The Best Egg-obsessed Restaurants to Celebrate World Egg Day

While it certainly wouldn’t be surprising that you’ve grown tired of reciting the trite phrase “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” it does go without saying that come World Egg Day on October 12, you’ll most likely join the chorus and recite that mantra too. So to add onto the cliches, if you can’t beat them, join them.

On this international food holiday dedicated to the humble egg, you’d be remiss not to celebrate with at least a simple scramble. But for those looking to really lean in, we’ve rounded up a host of egg-themed destinations around the world, from a genius restaurant solely making bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches to a food truck-turned-egg-empire churning out wobbling coddled eggs. Whether you prefer your eggs poached, fried, over-easy, baked, or whisked into an omelet, these are the restaurants egg lovers must hit on World Egg Day.

Egg Shop: New York, NY

It’s self-described eggheads who frequent Egg Shop, a bona fide haven for all things egg. Here, the menu is split into two categories: egg sandwiches and cruisers (bowls or miscellaneous items). Everything boasts a cheeky name, from the Pepper Boy (scrambled eggs, gruyere, bell pepper, maple-cured bacon, caramelized onion aioli in a bell pepper or on a roll) to the Spandex (a bowl of miso quinoa, mixed greens, avocado, carrots, puffed amaranth, pumpkin and mustard seeds, and a poached egg), but no matter what you order, there will no doubt be some form of egg on your plate.

Egg: Brooklyn, NY

Long before Williamsburg was strewn with designer stores and fancy high-rises, there was the unassuming Egg. Over the years, it’s attracted brunch-goers seeking eggs in every variety: runny eggs spill out of grilled brioche painted with cheddar; omelets arrive neatly folded, flush with broiled tomatoes and hash browns; warm bowls of grits are crowned with eggs cooked any style. Even after the sun disappears, find egg-topped burgers, scrambled eggs slipped into chorizo sandwiches, and salads teeming with deviled and pickled eggs.

Bad Egg: London, England

Despite its name, eggs at Bad Egg certainly can’t be classified as bad. Quite the opposite: the undeniably clubby restaurant has become a hotspot for an all-day brunch overrun by eggs. For the hungry and brave, you can’t go wrong with the Bad Egg burger hash, a burger cloaked under a pool of fondue and egg yolk, tossed among crispy potatoes and a fried egg.

Eggs & Co.: Paris, France

Nearly every iteration of egg can be found at this Saint-Germain de prés hotspot. Eggs are whisked into herb-strewn omelets, baked en cocotte in mini cast-iron pans, and gently lowered onto wisps of smoked salmon and English muffins. With few restaurants in Paris specializing in brunch, the place is inevitably mobbed on weekends, so come prepared to wait or arrive during the less-frequented weekday hours.

BEC: New York, NY

Come Sunday morning, you’ll wish BEC was in your backyard. The restaurant specializes in one thing: the eponymous BEC (bacon, egg, and cheese), crafted into sandwiches and bowls. Choose from elevated twists of the classic sandwich like the Roadhouse: two eggs, pork sausage, cheddar, avocado, and slaw on a ciabatta roll swiped with BBQ sauce. Or simply opt for the traditional; BEC’s version boasts two eggs, crispy hunks of applewood-smoked bacon, and cheddar on a brioche bun studded with bacon and cheese.

Good Egg: Melbourne, Australia

This Melbourne cafe encourages you to act like a “good egg,” just as the eggs wielded in the kitchen are always good, sourced from a nearby farm. At the charming restaurant, find dishes like eggs & chips, a panko- and pork-flecked scotch egg, and the Chix sandwich: green-chili-marinated fried chicken, eggs, and pickled cucumbers bookended by a challah roll.

The Chicken or The Egg: Beach Haven, NJ

At The Chicken or The Egg, the kitchen doesn’t question which came first. Instead, they equally pay homage to both. Breakfast, unsurprisingly, is served all day and dedicated to the humble egg: omelets swell with every kind of vegetable and cheese imaginable, New Jersey’s beloved taylor ham makes an appearance in several egg sandwiches, and there are also egg-stuffed burritos and quesadillas, along with your run-of-the-mill two eggs any style. Order a bunch for the table, but don’t leave without one platter of the famed wings, slick with sticky, spicy sauce.

Eggspectation: Canada, USA, UAE, Qatar and India

With a name like Eggspectation and a slogan jeering “grab the day by the eggs,” it’s no surprise that you’d expect a wealth of eggs here. The Canada-born restaurant boasts a laundry list of egg dishes, from frittatas and omelettes to 10 equally over-the-top and innovative takes on eggs Benedict (think polenta triangles covered with poached eggs, cheese, chicken, shrimp, chorizo, and peppers). Eggs also make a cameo in a host of pancakes, crepes, salads, and sandwiches.

Gudetama Cafe: Various locations worldwide

Gudetama Cafe is based off a popular Japanese cartoon character with the same name, a plump little guy resembling an egg yolk who’s perpetually sad. The cafe designs dishes after Gudetama — the restaurant itself is plastered with egg-shaped booths and enormous fried eggs hang from the ceiling — painting his eyes and mouth on poached eggs and egg shells. Diners delight in slicing through his face (and watching the yolk spill out) in things like egg-topped sweet potato hash, lobster bisque, and avocado toast.

Eggslut: Los Angeles, CA, Las Vegas, NV, and Beirut

Eggslut was born out of chef Alvin Cailan’s love for eggs, beginning as a roving truck before turning into several brick-and-mortar locations around the world. Sandwiches remain the main attraction, ranging from bacon, egg, and cheeses to the Fairfax, a plush brioche bun brimming with soft scrambled eggs, chives, cheddar, sriracha mayo, and caramelized onions. For those looking for something other than a sandwich, Eggslut is beloved for the Slut: a wobbly coddled egg cushioned atop potato purée, served in a glass jar with hunks of baguette.

The Cracked Egg: Las Vegas, NV

In Sin City, it’s crucial to have The Cracked Egg’s Sin City Skillets. These build-your-own plates start with a layer of crispy potatoes, cheese, and two eggs, then can be topped with a number of vegetables and meats, flanked by charred toast or coffee cake. Along with an unending list of scrambles and omelets, the menu boasts The Cracked Egg’s beloved chile verde rancheros: a corn tortilla swiped with black beans, morsels of pork, chile verde salsa, cheese, eggs, and sour cream.

Shakshukia: Tel Aviv, Israel

Shakshukia is dedicated to, well, shakshuka, the Middle Eastern dish consisting of eggs poached in a red pepper-tomato sauce. Here, shakshuka can arrive the traditional way, or garnished with a variety of ingredients (Hummus! Eggplant! Shawarma! Merguez sausage!). In the interest of scraping the plate clean, you’d be remiss not to mop up whatever remains of the yolky, spice-flecked sauce with rounds of pita, which land in wicker baskets on every table.