Taste Café in Half Moon Bay is an absolute gem for breakfast! It has that perfect blend of a cozy, welcoming local spot with fresh, high-quality diner food. Ordered an egg omelette, and it was executed perfectly--light, fluffy, cooked just right without being dry, and packed with fresh ingredients. You can tell they use quality products, and the sides (like their crispy potatoes/hash browns) paired with it made for a super satisfying morning meal. The staff was friendly, attentive, and kept everything moving smoothly even during busy morning hours. The space is bright, clean, and has a great laid-back coastal vibe. If you're taking a drive down Highway 1 or just looking for a fantastic breakfast spot in Half Moon Bay, Taste Café is a must-visit. I'll definitely be back! read more

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Why were we here on this late morning after 11:00 a.m? It was noon and McDonalds stopped serving their breakfast menu. We were looking for a quaint breakfast spot and Taste Cafe has great reviews on Yelp. At first we were disappointed that it was in a strip mall but that all changed when we walked in. The interior is decorated with many clocks so you don't really know what it is. The service staff is friendly and polite. The biscuits and gravy were great and the hash brown portions were generous and crispy. We were on our way for a bike ride up Lobitos Creek and Tunitas. We were a little too full after the breakfast but it was worth carrying the extra weight up 2,800' of climbing. read more

Taste Cafe - Two orders of biscuits and gravy with two eggs over easy. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

"NO WATER BOTTLE ON THE TABLE!" That was literally what was said to me today -- after I had already placed my food order. I've come here several times with my kids after playing at the indoor playground next door. In the past, I've found the servers attentive, friendly, and nice, and it had become part of our routine to stop here after playground time. Unfortunately, today's visit left me feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome. We had water bottles with us because we had just spent time at the playground. They were sealed water bottles, and while we were there, I had ordered food and water from the restaurant. After I placed our food order, a staff member came all the way over to our table specifically to tell me not to put the water bottle on the table. There wasn't an extra chair or obvious place to put my things, so I awkwardly had to keep the bottle on my chair or place it on the floor. If this rule is going to be enforced this strictly -- even for a mom with two young kids coming from the playground next door with a sealed water bottle -- it would be helpful to make that clear BEFORE customers sit down and order. I would have appreciated the opportunity to make an informed decision before placing my order, rather than being corrected afterward in a way that felt unnecessarily embarrassing as a paying customer. I understand the need to enforce policies, especially around outside food and drinks. But there should also be some balance and common sense in how rules are applied. A sealed water bottle is very different from bringing in outside food or drinks to replace ordering from the restaurant. This was not a huge incident, but it made the experience feel rigid and unwelcoming. Unfortunately, because of this interaction, I do not plan to come back. I also know other families who follow a similar playground-and-meal routine, and I would share this experience with them so they know what to expect. UPDATE: In response to business' comment: You completely missed the point. My issue was not simply that the restaurant has a no outside food/drink policy. My issue was HOW and WHEN that policy was enforced. If water bottles are not allowed on the table, I would have respected the rule much more if that had been clearly communicated BEFORE I sat down and placed an order. Instead, I was corrected only AFTER I had already ordered food and became a paying customer. That timing matters. It is not acceptable customer service to take a customer's order first, then strictly enforce a rule afterward in a way that makes the customer feel embarrassed and unwelcome. If this rule is important enough to enforce against a sealed water bottle, it should be communicated clearly BEFORE customers sit down or spend money. That was the core issue with my experience. read more

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We came here expecting a breakfast with nice ambiance, but the smoked salmon Eggs Benedict was a big disappointment. The salmon had a strong fishy smell and tasted sour and bitter -- clearly not fresh. When it brought to the manager's attention, she simply said "that's probably how it tastes to you," insisting that's how it's supposed to be. The eggs weren't runny either. No apology, no concern, no attempt to make it right. Unfortunately, after this experience, we're pretty much done with this restaurant. read more

Taste Cafe - Salmon egg bernedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Cute brunch spot. The service was great, food was good. Our server checked in with us multiple times and even let us know when she was going on her break, and another server would help us. read more

Taste Cafe - Eggs Benedict with Fruit - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Another visit and the food was good, fresh and well seasoned. Decent servings fairly quickly. Did a Friday morning before 10am so was not busy or full at the time but filled up as time ticked by. Parking is a pain since the Taste Cafe is in a strip mall with a bunch of other business, stores and such. Will likely return read more

My wife and I ate here for breakfast yesterday. The food was good, but there was a problem with the rear door that was allowing cold outside air to blow right at our table. Everything was find at first and then they started seating people outside. The door was wide open to allow people to come and go. However, it was very cold outside and our table was near that door. We asked the staff to keep the door closed and they closed it most of the way, but blocked it open with a door stop. This still allowed a cold breeze to come right at our table. My wife's food got cold and she was feeling cold. The staff said that they could do nothing as the door automatically locks. The door was a standard push bar to open. These doors have a mechanism that can be used to unlock the door; however the staff either did not know how their door worked or were unwilling to even try to unlock it. So we were cold and ate cold food. The food itself was good. My wife enjoyed (until they got cold due to the wind) her Lumberjack pancakes with bananas and berries ($11.99) and a side of bacon ($5.99). I had a delicious side order of Linguica ($5.99) with a side of two eggs over easy ($4.99). They should really warn people before seating them by the back door on a cold day when they intend to use the outdoor tables. read more

Taste Cafe - The infamous back door that is propped open on cold days allowing a cold wind to enter the dining area. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Delicious! Surprised to see this place off Hwy 1 in Half Moon Bay. It had great reviews and happy we tried it out! Plus it had outdoor seating to bring our pup! Casual, cozy ambiance, friendly and fast service. Hubby got the breakfast burrito. He said it great flavor and liked the hashbrowns in the filling. I got the Blackstone Benedict with caramelized onions & sauteed mushrooms. Yum!! It also came with heirloom tomatoes but I might leave those off next time bc it made the english muffin soggy. Definitely would come back! read more

Taste Cafe - breakfast burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Plenty of parking available in the massive parking lot, which is shared with a supermarket and other businesses. Make sure to place your order at the counter before seating yourself available tables and seats. The staff here was friendly, and the food was good. Prices were reasonable as well. Would highly recommend trying out their crêpes and other sweet items here. read more

Great brunch restaurant with large portions and great service. The staff were welcoming and very attentive. We were a party of 7 and sat outside by ourselves, but the servers checked on us multiple times throughout our meal to ensure we had enough water. Great place. Highly recommend! read more

Sorry. No photos to share of my meal. The food is so consistently good that I enthusiastically engage my fork long before I remember to snap a photo. Good Food? Check! Clean Atmosphere? Check. Good Service? Check! Check. read more

Great place just off highway 92 and highway 1 In the Safeway shopping center We were seated right away Service and food were very good Definitely recommend the Taste cafe read more

Taste Cafe - Mimosa - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Stopped by here for an early lunch on a Tuesday morning around 11:00am after visiting HMB. The atmosphere was friendly and bustling. The service was quick. I ordered the Roasted Turkey sandwich with garlic oregano fries. The turkey was delicious and moist and the homemade bread is to die for. I highly recommend spreading the cranberry relish onto the turkey in the sandwich. It upped the flavor tremendously. The coffee was fresh and tasted great. Cheers! read more

Cute place in a strip mall right off the main road. Menu has a wide variety of breakfast items to choose from. We had the smoked salmon bene and the meat crepe and both were tasty and plentiful. Servers were friendly and did not rush us. read more

This place was referred to us for breakfast from another restaurant is not open at that time. The food was good and so was the service.

This restaurant was incredible! From the moment you walk in you're greeted with a big smile. The food was delicious the banana crepe was to die for! (I will be dreaming of it forever). read more

Taste Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Food was fantastic! Great service and great prices. The wait on the weekends can be a bit long but expected. We came around 10:30am on a Sunday and noticed the crowds started to die down a bit after 11:30. Highly recommend and will definitely come back read more

Taste Cafe - El Patron Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

IMHO If you want warm, genuine and friendly service, this is the place!!! The restaurant is bright, clean and whimsical. This is definitely a local favorite. The servers seemed to know everyone who walked in! That's a good sign! My friend and I chose Taste Cafe for lunch, before our pumpkin farm picking experience. Taste Cafe serves brunch offerings and are open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. We were warmly greeted and given our choice of tables. Mario was our super friendly server who offered his favorite entrees. My friend opted for the Chilaquiles, and I ordered a Bacon Belgian Waffle. Portions were ample enough for us to bring home leftovers. Food was good and tasty. I would happily come back to Taste Cafe and try any of their many offerings! read more

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My partner and I decided to escape to Half Moon Bay during the latest heat wave of this seemingly never-ending summer. We got into town early, and our first stop was Taste for breakfast. Very nice experience. Service was very good, friendly and attentive, but without ever rushing us - and we like to take our time, lol. The food was delicious and satisfying. I had the smoked salmon crepe, my partner had the Mexican omelette. Flavorful and generous portions. We both had the hash browns, and they were honestly some of the best hash browns I've had. I love that they prefer cash! Cash is king, it allows people to transact in privacy, and allows access to people without bank accounts/credit cards. Please support cash-based businesses, and pay with cash whenever you can! Lovely little place, we will return when in the area. read more

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Day trip to Half Moon Bay, started with breakfast at Taste Café. Quick service, excellent breakfast, incredible portions. We will be back!

Great service and food was excellent. Super friendly staff. Will definitely come back soon. read more

Taste Cafe - Mexican omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Our son recommended Taste Cafe as one of their favorite breakfast places in HMB, but was closed during our last visit over Memorial Day weekend. So we finally had a chance to visit for Christmas Eve Beakfast. What a great menu - so many choices for omelettes, crepes, benedicts. Loved the Smoked Salmon crepe with scrambled eggs, tons of smoked salmon, onions! Omelettes are huge. The place was very busy but our server was attentive and super friendly (warned us away from spicy items when we asked). Good coffee. Will definitely return on our next visit to HMB! read more

Taste Cafe - Smoked Salmon Crepe and Fruit Cup - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

The food is consistently good here with large portions for a reasonable price. They are generous with refills. The servers are consistently attentive without being intrusive. Quiet enough to have a conversation but still lively. We come here every time we're in town and have never been disappointed. read more

A must stop for breakfast/ brunch when in HMB! Everytime we go down to visit friends we stop here The staff is so friendly and the food is delicious. The portions are perfect. The hollandaise on the eggs benny is so tasty and they put the perfect amount so you can dip your hash browns in it. My partner always gets the chilaquiles verde and it's their favorite spot in the bay for them. We've also enjoyed the bloody mary's here. It can get pretty busy but we have never waited more than 10 minutes for a table, even on a Sunday. Can't wait for our next trip down from sf! read more

Taste Cafe - chilaquiles verde - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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What a gem! I had just completed a nice run in the coast and decided to find a place for breakfast. Google brought me to Taste Cafe and it was great! There was a wait for a table, but luckily for me someone was just leaving from the bar so I was able to sit right down. I was immediately greeted with a menu and a glass of water which was great after just finishing a run. I ordered the Vege Crepe which had egg whites, vege's and I added extra avocado. Had the choice of fruit or toast and I should have chosen the fruit. The crepe and potatoes were plenty of carbs. The good came quickly and it was delicious. As I sat there I must've been checked on at least 4x. All of the servers were pleasant and responsive. I can't believe I've never tried this place begore..ill definitely be back when I'm in town. read more

Taste Cafe - Vege Crape with house potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

The service and the food were delicious Muy bien el servicio y la comida excelente We will be back again with more amigos Gracias José read more

A breath of fresh air from greeting to eating. Clean and roomy. Great food and friendly service, I can't ask for more. I will be back soon to enjoy more of the delicious foods offered. read more

Great customer service food was delicious and hot will definitely come back to enjoy some delicious food read more

Taste Cafe - Food is so delicious customer service is great... will be back - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

This cafe has the feel of a little bistro and I like it. I honestly didn't feel like I was in Half Moon Bay, but a bistro in a downtown area. The whole restaurant is nicely decorated, clean and maned by really good people. You can tell when people are proud and happy where they work. The servers were really attentive and friendly. The restaurant is pretty big and they also have an outside eating area, in the rear. As an appetizer, we ordered the Belgian waffle and damn was it incredible. Yes, a Belgian waffle as an appetizer prior to breakfast... Hey, you can't beat a delicious Belgian waffle, why not as an appetizer? I've got to honestly say, that is the best Belgian waffle I've ever had. It was tasty, crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside and showed up nice and hot. I ordered the Ranchero Chilaquiles. They were pretty good, but the sauce was a little strong. Out of all the Chilaquiles, they are a solid number three. What would've made them my number one choice? A little milder sauce, some sour cream and some pico de gallo. My girlfriend ordered the breakfast sandwich. Man, when that breakfast sandwich showed up, it was impressive. It was on their homemade bread, with a slab of ham, scrambled eggs, and cheese. My girlfriend really enjoyed it, but added, it could've used some mayonnaise, That's her taste tho. The coffee deserves an honorable mention, for its deliciousness. I've never understood, why any restaurant that deserves breakfast, would not have good coffee. That definitely makes a big difference for me, and here they know that. They have definitely earned a spot on my go to breakfast restaurants. We will definitely be back to try some of the other items on the breakfast menu and also want to come for lunch. You guys are doing a great job and thank you for the pleasant breakfast experience. read more

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Stopped off here for brunch after a nice morning walk on the beach nearby. They have a big menu and everything was delicious including the crepes and omelets. The waffle was a little too doughy for me so would skip that. Service was good, I liked the staff's HMB t-shirts. read more

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The service was excellent, and the waitstaff were courteous. My sons ordered pancakes and bacon--the pancakes were fluffy with a slight crispness, making them quite enjoyable. My husband liked his meat lovers' omelette and breakfast potatoes. We arrived around 11:15 AM on a Saturday and were seated within 5-7 minutes. The bathrooms were clean, and the dining area had a modern feel. There's a wide selection of mimosa flavors. My breakfast sandwich was large--about the size of my hand--so I only finished half. Overall, the meal was satisfying, and I would consider returning. read more

Taste Cafe - Breakfast Sandwich with no tomato - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Delicious breakfast veggie crepe - so big - I had my leftovers the next morning - didn't warm them up - still delicious!! The waitstaff were amazing - super efficient, and friendly. Loved the decor - posted fun and inspiring quotes - totally awesome way to start our day! read more

My husband and I really enjoyed everything we ate/drank here. We found this place on yelp and my dad suggested we try it because they have eaten here before. We came in on a Sunday afternoon around 12 and were sat right away. We had a stroller and they were able to accommodate us the space. It was very clean and open inside. There is the front and back side of the restaurant so there is lots of seating for busy mornings. We both noticed they had two different coffee machines so we opted into getting iced lattes with added expresso shots. You could tell the coffee was good! We ordered the granola pancakes with whipped cream & biscuits and gravy. I was a huge fan of the gravy. It was packed with sausage chunks and the biscuits were super flaky. Can't wait to go back and try other things on their menu. read more

Taste Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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On a rare morning home together, I took my son out for breakfast here. We had two different eggs benedict, both of which were delicious. The service was cheerful and prompt. This will become our go-to breakfast out in the future! read more

Taste Cafe - Breakfast at Taste Cafe! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Everything was fantastic!! Food and service!! This place is super cute and super clean! The staff is super kind and sweet! read more

Taste Cafe - 2 Pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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My family and I sat outside on a beautiful day. Makes it so much easier to hear each other. Food tasted great. Great recommendations from our waitress, Chabelita. She and the rest of the staff were very kind. We will be back. read more

I ordered take out from Taste Cafe the morning after arriving into HMB for a weeklong trip in an AirBnb. They were conveniently located in a popular shopping plaza that was easy to find and get to. I ordered Eggs Benedict and switched ham for avocado since I'm a vegetarian. They they I couldn't do a substitution, but basically had to order no ham and then pay for the upcharge on the avocado. It ended up being very tasty, I liked the english muffin they used and the hollandaise sauce tasted lemony (which I don't mind). The eggs were poached well, and the hash browns I got were crispy. I would recommend it. My husband got the Chilaquiles which he said were good, but didn't knock his socks off. I also ordered a chai and latte, which they waited until I was there to make. I appreciated this to make sure the drinks were hot, but it did take some extra time to wait for the drinks. I could tell this place was a favorite of the locals as the staff knew many people by name as they walked in the door and greeted them warmly. Overall this was a good breakfast spot and I would order from here again next time I'm back in town. read more

Delicious food! Lots of gluten sensitive options! I had El Chepe Benedict on gf bread! So good! The sake Bloody Mary was also yummy!

Great Place!!! Our waitress was attentive, very nice, Prompt!! Food was Very Good and Large Portions. Love the Ambiance. Parking is not ample and sort of difficult to get. My research of this place convinced us to come here over other places. DID NOT DISAPPOINT! DEFINITELY RECOMMEND! read more

Let's start with how friendly the service was. I understand it's a family run business and it shows with all the little details and cute decor. Locals were greeted by name and my server asked where I was visiting from. Love this! Ordered the Florentine Benedict and asked for sauce on the side. Extra crispy everything. Can I say this was the best breakfast I've had in a long time where everything was just as I like it. Usually there's a one off but nope - this was perfect!! Will definitely be coming back once a month for this treat. Plenty of parking and can see this space being busy on the weekends. Highly recommend. read more

Taste Cafe - Florentine Benedict sauce on the side. Extra crispy everything else. It was perfect! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California