Food: Breakfast time in Sonoma

Breakfast is a favorite meal for many, and lots of people prefer to eat breakfast at any and all times of the day. It's a comforting meal, but comfort is defined by what you grew up with – maybe Dad's cinnamon toast, Mom's scrambled eggs and bacon, fluffy blueberry pancakes, peanut butter or avocado toast with a bacon topping.

While in recent years Sonomans have mourned the loss of three of Sonoma's favorite breakfast wake-up spots – Fremont Diner, Pearl's and the Breakaway Café – we still have plenty of choices.

Breakfast enticements come from a full range of restaurant styles, from tiny diners and sausage palaces to chain 'diners' and elegant hotel breakfasts.

Here are some opportunities, listed alphabetically.

Black Bear Diner

Chain of 124 restaurants founded in Mt. Shasta, California. Serves a variety of egg combos, omelets and scrambles, pancakes, waffles and French toast, Benedicts, and Mexican specialties such as chorizo scramble, breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros. Huge portions of carbs such as potatoes and biscuits, with all calories listed on menu. $8.49 to $11.49. 203 W. Napa St.. 935-6800.

Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar at the Lodge at Sonoma

Sunday breakfast includes oatmeal with berries or granola, smoked salmon and bagel, French brioche toast, Hobbs bacon with Petaluma eggs or Caggiano sausage or ham, chilaquiles, or kale and quinoa breakfast bowl. $8 to $18. 1325 Broadway. 931-3405.

Creekside Café

Creekside is next to a motel and was the original site of the old Breakaway Café. Here you can find everything at some of the lowest prices in the Valley. Two eggs with ham, smoked bacon or link sausages, pork chop and eggs, lots of scrambles and omelets, chicken fried steak with gravy and eggs, huevos con chorizo or rancheros, buttermilk hotcakes or sourdough French toast, all using local products. $6.95 to $13.95. 239 Boyes, Blvd. 996-8062.

El Dorado Kitchen

Fruit smoothies, churros, oatmeal, bagels and lox, brioche French toast, eggs with Hobbs bacon or sausage and fried potatoes; buttermilk waffles, eggs Benedict; breakfast burrito, chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, mole hash with corn tortillas. $7.50 to $15. Full bar. 405 First St. W. 996-3030.

Garden Court Café

All egg dishes are available with two or three eggs and are served with house made breads toasted and potatoes or grits. Banana bread extra but well worth it to take home. Meat choices include bacon, sausage, maple ham steak, homemade hot Italian sausage, turkey-apple sausage or turkey chorizo. Veggie everything available, huge combos and Benedicts. Belgian waffles, blueberry or banana pancakes, French toast, both real maple syrup and low calorie syrup. $9.95 to $15.95. 13647 Arnold Drive. 935-1565.

Girl & the Fig

Continental breakfasts; gluten-free crumb cake or pancakes; croissant sandwiches, egg-white omelet of the day, quiche Lorraine, eggs Benedict, house made ham hash, smoked salmon tartine, and possibly the best fluffy scrambled eggs with grilled ham or bacon, potatoes, and grilled bread. Great coffee, full bar. $5 to $18. Saturday morning only. 110 W. Spain St. 938-3634.

Hare & Hatter Sausage Emporium

Breakfast all day starts with a huge protein platter of sausage, bacon, creamy scrambled eggs and salad, or a breakfast burrito, croissants and bagels, with or without salmon and meats. Expresso drinks and draft beer. Watch for them to open a breakfast spot on Sonoma Plaza. In El Paseo courtyard with outdoor fountain. $3 to $12. 414 First St. E.934-8637.

Palms Grill

Breakfast all day ranges from southern biscuits and gravy with eggs and bacon, a Joe's special, avocado toast with zucchini, corn, tomatoes, poached eggs and avocado; linguiça and eggs, steak and eggs, chicken fried steak, mascarpone crepe blintzes, power bowls, lemon ricotta pancakes, Belgian waffles, Texas French toast, oatmeal, combos, Monte Cristo sandwich, omelets, all served with hash browns or country potatoes. $7.95 to $18.95. 18999 Sonoma Highway. 939-8100.

Picazo Café

The original by Salvador Picazo Chavez and family, who took over an old shack and made it great. Dad, Don Chava, makes the pastries while the rest of the family cooks up loads of scrambles and omelets, egg and quinoa or Acai power bowls, oatmeal, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches and bagels. French toast, bagels, and chilaquiles. Kids menu. $6 to $12. 19100 Arnold Drive. 931-4377.

Santé at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn

This previously Michelin-starred restaurant breakfast might include lemon cottage cheese pancakes, chicken and waffles, eggs and meat, scrambles, omelets, Dungeness crab Benedict, a full English breakfast, chilaquiles, Anson Mills grits, or duck confit hash. $10 to $25. 100 Boyes Blvd. 938-9000.

Sunflower Caffe

Most sunny days the line to order at the counter of this Plaza staple snakes out the door onto the sidewalk. A dozen breakfast/brunch options include avocado toast, a burrito mojado and huckleberry waffles, and they are served until they close at 3 p.m. $9.50 to $15. 42 First St. W. 996-6645.

Schellville Grill

TV chef Guy Fieri put Schellville Grill on the map in his 'Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives' food Network show. Following a few attempts at selling the joint, Matthew Nagan is back more or less at full steam serving bacon and eggs, tri-tip brisket and eggs, vegetarian frittata, Hub Cap pancakes, and creative specials. 22900 Broadway. 996-5151.