Whether slathered in creamy peanut butter or a heaping helping of jam, toast is a classic kid favorite for breakfast and beyond. Restaurants around town are wising up to something our pint-sized foodies knew all along—toast is the perfect vehicle for getting yummy goodness into ones tummy. Savory to sweet, breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner and found in every corner of town, raise a toast to the newest food trend: toast!

photo credit:  Jolie Loeb

Lavender and Honey
Caffeine deprived with a car full of hungry tots? Morning or afternoon, you can head straight for Pasadena’s Lavender and Honey, which has an espresso bar for you and a kids menu for them. Parents (and adventurous kids) love the namesake toast spread with velvety goat cheese, drizzled honey, and a dusting of lavender. Kids dig the sticky sweet peanut butter, honey and banana option. Or pretty much anything else on the menu. Each toast plate is reasonably priced at $3 a pop. Grab a French Lavender Breve to go along with your snack. The combo will keep you going for the rest of the afternoon.

Lavender and Honey Espresso Bar
1383 East Washington Blvd.
Pasadena
Phone: 310-528-0745
Online: lavenderandhoneyespresso.com

photo credit: Joyce S. via yelp

Sqirl
Calling all parents of early risers: Sqirl is the place for you. We say that because the lines can get pretty long, and your best bet is to show up when the place opens. But the food is worth the wait, and worth the national attention this simple spot is garnering. Toast at Sqirl starts with thick slices of brioche bread. Then they add the good stuff like chocolate ganache, fresh almond hazelnut spread, and house made ricotta. And don’t forget about the jam: strawberry thyme, blackberry lemon verbena or Moro blood orange marmalade. Bring home a jar of the sweet stuff for a toasty morning at home.

Sqirl
720 N Virgil Ave.
Silverlake
Phone: 323-284-8147
Online: sqirlla.com

photo credit: Le Pain Quotidien’s facebook page

Le Pain Quotidien
Tartine is French for open-faced sandwich, but however you slice it this toasty treat is a hand held favorite. Big communal tables welcome strollers, high chairs and weary parents who are eager to feed kids and be fed themselves. Tartines come sweet or savory, but always go well with French press coffee for the adults or fresh squeezed juice for kiddos. Try a savory tartine with smoked turkey and avocado or basil chicken and mozzarella. And picky eaters delight in just plain toast and one or all of the tableside (free) chocolate, cookie or vanilla spreads for a sweet treat.

Le Pain Quotidien has locations in Studio City, Larchmont, West Hollywood, Downtown, Beverly Hills, manhattan Beach, Glendale and more.  To find the location nearest you, check their website.

Online: lepainquotidien.com

Black Dog Coffee
Hit this place up before a trip to LACMA or the La Brea Tar Pits for some down home grub that’s sure to fuel your day. Thick cut rosemary bread is the perfect vehicle for whipped butter and preserves – a little savory, a little sweet, a little salty. One order is enough to feed two kiddos or one really hungry grownup. Wash it all down with organic milk, hot chocolates, fresh juices and more. Insider drink tip: the Café Cubano is worth a try, made with deep, rich coffee with condensed milk.

Black Dog Coffee
5657 Wilshire Blvd
Miracle Mile LA
Phone: 323-933-1976
Online: blackdogcoffee.com

photo credit: Kim Orchen Cooper

Superba
Superba boasts five different toast offerings for hungry breakfast crowds. And if you thought that was superb, just wait until you taste their house made jams. To keep you coming back for more, they offer a new jam every week. And forget about peanut, almond, or sunflower. This place serves a mean pecan butter and jam toast that kids will love. Parents will go hog wild for the maple custard toast with bacon confit and sage.  Actually, kids love that one too, and it’s perfect for palate expanding.

Superba Food and Bread
1900 S. Lincoln Blvd.
Venice
Phone: 310-907-5075
Online: superbafoodandbread.com

photo credit: Tina M. via yelp

The Source Cafe
If you or your kiddos have a gluten sensitivity, The Source Café is serving up some delicious wheat free options. They are also vegan and vegetarian friendly and everything comes from organic ingredients. Talk about a wholesome start to the day. Toast flavor combinations are definitely for adventurous eaters—smoked wild white fish, walnut pesto with cashew cheese, curry egg salad. But you can also always get a plain piece of toasted paleo flax bread with or without toppings for picky eaters or ask them to toast up the cherry cashew bread that comes with ghee and honey for kids who are looking for a sweeter option.

The Source Café
509 Pier Avenue
Hermosa Beach
Phone: 310-318-1600
Online: thesourcecafehb.com

photo credit:  Swinger’s Facebook page

Swingers
Pre-kids you’d hit this place up for late night eats, but now it’s more of a post play date hang out. But time has not changed the deliciousness of this diner food. Buried in the larger than life breakfast menu (served all day) is the bright green, buttery and oh-so-kid-friendly avocado toast. It starts with an extra thick slice of multi grain toast piled high with California’s favorite fruit, sprinkled with sea salt and a squeeze of lemon. Make sure to ask for it sans red pepper flakes, as it might be too hot for tiny taste buds to handle.

Swingers
8020 Beverly Blvd
Mid-City Los Angeles
Phone: 323-653-5858
Online: swingersdiner.com

Where do you get your toast fix, besides the pop up contraption on your counter at home? Tell us your spot for this trending treat in the comments below.

-Christina Fiedler

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