Given the amount of attention that is placed on lunch, dinner, afternoon tea, and happy hour, we’re of the opinion that breakfast is the most underrated meal of all (it’s often overshadowed by brunch – which, if you really think about it, is just an excuse to incorporate the breakfast foods we so love into our midday meal).
The idea of breakfast is the only incentive that will get us out of bed on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It also makes waking up on weekdays significantly less painful. From a health standpoint, filling our stomach in the morning leads to improved metabolism, boosted energy, and better concentration. Breakfast is the one meal that has the ability to dictate how we’re feeling for the rest of the day.
Fuel up for the challenges of the day ahead at a few of our favourite breakfast spots in Central!
The top spots for breakfast in Central
R&R Bagels
Whenever a restaurant is confident enough to have only one main item on its menu, we can safely assume that they do that item very well indeed. At R&R Bagels, that one item that keeps customers coming back for more is – you guessed it – bagels, in flavours including plain, vegan, sesame, wholegrain, poppy, onion, garlic, everything, and cinnamon raisin. The shop’s breakfast bagels – namely the English breakfast (HKD80), maple bacon and egg (HKD80), smashed avocado and egg (HKD80), and The Gardener’s Breakfast (HKD80) with spinach omelette, Cheddar, tomato, pesto, and low-fat cream cheese – are available from 7:30AM till 12PM on weekdays and till 12:30PM on weekends. Fresh, filling, and easy to eat on the go, these scrumptious bagels provide the ideal morning boost for busybodies.
R&R Bagels, G/F, 28 Li Yuen Street West, Central, 2178 5168
CAFÉ LANDMARK
Right in the heart of the shopper’s paradise that is LANDMARK, CAFÉ LANDMARK offers a selection of carefully curated breakfast items, available from 8AM Monday through Saturday and 9AM on Sundays and public holidays, that showcase the restaurant’s unique ability to combine flavours and techniques from East and West. The thick-cut Japanese-style French toast (HKD128), infused with Hokkaido milk for 24 hours before being baked until golden brown, is lightly crisp on the outside and delightfully creamy on the inside. The avocado, ham, and mushroom crepe (HKD148) is completed with sides of sautéed potato, sour cream, tomato salsa, and salad – a great savoury option for those who prefer to save some sweetness for later on in the day.
CAFÉ LANDMARK, Shop 107–108, 1/F, LANDMARK ATRIUM, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2526 4200, book here
The Diner
For those with a hearty appetite and looking for a breakfast to match, this retro joint is the place for you. Billed as Hong Kong’s only truly authentic American diner, The Diner serves up a breakfast storm from 8AM till 11AM on weekdays and till 3PM on weekends and public holidays. The diverse menu includes the likes of avocado smash (HKD88) on sourdough toast, a Mexican-style breakfast burrito (HKD108), and blueberry pancakes (HKD108). For all the Brits out there, The Limey (HKD138) breakfast skillet – aka the full English – features two eggs any style, two rashers of back bacon, pork sausage, baked beans, roasted cherry tomato, sautéed mushroom, and sourdough toast; we’re full just thinking about it!
The Diner, G/F, Winning Centre, 48 Wyndham Street, Central, 3585 7455, book here
Mr Wolf
Breakfast at this relaxed modern European eatery is served daily from 8AM till 11:30AM, ideal for late risers. At Mr Wolf, you can go hearty with a classic egg dish like the egg royale (HKD148) gilded with poached egg, smoked salmon, dill, and caper hollandaise, lighter with the açai super bowl (HKD108) with seasonal fruits, house granola, and wildflower honey, or sweet with the ricotta pancakes (HKD128) with blueberry jam and crème fraîche. A bonus, the restaurant’s outdoor terrace is a favourite of those in the Central know.
Mr Wolf, 5/F, Crawford House, 70 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2526 0838, book here
Green Waffle Diner
Green Waffle Diner is Canadian, not American, but from 8AM every day, it serves up all the diner staples that we adore. We usually opt for one of the breakfast set specials, which are inclusive of unlimited filter coffee or tea. The slow-cooked steel-cut oat porridge with fresh fruits (HKD68) and kefir yoghurt with keto waffle (HKD86) are tasty and healthy ways to get you fortified for the day ahead, especially if you’re nursing a hangover. For a more traditional diner-style option, order the ham and cheese omelette with toast and home fries (HKD76).
Green Waffle Diner, G/F, Kar Ho Building, 35–39 Graham Street, Central, 2887 9991, WhatsApp here, book here
AMO·AGO
Founded in early 2024 by pastry chefs Julien Zampieri and Paula Andrea, AMO·AGO is a charming Italian bakery-café located just off the escalators in Soho. The café’s morning menu is ideal for a simple yet flavour-packed breakfast, served daily from 8:15AM till 11:30AM. Highlights include the L.A. (HKD75) starring avocado, sunny-side-up egg, and beetroot atop toasted brioche and the Athena (HKD85), a beautiful bowl of house-made granola, Greek yoghurt, berries, and banana. Add HKD20 for tea, juice, or black coffee or HKD30 for white coffee.
