8 ideas for all-day breakfasts

Breakfast isn’t what it used to be. As research suggests, breakfast hours and menu offerings continue to expand to appeal to an evolving customer base. According to Datassential 2014, 63 percent of all restaurants now serve breakfast—a figure that has risen from 36 percent in 2007. What’s more, 35 percent of consumers say they like to order breakfast items outside of regular breakfast hours. Customers can do just that at the Griddle Café in L.A., Crossroads Diner in Dallas, m.henry in Chicago and other restaurants that offer breakfast all day.

Better-for-you breakfasts include more fruits, vegetables and juices. CKrepes food truck in Denver offers the Veggie Lover’s Crepe with Avocado, while Elmer’s Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner (a Northwest chain with 25 locations) promotes seasonal items. In May and June, the menu features Fresh Strawberry Cheese Blintzes --a heritage entrée returning from 1980s and 1990s, with a focus on fresh fruits. Similarly, Ravenous Crepes in Saratoga Springs, NY, takes advantage of its proximity to New York apple country by featuring seasonal apple crepes on its menu. The Crepe Antoinette ($7.95), for instance, is filled with apples, pears and cranberries. Another fruit-rich idea is executive chef Joshua Murray’s “blue plate special” breakfast dish of blueberry pancakes with blueberry-glazed bacon.

Elsewhere, globally inspired breakfast specialties draw on traditional flavors and ingredients. At the Original Pancake House locations (founded in 1953 in Portland, OR), options include the oven-baked Dutch Baby or Mini German Pancakes. At Sapphire Laguna in Laguna Beach, CA, the global cuisine brunch menu arose out of Chef Azmin Ghahreman’s travels. Guests indulge in dishes such as Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Berry Compote ($16.25). Chef Jesus Delgado’s Peruvian-inspired brunch at Tanta in Chicago features items such as the Chicharron Waffle ($16), a robust combination of crispy pork belly glazed with panca chili honey, and seasonal berry compote. The following recipes demonstrate the wide world of breakfast ideas that keep customers coming back for more.

• Fresh Strawberry Cheese Blintzes
• Mini German Pancakes
• Crepe Antoinette
• Chicharron Waffle
• Onion Cornmeal Waffles with Jalapeno Honey
• Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry-Glazed Bacon
• Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
• Veggie Lover's Crepe with Avocado