I originally went out looking for a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich and Googled "good breakfast near me." This spot came up, and although my wife and I have driven past it many times, we've never stopped in. Today, I decided to finally give it a try. After looking through the Google photos, I changed my mind and ordered a breakfast plate instead of a sandwich. Parking was a little challenging. I arrived around 11:00 a.m. and had to circle the block a few times before finding a spot directly in front of the diner. When I walked in, I wasn't sure whether I should seat myself or wait to be seated. All of the waitresses appeared busy, so I stood near the entrance. Once she was available, Marianna greeted me. Initially, I wasn't a fan of being asked whether I was picking up food rather than whether I was dining in or taking out, but I quickly realized they may be accustomed to regular customers who already know the process. Since it was my first visit, I explained that I wasn't sure if I should seat myself. Personally, I think a sign near the entrance would be helpful for first-time guests. Since I was dining alone, I chose a seat at the counter and ordered the Sugar Plum Special with cheese grits and sourdough toast. While waiting for my food, I noticed something that concerned me. The staff did not appear to be wearing gloves, and I observed food being handled after touching various surfaces, including condiments, plates, glasses, and trash areas. While I understand that food service relies heavily on proper handwashing practices, I personally felt uncomfortable watching bread being handled directly by hand. I requested that my toast be handled with a utensil instead, and my request was accommodated without issue. When my food arrived, my eggs were cooked exactly as requested--scrambled hard--and the bacon was perfectly crispy. The bacon was a little saltier than I personally prefer, but that's more about my taste than the preparation. Overall, both items were flavorful. Now, let's talk about the grits. I come from a strong Southern background, and we take our grits seriously. The presentation was fantastic. The butter melting on top and the cheese looked absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, the texture wasn't there on the first serving. The grits were noticeably gritty and undercooked. After a couple of bites, I sent them back and requested they be cooked a bit longer. One of the waitresses explained that customers typically need to request the grits "well done." That was surprising to me because I've always believed grits should naturally be cooked until smooth and creamy. In my opinion, that's how they're meant to be served. Thankfully, the second batch was much better. While they still could have been stirred a bit more, the texture improved significantly and was much closer to what I expected. I also want to recognize Marianna for her excellent service. She was accommodating, attentive, and handled my concerns professionally throughout the meal. Overall, I would return. The restaurant has a warm, family-oriented atmosphere and an old-school diner feel that is becoming harder to find these days. It reminded me of the kind of place you'd visit after church on a Sunday morning or somewhere you'd go with your grandparents for a comforting home-cooked meal. While there were a few areas that could be improved, the welcoming environment and friendly service left a positive impression on me. read more

See all

This place is a real deal diner with good food , friendly and efficient servers and the best country potatoes. read more

Sugar Plum Coffee Shop - Country potatoes, poached eggs and rye toast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Concord, California

We came here for breakfast as soon as they opened. This place gets busy! They had really comfortable booths. The menu had a good selection and reasonably priced. The service was fast and the food was good. We had a good experience. read more

Sugar Plum Coffee Shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Concord, California

While we missed out on the4th of July because they were closed, an early breakfast here hits the spot. We had the biscuits and gravy with a poached egg and the Concord omelette. The gravy was good, but the biscuits were a little compacted (still fresh though). The omelette was good as usual. Service here is always friendly and efficient. read more

Sugar Plum Coffee Shop - Biscuits and gravy - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Concord, California

See all

Had an excellent breakfast here. The prices are reasonable and the service was top notch. Well worth the short wait. Will definitely return. read more

Solid old school diner experience in Concord. We've passed by this restaurant many times, but its usually packed. We decided to try it today and lucked out, we arrived about 11 and we were seated right away. Sevice was friendly and efficient. We ordered a sausage breakfast sandwich on sourdough with fries and the Concord omlette (sub bacon for ham, mushrooms and swiss) with country potatoes. Food came out quickly, it was flavorful and exactly what we wanted. I asked for a side of ranch and it was delicious! If you are in the area and are looking for a causal diner, this is it. read more

Sugar Plum Coffee Shop - Concord omlette ( sub bacon for ham, mushrooms, and swiss) with country potatoes - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Concord, California

See all

sugar Plum Coffee Shop is a perfect classic breakfast spot in downtown Concord! The service was great--pleasant, quick, and efficient. The food was delicious, with a wide variety of choices for breakfast, and the prices are very reasonable. Be advised that it gets busy on the weekends, so expect to be placed on a waitlist. It's worth it, though! I had the 3-egg "Meat Lovers" omelette, which was yummy, though a little salty for my taste. My partner had the classic Sugar Plum breakfast with bacon and thoroughly enjoyed it. Overall, this place checks all the boxes: good ambiance, excellent service, and great food. read more

See all

We've been fans of Sugar Plum Coffee shop for many years. My husband was a regular before we got married and we've had many great meals throughout the years. Breakfast and lunch are delicious and the service is always great. Last weekend while running errands we decided to stop in for breakfast and it really hit the spot. We shared a California omelette and biscuits & gravy. Goodness. Every bite was soooooo good. What can make or break a breakfast place for me is the hash browns. Serve me bad hashbrowns and I'm not coming back. These hash browns were perfection, and adding the gravy to them was the best. Sugar Plum is a staple in downtown Concord. Who doesn't love the atmosphere of an old-fashioned coffee shop?! I look forward to many more meals here. read more

Enjoyed the diner style especially with images of customers through the years. Food was great and awesome and was excellent and bloody as I like my steak medium-rare. As I am having my meal, I am overhearing the owner and other staff having great conversations with the people. The place is very homey and welcoming. Great portions for the cost of the meal read more

See all

Solid Diner Food - ordered through DoorDash and had no complaints. Good portions and want to make my way in person soon!

Sugarplum took me back to a retro time. I had breakfast here with friends and it is one of their favorite spots. It felt comfortable and nostalgic at the same time and I was lost in the atmosphere and the conversations. The breakfast was large and I ended up eating it for lunch also. Wonderful staff and service. Parking was easy and we came early. Please come and create your own experience. read more

Sugar Plum Coffee Shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Concord, California

Had a hamburger fries and salad. Fries are really good salad was good hamburger was terrible. Tasted like the meat was off. Service was not good at all I guess if you're not a regular you don't get treated that well read more

This is a classic diner like the ones (mostly) Greeks started many decades ago. I love watching the cook flip pancakes. I'll be back!

Always a great experience here. It's Father's Day and we brought my FIL for his first time, he loves it. Says it's like the old school milkshake and burgers joint! That's right! Place is packed but all the servers and chefs are busy working and keeping everyone happy and bellies full. Tried the Hamburger Steak with gravy and onions for breakfast this time, it was delicious. My FIL enjoyed the Sugar Plum special and said this will be his go to when he's on this side of town. read more

See all

Sure, everyone has heard of a French Dip sandwich. But I don't think many have heard of or had a Turkey Dip on grilled sourdough. Super delicious Next time I will ask for grilled onions and maybe cheddar cheese. Au jus that comes with is always tasty and adds another dimension to this delicious dish. Step outside your usual box and take a walk in the wild side. Service is always friendly and the restaurant is a fun place to visit. Also...Rootbeer floats...yummy read more

Sugar Plum Coffee Shop - Turkey dip on grilled sourdough - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Concord, California

Food was good service was great and the ambiance was the best given old Skool diner vibes. read more

Sugar Plum Coffee Shop - Country fried steak and kids French toast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Concord, California

YES QUEENSSSSS So let's see who is next on the chopping block... it's Sugar Plum Coffee Shop!!!! Alright peeps I must say we are really in a roll this year in trying new and fun places. Today we decided to try this place and to be honest I can't believe I've lived near this place for 12years and this is the first time we are trying this restaurant. So let's start off as usual the outside conditions I must say for this place being in the middle of downtown concord by park todos santos. I was surprised on how neat clean and straight it was so cuddos to you guys for keeping this place looking fabulous... Now as we walk in you see so much teal color on the walls and seats it's amazing. The vibe of this place gives "homie" vibes which is hard to say since not a lot of places give you that feeling but not this place oooooohhhhh weeeee!!! We decided to take a seat in the bar stool area. We immediately got greeted by a staff member she asked us "what would you like to drink" I said wow umm decaf coffee and a coke. She bought out our drink with in seconds of ordering it. As we started to look at the menu I said to my wife "wow I'm kinda wanting to try something new like steak and eggs or a breakfast burrito. When looking at the menu I could not decide what to get. As soon as I started seeing all the food that was coming out and how amazing it smelled I decided to go crazy and get steak and eggs wife decided to order the Jose's breakfast burrito. As we waited for our food I notice we did not even wait 5-9 min. It was so amazing how fast the service is. When the food came out omg talk about "from stove to table" the smell was so good my mouth was watering. The waitress asked "would you like steak sauce with your steak" I said yes the first bite form that steak was so amazing it was super tender and it melted in your mouth. Besides the fact that I ordered it well done it was not dry it was super juicy even talking about it I'm wanting to go back for another plate lol. The county style potatoes gave it that extra ummffff. So yes it was good the eggs were so fluffy and buttery I've never had eggs that fluffy so definitely great choice. Wife's burrito was so big that she only took a few bites and got full. From the bite that I took wow I was surprised of how much flavor it had. The other thing I ordered was a single pancake and when I say that mother trucker was fluffy and moist is saying little as to how it looked in real life. The pancake was not dry at all I usually put honey on my pancakes so I was happy that I had an option for honey instead of syrup so cuddos to them. What stood out the most to me is how friend the staff was it was like those old school dinners that everyone knows everyone. Like I said it felt like home just eating there. Now for the moment we all have been waiting for is this restaurant Dendinger approved??? Drum roll please prrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..... YES QUEENS THIS PLACE IS DENDINGER APPROVED AND WILL DEFINITELY BE COMJNG BACK WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY. Also they sell merchandise so yes I bought myself a sugar plum tshirt men's large it did not disappoint as the fabric is very soft. Thank you guys for making this first time experience amazing.... read more

See all

Well this is a great place been around for a long time they serve breakfast and lunch everyday they close at 1:30 it's nice cuz you can see how the food is being cooked the people there greet you once you start coming there on a normal basis friendly faces polite around it country style meal not too loud family oriented come by yourself sit at the bar or come in the group read more

Always a great choice da hashbrowns are outstanding so many tasty choices to choose from. read more

Sugar Plum Coffee Shop - So delicious - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Concord, California

See all

Literally the most awesome and delicious breakfast spot in the east bay. I am in love. The vibes in here are awesome!!

Best breakfast place in concord. Staff were super friendly and food was amazing!! 10/10 recommend.

Not great, not horrible. Not the place you go to because it's close and you need good coffee. The staff is amazing and super great service. Worth checking out. I love the family feel. read more

One of the better diners I've been to in a while, flavor-wise. I got a BLAT, which was actually so good! Better than the one that you get at Digger's. The toast wasn't dry and the flavors actually stood out! We also tried their biscuits and gravy, which apparently Sugar Plum is known for. I thought it was really good, but I don't usually get biscuits and gravy. The customer service was good enough. They were efficient and got the job done. Not overly friendly but also not rude, so I'm glad for that at least. The place itself is a little worn down. The booths we sat at were definitely worn down. A lot bar seating, if you like that sort of thing. read more

See all

Great food. Great service. We always enjoy the old diner ambiance. Highly recommend. Their pancakes and breakfast burrito are our family fave. read more

do not let looks deceive you! The first time I went here, I was a little skeptical because it looked a little rundown from the outside. However, this place is awesome. Inside is clean, and you can tell the place is old, but well loved and cared for. It has real retro diner decor with classic diner food. It's a great place to get breakfast or brunch. The eggs Benedict are really good. Service is fast even when they are busy which they frequently are. There's not a lot of parking, but they do have their own lot which makes it a little easier. read more

Great job for breakfast, Food was cook perfect I order ham and eggs and they did a great job, services was very friendly and prices were not tò high, good atmosphere read more

Can't believe I've lived in Pleasant Hill 54 years and I've never been to this place. A friend of mine brought me over here and it was well worth the risk of crossing the Concord border to come for a fabulous breakfast. What a great vibe. What a cool spot it will be in my regular rotation. read more

My absolute favorite breakfast diner on earth! I've been coming here since the very day I drove into town. The vibe and the food is great! Original diner layout and I never feel alone while dining alone because the staff know me by name. And there are many regulars here like that. It's not just a restaurant for a delicious breakfast and brunch, but a place that is a cornerstone of Concord Culture! read more

Sugar Plum has been a staple in Concord for decades. The food is delicious and homemade. It is like stepping back in time. A nostalgic diner. So cute! The staff is always friendly and welcoming. Please support this amazing business. read more

If you want to eat at Flo's or meet Alive from the original sitcom this is the place. The people are so genuine and friendly that they feel like family and friends. The food is on point for diner fare and the prices are affordable. A great spot to meet up with family and friends for a great breakfast. read more

We went for breakfast on a Sunday as the hostess said to take the last table and then waitress asked us to move because they wanted to have the table to seat more people even after we sat down. That's such poor service and it's so disappointing after we'd try the restaurant again after more poor service. read more

Old diner vibe with excellent service. Large menu and delicious food. Friendly staff and attentive; checked with us, coffee refills. Will come back when in the area read more

If you needed a neighborhood diner, Sugar Plum is the answer. Basic breakfast done right with great customer service and local neighbor love. Literally everyone from the staff to the other patrons were nice. I don't live far so I'll be adding sugar plum to my list of go tos. read more

Sugar Plum Coffee Shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Concord, California

See all

Ordered the Western omelette via Doordash. It was HUGE!!! Super-densely packed with veggies, ham and cheese. More like a frittata than an omelette. Very nice flavor. Gave me two very generous meals. Wasn't thrilled with the hash browns (arrived just a bit more than luke warm), or the toast (arrived cold). But a friend and I will be going next week to check it out in person. read more

Enjoy my scrambled eggs soft so always order them that way. It's about 50/50 if I get them. These eggs were PERFECTION! Super soft yet cooked through, they know what they are doing here! Great old-fashioned diner, professional hard-working cooks & friendly service. Our pancakes were served hot with warm syrup, nice touch. Love these little community gems, convenient free street parking right outside the restaurant, unheard of these days! read more

Nice classic diner with a very friendly staff. I've only been for breakfast and I've never been disappointed with what I've ordered. The portions are good sized and filling! I always live when there's potato choices of traditional hash browns or country potatoes. They are ALWAYS busy! If you're going on a work lunch hour you could cut it close. read more

Second visit, had to sit at the counter facing the grill. It was a well orchestrated "symphony!" They worked so efficiently and effortlessly ! I ordered the chicken fried steak (see picture) , perfectly cooked and the gravy was delicious, bits of sausage. Staff work so well together with smiles. Definitely will return! read more

Sugar Plum Coffee Shop - Chicken fried steak - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Concord, California

Friendly and quick service. Food is tasty and the portion was good for its price. Small parking lot next door which is nice. read more

Sugar Plum Coffee Shop - Concord Omelet and Corn Beef Hash - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Concord, California

Have you ever watched the movie 'Back to the Future'? In the movie Marty went back in time to November 5th, 1955 and walked into Lou's Cafe and orders a Pepsi Free, and the owner responded: "You want a Pepsi pal you're gonna pay for it". That's how it feels walking into Sugar Plum Cafe. Booth seating throughout the dining area and fixed counter seats stretch along the diner's long counter top. Young Rascals Groovin and Bobby Vee playing in the background providing a very Donna Reed-esque feel. Even the old school coffee cups are used, that hold about 6oz of coffee, so refills are frequently provided after every third sip. The staff are all very pleasant, they cater to regulars that look to be Vietnam Vet age or just missed the cut by a year. But I have to say I really like Sugar Plum. This diner is very clean and well maintained. So how was the food? Chicken fried steak: this was a decent meal. The meat, toast, hash browns, and over easy eggs was standard fare. As I watched the food come from the kitchen, the pancakes look like the breakfast to order however. Next time, that will be the meal of choice. Also a big plus is that prices are reasonable compared to other breakfast/lunch spots these days. While more elegant and more substantial food can be found, overall this diner holds its own and the regulars that come here attest to that. read more

See all

I really enjoy every single thing. The owner is great. The staff is friendly. The food is served Hot.