Just north of the Golden Gate Bridge lies a patchwork of small cities and towns known for their natural spaces, health-conscious culture and laid-back vibe. While the breakfast scene isn’t as bustling as the city, it is thriving in its own way — think morning coffee accompanied by birdsong. Whether you want French toast, eggs and the works or freshly baked pastries, here’s where we think you should start your day in the North Bay.
Featured photo: Equator
Southern Marin
Sausalito - Mill Valley - Tiburon
Bootjack Wood Fired
17 Madrona St., Mill Valley
This little gem, located on a small side street just off downtown Mill Valley, offers coffee drinks, artisan pastries, breakfast sandwiches and focaccia pizza. A perfect place to fuel pre- or post-Dipsea hike. And it’s not uncommon to walk in when the baker is pulling an assortment of scones, muffins or galettes out of the oven. Hot, buttery pastries on a foggy Bay Area morning — need we say more? (Vegan and gluten-free options available.) Hours are Wednesday through Sunday 7:30am to 2pm. bootjackwoodfired.com
1 Gate 6 Road, Sausalito
A harborside joint frequented by bicyclists and yacht owners alike boasts eggs and omelets in nearly infinite combinations. Sandwiches (the BLTA has avocado, of course), burgers can all be paired with drinks from an espresso and juice bar.
601 Murray Circle, Sausalito
Fresh off a full remodel, Farley (formerly Farley Bar) has an energetic feel and snazzy look. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch on weekends, menus have the feel of an American bistro. All-day favorites such as the Niman Ranch Burger, Grilled Ahi Tuna Sandwich, and Umami Fries make appearances on both the dinner and lunch menus. The Huevos Rancheros is a breakfast standout; in addition to a Classic Benedict you can opt for a version loaded with Dungeness crab. But whether you have a sweet tooth or not, we recommend you start off with the Vanilla Bean Donuts. Topped with a brown sugar streusel, it’s like coffee cake disguised as doughnuts and with three to an order, they’re easy to share. The front porch boasts dog-friendly seating with, fog-permitting, amazing views of the Golden Gate and San Francisco skyline.
1311 Bridgeway, Sausalito
Feel like breakfast followed by a two-minute walk to the Sausalito Marina? Look no further – Lighthouse Café is the place to go. Try one of their many variations of eggs, from benedicts to omelets and everything in between. Enjoy additional sides such as bacon, pancakes, hashbrowns, or, for a sweet treat, try their famous French Toast.
1201 Bridgeway Suite A, Sausalito
Apart from serving some of the most popular coffee in the area, this particular Equator (there are five others in the Bay Area) has ample patio seating and a full kitchen on the “local end” of Sausalito’s main strip. Their menu features seasonal toasts, sandwiches, salads, soups and some of the best gluten-free waffles around — both sweet and savory varieties. Pastries like fruit galettes and browned butter banana bread are also made in house.
221 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley
A former diner that subscribes to Marin’s holy trinity (sustainable-local-organic) churns out hot Stumptown Coffee and eggs and hash brown plates named for former waitresses. The eggs come from a farm down the street, the meatloaf is Stemple Creek grass-fed and gluten-free and the cochinita pork taco is a nice change of pace from a burger with a ‘62 set-up.
27 Main Street, Tiburon
Seafood is the focus here, even at brunch when tower of fresh seafood and oysters sparkles in the sun glinting off Richardson Bay. Regulars come for the crab Benedict and smoked lobster roll; tourists love the ginormous prickly pear margarita bowl and everyone loves the deck — lines are known to stretch down the street on Sunday afternoons.
17 Madrona St, Mill Valley
Sourdough bread, baguettes and pain d’epis (a pull-apart bread) are baked in the built-in, wood-fired Alan Scott oven. The opening menu includes coffee and tea, a range of pastries — such as kouign amann, lemon meringue croissants and pain au chocolat — cookies and a snack board. Stop in at lunch for a tartine or sandwich on house-baked bread, or a salad with a glass of bubbly.
1 Blackfield Dr, Belvedere Tiburon
A coffee bar and seating area are much the same after a 2023 refresh of the Sweet Things space into San Francisco’s Jane. A grab and go fridge with salads and drinks is new while some legacy pastries from Sweet Things — carrot cake, black tie cake, and all the cupcakes — share shelf space with mocha, Oreo and other Jane cakes as well as croissants, naturally leavened breads and gluten-free cookies. The homewares and hostess gift aspect of business remains. Teas, dish towels, cookbooks, baking tools, jams that pair with breads, and other homewares are the focus.
9 Main St, Tiburon
Founder and chef Helene Henderson abides by a home-grown and sustainable ethos, using simple ingredients and techniques to make dishes like fennel-rubbed boneless half chicken and soy-ginger hanger steak feel fresh. The menu leans into seafood — there are ample choices for caviar, salmon, oysters and other ocean treats — as well as vegan or gluten-free reimaginings. “We aspire to be more inclusive,” says Henderson. Though the menu is vegetable-forward, “we recognize that not everyone in a group or family is craving or ready for those options.”
252 Almonte Blvd, Mill Valley
Established in the 1960s, Bob’s Donuts and Pastries has become a staple for donut lovers in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area, with their latest shop opened in Mill Valley. Famous for their apple fritters, giant donuts (a must-see to believe), and quality baked goods, stop by for a sweet treat.
Central Marin
Corte Madera – Larkspur – Kentfield – Ross – Fairfax – San Anselmo – San Rafael
848 College Avenue, Kentfield
The small touches on each dish — coffee and Kahula-infused French toast, fresh corn on the fiesta chicken salad — and all-day brunch menu on holidays attracts a dedicated following. The side patio is shaded and a large, tented outdoor space out back can accommodate larger groups.
101 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo
This snug breakfast, brunch and lunch place offers heated outdoor seating and plenty of fluffy omelet and traditional or spicy Benedict options, all with a side of the crispiest home fries or hash browns. Not into a savory breakfast? Their French toast is made with homemade cinnamon walnut bread and their griddle cakes nearly cover the circumference of the plate — add bananas, pecans and/or the seasonal berry for a treat in every bite.
In March, 2021, New York Times food writer Tejal Rao famously called Californiaʼs bagels better than New Yorkʼs. The article put Emily Winstonʼs Berkeley bagel shop on the map and sheʼs never looked back. The freshest shop in the burgeoning Bay Area sandwich chain landed in downtown Larkspur in November with all the lox and schmears. Thereʼs even Sanka for the diehard Boomer New Yorkers among us.
999 Andersen Dr Ste 160, San Rafael
When the unit next to the San Rafael location of Michaelʼs Sourdough Sandwiches became available, mom-son owners Jole and Christopher Braun decided to open another restaurant. A tight menu includes a full espresso bar with coees from San Franciscoʼs Grand Coee Roasters and fresh pastries from Woodbine Bakery and Rustic Bakery. Breakfast sandwiches like a Bacon, Egg and Cheddar or Pastrami, Egg and Swiss, are served on the familyʼs famous sourdough bread. Christopher insists the sleeper item on the menu is the avocado toast.
860 College Ave Unit C, Kentfield
After years of studying at College of Marin and working at a local KWIK SERV, new owner Wuilian (Willy) Reyes took over the Kentfield café, reopening it in January after a ten month closure. Reyes kept the açai bowls, like the Carmen Miranda with cacao nibs and peanut butter, that the café was already known for and built out the menu to include sandwiches (avocado toast, lox bagel) and pastas. Boba and espresso drinks are coming soon.
Northern Marin
Novato
This snug breakfast, brunch and lunch place offers heated outdoor seating and plenty of fluffy omelet and traditional or spicy Benedict options, all with a side of the crispiest home fries or hash browns. Not into a savory breakfast? Their French toast is made with homemade cinnamon walnut bread and their griddle cakes nearly cover the circumference of the plate — add bananas, pecans and/or the seasonal berry for a treat in every bite.
Yeehaw! Star Restaurant in Novato is back, cowboy style. A full breakfast menu of American staples like bacon and waffles can be enjoyed in Star Restaurant’s Wild West-themed digs. With a massive menu and plenty of hot coffee, you’ll find plenty to enjoy at Star’s. Stick around for lunch when they switch the pancakes out for pupusas and a more Latin American-inspired menu. Slide into a booth and say howdy to your servers — all of them are decked out in cowboy garb!
West Marin
Stinson Beach – Point Reyes – Marshall – Tomales – Lagunitas – Forest Knolls
43 Arenal Avenue, Stinson Beach
Perched where the beach meets the redwoods on the Marin coast, a cafe and market is a perfect spot to grab an outdoor table and savor the sunshine. A wood-fired oven turns out burnished loaves of bread and pizzas with just the right amount of char. Kids and beachgoers love the ice cream and hot dog takeout window; adults queue up for espresso and pastries.
11315 Shoreline Hwy, Point Reyes Station
A sprinkling of gluten-free fare such as a chocolate cherry almond cookies or blueberry banana muffins are regularly available, but the downtown Point Reyes Station bakery is beloved for its gluten-full raspberry almond marzipan tart and peanut butter blondies as well as for its savory croissants (chevre, spinach and mushroom is oh-so Marin).
40 Fourth St, Point Reyes Station
The daily bread list includes country white sourdough and ficelle rolls but people often shop by day of the week for apricot hazelnut scones and lemon poppyseed poundcake. Thursday brings baker’s choice whole grain bread while Saturday means half or whole Khorasan miche — a French country-style sourdough made with ancient kamut — is available.
27000 Shoreline Hwy, Tomales
The San Francisco Chronicle recently lauded Tomales’ popular bakery as one of the best bakeries in the Bay Area and we couldn’t agree more. Be sure to stop by during the morning for a breakfast biscuit sandwich stuffed with egg and cheese, an iced pecan roll or a ham and cheese croissant — the bakery transitions to a Roman-style pizzeria and sub shop at 11 a.m.
60 Fourth St, Point Reyes Station
Known for their hot apple fritters and sourdough French toast, an all-day café with a 1950’s vibe leans into farm-to-table. We love the pork belly eggs Benedict with red onion jam and hollandaise but the rotisserie chicken, on its own or over a Little Gem or quinoa salad, is a must. Order at the counter, then look for a seat on the shaded patio. There’s even gluten-free beers and butterscotch pudding.
More Please!
For more suggestions on the best restaurants in the North Bay, the best things to do in the North Bay and the best places to stay in the North Bay, click here.
Just north of the Golden Gate Bridge lies a patchwork of small cities and towns known for their natural spaces, health-conscious culture and laid-back vibe. While the breakfast scene isn’t as bustling as the city, it is thriving in its own way — think morning coffee accompanied by birdsong. Whether you want French toast, eggs and the works or freshly baked pastries, here’s where we think you should start your day in the North Bay.
Featured photo: Equator
Southern Marin
Sausalito - Mill Valley - Tiburon
A harborside joint frequented by bicyclists and yacht owners alike boasts eggs and omelets in nearly infinite combinations. Sandwiches (the BLTA has avocado, of course), burgers can all be paired with drinks from an espresso and juice bar.
Fresh off a full remodel, Farley (formerly Farley Bar) has an energetic feel and snazzy look. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch on weekends, menus have the feel of an American bistro. All-day favorites such as the Niman Ranch Burger, Grilled Ahi Tuna Sandwich, and Umami Fries make appearances on both the dinner and lunch menus. The Huevos Rancheros is a breakfast standout; in addition to a Classic Benedict you can opt for a version loaded with Dungeness crab. But whether you have a sweet tooth or not, we recommend you start off with the Vanilla Bean Donuts. Topped with a brown sugar streusel, it’s like coffee cake disguised as doughnuts and with three to an order, they’re easy to share. The front porch boasts dog-friendly seating with, fog-permitting, amazing views of the Golden Gate and San Francisco skyline.
Feel like breakfast followed by a two-minute walk to the Sausalito Marina? Look no further – Lighthouse Café is the place to go. Try one of their many variations of eggs, from benedicts to omelets and everything in between. Enjoy additional sides such as bacon, pancakes, hashbrowns, or, for a sweet treat, try their famous French Toast.
Apart from serving some of the most popular coffee in the area, this particular Equator (there are five others in the Bay Area) has ample patio seating and a full kitchen on the “local end” of Sausalito’s main strip. Their menu features seasonal toasts, sandwiches, salads, soups and some of the best gluten-free waffles around — both sweet and savory varieties. Pastries like fruit galettes and browned butter banana bread are also made in house.
A former diner that subscribes to Marin’s holy trinity (sustainable-local-organic) churns out hot Stumptown Coffee and eggs and hash brown plates named for former waitresses. The eggs come from a farm down the street, the meatloaf is Stemple Creek grass-fed and gluten-free and the cochinita pork taco is a nice change of pace from a burger with a ‘62 set-up.
Seafood is the focus here, even at brunch when tower of fresh seafood and oysters sparkles in the sun glinting off Richardson Bay. Regulars come for the crab Benedict and smoked lobster roll; tourists love the ginormous prickly pear margarita bowl and everyone loves the deck — lines are known to stretch down the street on Sunday afternoons.
Sourdough bread, baguettes and pain d’epis (a pull-apart bread) are baked in the built-in, wood-fired Alan Scott oven. The opening menu includes coffee and tea, a range of pastries — such as kouign amann, lemon meringue croissants and pain au chocolat — cookies and a snack board. Stop in at lunch for a tartine or sandwich on house-baked bread, or a salad with a glass of bubbly.
A coffee bar and seating area are much the same after a 2023 refresh of the Sweet Things space into San Francisco’s Jane. A grab and go fridge with salads and drinks is new while some legacy pastries from Sweet Things — carrot cake, black tie cake, and all the cupcakes — share shelf space with mocha, Oreo and other Jane cakes as well as croissants, naturally leavened breads and gluten-free cookies. The homewares and hostess gift aspect of business remains. Teas, dish towels, cookbooks, baking tools, jams that pair with breads, and other homewares are the focus.
Founder and chef Helene Henderson abides by a home-grown and sustainable ethos, using simple ingredients and techniques to make dishes like fennel-rubbed boneless half chicken and soy-ginger hanger steak feel fresh. The menu leans into seafood — there are ample choices for caviar, salmon, oysters and other ocean treats — as well as vegan or gluten-free reimaginings. “We aspire to be more inclusive,” says Henderson. Though the menu is vegetable-forward, “we recognize that not everyone in a group or family is craving or ready for those options.”
Established in the 1960s, Bob’s Donuts and Pastries has become a staple for donut lovers in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area, with their latest shop opened in Mill Valley. Famous for their apple fritters, giant donuts (a must-see to believe), and quality baked goods, stop by for a sweet treat.
Central Marin
Corte Madera – Larkspur – Kentfield – Ross – Fairfax – San Anselmo – San Rafael
The small touches on each dish — coffee and Kahula-infused French toast, fresh corn on the fiesta chicken salad — and all-day brunch menu on holidays attracts a dedicated following. The side patio is shaded and a large, tented outdoor space out back can accommodate larger groups.
This snug breakfast, brunch and lunch place offers heated outdoor seating and plenty of fluffy omelet and traditional or spicy Benedict options, all with a side of the crispiest home fries or hash browns. Not into a savory breakfast? Their French toast is made with homemade cinnamon walnut bread and their griddle cakes nearly cover the circumference of the plate — add bananas, pecans and/or the seasonal berry for a treat in every bite.
In March, 2021, New York Times food writer Tejal Rao famously called Californiaʼs bagels better than New Yorkʼs. The article put Emily Winstonʼs Berkeley bagel shop on the map and sheʼs never looked back. The freshest shop in the burgeoning Bay Area sandwich chain landed in downtown Larkspur in November with all the lox and schmears. Thereʼs even Sanka for the diehard Boomer New Yorkers among us.
When the unit next to the San Rafael location of Michaelʼs Sourdough Sandwiches became available, mom-son owners Jole and Christopher Braun decided to open another restaurant. A tight menu includes a full espresso bar with coees from San Franciscoʼs Grand Coee Roasters and fresh pastries from Woodbine Bakery and Rustic Bakery. Breakfast sandwiches like a Bacon, Egg and Cheddar or Pastrami, Egg and Swiss, are served on the familyʼs famous sourdough bread. Christopher insists the sleeper item on the menu is the avocado toast.
After years of studying at College of Marin and working at a local KWIK SERV, new owner Wuilian (Willy) Reyes took over the Kentfield café, reopening it in January after a ten month closure. Reyes kept the açai bowls, like the Carmen Miranda with cacao nibs and peanut butter, that the café was already known for and built out the menu to include sandwiches (avocado toast, lox bagel) and pastas. Boba and espresso drinks are coming soon.
Northern Marin
Novato
This snug breakfast, brunch and lunch place offers heated outdoor seating and plenty of fluffy omelet and traditional or spicy Benedict options, all with a side of the crispiest home fries or hash browns. Not into a savory breakfast? Their French toast is made with homemade cinnamon walnut bread and their griddle cakes nearly cover the circumference of the plate — add bananas, pecans and/or the seasonal berry for a treat in every bite.
Yeehaw! Star Restaurant in Novato is back, cowboy style. A full breakfast menu of American staples like bacon and waffles can be enjoyed in Star Restaurant’s Wild West-themed digs. With a massive menu and plenty of hot coffee, you’ll find plenty to enjoy at Star’s. Stick around for lunch when they switch the pancakes out for pupusas and a more Latin American-inspired menu. Slide into a booth and say howdy to your servers — all of them are decked out in cowboy garb!
West Marin
Stinson Beach – Point Reyes – Marshall – Tomales – Lagunitas – Forest Knolls
Perched where the beach meets the redwoods on the Marin coast, a cafe and market is a perfect spot to grab an outdoor table and savor the sunshine. A wood-fired oven turns out burnished loaves of bread and pizzas with just the right amount of char. Kids and beachgoers love the ice cream and hot dog takeout window; adults queue up for espresso and pastries.
A sprinkling of gluten-free fare such as a chocolate cherry almond cookies or blueberry banana muffins are regularly available, but the downtown Point Reyes Station bakery is beloved for its gluten-full raspberry almond marzipan tart and peanut butter blondies as well as for its savory croissants (chevre, spinach and mushroom is oh-so Marin).
The daily bread list includes country white sourdough and ficelle rolls but people often shop by day of the week for apricot hazelnut scones and lemon poppyseed poundcake. Thursday brings baker’s choice whole grain bread while Saturday means half or whole Khorasan miche — a French country-style sourdough made with ancient kamut — is available.
The San Francisco Chronicle recently lauded Tomales’ popular bakery as one of the best bakeries in the Bay Area and we couldn’t agree more. Be sure to stop by during the morning for a breakfast biscuit sandwich stuffed with egg and cheese, an iced pecan roll or a ham and cheese croissant — the bakery transitions to a Roman-style pizzeria and sub shop at 11 a.m.
Known for their hot apple fritters and sourdough French toast, an all-day café with a 1950’s vibe leans into farm-to-table. We love the pork belly eggs Benedict with red onion jam and hollandaise but the rotisserie chicken, on its own or over a Little Gem or quinoa salad, is a must. Order at the counter, then look for a seat on the shaded patio. There’s even gluten-free beers and butterscotch pudding.
More Local Favorites in the North Bay
Who’s writing these?
Meet our always-hungry team of foodies who compiled this list.
Please let us know if we’ve missed your favorite eat@localgetaways.com.
