Journalism Students Take on the Battle of the Breakfasts

As the most important meal of the day, breakfast is a student staple. Therefore, the search for the perfect breakfast location along the South Shore can be as crucial as it is taste-inspiring. With an overwhelming number of restaurants and cafes in the area, we asked Scituation writers to share their treasured breakfast experiences as a guide for SHS students.

Driftway Lucky Finn: Reviewed by Brenna Donovan, Lindsey Hausmann, Grace McNamara, and Ava Easterly 

Recently opened, the new Driftway Lucky Finn is a major attraction near the Greenbush train station. With reasonable prices and a welcoming atmosphere, Lucky Finn serves breakfast and lunch. Open from 6:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. every day, Lucky Finn is the perfect place to grab a coffee or a bite to eat while relaxing or working! 

Around the back of the building, you will find ample parking. Inside, there are many windows, high ceilings, high-top tables, and patio seating. The menu provides more options than the Lucky Finn located in Scituate Harbor and includes a variety of avocado toasts, salads, sandwiches, acai bowls, and drinks.

Lucky Finn’s Peggotty açai bowl, which includes pineapple, kiwi, bananas, strawberries, almond slices, and honey, has a smooth and refreshing consistency. Despite its deliciousness, it is pricey at $12.25.  Another favorite is the chocolate chunk scone. It is very large by scone measurements–containing copious amounts of large dark chocolate chunks throughout. 

Not only is the food spectacular at the new Lucky Finn location–the layout is conducive to productivity with its free Wi-Fi, laid-back music, and spacious tables. We recommend this location to locals and tourists because this nautical cafe offers a wide array of merchandise, high-quality food, and customer service.

Brant Rock Hop: Reviewed by Molly Ryan, Kelly Granatino, Jane McGuiggin, Grace Dousa, and Matt Minich 

Located in Marshfield, Brant Rock Hop is a splendid coastal breakfast diner 30 minutes from Scituate Harbor. At the Hop, the staff welcomed us with a smile and moderately quick service. The restaurant is decorated with red and black vintage diner-style items, including a jukebox. 

For beverages, we recommend black iced coffee. For food, Molly and Kelly enjoyed the All-American pancakes, which were served with fresh whip cream, strawberries, and blueberries. Even though the fruit was clearly frozen, Molly thought it tasted like fresh strawberry shortcake! Grace went for a savory breakfast that included avocado toast with scrambled eggs. If you’re looking for a healthy breakfast option, the Hop has plenty. Matt’s meal of chicken and waffles was impressive. This towering plate was a sweet and savory delight that Matt recommends as his favorite dish! While it’s a bit of a drive, the Hop is a fantastic breakfast destination! 

STARS: Reviewed by Sorina Condon

Stars is a family-friendly restaurant in Hingham Harbor. It is definitely a popular restaurant for young families; however, it is a welcoming environment for anyone. The bacon tater tots are the best breakfast appetizer to share with the table before your meal. Their various creative breakfast sandwiches and combo breakfast meals, such as 2x2x2, are the variety families love, especially if someone at the table happens to be a picky eater. Their “Eat Well” section contains various healthier options such as oatmeal, fruit, smoothies, omelet, and protein-packed foods. Overall, my experience at Stars was very enjoyable—I ordered the bacon tater tots and a side of fruit for my meal. Our waiter was friendly and very patient. 

French Memories: Reviewed by Stella Thrift and Jordan Gardner 

French Memoires at 60 South Main Street in Cohasset Center is a quaint and cozy bakery that offers everything from a beautiful and welcoming atmosphere to some of the most delicious pastries on the South Shore. Among their most stand-out products is their croissants. Available in several varieties, including plain, cinnamon, chocolate, and almond, these are a “must-have.” The cafe workers are amiable and polite, and considering the incredibly fresh and tasty food, French Memories comes at a very affordable price. I recommend checking this fantastic place out if you haven’t gone, and anyone who has been there, will return soon. French Memories is like having a bit of Paris in our backyard, so please check it out! 

Driftway Dunkin Donuts: Reid Fulton and Jakob Henderson

Dunkin’s variety of donuts is a trademark that cannot be passed on. The inexpensive options and various locations allow it to be in the competition for the best breakfast option on the South Shore. After the new and recent renovations of the Driftway Dunkin, the location is clean beyond what you expect for your typical fast-food breakfast joint. Next time you are scrambling to eat something quick and easy, take the short drive on down to Dunkin Donuts.

Coffee Corner: Reviewed by Ciara Callanan and Kelly Horan

Coffee Corner is a quaint breakfast shop on the edge of Cole Parkway. This small shop couldn’t be more ideally located: right on the water and easily accessible for all harbor adventures. We indulged in both the sausage and the bacon egg and cheese sandwiches. A crisp toasted plain bagel meets a combination of whipped egg, cheddar cheese, and meat accent. The cinnamon twist pastry tastes fresh from the oven and leaves you wanting more. The sweet cinnamon filling twisted in between fluffy puff pastry and drizzled with a vanilla glaze completes the order after a savory bagel sandwich. Each of these delicious food options can be accompanied by a selection of drinks. The cinnamon sticky bun iced coffee with almond milk and sugar was my choice. This sweet and light version of coffee is a refreshing alternative while enjoying rich treats. The prices set at Coffee Corner are very fitting and reasonable for what you are purchasing. Coffee Corner is a clean and efficiently run establishment with an inviting, homey feel. With its fantastic view of the harbor, quick service, and delicious array of breakfast options, Coffee Corner has maintained its reputation as a Scituate favorite. 

The At Home Experience–Michael’s House: Reviewed by Jamieson Hodlin and Michael James 

The at-home option is unbeatable when it comes to breakfast. No matter how nice the “vibe” is at a restaurant, it will never be as good as wearing slippers and pajamas while listening to music in the kitchen. Staying at home allowed us to relax. Eating at home is also significantly more affordable than going to a restaurant. We enjoyed a simple breakfast of homemade waffles at Michael’s house. The waffle maker was a Christmas gift and cost around $50. The waffle mix, which can make 14 waffles, was a mere $3.49. Cooking breakfast ourselves gave us full control over the taste and texture of our food and offered a fun experience. On top of that, it only took ten minutes from turning on the waffle iron to a hot fresh waffle on our plates. While it is nice to be served when you are at a restaurant, breakfast at home is therapeutic, affordable, and delicious!

Atlantic Bagel: Reviewed by Anna Kelly

Atlantic Bagel in Cohasset Center is one of my favorite breakfast places—the food is fresh, and the coffee is flavorful. I ordered an everything bagel with veggie cream cheese and a large coffee. It was wonderful, as always. The bagel was seasoned well, which complemented the cream cheese. Though there’s a vast selection of bagels, the most popular flavors, such as everything and plain, run out rather quickly. In fact, by 11 o’clock, there were only two everything bagels left. The service is fast, taking me only 4 minutes in and out, and affordable as my bagel and coffee only cost $6. If you’ve never been to Atlantic Bagel, use your next late start to check it out! Just remember to bring cash, as no cards are accepted.

Toast: Reviewed by Annika McCanne

Toast, located in Hull, has a comforting atmosphere with a scenic backdrop of Nantasket Beach. The small restaurant can become busy, so arriving on the earlier side is best! The walls are lined with tchotchkes that emphasize the importance of slowing down and enjoying your experience rather than rushing through the food. Our server was fantastic: she was incredibly nice and helpful, and all of the waitstaff are clearly experienced. 

While Toast is not an inexpensive restaurant, the food is fairly priced, and the general atmosphere and service make the trip worthwhile. I got the burnt toast, which is fluffy French toast with crystallized sugar layered on top. I have been ordering this since I was little, and it is amazing every time. SHS seniors Jennifer Dellapa and Grace DeSmet shared the pancake tacos, one regular, one smores, and one cannoli. They came on a huge plate, and it was more than enough food for two people.

Seniors Becca Grozier and Luci Trafton ordered the Belgian waffles, which came delightfully fluffy and layered with fresh fruit. Finally, SHS senior Jackie Kenney stuck with a classic oatmeal that was “villainously good” and included rich brown sugar and various fruits. Both Kenney and Trafton ordered sides of home fries, which tasted exactly as the name suggests—like home. 

Daily Press: Reviewed by Clare Kennedy, Natalie Naylor, Lexi Washburn, and Casey McKeever

Tucked right off of 3A by the Cohasset train station, Daily Press is a strong staple in Cohasset. With lots of breakfast competitors located right down the street–such as Pour, Atlantic Bagel, and Starbucks—Daily Press earns an undoubted spot on the podium.

When ordering ahead, the website is easy to use, and our food was awaiting us at the expected wait time–it was even stored in a mini fridge, which kept everything cold.

The acai bowls have a thick berry base with delicious toppings, including strawberries, bananas, and granola goji berries. The healthy menu includes smoothies, grain bowls, salads, oatmeal, and sandwiches. The workers always have a smile on their faces as well. Although it can be a bit pricey at $12 dollars for an acai bowl, the taste is most definitely worth the money. 

Pour: Reviewed by Sarah Spires

Looking for a quick, filling bite? Whether you prefer sweet or salty, Pour is the breakfast stop for you–and they have locations in Norwell, Cohasset, and Hingham. In Norwell, parking is limited, but a large parking lot behind the fire station directly across the street is always available. This snug cafe has a cozy atmosphere with practical seating and light pop music playing. Typically, there is a short line around 8:00-9:00 a.m., but sometimes you can catch it at the perfect time, which happens to be before Saturday morning youth soccer lets out. The staff is also very friendly and accommodating. 

I ordered a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich on an everything bagel and a regular iced coffee with milk. Although I didn’t order a donut, there were significant options available: regular flavors as well as festive designs including the Celtics and other football themes. The service was very quick, as I waited less than five minutes, and the pricing is great–I paid about $6 for the whole meal, plus a $2 tip.

Breakfast from Pour is always worth the price, and I recommend this homey and welcoming spot to others.

Sam’s on the Harbor: Reviewed by Jimmy Tolton and Colin Morley

Located in the center of Scituate Harbor, Sam’s On the Harbor is a staple breakfast option. Most mornings, the restaurant is filled with locals who enjoy quality service and delicious food. No matter the morning, you will be seated right away. 

As soon as we were brought to our table, we were greeted by our waitress, who promptly took our drink orders. The coffee was fine, a 7/10, but the food was delicious. The chocolate chip pancakes were a table favorite, delivering great comfort and flavor for the mere cost of $6. The service was great, and the food came out really fast, and by the time we were out of the restaurant, only an hour had gone by. We would definitely recommend Sam’s On the Harbor if you are looking for a close, quick, and cheap breakfast option during the week.