8 of the Best Locally Owned Breakfast Restaurants in Myrtle Beach

Grand Strand showcases a full lineup of family-owned, locally operated breakfast spots that have been perfecting their pancakes, benedicts, and shrimp and grits for decades, not standardizing them for a national menu. Here are eight of the local favorites worth waking up early for your pre-round meal to start your day.

Mammy’s Kitchen

Downtown Myrtle Beach’s longest-running breakfast institution, Mammy’s Kitchen has been serving locals since 1953. More than 70 years in, it remains a true old-school diner experience — the kind of place where the menu and the atmosphere haven’t been focus-grouped into oblivion.

Harry’s Breakfast Pancakes

Serving comfort food made with fresh ingredients since 1979, Harry’s has been voted the #1 breakfast spot in Myrtle Beach for 10 consecutive years. That kind of consistency doesn’t happen by accident — it’s earned one plate at a time.

Croissants Bistro & Bakery

Founded in 1995 by acclaimed chef Heidi Vukov — a South Carolina Restaurateur of the Year and former SC Chef Ambassador — Croissants has spent 30 years building a reputation as one of Myrtle Beach’s most chef-driven brunch destinations. Expect serious pastries, shrimp and grits, and a bakery case that alone is worth the trip.

Hot Stacks Pancake House

A local household name for more than 20 years, Hot Stacks built its reputation on a genuinely deep pancake menu alongside dishes for gluten-free and vegan diets — like the Vegan Granola French Toast — that a lot of old-school breakfast spots still don’t bother offering.

Johnny D’s Waffles and Benedicts

With more than 2,200 TripAdvisor reviews, Johnny D’s has become one of the most talked-about breakfast spots on the Grand Strand, and for good reason: nine different eggs Benedict variations and a corned beef hash that reviewers consistently call the real deal.

Honey Bees

One of the newer names on this list, Honey Bees opened in 2025 as the second restaurant from local owner Artur Petrosyan, who also operates Captain Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood. The menu leans into Southern-style breakfast staples like shrimp and grits and fried green tomatoes, alongside a genuinely large omelet and waffle selection.

Southern Sunrise Pancake House

A family-owned and -operated favorite blending American and Greek dishes, Southern Sunrise has built a loyal following on generous portions and a welcoming, homey atmosphere — the kind of place where regulars know their servers by name.

Litchfield Restaurant

Arguably the most beloved breakfast spot on Pawleys Island, Litchfield Restaurant started in 1968 as a trailer built to feed the men working on the four-lane highway — it’s grown only slightly in size since. Now owned and operated by the Sollars family, this no-frills diner has been serving hearty, home-style Southern breakfast for more than 55 years, with regulars who’ve been ordering the Fish n’ Grits, Chicken Fried Steak, and Pork Chop Biscuit since the place opened.

The Bottom Line

Myrtle Beach’s breakfast scene runs a lot deeper than the pancake chains lining the highway. From Mammy’s Kitchen’s 70-plus years downtown to Litchfield Restaurant’s 1968 roots in Pawleys Island, the Grand Strand’s independently owned breakfast spots consistently deliver more character — and often better food — than their franchise competitors, while keeping your morning dollars in the local community.