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Lola – The Best Breakfast In Seattle

While in Seattle for the IFBC conference, we ate breakfast at Lola two of the three days that we were in Seattle. What can we say except that we loved the smashed potatoes at the Lola breakfast?

Menu at Lola in Seattle Washington
Located in Seattle’s downtown Belltown neighborhood, Lola serves up breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, all with a Mediterranean twist. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We originally went to Lola based on our friend Adam’s recommendation that Lola serves the best breakfast in Seattle. Best is a strong word, so we had to check it out.

It’s always a dilemma when we travel. Should we always try somewhere new or return to the places that we really like?

As we inhaled Lola’s donuts and smashed potato orbs, we knew that a repeat visit to Chef Tom Douglas’ restaurant located in downtown Seattle, just a block from our hotel, was a must. These first bites were enough for us to fall for the restaurant’s blending of Pacific Northwest food and Greek cuisine.

Lola Breakfast Number One

Lola is one of the best places to eat in Seattle. Although we were among the very first people at the popular Seattle restaurant when we arrived for our 7am reservation, the dining room was full by our meal’s end.

Our first dish was the Made to Order Donuts with Seasonal Jam and Vanilla Mascarpone. Warm and fresh, the donuts arrived in a white paper bag, which the server shook before tumbling the little golden morsels onto the plate. We cut through the crispy exterior of each donut so that we could better smear the tasty apricot and mascarpone spreads on the soft dough inside for maximum flavor.

Donuts at Lola in Seattle Washington
Made to Order Donuts at Lola, Served with Seasonal Jam and Mascarpone | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Pro Tip
If you’re jonesing for the donuts, you can get them across the street at Dahlia Bakery. The bakery’s atmosphere is more casual, and the donut price is a bit lower.

Ironically, after the sweet donuts, our second shared plate skewed savory. The Lola Breakfast plate was a pumped up version of the standard bacon and eggs breakfast plate that you might eat at a diner. Shaking the donuts didn’t wear out the server too much, as she split this dish in half for us.

Breakfast at Lola in Seattle Washington
Lola Breakfast – Two Eggs, Maple Sausage, Smoked Bacon, Smashed Garlic Fried Potatoes and Toast | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Usually, we’re all about the pork, especially when it’s prepared with maple. However, the shining star of this dish was the smashed potatoes with their delicate crunchy fried skins and creamy, garlic-flavored centers. These smashed potatoes could be the greatest side of potatoes in the world. We’re not kidding. They’re that good.

Our Second Breakfast At Lola

For our second visit, once seated, we immediately ordered the smashed potatoes. Hello, they’re the reason we came back in the first place.

Smashed Potatoes at Lola in Seattle Washington
Lola’s Smashed Potatoes – Crispy and Golden | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Man and 2foodtrippers cannot live on potatoes alone, so we ordered another dish to share. This time, we tried the dish modestly labeled as Tom’s Favorite Breakfast.

We were intrigued to try this dish after we heard that the octopus was boiled with wine corks to tenderize the tentacled octopods. A jumble of octopus and vegetables, the dish was topped with a slightly overcooked poached egg. At the server’s suggestion, we also ordered a side of egg and feta to complete the meal.

Octopus at Lola in Seattle Washington
Tom’s Favorite Breakfast with Octopus, Corn, Leeks, Bacon, a Poached Egg and Toast | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Pro Tip
It’s advisable to make a reservation at Lola, even for an early morning breakfast. Not only will you avoid a wait, you may get a booth as opposed to sitting in the bar.

Though we ate at Lola twice in three days, we can’t comment on their coffee. We drank orange juice during both breakfasts so that we could save ourselves for coffee at some of Seattle’s best coffee shops. Considering the quality of the coffee in Seattle, it was a good decision.

Lola is located at 2000 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121, United States.

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About The Authors

About The Authors

Daryl & Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers their unique taste of the world.

Disclosures

Article Updates
We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.

Funding
We self-funded our two breakfasts at Lola.

Original Publication Date: October 7, 2014

Chanel

Monday 27th of October 2014

I love breakfast foods and this one looks DIVINE! I must add this to my list for when I return to Seattle. That Tom's Favorite looks especially delicious :D

christine

Wednesday 22nd of October 2014

I love breakfast its honestly my favorite meal of the day. Those donuts are making me hungry now!

Alejandra

Wednesday 22nd of October 2014

My favorite meal of the day is breakfast, I could eat whatever during the day, but my breakfast? it must be something really tasty. This breakfast looks delicious!!! those smashed potatoes and the doughnuts!! thanks for the tip about those doughnuts :)

Brianna

Friday 10th of October 2014

Tom Douglas certainly knows his way around a kitchen.

Daryl and Mindi Hirsch

Friday 10th of October 2014

Word.

Sarah Ebner

Friday 10th of October 2014

You had me at made to order doughnuts! This sounds absolutely gorgeous

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