7 Must-Try Breakfast Spots in Greenville, SC
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Greenville, the hub of the Upstate, features a bustling Main Street, lined with over 100 unique restaurants. The city is now considered an top ranked foodie destination despite its’ small size. Before embarking on your outdoor adventures in the Blue Ridge mountains, I recommend checking out the local dining scene.
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. in Greenville, it’s also the most popular meal of the day. Every weekend, Main Street is flooded with tourists willing to wait in long lines to get into the hottest breakfast restaurants.
While living here, I did my fair share of exploring the local dining scene. Lucily, I lived minutes away and was frequently able to enjoy the fabulous food during the week without a lengthy wait. From scratch made biscuits, to steamed bagel sandwiches, to delicious pastries, there is something interesting here for everyone.
The city offers a mix of casual and fine dining options. While I love dining on Main Street, there are also some hidden gems off the main tourist drag. Either way, I was satisfied with the local options. I got to try a lot of interesting meals which I’ve not had elsewhere like steamed bagel sandwiches. I became a big fan of biscuits with honey, jam, and even gravy! Never once during my time living here did I have to resort to a common chain. I am proud to say that I supported these local businesses frequently. My guide will focus on a few of my favorite local gems with options for every budget.
1. Stax Omega Diner
Best for: Anyone who loves hearty traditional breakfast fare & an old school diner ambiance.
Highlights: Home-cooked food, excellent coffee, old-fashioned diner style atmosphere, locally owned, diverse menu including vegetarian & GF options, far away from the tourist crowds
Stax Omega is hands down the best place to treat yourself to a big, traditional breakfast. First off, it’s not downtown, so you can skip the hassle of finding parking and maneuvering through big crowds. Second, the menu is huge with choices for even the pickiest eaters. Third, the dining room is huge and attractively decorated. There is also a nice patio for the warmer season. And, last but not least, the service is always super friendly.
The Stax menu is huge with options for everyone, a rare find in a small city like Greenville. Those needing gluten-free and/or vegetarian fare should be pleased. From savory skillets and omelets, to crepes and waffles, there are abundant choices for everyone here.
The omelets are amazing – the only place in town to make them right! Also, the breakfast potatoes are the best!
I also recommend the Market Skillet, a great vegetarian entree loaded with eggs, veggies, potatoes, and cheese, and served with a biscuit/toast -a satisfying and extremely filling dish. I can’t count the number of times I’ve ordered this delicious dish. It’s perfect for vegetarians seeking a hearty meal!
Those with a sweet tooth may want to indulge in Ghiradelli Chocolate Chip pancakes or Strawberry French toast. And, rare for a diner, Omega serves excellent coffee, and thus, there is no need to make a separate coffee run.
Southern Living and Food Network both rated Stax as one of the best diners in the South. This award comes at no surprise given the excellent food quality, great ambiance, and top notch service.
- Location: 72 Orchard Park Drive
- Hours: 7am-8pm
Update: The Stax menu unfortunately seems to get pricier and pricier. As the case almost everywhere today, you will be handing over a nice chunk of change to enjoy brunch.
2. Sully’s Steamers
Best for: Foodies not afraid to try something new!
Highlights: unique steamed bagels not found elsewhere, plenty of allergy friendly options, delicious coffee (they serve top rated local roaster Methodical), quick service for those in a hurry (in and out in 30 min)
Sully’s is a unique place where instead of ordering a standard bagel with cream cheese, you can try a steamed bagel topped your choice of condiments. I love traditional bagels, but I have to say these sandwiches are so tasty, but also insanely messy! I go through at least 10 napkins!
When you steam a bagel all of the flavors combine together nicely for the perfect tasty, albeit extremely messy treat. Sully’s offers a number of creative selections, so you can try something completely different on each visit.
Options are diverse and include breakfast, meat lover’s, and veggie loaded sandwiches. They even offer a vegan hummus option. My personal favorite is the Green Vegas (veggie cream cheese, sprouts, avocado, lettuce, & honey mustard). Bagels themselves come in a variety of styles (multi-grain, plain, everything, sesame, cinnamon raisin etc.), and they even offer a millet/flax gluten-free version for anyone avoiding wheat.
The Green Vegas
Bonus: Sully’s serves Methodical coffee, the best coffee roaster in the city, and one that frequently ranks as the best in the state. I recommend opting for a local cup of joe vs Starbucks which you can have at home. If you have the extra time, do plan for a morning at this great local coffeehouse. The presentation in gorgeous Blue Willow china is quite out of the ordinary.
- Location: 6 E. Washington Street
- Hours: 7am-8pm (M-Th), 7am-3am (Fri-Sat), 8:30am-3pm (Sun)
3. Biscuit Head
Best for: Biscuit lovers! Jam, honey, gravy, it doesn’t matter how you like your biscuit, Biscuit Head has you covered!
Highlights: Super affordable, the most delicious (and biggest) biscuits in town, awesome jam bar with over a dozen creative flavors, a frequent diner card (buy 10 meals, get 1 free), trendy, hip ambiance (I love the murals)
Biscuit Head is an extremely popular Southern style breakfast gem known for serving huge biscuits (“as big as a cat’s head” as their slogan goes). Biscuit Head opened in the foodie haven of Asheville, NC back in 2014. What a great business decision to open in Greenville, as this place is bustling every weekend! I see a big line anytime I don’t get out here early enough. A few times they had free coffee available which was nice.
The humongous biscuits can be paired with a gravy flight (choose amongst several creative options including a vegan mushroom gravy), served alongside several breakfast sides (try the moon fries!), or simply topped with any assortment of jams (over a dozen flavors are available) from the self serve bar.
Biscuit with Fried Chicken Gravy
The famous jam bar – All sorts of fun homemade flavors on the lineup including apple pie, mixed berry, blueberry to name a few.
The best deal here is the Half Breakfast special, which includes a biscuit and 1 or 2 sides. This is my regular pick.
Vegan or gluten-free? Don’t worry – there is still a biscuit for you. Although the dairy-free/gluten free version isn’t quite as tasty, it’s decent enough, especially when topped with delicious flavored jam or honey. Shown here is the Half Breakfast with eggs, a GF biscuit, and home fries.
The line is often super long, so if crowds bother you, you may want to get here right at opening, or better yet, avoid weekends altogether.
- Location: 823 S. Church Street
- Hours: 8am-2pm
4. Tupelo Honey
Best for: Anyone seeking to indulge in Southern style breakfast fare
Highlights: Tasty southern style entrees, delicious biscuits and honey, friendly service, affordable breakfast deals, within walking distance to numerous shops (check out Mast General)
Tupelo Honey is a popular southern chain which started in Asheville in 2000 and has since spread to include many locations across the Southeast. Tupelo is very popular with the weekend brunch crowd, for good reason. Everything is made from scratch here with a focus on local ingredients.
The scratch-made biscuits here, brought out piping hot alongside honey and local jam, are really the main reason to visit Tupelo. Update: They now charge for this formerly free appetizer, however, funds go towards a good cause (employee relief).
At Tupelo, you will want to forgo the traditional breakfast fare, in favor of trying out a Southern specialty like Sweet Potato pancakes, Shrimp and Grits, or Pecan Pie French Toast. My favorite entree they offered was the Old Skool Breakfast Bowl (eggs, potatoes, black eyed peas, salsa verde, cheddar cheese, and goat cheese grits).
- Location: 1 North Main Street
- Hours: 10am-8:30pm (Mon-Thurs), 9am-9pm (Friday-Sunday)
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