Eat: Break for brekky

By James P. Reza

Bay City Diner

1 Fremont St.; 385-1906

$; Casual

Casino coffee shops were once a refuge where bleary-eyed losers found solace at 3 a.m., slowly swallowing a prime rib special or a shrimp cocktail while wearing a thousand-yard stare and fondly recalling a time when they had money. Few iconic coffee shops remain, so it's appropriate that this one, in Las Vegas' first hotel (the Golden Gate, opened 1906), stands like something from a noir Western where politicians and power brokers still nosh.

Coffee Pub

2800 W. Sahara Ave.; 367-1913

$; Casual

It's been around long enough to earn a nickname and a steady following, and done what is necessary to keep them. "The Pub" was among the first off-Strip breakfast/lunch joints for the power players, with a friendly, efficient staff serving soup with sandwiches on freshly baked bread. Outdoor seating makes this a fave stop during spring and fall. The French toast and pumpkin pancakes are excellent.

Commander's Palace

3667 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 892-8272

$$$$; Trendy/Jacket

An amazing New Orleans favorite that no one should take for granted, Commander's Palace in the Aladdin is the place to enjoy the food that made the Big Easy so easy to live with. Crab salads and shrimp remoulade and veal chop and fresh fish...it ain't N'Awlins unless it is rich and packed with flavor, and the weekend jazz brunch proves it with pecan crusted catfish, beignets, Gulf shrimp sugarcane skewers and more.

Mimi's Café

121 S. Fort Apache Road; 341-0365

$; Casual

This Costa Mesa-based diner is a pick of Orange County denizens joyriding to the beach, but the Summerlin version sacrifices the SoCal insouciance. Mimi's serves a very tasty breakfast (and freshly baked muffins) all day, along with a varied menu of comfort food. Beware the lemming locals who jack up the weekend wait time; volunteer to sit at the counter to avoid the line.

You've heard it since kindergarten: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It jumpstarts your metabolism, fires the synapses in your brain, and, if you're eating with co-workers, stokes the necessary pre-office piss-off you need to deal with the boss. Breakfast is even more important in a country always in search of a better way to lose weight: Eating early and often is better than eating once late. Since we live in a city where shift hours are as flexible as a Cirque du Soleil contortionist, it's nice to know eggs can be had 24 hours a day across the city.

Omelet House

2160 W. Charleston Blvd.; 384-6868

$; Casual

An old-school favorite, the Omelet House is part homey breakfast place, part greasy spoon, and all small-town atmosphere. The original central location is a haunt for longtime Las Vegans of all stripes who love the massive omelet selection and perhaps the longest breakfast menu in town. Suburban locations in Summerlin and Henderson.

Original Pancake House

4833 W. Charleston Blvd.; 259-7755

$; Casual

Every kid leaps at the thought of pancakes, and the ones at this Portland fave are almost too good to be true. There are so many varieties of scratch-made delights that it takes several minutes just to salivate your way through the menu: apple, Swedish, buckwheat...for those who don't dig sweets in the morning, a full breakfast menu is also available.

Sterling Sunday Brunch

3645 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 947-4661

$$$$; Smart Casual/Trendy

No matter how good the Bellagio buffet, it still fails to capture the experience of the Sunday brunches once held in the glorious tiered showrooms of Vegas past. However, Bally's Sterling Brunch--held in an intimate room replete with ice sculptures and sharply attired staff attending your every need--is the quintessential brunch. Here, you'll gorge on selections so good--chateaubriand, beef medallions--you'll hardly believe you can refill your plate as much as you like.

The Egg & I

4533 W. Sahara Ave.; 634-9686

$; Casual

If you are looking for a casual, off-Strip place for breakfast and lunch, this laidback storefront will do just fine. There are plenty of egg and skillet breakfasts, pancakes and waffles, and a varied menu of tasty (and often healthy) sandwiches from which to choose. The accommodations are simple and sturdy, perfect for children.

Verandah

3960 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 632-5000

$$-$$$; Smart Casual

On the Strip but a world away is the Four Seasons' relaxing, casual escape. Hardly a coffee shop, the Verandah is the most posh, sophisticated "house restaurant" of any hotel in Vegas. Snag a table for lunch and you'll nosh California-style with smart, old money; breakfast, particularly the weekend brunch, is absolutely to die for.