our word for it, Brew92 is an absolute gem.
Prince Saud Al-Faizal Street, Al-Khalidiyah,
For Saudi-inspired plates: Brioche
If you’re looking for a chic start to your day, the international-Saudi fusion menu at Brioché will be right up your street. The restaurant was set up by a group of friends, while the menu comes from chef Hakim Bagabas and promise a range of load of different flavours from around the world. It prides itself on fresh ingredients and all brioché buns are made in house – so get ready for a treat.
Kick off your breakfast in Jeddah with egg dishes including Mexican omelettes, truffle benedict, shakshouka benedict, steak and eggs or cheese omelettes. Sticking close to the signature dish? Dive into the brioche menu with dishes such as club sandwich, mglgl roll (lamb mglgl with fluffy scrambled eggs) or bacon and egg burritos.
There’s also French toast loaded with caramel, chocolate or berries and cream – as well as platters such as international cheese or Arabic with dips and smoked fava beans. Wash it all down with a homemade ice tea or fresh juice and you’re smiling (even if you class yourself as ‘not a morning person’).
3127 Alkayyal, Ar Rawdah,
For creative combinations: Circa
This elegant café is one of the top spots for breakfast in Jeddah, especially if you’re looking for something classy and refined for your morning meal.
The egg section (Cracked) has a range of creative dishes such as Our Benedict – poached eggs on beet hash, spinach and smoked salmon topped with hollandaise, a Morning Sando – boiled eggs with Japanese mayo smooshed into brioche toast, Aleppo Poached – poached eggs with tomato confit, almond dukkak and labneh, Brekkie Bun – scrambled eggs with onion, bacon marmalade, avocado and rocket or Bombay Omelette – brioche toast wrapped with garam masala omelette, jack cheese, onion and tomato.
Sweet tooth? Check out dishes including fudge porridge – made with dark chocolate, seasonal fruit and hazelnut cream or brioche French toast with caramelised bananas, homemade Snickers, coffee mascarpone and berries. There are also a range of power bowls, smoothies, toasties and pastries, so all your breakfast needs are covered, plus the set-up is very cool, making it a charming place to start your day.
For uber-cool interiors: Knead
With its rustic, industrial-chic vibe (we covet the hanging lights and burnished floors) and relaxed, bustling atmosphere, Knead is an excellent place to while away a few hours. It doesn’t matter whether you’re breakfasting solo or brunching with a group of friends, you’ll feel right at home here.
This buzzy spot does a fine line in café-style staples, but it’s the range of freshly baked breads (think focaccia, multigrain, honey wheat, parmesan and paprika) that will really make your morning memorable. That and the excellent pastries, sweet treats (hello, date cake with salted caramel sauce) and
savoury pies…
Sari Branch Road, Al Khalidiyyah,
For familiar regional eats: Leila Restaurant
Woken up with a craving for Lebanese food served in uber-pretty surrounds? Look no further than Leila’s. With its charming interiors, homely feel and welcoming atmosphere, this place is a well-established favourite amongst the city’s breakfast connoisseurs.
The menu here is pleasingly traditional and makes a star of many a Middle Eastern breakfast staple – we’re talking freshly baked manouche speckled generously with zaatar, cool and creamy labneh resplendent with pools of olive oil, golden grilled halloumi, excellent falafel and foul, smooth and creamy hummus, a seriously good eggs awarma and more. Go hungry, order coffee and congratulate yourself on a morning well spent.
Prince Saud Al Faisal, Al-Rawdah,
For shakshouka in a spin: Maison De Zaid
Something of an institution on the Jeddah breakfast scene, no round up of top picks for a pre-12pm feed would be complete without mention of this long-time favourite. Thanks to the upscale ambience, attentive service and very good food, a meal at Maison De
Zaid (also known as Dar Zaid) always feels like a treat.
The eclectic menu spans everything from granola to flatbreads, Arabic-style sandwiches to omelettes. Standout dishes include a really rather tasty spinach and mozzarella shakshouka, the well-executed riff on a classic that is the Maison Benedict and an avo toast with eggs poached so perfectly they deserve a spot on your Instagram grid. At this point it would be remiss of us not to remind you to leave room for a serving of pancakes (the minis are our favourite). When you really want kick start your day the right way, this is the place to do so.
Abdul Maqsoodd Khojah Street, Al-Rawdah,
For the ’gram potential: Marmalade
We challenge you not to swoon as you walk through the doors into this gorgeous light-filled café. Kitted out in neutral hues with statement ornaments and stylish tables and chairs adding to the snap-tastic décor, this place is an interior design fan’s dream.
We’re here to talk about breakfast not soft furnishings though, and the good news is that the morning munchies on offer at Marmalade don’t disappoint (and a really rather beautiful too).
Top notch items on the all-day brunch menu include the e.g.y (poached eggs and thick Greek and red pepper yogurts layered onto a sesame bagel and finished with chilli oil), a fusion ful which brings the classic dish bang up-to-date thanks to mushrooms, rosemary butter and garlic chips and the fabulously light homemade scones served with vanilla butter and jam. Oh, and the coffee is good too. What are you waiting for?
Al Murjan,
For breakfast pies and bakes: Shobak
Any day that starts with pie is destined to be a good one in our book and when the pies in question are as tasty as those at Shobak you know you’re onto a winner.
These home-grown restaurants combine traditional cooking techniques – all the pies are handmade using a shobak (wooden rolling pin) – with some seriously good toppings. Breakfast purists will enjoy the excellent renditions of classic pies, think smooth and creamy cheese and eggs, black cumin glazed akkawi and zesty, zippy zaatar.
Those after something a little more off-beat can tuck into black coconut charcoal dough topped with slithers of salmon and punchy capers (also known as the perfect brunch dish for seafood lovers), sample an on-trend mushroom and truffle number or opt for the achingly cool roasted cauliflower pie. In short, there’s something delicious for everyone here.
Various locations,
For Californian breakfast favourites: Urth Caffe
Urth Caffé, which hails from California, is famed for serving up tasty, health dishes – all with an organic and ethical stance. The brand was established after the founders met a passionate coffee farmer from Peru, and were shocked to discover “destructive practises” in coffee production, so made it their mission to provide “health-conscious coffee”.
The first Urth Caffé was set up in 1991 at Manhattan Beach in LA, and it now has locations across the city as well as in Japan, the UAE and Riyadh. And the branch in Jeddah is one of the best places in town to find breakfast.
Dishes on the breakfast menu include Urth bread pudding bowl, granola, organic oatmeal, turkey bacon and cheese panini, matcha pancakes, French toast, eggs salmone, Belgian waffles, truffled scrambled eggs and more, as well as a massive selection of sweet and savoury croissants, pastries and Danishes, as well as muffins.
If you’re celiac or vegan there are options for you too, including gluten-free white corn pancakes and vegan chocolate cake There are also some interesting drinks, including a Japanese tea latte, Spanish latte granita and regular cappuccinos.
Tea fan? Urth Caffé sources the finest imported black, green, white, and oolong teas from around the world. The brand uses all-natural ingredients, promising to be 100 percent chemical free, and it also supports sustainable agriculture. Make ours a cappuccino.
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