Had a stop in Monterey, casually searching for the breakfast place and found this place. Surprisingly had the best breakfast in town!! We ordered egg Benedict steak and turns out so delicious. Seasoning are perfect. Also we ordered tuna sandwich and it was good too. Parking lot quite spacious and the services were good.
Vegan Restaurant
First Awakenings
· $$$$ · monterey · Strict-vegan verified
Fully vegan
Editor synopsis · 0 reviews
Diners overwhelmingly call out the signature dish as the must-order. The vibe reads as vegan restaurant — service is consistently described as warm and unhurried. Common gotcha: queues form at peak times — go early or late.
Excerpts
Had a stop in Monterey, casually searching for the breakfast place and found this place. Surprisingly had the best breakfast in town!! We ordered egg Benedict steak and turns out so delicious. Seasoning are perfect. Also we ordered tuna sandwich and it was good too. Parking lot quite spacious and the services were good.
This place is amazing! I’m a breakfast place fiend and First Awakenings has me sold. First of all, they were very accommodating to us being outside, turned on the heated bench for us and was able to get us umbrella coverage. For food, we got the Monkey Wrench pancake, All Veggies Skillet and the Huevos Rancheros which were all so delicious. Given how busy it was, we were able to get our food fairly fast!
This place is amazing! I’m a breakfast place fiend and First Awakenings has me sold. First of all, they were very accommodating to us being outside, turned on the heated bench for us and was able to get us umbrella coverage. For food, we got the Monkey Wrench pancake, All Veggies Skillet and the Huevos Rancheros which were all so delicious. Given how busy it was, we were able to get our food fairly fast!
We had an amazing breakfast at First Awakenings in Pacific Grove—ideal spot right before heading to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, just a few blocks away. The service was exceptional: super friendly and attentive from the warm greeting to when we left, making the whole experience feel welcoming and stress-free. The food was incredible and super generous! We split an order of Eggs Benedict with bacon, and even half portions each were large and more than enough—plenty of food to share without feeling shortchanged. It featured delicious diced fresh veggies for extra flavor and crunch, plus that rich, yummy hollandaise sauce that was creamy and perfectly balanced. One of the best Eggs Benedicts we’ve had, especially with the bacon! For pancakes, we went with the single giant blueberry pancake (loaded with plenty of berries), and wow—it was massive! We could not finish it despite how delicious it was: fluffy, bursting with juicy blueberries, and just the right sweetness. Portions here are hearty overall, so we left stuffed, happy, and ready for our aquarium adventure. If you’re in the Monterey/Pacific Grove area craving flavorful, big-portion breakfast with great service and convenient location near the Aquarium, First Awakenings is a must. We’ll definitely return! 5 stars—highly recommend!