French Toast

This piece was written by James H. Burnett III, Nicole Cammorata, Ike Delorenzo, Sheryl Julian, Doug Most, Anne V. Nelson, Kathleen Pierce, Mark Pothier, Julia Quinn-Szcesuil, Denise Drower Swidey, Rachel Travers, Adrian Walker and Eileen McEleney Woods. 3 LITTLE FIGS Chef, baker, and co-owner Katie Rooney got her start at area farmers' markets, but the family affair (mother, husband, sister) put down roots last fall in Somerville. The airy cafe is a stylish understated place with stylish understated offerings: avocado muffins, glazed lavender scones.

Less than an hour's drive north from Boston, Ipswich springs to life in the warmer months as cars stream into the parking lot at Crane Beach. After a day of lounging on the sand and swimming in the cool surf, day-trippers zip through town, only stopping for a bucket of fried clams on their way out. Spend an overnight in this historic village, however, and you can stroll the dunes of Crane Beach at sunrise or sunset without the masses, visit strawberry patches...

Serves 4 5 eggs 1/2 cup light cream 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Grated rind of 1 orange 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg 4 thick slices challah (each 1 1/2 inches thick) 2 tablespoons butter Confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling)

At Sugar Baking Co. & Restaurant, people will wait for more than an hour for Manchego grits and lemon ricotta pancakes, not to mention the best stuffed French toast known to mankind (left). Picture three thick slices of homemade challah, dipped in milk and egg with a bit of cinnamon. Stuffed between the warm slices is a slab of brie and some fig confiture. The brie melts into a delicious ooze, and the figs add a nice fruity note. SUGAR BAKING CO. & RESTAURANT > 4170 Washington Street, Roslindale, 617-327-4174, sugarbakingcompany.com  — Bella English

At Sugar Baking Co. & Restaurant, people will wait for more than an hour for Manchego grits and lemon ricotta pancakes, not to mention the best stuffed French toast known to mankind (left). Picture three thick slices of homemade challah, dipped in milk and egg with a bit of cinnamon. Stuffed between the warm slices is a slab of brie and some fig confiture. The brie melts into a delicious ooze, and the figs add a nice fruity note. SUGAR BAKING CO. & RESTAURANT > 4170 Washington Street, Roslindale, 617-327-4174, sugarbakingcompany.com  — Bella English

Serves 4 Stale or lightly toasted challah will help absorb the batter better, says Bakers' Best Catering chef Phyllis Kaplowitz. She serves it with fresh berries and Vermont maple syrup. 4 eggs 1 cup whole milk 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 1 tablespoon brandy or Grand Marnier 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds removed 1 tablespoon brown sugar 4 slices challah (each 1-inch thick), stale or lightly toasted, cut diagonally in half 4 teaspoons butter Confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling)

Less than an hour's drive north from Boston, Ipswich springs to life in the warmer months as cars stream into the parking lot at Crane Beach. After a day of lounging on the sand and swimming in the cool surf, day-trippers zip through town, only stopping for a bucket of fried clams on their way out. Spend an overnight in this historic village, however, and you can stroll the dunes of Crane Beach at sunrise or sunset without the masses, visit strawberry patches...

Between the twin poles of a greasy diner two-over-easy and a chichi hotel Benedict Nouveau lies the sweet equator of morning fare: the affordable, delicious, unpretentious, yet inventive breakfast. It’s a staple of West Coast mornings but weirdly rare here. Just slightly west of Boston, however, there’s good news for fans of the creatively filled omelets, toothsome French toast, pancakes, and cheerful decor that characterize the genre: not one but two little breakfast oases, tucked away along Route 20. That’s Main Street to you — in Watertown for The Spot Cafe, or Waltham for In a Pickle Restaurant.

SUGAR BAKING CO. & RESTAURANT 4174 Washington St., Roslindale, 617-327-4174, www.sugarbakingcompany.com. All major credit cards. Wheelchair accessible. Prices Breakfast and brunch $5-$14; lunch $5-$11; dinner entrees $7-$12. Hours Mon-Sat 7 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m.; Sun 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Liquor None. May we suggest Stuffed French toast, a breakfast sandwich to remember, surf & turf sliders, lemon ricotta pancakes, grits, almond macaroons, fudge caramel brownies.

BALTIMORE - Miss Shirley’s Café is named for the late Shirley McDowell, who loved her job of creating and preparing fresh food, but it should be called Breakfast Indulgence. When you’re dutifully eating your oatmeal, what you’d really love is Miss Shirley’s pumpkin cheesecake-stuffed French toast with pumpkin cream cheese, whipped cream, and graham cracker, or her grilled breakfast kabob with turkey sausage, red bliss potato, applewood-smoked bacon, Granny Smith apple, Roma tomato, Cremini mushroom, and bell pepper with mango glaze.

This piece was written by James H. Burnett III, Nicole Cammorata, Ike Delorenzo, Sheryl Julian, Doug Most, Anne V. Nelson, Kathleen Pierce, Mark Pothier, Julia Quinn-Szcesuil, Denise Drower Swidey, Rachel Travers, Adrian Walker and Eileen McEleney Woods. 3 LITTLE FIGS Chef, baker, and co-owner Katie Rooney got her start at area farmers' markets, but the family affair (mother, husband, sister) put down roots last fall in Somerville. The airy cafe is a stylish understated place with stylish understated offerings: avocado muffins, glazed lavender scones.

Atlantica Restaurant 44 Border Street, Cohasset 781-383-6650 www.cohassetharborresort.com Major credit cards accepted Accessible to the handicapped Sunday Brunch: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; mid-October through Father's Day weekend. Open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday Reservations accepted What a wonderful discovery brunch at Atlantica was on a recent Sunday morning. We'd been to Atlantica and its adjacent summertime sister restaurant, The Salt House, several times over the years, but had never ventured there for brunch.

Serves 4 Stale or lightly toasted challah will help absorb the batter better, says Bakers' Best Catering chef Phyllis Kaplowitz. She serves it with fresh berries and Vermont maple syrup. 4 eggs 1 cup whole milk 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 1 tablespoon brandy or Grand Marnier 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds removed 1 tablespoon brown sugar 4 slices challah (each 1-inch thick), stale or lightly toasted, cut diagonally in half 4 teaspoons butter Confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling)

Toast 121 Nantasket Ave., Hull 781-925-5221 www.toasthull.com Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Charge cards: MasterCard and Visa only Handicapped accessible No reservations The sign on a wall at Toast says it all: "If you are in a hurry, you're in the wrong place. " But the line out the door on a recent chilly morning is equally telling. The food is worth the wait, especially for breakfast aficionados. Toast, which sits across from Nantasket Beach in Hull, opens at 7 a.m., and serves breakfast until it closes at 2 p.m. You can...

SUGAR BAKING CO. & RESTAURANT 4174 Washington St., Roslindale, 617-327-4174, www.sugarbakingcompany.com. All major credit cards. Wheelchair accessible. Prices Breakfast and brunch $5-$14; lunch $5-$11; dinner entrees $7-$12. Hours Mon-Sat 7 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m.; Sun 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Liquor None. May we suggest Stuffed French toast, a breakfast sandwich to remember, surf & turf sliders, lemon ricotta pancakes, grits, almond macaroons, fudge caramel brownies.

Savin Bar + Kitchen 112 Savin Hill Ave., Dorchester 617-288-7500 www.savinbarandkitchen.com Savin Bar + Kitchen opened last month in Savin Hill, injecting the former Donovan’s space with a dose of chic. Perhaps it was an overdose. The food wasn’t quite in line with the neighborhood at first, says co-owner Kenneth Osherow, and the restaurant quickly adjusted. Now it has a new chef and an overhauled menu, which emphasizes comfort food at a variety of price points.

This is Salwa Matta’s restaurant: He’s cooking behind the bright pink counter, flipping French toast on the grill, sprinkling fresh herbs on an omelet. When there is no waitress on duty, he takes orders and seats customers. In the slowest hours between meals, when customers are scarce, you might see him sitting at one of his tables, still in his white apron, bent over a newspaper. Matta has run the Select Cafe in Belmont for 14 years, and before that, he and his wife ran Patisserie Francaise, which served French food in Harvard Square for more than 30 years.

Between the twin poles of a greasy diner two-over-easy and a chichi hotel Benedict Nouveau lies the sweet equator of morning fare: the affordable, delicious, unpretentious, yet inventive breakfast. It’s a staple of West Coast mornings but weirdly rare here. Just slightly west of Boston, however, there’s good news for fans of the creatively filled omelets, toothsome French toast, pancakes, and cheerful decor that characterize the genre: not one but two little breakfast oases, tucked away along Route 20. That’s Main Street to you — in Watertown for The Spot Cafe, or Waltham for In a Pickle Restaurant.

This is Salwa Matta’s restaurant: He’s cooking behind the bright pink counter, flipping French toast on the grill, sprinkling fresh herbs on an omelet. When there is no waitress on duty, he takes orders and seats customers. In the slowest hours between meals, when customers are scarce, you might see him sitting at one of his tables, still in his white apron, bent over a newspaper. Matta has run the Select Cafe in Belmont for 14 years, and before that, he and his wife ran Patisserie Francaise, which served French food in Harvard Square for more than 30 years.