Working Breakfasts

Coffee cups hang at the ready at Farm on Adderley.

Last fall, we took a look at the borough’s best coffices—coffee shops for working (and, keep an eye out for our upcoming update and new edition, Coffices II). But there are times when a freelancer needs more than a cup of joe and a scone to get the gears turning. Here’s where to go when your morning calls for a full hot breakfast and plenty of room to work.

A Hearty Start
Where: The Farm on Adderley, 1108 Cortelyou Road, Ditmas Park

The Scene: While the acclaimed dinner menu lures foodies from across Brooklyn and Manhattan, breakfast is a more low-key affair with a steady roster of Ditmas Park regulars. Décor is down-home-in-Brooklyn chic, with reclaimed wood walls, vintage chairs and antique lamps, plus a leafy outdoor garden.

Grub: Hearty locavore fare like cheddar poached grits and eggs with escarole ($9) and oatmeal with butternut squash, chilies and smoked bacon ($7).

WiFi: No.

Breakfast Served: 9am – 3pm

Linger-ability: Medium. Sitting with a laptop is OK, but the lunch crowd starts early, so you might be pressed to move on when your meal is done.

Room to Meet? There’s a shortage of big tables, but it’s ideal for a one-on-one.

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Fresh from the Dairy Farm
Where: Milk Bar, 620 Vanderbilt Avenue, Prospect Heights

The Scene: The cozy corner spot has a large communal wooden table, counter stools looking out onto Vanderbilt, and a small sidewalk patio.

Grub: Free-range soft poached eggs served on country-style sourdough toast with add-ons like tomato, avocado, gruyere cheese and ham. All breakfasts are available in half or full plates ($4 – $14). As you’d expect from the name, the milk is special—fresh from Battenkill Valley Creamery upstate, and adds a lovely creaminess to the Counter Culture coffee.

WiFi: Yes, free.

Breakfast Served: 7:30am – 6pm

Linger-ability: Medium. The small, popular spot gets crowded and finding a good spot can be difficult, but if you can snag one, they’ll let you stay all day.

Room to Meet? Not really. Seating space is at a high premium; this is much more of a work-on-your-own spot.

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Breakfast by a fountain in Morgane's lovely backyard.

Al Fresco French
Where: Morgane, 340 Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg

The Scene: The just-opened French restaurant and bar has a chic front-of-house modeled after Paris bistros, but the real draw is the expansive back patio, one of the largest in the neighborhood.

Grub: Savory French fare like scrambled eggs with lamb sausage ($12) and omelettes with fresh herbs and goat cheese ($12); all come with home fries and toast. Balthazar pastries are also available, plus the kicker—breakfast dessert!—mousse au chocolat, crème brulee and tarte tatin ($6 each).

WiFi: Yes, free.

Breakfast Served: 8am – 4:30pm

Linger-ability: High. The new venue is still a neighborhood secret and on weekday mornings you can always find a space to yourself at one of the umbrella-shaded tables.

Room to Meet? Absolutely. Unlike most of Williamsburg’s tiny breakfast nooks, you can usually even find room for a crowd here.

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Eastern Euro Eye-Opener
Where: Karloff, 254 Court Street, Cobble Hill

The Scene: In the former Tea Lounge location, large, open restaurant with wood floors and pressed tin ceilings. Ample space and large tables attracts lots of neighborhood parents and families.

Grub: Intense Eastern European fare like potato latkes topped with peppers and onions ($8; $5 special before 10am), butterfish on dark Russian rye ($12), and homemade croissants stuffed with smoked lox, tomatoes and onions ($11).

WiFi: No, but if you’re desperate you can usually pick up a weak-ish signal from surrounding cafes.

Breakfast Served: 8am – 10:30pm (availability varies, but they’ll generally cook up whatever you want whenever you want).

Linger-ability: High. Karloff is one of Smith Street’s larger spaces; it’s easy to find a seat and stick around.

Room to Meet? Yes–there’s plenty of space in between tables, making it ideal for semi-private conversations.

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Family-friendly Workspace
Where: The Perch Café & Bar, 365 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope

The Scene: The sleek bar becomes a boisterous café during the AM hours. Things can get a little loud—there are even family sing-a-longs on Tuesday and Thursday mornings—but other hours are quieter and the small back garden is always a calm respite.

Grub: Filling, diner-esque dishes amped up with foodie ingredients–sourdough waffles with raspberry butter and real maple syrup ($8) and baked eggs with creamed leaks, smoked salmon and rosemary focaccia ($10).

WiFi: Yes, free—and plugs, too.

Breakfast Served: 8am – 4pm

Linger-ability: High. There are plenty of laptop-luggers all day long.

Room to Meet? There’s room, but you’ll have to shout at each other over the kiddies.

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Green eggs and ham are a staple at Wally's.

Stay-All-Day Breakfast
Where: Wally’s Square Root Café, 584 Myrtle Avenue, Clinton Hill

The Scene: Half hipster coffee shop, half retro American diner, with funky artwork, vintage Coke machines and a working jukebox. Lots of Pratt students and stay-all-day freelancers.

Grub: Wholesome plates like Green Eggs ‘n’ Ham—scrambled eggs served on challah bread with pesto, spinach, ham and grated romano cheese ($8.25), and the Vegan Bonga breakfast—scrambled tofu with roasted red peppers, portobellos and spicy soy sausage ($9).

WiFi: Yes, free—and plugs, too.

Breakfast Served: 9am – 9pm

Linger-ability: Highest. You can hang out and eat (or not eat) all day and evening, and even order waffles at nine at night.

Room to Meet? Plenty of space, never too crowded–ideal for a small group meeting.

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Southern Fried for Snoozers
Where: Enid’s, 560 Manhattan Avenue, Greenpoint

The Scene: This late-night almost dive is a surprisingly mellow place for a late breakfast–it doesn’t open until 11am. Outdoor tables on the sidewalk, across from McCarren Park, are especially appealing in fall weather, and the midday vibe is laid back and unhurried.

Grub: One great thing about Enid’s is that it caters to both lunch and breakfast crowds during the week (their weekend brunch menu has more breakfast items), so you can order huevos rancheros ($11) or biscuits and gravy ($9, sausage or veggie gravy available) or go for a fried chicken or pulled pork sandwich (both $12). Oh, and fried cheese grits ($5) as a side.

WiFi: Yes, free.

Breakfast Served: 11am – 5pm

Linger-ability: High, though the temptation to order a bloody mary or maria may become overwhelming after a time, and the two-for-one beers and cocktails happy hour sets in at 4pm.

Room to Meet? The vintage formica tables and vinyl booths are spacious and the proximity to both the L and G trains make Enid’s a convenient meeting spot for even large groups.