BELLEVUE. This open, window-lined cafe attracts a steady stream of customers. Shoppers, professionals, retirees, and families all attend, and the menu appeals to everyone. Dinner classics are available, along with huge omelets made with five large eggs and topped with cheese, vegetables, and chili. Also recommended are Mexican eggs, piled high with chiles, onion, cheddar, and salsa and served on a tortilla. Fluffy biscuits are also a hit, and breakfast is served all day.

DOWNTOWN. Open all-day every-day, 13 Coins is a local institution favored by everyone from tourists to local personalities. Across the street from the "Seattle Times," the eatery also pulls in lots of late-nighters, who stop by for a quick, gourmet meal. Low lighting and high booths provide the ultimate in privacy, and if you're dining alone, make sure to sit in a high-backed bar chair and watch the workings in the open kitchen. Classic foods include veal cordon bleu, chicken piccata, sweetbreads, salmon fettuccine, and veal scaloppini. You'll also find prime rib, calves liver, fresh seafood, and an array of pastas. Even better, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are available any time you want them, day or night. Desserts too.

CAPITOL HILL. A breakfast haven for locals since the late '70s, this friendly, offbeat café is known far and wide for its great breakfasts. From traditional eggs-bacon-potatoes combos to more unusual dishes like tahini French toast and Greek omelets, the menu has all bases covered. Coffee cake and cinnamon rolls are freshly baked, and there are four kinds of pancakes. Don't expect a fancy scene, though, because it's the type of place people head to having just rolled out of bed. On Saturday mornings, 14 Carrot tends to stay quite packed, so expect a wait. Lunch is good too!

QUEEN ANNE. Scan the menu at this fun and funky American eatery, and you'll likely find your favorite region of the States soundly represented, from Southern-style Tasso ham and honey-stung fried chicken to Northwestern salmon cakes and Southwestern shrimp enchilada con queso. Indeed, 5 Spot is nothing if not dynamic, even changing its artwork and decor every so often to transport patrons to various seasonal locales. Early-risers (and late-risers, too!) take heed ­ their breakfast menu, available until midnight, features the likes of red flannel hash, smoked salmon scramble, and homestyle biscuits & gravy.

KIRKLAND. Anthony's HomePort enjoys immense popularity thanks largely to a mastery of fresh seafood, vegetables, and salads. Start with garlic herb mussels, and then try chargrilled halibut cheeks, fishermen's cioppino, fettuccine with fresh Dungeness crab, or even a NY steak. For dessert, consider homemade deep-dish apple crisp served with Olympia Mountain cinnamon ice cream. Enjoy great views of the water from inside the restaurant.