If you look back at the recent archives of some of your favorite restaurant reviewers, you'll probably find that they rarely, if ever, review restaurants that specialize in breakfast. And if they do, the articles are usually compilation pieces, discussing a group of such restaurants, maybe by locale. You might see a list of the top breakfast spots on Cape Cod or the best donut shops on the North Shore. Why is this the case? Why don't breakfast restaurants receive more attention?
Probably my favorite local breakfast spot is Nick & Andy's, located in Danvers. They have delicious and well-prepared food, from Blueberry Muffins to Vlore Cinnamon French Toast, Chicken & Waffles to Hash Browns. The service is excellent too, with many of the servers having worked there for years. I've recommended this place to many people, who have later raved about the restaurant as well.
However, I have seen few food writers covering this restaurant. Why is that so? In general, many food writers and restaurant reviews rarely cover breakfast restaurants, even though many people love to eat a good breakfast. Nick & Andy's usually seems busy, so there's plenty of people who enjoy their food, but they deserve greater coverage. As do other excellent breakfast restaurants.
Let me speculate on some of the reasons why breakfast is covered as much as it deserves.
First, the number of breakfast spots is certainly much fewer than other types of restaurants so it is only natural that more attention is given to other restaurants. When you look at the lists of upcoming restaurants, there are very few breakfast spots in those lists. This is also a reason though why these breakfast spots deserve coverage, because they are more of a niche and can get lost amidst all of the other restaurant types.
Second, people generally look more for advice concerning dinner restaurants than breakfast spots, especially considering how much money they might spend on a dinner as opposed to an inexpensive breakfast. It is much easier to take a risk on an unknown breakfast spot that might only cost you $20 as opposed to a dinner place where you could drop $100 or more.
Third, many breakfast spots offer the usual standard fare, with little to make them stand out from other such places. So, they don't seem as compelling to review as they don't offer something new, different or more unique. Again, this is a reason why the best breakfast restaurants need more coverage, to help them stand out from the rest.
Breakfast can be such a delicious meal, pure comfort, and sometimes with a little sweetness added. And I know that I, and others, enjoy breakfast foods all day long. I can enjoy waffles for dinner, or simple bacon & eggs. An excellent breakfast spot, serving breakfast all day, is special and compelling, and worthy of being reviewed and recommended. If I'm unaware of excellent breakfast spots, I want to know about them and many other people feel the same way.
So, we need more breakfast reviews!
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