Where to Find the Best Breakfast in Annapolis, From Crepes to Bagels

Where to eat in breakfast in Annapolis

Miss Shirley’s

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Miss Shirley’s has made headlines for its colossal portions and decadent takes on chicken and waffles, stuffed French toast, and savory biscuits. You can find traditional egg dishes too, but Miss Shirley’s is where you go when you want an epic breakfast feast or a brunch celebration with friends. The shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, and coconut cream cheese French toast have all been featured on The Food Network.

After indulging in hot honey fried chicken deviled eggs or a gravy train skillet, save room for the monkey bread—a pull-apart cinnamon treat covered with bananas, chocolate chips and chocolate sauce. Breakfast and brunch are served until 3pm every day, but be prepared to wait. Miss Shirley’s does not take reservations and the lines on weekends can wrap around the block.

Where: 1 Park Pl, Annapolis, MD 21401

Naval Bagels

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It is possible to find a New York-style bagel three hours from the Big Apple, and Naval Bagels is the spot. Located in West Annapolis, a short walk from the Naval Academy gates, Naval Bagels has every flavor of bagel imaginable. There are almost two dozen bagel sandwiches on the breakfast menu, so diners have a wealth of options.

The store’s namesake bagel, the Naval bagel, is a tower of fresh Nova lox, cream cheese, tomato, onions, and capers. For a locally inspired bite, try the Annapolitan, a bagel piled with jumbo lump crabmeat, scrambled eggs, melted cheddar and Old Bay seasoning. To turn up the spice factor, order it on an Old Bay flavored bagel. Don’t be put off by the long lines, Naval Bagels churns out orders with military efficiency.

Where: 609 Taylor Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401

Chick and Ruth’s

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In a town teeming with breakfast joints, Chick and Ruth’s delicatessen is legendary. Open since 1965, this delicatessen serves up diner classics in a retro environment. Slide into a narrow booth or pull up a stool at the counter and watch wait staff—some of whom have been working there for decades—call out orders for eggs, waffles, and bacon.

You won’t find avocado toast or chia pudding on this menu; it’s all about diner classics like cream chipped beef on toast and buttermilk pancakes served with a side of scrapple. At Chick and Ruth’s, the orange Formica booths and framed photos of local politicians still look the same as they did in the 1960s and the milkshakes, egg creams, and root beer floats haven’t changed a bit in more than fifty years. Weekday mornings at 8:30am (9:30 on the weekends), every guest is asked to stand, face the American flag, and say the Pledge of Allegiance.

Where: 165 Main St, Annapolis, MD 21401

Boatyard Bar and Grill

Boatyard Bar and Grill in the Eastport area of Annapolis is one of the most popular restaurants in town, and their brunch offerings on weekends should not be missed. While Boatyard offers traditional classics like chicken and waffles and huevos rancheros, their seafood-based brunch items are the real standouts.

Try eggs benedict topped with lump crabmeat or the Chesapeake avocado toast, a mix of lump crab and avocado on sourdough. Any visit to Annapolis should include crab cakes, and Boatyard’s version is one of the best. Boatyard’s Killer Cake and Eggs is eggs benedict topped with fried green tomatoes and hollandaise accompanied by two of their ‘World Famous All Killer, No Filler’ crab cakes. The restaurant’s dining room is draped with marine flags and crammed with sailing memorabilia.

Where: 400 Fourth St, Annapolis, MD 21403

Rise Up Coffee

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With several locations in the Annapolis area, Rise Up Coffee is known for its organic, fair-trade coffee. Sure, the coffee is legit—full-bodied and delicious—but it’s the massive breakfast burritos that will truly satisfy your breakfast cravings.

Served out of a food truck behind the coffee shop, Rise Up’s burritos are served until 3 p.m. every day and are large enough to share. The most popular, the Rise Up burrito, has scrambled organic eggs, chorizo sausage, potato, avocado, and cheese. You can’t go wrong with the Sunset burrito, either, a combo of tater tots, chorizo sausage, black beans, pickled jalapeno, sour cream, and cheese.

Where: 2042 Somerville Rd, Annapolis, MD 21401

Iron Rooster

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At Iron Rooster, the motto is ‘We’re always makin’ bacon!’ This café located right near City Dock serves up mason jars of mouthwatering crispy bacon at any time of day. The menu focuses on Southern comfort dishes like chicken and waffles, Cajun fried shrimp, and fried green tomatoes, but also includes locally inspired dishes like a crab hash bowl with Maryland blue crab meat, fried eggs, hash browns, and Old Bay hollandaise.

Iron Rooster serves breakfast all day, and has an extensive menu of entrees, burgers, sandwiches, and salads. No matter what time of day you visit, order a RoosTart. The restaurant’s version of a pop tart, RoosTart flavors change seasonally, though mixed berry and brown sugar are always on the menu. With a cup of Iron Rooster’s bottomless coffee, it makes the perfect starter to share or a sweet ending to a meal.

Where: 12 Market Space, Annapolis, MD 21401

Lighthouse Bistro

When you want to feel good about where you eat, there’s no better choice than Lighthouse Bistro. Lighthouse Bistro is owned by The Lighthouse Shelter Homeless Prevention Support Center and the bistro trains its employees in the culinary arts, while providing them with a living wage.

The menu is focused on breakfast classics like fluffy buttermilk pancakes, omelets, and benedicts, but the ever-changing menu of specials is where the kitchen really shines. From chef scrambles to fried green tomato benedicts, everything is made in-house, right down to the hot sauce and blueberry pomegranate jam. Lighthouse Bistro also sells granola that can be purchased to go.

Where: 202 West St, Annapolis, MD 21401

Sofi’s Crepes

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Sofi’s Crepes, tucked away on a side street near City Dock, is the kind of hidden gem only locals know about. This petite café offers an extensive list of sweet and savory crepes that are American twists on Parisian classics.

Traditionalists will love the light and fluffy Florentine crepe or the ham and gruyere, but the Bananarama, a combination of banana, granola, peanut butter, is a must-try. For a sweet and savory combo, try the bacon, egg, cheese, and maple syrup crepe. It may not be Paris but watching the boats as you stroll City Dock while enjoying this handheld treat is sublime in its own right.

Where: 1 Craig St, Annapolis, MD 21401

Evelyn’s

A relative newcomer to the local breakfast scene, Evelyn’s has quickly gained popularity for its all-day breakfast menu using ingredients that are sourced from nearby farms. The menu offers classics like Belgian waffles and breakfast burritos, and an extensive omelet selection, including the popular ‘Feed the Navy’ omelet, a three-egg omelet stuffed with steak, sausage, bacon, cheddar, and home fries. You can’t go wrong with the house made sweet potato biscuits, and if you’re in the mood for savory fare, leave room for Evelyn’s award-winning cream of crab soup.

Where: 26 Annapolis St, Annapolis, MD 21401