Photo of Federal Donuts by M. Fischetti for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®

 

There are many reasons to love the neighborhood around at Guild House**: Busy, bustling Washington Square West (a.k.a. The Gayborhood) boasts dozens of attributes that make it the perfect location for a boutique hotel in Philadelphia. One of the greatest? Proximity to dozens of great Philly breakfast spots. Whether you’re in the mood for a feast or a quick bite, whether you’re looking for a diner, a donut shop or a destination restaurant, whether you’re craving sweet or savory, there’s a Philly breakfast spot for you … and better yet, there’s a Philly breakfast spot for you within walking distance (read: roughly a half-mile or less) of our historic hotel. Here, a snapshot of 10 of the best breakfasts in Philadelphia, all just a short stroll from Guild House.

 

Federal Donuts
There are a staggering 11 Fed Do outposts in and around Philadelphia—that’s how much Philadelphians have taken a liking to James-Beard-winning Michael Solomonov and his donuts-and-chicken place, which he debuted in 2011. People do really love that fried chicken, which is cooked up with a variety of seasonings and sauces, but if you’re here for breakfast, you’re here for the donuts: either the “fancy” variety (glazed, decorated and inclusive of wildly appealing flavors such as s’mores or chocolate eclair) or the “hot fresh” sort (fried to order and tossed in flavored sugars—try the strawberry lavender). And again, while you can find Fed Do’s all over the city, the closest Philly-based shop to our little boutique hotel is, happily enough, over in the nearby stretch known as East Market. 21 S. 12th Street

Federal Donuts photo by A. Ricketts for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®

 

Green Eggs Cafe
This beloved locally owned chain with six locations (we’ve included the address for the closest one below) is known for its excellent brunch and eco-friendly ethos. The popular order here is the “Kitchen Sink”—that’s three eggs scrambled with sausage, gruyere, potatoes, peppers and onions, then doused in sausage gravy and topped with a biscuit, all served in an iron skillet— but truth is, you really can’t go wrong with an order. So if something sounds great (the peach cobbler empanadas? The buffalo chicken mac and cheese? The guacamole and pepper benedict?), get it: You won’t be disappointed. Another one of our favorite parts of this place? It’s situated literally just a couple hundred feet away from our front door—a bragging right not many other boutique hotels in Philadelphia can claim. Heads up: Green Eggs is cash-only. 212 South 13th Street

 

Hawthornes Cafe
Great French toast, a green-goddess omelet, crab cakes benedict, Belgian waffles, and something called a “potato mess” (that’s home fries served up with cheddar, eggs, avocado, garlic hot sauce, bacon or sausage, and a whole bunch of other add-ons, if you’re inclined): Any one of these—or, let’s be honest, any other dish on the well-curated menu—makes for a good enough reason to visit Hawthorne’s for your morning (or mid-morning, or mid-day, or afternoon) meal. 738 South 11th Street

 

High Street Philadelphia
This Philly favorite is known for its breads and baked goods, pizzas, pastas, beautiful cheese and meat boards (hey, here at Guild House Hotel we’ve even partnered with them to offer in-room cheese boards as an option!), and, yes, breakfast sandwiches — all for takeout or delivery. So: Pop over for a strawberry basil scone, an almond croissant, a breakfast reuben, salmon toast with pickled red onion … or whatever other lovely breakfast treat sounds good to you. There’s not a single thing here that isn’t excellent. 101 South 9th Street

High Street Philly’s sourdough challah cinnamon buns photo courtesy of High Street Philly Instagram

 

Knead Bagels
Ever had an egg-and-cheese sandwich on a za’atar bagel? If the answer is no, don’t leave town without a trip to this eight-year-old Philly gem, known for its memorable, delicious bagels, creative spreads (charred long-hot cream cheese, mmmmm), and great, satisfying breakfast sandwiches. Ps. Check out the “specials” menu … never a dull bagel moment there.

 

Middle Child
There are a couple of Middle Child outposts, but that one of them—a buzzy luncheonette—is just a couple blocks away from Guild House Hotel means you can bop out for your corned beef, egg and cheese on rye (with hashbrown), and be back before that freshly brewed coffee in your room gets cold. 248 South 11th Street

 

Reading Terminal Market
You could spend a week eating like a king in Philly without ever setting foot outside Reading Terminal Market. This vaunted destination, located in the heart of Philadelphia just about half a mile from our historic boutique hotel, is also a historic landmark … and so packed with great places to eat that it can be really difficult to decide what to gett. And that’s true even if we’re just limiting ourselves to breakfast. Here, you’ll find anything you could want, from classic bacon and eggs to beignets to tricked out donuts (who doesn’t want to try a Fruity Pebbles chocolate version?), as well as plenty of things you never knew you wanted: Ham-egg-and-cheese pretzels! Alligator sausage! Vegan “lox!” Want some ideas for where to start? Check out the Inquirer’s guide to some of their favorite spots and orders. 1136 Arch Street

Photo of Reading Terminal Market by J. Smith for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®

 

Winkel
Another great Philly breakfast spot that’s close to our Guild House, Winkel is a fun little BYOB known for its Dutch-inspired dishes for breakfast/brunch—think pork bitterballen (Dutch fried meatballs), with eggs, spinach, mustard and toasts; omelets made with smoked sausage, red cabbage and gouda; and the “fisherman’s pancake,” made with the smoked fish of the day, dill and sour cream. You can also find favorites like classic eggs benedict and chicken-and-waffles (with scrapple gravy) here, plus excellent coffee. 1119 Locust Street

 

** Want to book a room or suite at our historic boutique Philadelphia hotel? Click here to plan your stay!