Every parent knows that, sometimes (maybe all the time), your children just wake up at the crack of dawn. However, an early morning doesn’t have to mean you’re stuck inside while the rest of the world wakes up.
If your kiddos like to rise before the sun, check out these five early-morning dining spots to grab a bite—and some caffeine—to get your day started.
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Half & Half
There’s a reason Half & Half (8135 Maryland, Clayton) is so popular.
Open at 7 a.m. every weekday except Monday (and 8 a.m. on the weekends), the Clayton restaurant offers one of the tastiest breakfast and brunch menus in the metro area. Half & Half uses Blueprint Coffee beans to create an extensive morning drink menu that can’t be missed.
Although the menu is full of scratch-made dishes, a few standout items ideal for children include doughnuts and blueberry pancakes. After breakfast, take your young one across the street to Shaw Park to enjoy some fresh air and fountains.
City Coffee & Creperie
Kids love crepes–especially the sweet ones.
Thankfully, City Coffee & Creperie (36 N. Brentwood, Clayton) has mornings covered. The local mainstay—open since 1995—kicks off service at 7 a.m. every day of the week, so no matter when your little one awakes, this team is ready for you.
In addition to popular flavors like Nutella, bananas, and peanut butter, City Coffee & Creperie’s menu also includes specialties like the Raspberry Beret (raspberries and white chocolate) and Belgian waffles. Afterward, take a short drive down the road to find fun in Forest Park.
Good Press Cafe
Located in 21c Museum Hotel just a few blocks from Memorial Plaza, Good Press Cafe (1528 Locust) offers a relaxing yet refined coffee shop experience open daily beginning at 6:30 a.m.
The breakfast menu includes a little bit of everything, from decadent French toast covered in apple butter and caramel to healthy green smoothies and smashed avocado toast. Plus, little ones love the variety of La Bonne Bouchée pastries available to enjoy each day.
Just around the corner stands the Central Library location of the St. Louis Public Library, which opens at 9 a.m. every day (except Sundays) and offers the perfect opportunity for a short stroll and reading time after breakfast.
Pint Size Bakery & Coffee
Pint Size Bakery & Coffee (3133 Watson) is the perfect pit stop for pint-sized people.
Located south of Clifton Heights (and open at 7 a.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m. on Saturdays), this popular pastry shop is home to fresh-made sweets of all kinds. The bakery offers takeout options only, with some of the most popular items including sweet and savory scones, crumb cakes made with seasonal flavors, muffins, breakfast cookies, and more.
Less than 10 minutes away stands the Missouri Botanical Garden, a wonderful post-pastry trip for children of all ages.
Quarrelsome Coffee
If you’re in search of something closer to an espresso bar, look no further than Quarrelsome Coffee (33 N. Sarah).
From traditional espresso drinks like lattes and cortados to exquisite batch-brewed coffee, the cafe serves up drinks beginning daily at 7 a.m. using beans roasted in-house, as well as loose-leaf tea and kombucha. Meanwhile, young ones and parents alike won’t be able to resist getting a Knead Bakehouse pastry or two to enjoy either in-shop or strolling the shops of the surrounding Central West End neighborhood.
Need more recommendations? Listen to Arch Eats: Best Brunch Spots in St. Louis
