This post could also easily be titled, “Who makes the best Eggs Benedict?’ as you will see by my menu choices throughout the post. I thought this might be a good time for everyone to reflect on their travel over the last decade. I know for me, that makes up the majority and certainly most exciting ten years of travel. We will see if I decide to do more posts like this, although once we travel again, this ranking may quickly become outdated which is why I am limiting it to the past decade. This was not an easy ranking and very much came down to three factors: the food, the location, and the company. Occasionally, a couple restaurants with food that was forgettable may be ranked higher because of the latter two factors.
1. Conrad Tokyo | Tokyo, Japan | 2017
What made this already exceptional buffet breakfast extra special was the option to order a traditional Japanese Bento Breakfast. The entire breakfast bill was also free for me as a Hilton Honors Diamond Member. The view of Tokyo Bay was stellar. I experienced this meal with my brother in law that let me drag him across Japan, changing hotels every two days, just to make sure we got a variety of city views. The fact that I got to share the views and authentic Japanese food with someone that could appreciate it as much as I could secured this in the number one spot.
2. Tambo Del Inka | Urubamba, Peru | 2018
This one was special for a few reasons. They sourced quite a bit of their food from the rainforest and from their on-premise garden. Their Eggs Benedict featured Amazon River Trout which was excellent, and I also have to mention the special treatment I received from my waiter each morning. In addition to his gracious hospitality, he arranged for me to have a special dinner prepared by the Chef when I returned from my trek to Machu Picchu. Other new foods I tried that I had to bring home with me: Golden Berry Jam, Tumbo Jam, and Salsa de Aji Amarillo. Then top all of this off with a cozy fireplace just feet from my table. While I didn’t have a traveling companion this time, the waitstaff were more than happy to stand table side and share their hospitality. Breakfast was free with Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.
3. St. Regis New York | New York, United States | 2019
I won’t lie, this one almost made the number one spot. The breakfast was spectacular every morning. I still try to make a habit of recreating their French toast for my wife and kids every Saturday (recipe coming in a future post soon). This one is especially memorable as we had a longer stay so we had a chance to explore the variety of the menu. So why didn’t this make the number one spot? To be honest, any one of my top three could have been number one, but the first two meals took me to another country both literally in the sense that I was in another country, but also in the food that I ate. This is the breakfast fare I grew up on: French Toast and eggs. I spent each morning in their immaculate dining room (except one morning when we ordered room service) with my beautiful wife. Breakfast was free with Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.
4. The Driskill | Austin, United States | 2019
This was a hotel that I had booked to celebrate with my sister’s graduation. At the table, my sister, her boyfriend, my mother, and my oldest son. Disclaimer that as a globalist in the World of Hyatt Program, I also had a $100 per room credit and two rooms booked between us all. How do you spend $200 at breakfast you ask? Other than the normal breakfast fare, start with a cinnamon roll the size of an 18-month old’s head, and you have a happy kid. They made all their baked goods in house, including an assortment of croissants that we of course ordered to go.
5. Hyatt Zilara | Montego Bay, Jamaica | 2019
Zilara is Hyatt’s all-inclusive brand. Since this was all-inclusive, my globalist status made no difference as far as the breakfast goes, whereas every other ranking on this list was at a hotel restaurant where if not for my status, it would have been a paid breakfast. While the breakfast was always filling, there was very little that made the food itself special. What did put this breakfast at the number five spot was of course the view that accompanied the view. My view was the ocean and my wife of five years.
6. Westin Austin | Austin, United States | 2019
I’m not sure what it is about hotels in Austin and having scratch baked goods at their restaurants, but I’m not complaining. The star of the show was their biscuits which dissolved into layers of flaky goodness when I ate them. That doesn’t distract from the well executed pecan praline French toast and classic Eggs Benedict. Breakfast was free with Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.
7. Waldorf Astoria | Chicago, United States | 2019
This was an interesting one for sure. While my elite status only afforded me a $30 credit for breakfast, ordering for our family of four easily was twice that. However the food was good. The atmosphere lacked the warmth and hospitality that so many of these others took over the top.
8. St. Regis San Francisco | San Francisco, United States | 2018
The food at the St. Regis was simple and good. Nothing crazy or especially memorable particularly for a St. Regis, but we had great street views and the atmosphere was relaxing for a lazy California weekend getaway. The food was comforting if not exciting. Breakfast was free with Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.
9. St. Regis Houston | Houston, United States | 2019
Another St. Regis that did not quite live up to its much older brother, but the Houston St. Regis lacks in food presentation it makes up for in its beautiful dining room. I also appreciated the local flare that the menu had. Breakfast was free with Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.
10. Hotel Ivy | Minneapolis, United States | 2017
Another great rendition of Eggs Benedict for myself and Sourdough Pancakes for my wife. Breakfast was free with Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.
Honorable Mention: Grand Hyatt Denver | Denver, United States | 2019