Are you a breakfast person? Or simply a Sunday brunch-er? Either way, we've rounded up the best breakfasts and brunches in McKinney. These spots will fulfill every morning craving from donuts to French toast.
Donut Kitchen, McKinney
7250 Virginia Pkwy. #140, McKinney
Best Breakfast Pick: Monte Cristo
When beholding the Donut Kitchen’s formidable Monte Cristo for the first time, it’s best to break it down: thick-cut slices of smoked ham, roasted turkey, and swiss cheese, layered between not one, but two glazed cake donuts, and melted in a panini press. Topped with dustings of powdered sugar, and served with raspberry glaze, it is no mere sandwich, but a challenge and an invitation to taste true glory.
Eggsquisite Cafe, McKinney
2058 W. University Dr. #800, McKinney | eggsquisitecafe.com
Best Breakfast Pick: Very Berry Cakes
Locally owned and operated—with a punny name—Eggsquisite Cafe is a celebration of breakfast. It’s clean and modern inside, and options are as wholesome and winsome as they come. One of their brightest dishes has to be their signature Very Berry Cakes. They aren’t all that complicated: three plate-sized cakes fan out, absolutely covered in fresh berries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries in a pleasing jumble. On top of everything, berry glaze zigzags one way, and vanilla glaze the other way, and thick, cool mascarpone touches down on top.
Rick’s Chophouse, Downtown McKinney
107 N. Kentucky St., McKinney | rickschophouse.com
Best Breakfast Pick: Prime Rib
Is any breakfast or brunch buffet complete without sliced-to-order prime rib? (Not to mention roasted pork loin paired with summery peach chutney.) The buffet spread at Rick’s Chophouse is classic enough to match the decor of gas lamps and tin roof, running the gambit from oysters and smoked salmon, to hashed brown casserole, biscuits and pan gravy, and chicken flautas. But Rick’s Chophouse is, at its core, a steak restaurant. The standing rib roast, properly honored with au jus and a dollops of creamy horseradish, is an unmissable feature of their Sunday brunch.
Layered, Historic Downtown McKinney
4419, 111 E. Virginia St., McKinney | layeredtx.com
Best Breakfast Pick: Artisan Waffle
Layered in downtown McKinney is part coffeeshop, part bakery, part boutique restaurant. While many restaurants claim they produce Belgian waffles, few truly capture its dence, pillowy essence the way Layered does. With the help of a Belgian waffle maker and imported sugar, Layered turns out delicious waffles, each huge and soft with the warm sugar-turned-caramel inside the batter so that syrup is rendered unnecessary. Instead, try a shower of fresh berries on top.
Spoons, Downtown McKinney
100 E. Louisiana St., McKinney | spoonscafe.com
Best Breakfast Pick: Chicken & Waffles
Spoons is one of those neighborhood places that makes a city feel like a community. They serve breakfast all day, and one of their most popular dishes is a true Southern classic: Chicken and waffles. A fluffy waffle is topped with chicken fried chicken breast, the kind that is crisp on the outside, and flavorful and tender on the inside. Pour honey almond butter and syrup all over the plate and dive in. Southern cooking doesn’t get better.
Rye, Historic Downtown McKinney
111 W. Virginia St., McKinney | ryemckinney.com
Best Breakfast Pick: French Toast Stix
One of the true pleasures of Rye’s brunch is that their French toast is not static. Whenever you go, you may be greeted by a new riff on French toast, and though it’s always prepared in the traditional French pain perdu method. One day it might be Iranian cinnamon crème anglaise, torn cinnamon buns, brown sugar, cream cheese icing, coffee crumble, and toasted pecans. The next, maybe it features grilled peaches, spiked ice cream, spiced honey, and candied macadamia nuts. Half of the delight is the surprise.
Patina Green Home and Market, Historic Downtown McKinney
116 N. Tennessee St. #102, McKinney | patinagreenhomeandmarket.com
Best Breakfast Pick: The BOB
Patina Green falls on the lunch side of the brunch divide, specializing in highly local, changeable salads in to-go containers, and sandwiches are fired upon ordering and wrapped up in paper. Every Friday, however, you can count on the BOB, otherwise known as brisket on a biscuit. The biscuit is jalapeño cheddar, fluffy with the barest idea of heat, and big enough to hold firm under the heavy load of fall-apart brisket and barbecue sauce. Move aside, Sloppy Joe. Your cousin BOB is here to stay.
Local Yocal BBQ & Grill, Historic Downtown McKinney
350 E. Louisiana St. Ste. A, McKinney | localyocalbbqandgrill.com
Best Breakfast Pick: Bread Pudding French Toast
As Local Yocal’s chef says, if you’re going to do brunch, you’d better go wild. That was the spirit behind their Bread Pudding French Toast, a tower of bread pudding that has been sliced and cooked on the griddle. Inside, little chocolate chunks have turned molten. Robust clouds of whipped cream float on top, weighed down only with mint leaves, strawberries, and stiff drizzles of a homemade whiskey caramel so rustic you’ll still detect sugar crystals on your tongue. It forks off in soft, caramelized hunks.
Duino Coffee, McKinney
7650 Stacy Rd. #200, McKinney | duinocoffee.com
Best Breakfast Pick: We Gotta Ricotta
Duino Coffee is one of those brightly-lit coffeeshops where nothing is ever all that complicated. Chicken pesto sandwiches, iced lattes, bottled juices by the register: it’s built for quick and easy caffeine boosts. Their line of toasts is easy enough that you could have made it at home, like the We Gotta Ricotta, a simple, pleasant blend of ricotta cheese, black pepper, and fresh homemade pesto. Finish off with their house special, a fresh banana sliced in half, coated in brown sugar, and grilled until it caramelizes.
Alex Cronin contributed to this list.
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