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Over Easy Along The Grand Strand—A Few of Our Morning Favorites
The Grand Strand has a long-standing affection for morning grub. The sheer number of pancake houses dotting Business 17 is a testament to the volume of area breakfast lovers, and tourists continue to fuel the demand. Breakfast is a meal, but I’ve always considered brunch to be a special treat. Whether you’re into crepes and smoothies, fresh roasted coffee beans, classic Benedicts, lunch-leaning seafood bowls and skillets, or southern twists, you’ll be sure to find a location in our roundup to satisfy your cravings. And there’s more than a handful of venues with master mixologists crafting unique boozy brunch cocktails.
Croissants Bistro and Bakery is our lead feature highlight. Heidi Vukov, the talented baker that created Croissants and the mastermind behind the adjacent and exquisite Hook & Barrel, leaves no detail untouched, and thus we’ve come to expect nothing less than perfection from the Grand Strand visionary. This airy venue is bright with sunny windows and offers much more than a beautiful ambience… The wafts of welcoming coffee aromas permeate the space and entice you to grab a cup of java immediately and a bag of beans roasted in-house before your exit. And be sure to grab a few of the homemade pastries showcased in the glass displays for the next day. Green coffee beans are imported from growers worldwide and freshly roasted in small batches daily. They also supply many of the Grand Strand’s coffee houses and restaurants with their coveted roasted beans, ensuring coffee connoisseurs of the greater Myrtle area have access to amazing coffee in numerous locations.
Sit down, relax, and grab a coffee from their full barista menu, a fresh-made smoothie, or a brunch cocktail. The bloody mary has been posted on social media by patrons on more than one occasion. Start your brunch experience with one of the shareable starters. You can select Cinnamon Bun Minis hot out of the oven, the Sunrise Pizza with a croissant-dough flatbread, mornay sauce, scrambled eggs, bacon bits, diced tomatoes, and mozzarella, the Southern Fried Green Tomatoes, and Deviled Eggs with jalapeño bacon, or the Baked Brie with fresh rosemary and lemon blueberry compote. But wait! Be sure to save room for a brunch entree.
The menu boasts a succulent selection to satisfy both sweet and savory palates. The Benedicts use the namesake fresh, flaky, and buttery croissants as the base. Choose from their signature classic, crab cake, California, or fried chicken versions. The brunch specialties are varied and mouthwatering. The Bacon and Gruyère Quiche is a must-try. Other notable entrees include Southern Shrimp and Grits, Classic Omelettes, Chicken and Waffles, Bananas Foster French Toast, and Croquettes Madame—an open-faced sandwich of grilled ham with gruyere on sourdough, topped with sunny-side-up eggs, and mornay sauce; it is a definite favorite.
And for those who lean into lunch options, they offer several handhelds, soups, and salads. The freshly made chicken salad and shrimp salad are both a sure bet—served on a flaky croissant. The Power Salad consists of kale, brussels sprouts, Napa cabbage, quinoa, avocado, almonds, parmesan, and a light raspberry vinaigrette. It is as beautiful as it is delicious.
8014 N Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
Eri Boos Fresh Brunch in Little River is located in a restored 1950s cottage and it is simply adorable. One of the most popular brunch cocktails is the Hawaiian 5 Mimosa. It is a beautiful concoction of champagne, coconut milk, pineapple juice, and fresh whipped cream. The unique twist they have for a Bloody Mary is interesting, and I can’t wait to try it. It includes saki wine, lime, Worcestershire, and your choice of Charleston Mix®, Clamato®, or Zing-Zang®, served with a celery-salted rim, green olives, and a piece of bacon. Sign me up! Owner Erica mentioned one of the most-ordered entrees has to be the Blueberry Sauced French Toast with Fried Chicken. The breakfast-brunch-lunch menu is vast and includes the usual standards and more than a handful of unique items.
4311 Mineola Ave Little River, SC, 29566
Blueberry’s Grill in North Myrtle has made its way into my weekend plans more than once. I love that they have a pet-friendly patio, and the hustle and bustle of the busy location creates a lively atmosphere. There’s an abundance of blueberry-forward items throughout the menu, and they appear in conjunction with the Blueberry Crème Brûlée French Toast, the Blueberry Ricotta Waffles, the Blueberry Pancakes, the Blueberry Hushpuppies, and many more! A few recommended entrees are the Charleston Shrimp and Grits with a wonderful bloody mary sauce and the Creole Atlantic Seafood Omelette with shrimp, crab, roasted red peppers, spinach, green peppers, and caramelized onions, topped with hollandaise, sriracha, and toasted cajun-infused panko. On my list to try soon is the Crab Cake Benny that adds fried green tomatoes to the stack and the Fennel and Kale Spicy Chicken Benny on toasted sourdough.
4856 Highway 17 S North Myrtle Beach, SC, 29582
Mimosas Southern Kitchen and Bar is just down the road from our lead spotlight, Croissants Bistro, and its name alone can enlist a vision of a brunch to linger and catch up with old friends over a flight of mimosas. The Cold Brew Irish Coffee also sounds divine with Jameson® Whisky and Bailey’s® Irish Cream. The menu is comprehensive and includes everything from lighter fare, six specialty omelettes, five Benedict choices, four different skillet creations, and eight signature brunch plates. Some unique highlights include Crab and Avocado Toast, Fried Lobster and Waffles, and the Birria Hash. I am particularly intrigued by the Chasing The Dream Brunch Bowl of grilled shrimp, smoked sausage, roasted artichokes and tomatoes, with a quinoa-couscous couscous blend, asiago and mozzarella, and a brown butter hollandaise, topped with two poached eggs and served atop fresh micro-greens.
7430 N Kings Highway Myrtle Beach, SC, 29572
Johnny D’s Waffles and Benedicts is a diner-style Myrtle Beach staple. It is run by Culinary Institute of America graduate Chef Jamie Daskalis, who will forever be inspired by her late father, Johnny D. The scratch-made kitchen sends out creative twists on the classics. Try the Red Velvet Waffle, the Bacon-Stuffed Waffle, or the Banana Split Waffle—you may need to loosen your pants for that one! There’s a host of Benedicts; notables are the Irish Benedict with its corned beef hash, the Pork Belly Benedict, and the Brisket Benedict. There’s also a wide selection of omelettes, French toasts, and pancakes, along with a host of various skillets. Chef Jamie is a wildly talented entrepreneur and doesn’t know when to stop; she has won numerous awards, published a cookbook, and created a line of retail spices and sauces all while running three Johnny D locations and opening The Tasting Room on 9th, a wine bar in the downtown Art and Innovation District. She is a strong, participating advocate and great supporter of Autism Awareness. Her venues are all sensory-friendly.
3301 N. Kings Hwy Myrtle Beach, SC, 29577
Salt and Honey Grill is centrally located a couple of miles north of the 501 on Business Highway 17. The boozy cocktail selection includes five varieties of mojitos… there’s the classic, strawberry, mango, coconut, and passionfruit. They also have a strawberry Bellini with Aperol®, yum! I chatted with the owner, who said some of the house favorites are the Huevos Rancheros Skillet and the Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Toast. Other menu items that sound scrumptious are the Bourbon Street Pancakes and the Salt City Fold Omelette.
2800 N Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Golden Bites Brunchery is the only buffet venue included in our roundup. Menu orders are also available. The menu features the usual suspects of omelettes, pancakes, waffles, steak and eggs, etc. The Salmon Avocado Toast sounds yummy, and the Golden Eggs Benedict is topped with sautéed mushrooms and onions. The buffet is pretty vast and includes tons of fresh fruits, the normal expected brunch items, a few lunch-style offerings, desserts, and a few signatures. The Google® reviews are mostly five stars out of over 1300 reviews.
1610 South Kings Highway Myrtle Beach, SC, 29577
Kosta Bowls in Conway has been delighting Myrtle Beach guests with super fruit bowls since 2018. We wanted to include a healthy-focused option in our group of venues; sometimes you crave fresh fruits—sans the champagne and bloody marys. The bowls and smoothies use fresh fruits and all-natural ingredients. They are on a mission to use healthy ingredients to create tasty creations that you feel good about eating! They have an assortment of bowl bases, including acai, pitaya (dragon fruit), oatmeal (organic, steel-cut), and a green blend. The smoothies sound super wholesome. The Berry Almond Delight blends blueberries, bananas, almond milk, almond butter, and vanilla whey protein. The Kale ‘Em with Green-ness Bowl is a green base, topped with banana, kiwi, pineapple, coconut, granola, and honey.
412 Main Street Conway, SC 29526
Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen and Bar is located in Market Common, and the location has an expansive bar, a great interior, and a cute patio. To start, they feature Mega Mimosas, yay! They made the Southern Living list for “15 Southern Restaurants At The Top Of Our Readers’ Bucket Lists” in early 2025. Yes, Tupelo is a chain restaurant, and it’s a good one. I visited the Franklin, TN, location when we lived in Nashville, and it did not disappoint! The Sweet and Spicy Fried Chicken and Waffles is a sweet-savory satisfier. The Tupelo Honey Shrimp and Grits were featured by Eat This, Not That! List of “6 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Shrimp and Grits.” They blend heirloom grits with a creamy goat cheese for the base and use the best chorizo pork sausage, wild-caught shrimp, peperonata, scallions, and a Creole sauce. Peperonata is a highly useful mixture of sweet bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. Check out the Cherry Bomb Frosé!
3042 Howard Ave Myrtle Beach, SC, 29577
Millstone Biscuit Co. in Murrells Inlet is a must-visit stop anytime I’m in the area and they are open. Seriously, I always get an assortment of biscuits to take home. They have platters, breakfast biscuits, specialty biscuits, and a host of lunch items. The sausage gravy is amazing! Check out the Biscuit on the Bayou with crawfish and andouille sausage gravy or the BEAT with bacon, egg, avocado, and tomato. The Hwy 17 Platter is home fries or grits covered with scrambled eggs and sausage gravy and topped with bacon and, of course, served with a biscuit. And if you’re craving a southern chicken biscuit, they have the best I’ve had.
2751 Bus US-17 N Murrells Inlet, SC, 29576
Neal’s Creekhouse, also in Murrells Inlet, has a great view to go along with an enticing menu. The lively location offers up Morning Handhelds, Hangover Specials, and Build Your Own Options. Try the Redneck Casserole with corned beef hash, over-easy egg, smoked cheddar, chives, and hollandaise. I like that the Palmetto Shrimp N Grits comes with lemon zest and wilted spinach—a nice twist on a Southern classic. Be sure to try the Beignet Basket with blueberry jam and whipped cream.
3797 US 17 Bus Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
Rustic Table, in Pawley’s Island, has a brunch menu that leans heavy to lunch offerings, but there are several items that sound scrumptious. I cannot wait to try the Proud Mary (Bloody Mary); it is made with Tito’s Vodka®, house-made bloody mix, and has a cornucopia of garnishes—pickle, lemon and lime, shrimp, blue cheese stuffed olives, pickled okra and green beans, smoked sausage, and celery. They are touted as having great omelettes and shrimp and grits. The Adams Omelette sounds divine with shrimp, spinach, tomato, and goat cheese, served with roasted potatoes. The Comfy is a fried chicken breast served on a biscuit with sawmill gravy. And here are more than a few photos on socials of the Peach Cobbler and the Blueberry Peach Sangria!
10683 Ocean Hwy Pawleys Island, SC, 29585
The Independent is a gorgeous place, inside The George Hotel on Front Street in historic Georgetown. Also enjoy easy boat access from the Harborwalk Marina. Brunch is available on weekends. Start off with a Pastry Basket or the Southern Pecan Sticky Bun. My Texas friend would be all over the Country Fried Steak with house-made gravy, biscuits, and a sunny-side-up egg. On my next visit I’m totally ordering a delicious Espresso Martini and the Eggs Benedict with Creole sauce, plus add a crab cake. Other notables are the Classic Omelette, Steak and Eggs, Chicken and Waffles, and patrons absolutely love the Crab Louie!
615 Front Street, Floor 1, Georgetown, SC 29440
Thomas Cafe is a local favorite, also on Front Street in Georgetown. They have all the normal fare, including omelettes, platters, griddle specialties, and early riser sandwiches. I’m a sucker for a good Western Omelette. And be sure to try the country ham, egg, and cheese sandwich. Thomas Cafe could easily be a daily habit for area locals!
703 Front Street Georgetown, SC 29440
Be sure to visit the websites to verify breakfast/brunch hours online before heading out, as some change seasonally.
