Where to Get Breakfast in Chinatown
Phoenix Bakery
A Chinatown institution on North Broadway, Phoenix Bakery has been making birthday cakes and Chinese pastries, including their well-known sticky sugar butterflies, for generations. It is the kind of neighborhood bakery that people grow up going to and keep coming back to.
Homegirl Café
Homegirl Café is the cafe side of the Homeboy Industries operation, serving baked goods, sandwiches, wraps, and salads out of their Chinatown home base. It is genuinely well liked by a lot of people, and you can reserve a table, order to go, or get it delivered.
Homeboy Industries
The bakery arm of Homeboy Industries, the well-regarded social enterprise based on Bruno St. A good reason to stop in even if you already know the café next door.
Queen's Bakery
An established Chinese bakery on North Broadway carrying a range of traditional pastries alongside Western-style cakes and cookies. Prices are low and takeout is available, and it has earned a strong reputation with a large number of local reviewers.
Mr. Churro
Right on Olvera St, this small counter serves churros filled with chocolate and other sweets alongside breakfast burritos and Mexican-style eggs. Everything is takeout, and the prices are easy.
CBS Seafood
A casual, no-frills Chinatown staple at 700 N Spring St doing rolling dim sum carts and Cantonese seafood at budget-friendly prices. It moves a lot of covers, so expect a wait on weekends, but a large to-go menu makes it easy to grab and head out.
The Courtyard Cafe at The California Endowment
Tucked inside The California Endowment building on N Alameda, this cafe is one of the more quietly beloved spots in the area, with a strong and consistent track record across a large number of reviews. Worth knowing about if you're nearby.
Quickly
A counter-serve stop on N Hill for Taiwanese bubble tea in a wide range of flavors, plus Asian desserts and snacks. It's a chain, but a reliable and affordable one when you want a quick drink fix in the neighborhood. Order at the counter and take it to go.
Ten Ren's Tea Time
Ten Ren's on N Hill is a neighborhood cafe with a following, well regarded by the people who frequent it. Takeout only, so plan accordingly.
Kim Hung Bakery
A small Chinatown bakery on N Broadway worth knowing for a quick, cheap bite. Carry-out only, and the low prices make it easy to grab something without much deliberation. Solidly liked by the regulars who keep coming back.