Wake Up This Weekend With Philly's Best Breakfast Sandwiches

We’re far enough into 2016 that you’ve probably (definitely) abandoned your New Year’s resolutions, so here’s a simple commitment to try and stick to: stop skipping breakfast. It's not great for you, and nobody at work wants to deal with your pre-lunch sass. Thanks to some of the city’s best morning sandwich creators, you can pass on boring cereal and underwhelming fruit parfaits in favor of one of these protein-packed belly fillers. We have a feeling you’ll be trading these sandwiches in for every meal. 
 

Pancetta Hash Sandwich

Plenty Café 

Various locations

Plenty Café’s airy Passyunk and Rittenhouse locations may attract a fair share of loitering coffee-hungry students glued to their laptops, but don’t doubt the cafe’s food menu for one second. Served on ciabatta, the Pancetta Hash is packed with two over-easy eggs, potatoes, onions, peppers, fontina, and house pancetta hash.

The Farm Burger

Urban Farmer Philadelphia

Logan Circle

One of the newest restaurants on the Parkway is the Philly outlet of Urban Farmer, where some of the city’s most authentic butchers toil away making in-house charcuterie to supply you with perfectly-cured and locally-sourced meat. Stop by for weekend brunch and wake up with the Farm Burger’s cheddar and aioli (and bacon or avocado if you want it, which you do), all in a toasty biscuit.

The Bakeshop on 20th

B, E & C on Philly Muffin

The Bakeshop on 20th

Rittenhouse

You’ll be hard-pressed to find seating in this cozy bakery thanks to the out-the-door line every Saturday and Sunday. While the fantastical pastries and brownies may catch your eye at first, trust that some of the best menu items aren’t behind the display case. Build your own breakfast sandwich -- the bacon, egg, and cheese is a classic, but you can also opt for avocado and Sriracha as toppings. Whatever you do, put it on the Philly English muffin. Not only are you eating city pride, but it's just as substantial as an everything bagel, only in muffin form.

Knead Bagels

Coffee cured pork belly

Knead Bagels

Knead Bagels

We were all joyful when Knead came along to move our bagel game out from under the dark, dark shadow of NYC’s. And it doesn’t cut any corners when it comes to its non-traditional house breakfast sandwiches. The coffee cured pork belly comes with a fried egg, mozzarella, and pickled onion, and the suggested bagel of choice -- the Togarashi (that mix of Japanese spices usually intended for sprinkling on your udon soup or ramen) -- offers an extra flavorful punch.

The Hickory Town

High Street on Market

Old City

We already know High Street on Market is one of Philly’s most in-demand restaurants right now, and the brunch menu may have something to do with it. Not only can you get the breakfast menu seven days a week (with extended hours Saturday and Sunday), but chances are, if you try one of the spot’s three breakfast sandwiches, you’ll be satiated for most of the day. The Hickory Town has Lancaster-sourced bologna, eggs, Amish horseradish cheddar, mayo, and fried red onions. With a glass of OJ, you’ll be ready for a full day of work. Or a mid-morning nap. 

Monster Miler

Schmear It (address and info)
Food Truck
Be on the lookout for the nomadic bagels of Schmear It -- from wherever it anchors for the day, order any variety of sweet or savory (or both?) bagel sandwich concoctions, from French toast bagels with Nutella to a sesame bagel with cream cheese and soy sauce. For the perfect sweet-and-crunchy bagel balance, the Monster Miler has you set: peanut butter, bananas, and granola (plus whatever other fruit you’d like to add) on a blueberry bagel. It's the best excuse to eat dessert for breakfast.

Gleaner Sandwich

Gleaner’s Cafe

Italian Market

This Italian Market staple is known for its titular sandwich: the tomato, artichoke, onion, mozzarella, pesto-stacked Gleaner sandwich. It’s not for the faint of heart, and the sight of the massive cheese portion adorning your everything bagel may be intimidating, but just remember you can try to spend the rest of the day walking it off in the neighborhood. 

Scratch Biscuits

The Philly Farmhand

Scratch Biscuits

Market East

It’s hard to choose only one thing from the menu of biscuit concoctions at Scratch, especially when you realize you can also build your own. For a classic when you’re feeling particularly indecisive, opt for the savory Philly Farmhand: house-made scrapple piled on top of baked eggs and drizzled in sage gravy. Will it get messy? Yes. Is it worth it? Um, duh. 

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Marielle Mondon is a freelance writer from Philly who survived grad school on bacon, egg, cheese, and everything bagels. That’s also how she’s surviving adulthood. See her Internet life on Twitter and Instagram @MarielleMondon.