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Harbor Breakfast finds its feet

Little Italy breakfast nook is quite the looker and serves up a tasty sandwich, too

Satisfying breakfast sandwich at Harbor Breakfast.
Satisfying breakfast sandwich at Harbor Breakfast.
Place

Harbor Breakfast

1502 India Street, San Diego

The sharp exterior of Harbor Breakfast.

Despite being something of a hot mess in its early days, Harbor Breakfast has gotten its act together. The restaurant gave the appearance of having rushed into opening much later than expected, which barely makes logistical sense. They employ one of those clunky point-of-sale systems that give restaurant owners exactly what they pay for, and which are likely to stick around, much to our collective chagrin. Nevertheless, a little perseverance and more complete staffing have the Little Italy breakfast joint ticking like a clock.

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The inside of Harbor Breakfast is as excellent as the outside.

Harbor truly shines in its decor. The powder-blue paint job, checkered bar stools surrounding the blonde lunch counter, and the sunny outdoor booths built right into the building all give the place a feel that’s somewhat San Franciscan, a bit New Yorker, and still faithfully San Diegan all at the same time.

With a menu of moderately enhanced omelets ($14-$15), egg dishes and benedicts ($8-$15), and starchy pancreas-busters in the form of pancakes, french toast, and waffles ($8-$12), the prices run to the high side for breakfast fare. Curiously, the best deal (at least on paper) seems to be the sub-$20 ribeye and eggs. The kitchen’s style isn’t full-on greasy spoon, but neither is it haute cuisine. We are still talking flat-top cookery here, and fifteen bones for good — but otherwise very regular — dishes is pushing it. The tremendously enjoyable seating goes a long way to ease the hurt, but it’s still not for the faint of wallet.

Harbor Breakfast's hash and eggs.

Harbor’s coffee comes from Portland's lauded Stumptown Coffee Roasters, and it’s as light and third-wavey as they come.

Ten dollars seems like a steep cost of entry for a fried egg sandwich, but Harbor’s stands out. Two eggs threaten to overwhelm thick slices of toast, with hefty slabs of bacon and a generous carving of heirloom tomato soaking into the cream cheese-smeared bread. Hash browns are all well and good, but maybe look to fruit as a side dish with an egg-wich of this magnitude.

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Satisfying breakfast sandwich at Harbor Breakfast.
Satisfying breakfast sandwich at Harbor Breakfast.
Place

Harbor Breakfast

1502 India Street, San Diego

The sharp exterior of Harbor Breakfast.

Despite being something of a hot mess in its early days, Harbor Breakfast has gotten its act together. The restaurant gave the appearance of having rushed into opening much later than expected, which barely makes logistical sense. They employ one of those clunky point-of-sale systems that give restaurant owners exactly what they pay for, and which are likely to stick around, much to our collective chagrin. Nevertheless, a little perseverance and more complete staffing have the Little Italy breakfast joint ticking like a clock.

Sponsored
Sponsored
The inside of Harbor Breakfast is as excellent as the outside.

Harbor truly shines in its decor. The powder-blue paint job, checkered bar stools surrounding the blonde lunch counter, and the sunny outdoor booths built right into the building all give the place a feel that’s somewhat San Franciscan, a bit New Yorker, and still faithfully San Diegan all at the same time.

With a menu of moderately enhanced omelets ($14-$15), egg dishes and benedicts ($8-$15), and starchy pancreas-busters in the form of pancakes, french toast, and waffles ($8-$12), the prices run to the high side for breakfast fare. Curiously, the best deal (at least on paper) seems to be the sub-$20 ribeye and eggs. The kitchen’s style isn’t full-on greasy spoon, but neither is it haute cuisine. We are still talking flat-top cookery here, and fifteen bones for good — but otherwise very regular — dishes is pushing it. The tremendously enjoyable seating goes a long way to ease the hurt, but it’s still not for the faint of wallet.

Harbor Breakfast's hash and eggs.

Harbor’s coffee comes from Portland's lauded Stumptown Coffee Roasters, and it’s as light and third-wavey as they come.

Ten dollars seems like a steep cost of entry for a fried egg sandwich, but Harbor’s stands out. Two eggs threaten to overwhelm thick slices of toast, with hefty slabs of bacon and a generous carving of heirloom tomato soaking into the cream cheese-smeared bread. Hash browns are all well and good, but maybe look to fruit as a side dish with an egg-wich of this magnitude.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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