Newport’s Hidden Gem Brunch Spot 🌊 Parakeet Cafe by the Sea 🌅✨

Parakeet Cafe is my recent favorite brunch spot—10/10 recommend! Everything on the menu is delicious, so you can order blindly without worrying about misses. The best part? The cafe is right across from the ocean~ It’s open until 7 PM, so you get California sunshine during the day and stunning sunsets in the evening. The vibe is unbeatable—I’m obsessed 😭! This cafe originally started in San Diego and now has multiple locations. The Newport spot has been around for a while, and I’ve been here several times with friends 💕—but they made me promise not to post about it right away (you know how it is with hidden gems, dddd!), so I waited a bit before sharing my thoughts ☺️☺️. ☁️ I’ve visited in-person and gotten takeout, so I’ll break down the dishes I’ve tried (and loved): 🧇 Charcoal Waffle: A must-try when you visit—we order this every single time! Unlike the usual hollow waffles, this one is denser but surprisingly soft and fluffy. It’s so memorable; I find myself craving it even after leaving 👍👍👍👍👍. 🍞 Truffle Scramble Toast: One bite, and you’ll be in heaven 😌. The truffle flavor is rich but not overpowering, and the scrambled eggs are creamy—total comfort food. 🥙 Parakeet Bowl: The cafe’s signature dish! Add salmon 🐟, and it becomes the ultimate “white people food” (in the best way)—the mayonnaise is the secret ingredient that ties everything together. So flavorful, I could eat this every week. 🍞 Eggs Benedict on Toast: It’s green because of the spinach pesto—we joke that it’s the “Hulk Benedict” 🧌! The hollandaise sauce is creamy, the eggs are perfectly poached, and the pesto adds a fresh, herby kick. These four are our top picks—we rarely stray from them! The rest depend on our mood:5. 🍔 Best Burger Ever: Danny orders this every time he can’t decide—it’s a classic, juicy burger that never disappoints.6. 🫕 Squash Soup: It’s a classic American-style squash soup, and I actually love it! Creamy, slightly sweet, and perfect for cooler days.7. 🍳🥯 Eggs & Salmon: Let’s be real—it looks amazing in the sun (super Instagram-worthy 📸)! But taste-wise, it’s a solid, nutritious toast—nothing fancy, just good.8. 🥣 Macrobiotic Bowl: It’s good, but I still prefer the Parakeet Bowl more—it has more flavor and texture. Bonus: The Plaza Has Great Extras! The cafe is in a plaza with tons of other gems: Trader Joe’s (yes, the beloved “Uncle Joe’s” 😂) A pressed juice shop blkdot coffee (newly opened!) Bear Flag Fish Co. (always busy—for good reason, their seafood is fresh!) I have to gush about blkdot coffee: Back when I was cramming for papers, this place kept me going. Their Vietnamese coffee is stronger than several cups of Starbucks—perfect for late-night study sessions 👍👍. It’s a bit sweet, but that’s exactly how I like it. They also just launched a new VTM Einspanner—so good, I’ve already had it twice 💕💕. #HiddenGemRestaurantShare #RestaurantRecommendation #GlobalFoodTribe #Cafe #DeliciousFood #AtmosphericRestaurant #FoodieCheckIn #Brunch #Coffee #Irvine #IrvineFood #NewportBeach