Breakfast in Rethymno can mean very different things. You might want a proper brunch, a neighbourhood café where you can take your time, or simply bougatsa and coffee before getting on with your day.
Instead of giving you a long list of places to compare, here is a simpler way to choose: what kind of morning do you want?
Quick Choice: Where Should You Go?
| If you want… | Choose… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast to be part of the plan | Yellow Brunch Cafe | A breakfast-focused place for a morning when you want to sit down and take your time. |
| A proper modern brunch | Theorist | Go here when eggs, avocado toast and a fuller brunch are what you have in mind. |
| A neighbourhood café morning | Barrio | Good when coffee, breakfast and the café atmosphere matter equally. |
| A later breakfast in central Rethymno | LivingRoom | An all-day option for a morning that has already started late. |
| Something quick instead of brunch | the Macedonian | Bougatsa, pastry and coffee, then get on with your day. |
There is no number one here. Each place solves a different kind of morning.
Yellow: When Breakfast Is Part of the Plan
Yellow Brunch Cafe is for the morning when you wake up thinking, “Let’s go out for breakfast.”
You are not grabbing something on the way to the beach or eating before an excursion. You have time to sit down, order breakfast and let that be part of the morning.
If that sounds like your plan, Yellow is the straightforward choice.
Theorist: When You Really Mean Brunch
Theorist is a better fit when breakfast really means a modern brunch.
Think eggs, avocado toast and a fuller plate rather than coffee and something quick. This is the one to consider when you are in no hurry and want brunch to carry you well into the day.
Come here when you want brunch to be the meal, not just the start of it.
Barrio: For Coffee, Breakfast and Time to Sit
Barrio The Neighbourhood Cafe works when you are looking for a café as much as you are looking for breakfast.
Have something to eat, order another coffee and take your time. It is a different mood from going somewhere specifically for a big brunch.
Here, the café is part of the choice. If coffee matters more than breakfast, continue with our Coffee Culture in Rethymno guide.
LivingRoom: When Breakfast Is Turning Into Lunch
LivingRoom GastroBar works well for a late start in central Rethymno. It is an all-day place, and its breakfast and brunch menu includes omelettes, French toast, yoghurt and granola, Eggs Benedict and avocado-based dishes.
I know LivingRoom mainly in the evening. When I go for a cocktail or a glass of wine, I usually sit outside. Inside can get loud; outside I can still enjoy the atmosphere and have a conversation.
That is my experience of LivingRoom at night, not its breakfast. For breakfast and brunch, I am including it here because of the menu and its all-day format. You can read more in our LivingRoom GastroBar Rethymno guide.
Don’t Want Brunch? Have Bougatsa Instead
Not every morning needs pancakes, avocado toast or Eggs Benedict.
If you want something quick with coffee, the Macedonian is the alternative on this list: bougatsa and other pastries instead of a modern brunch.
Get something to eat, have your coffee and continue with the day. Sometimes that is all breakfast needs to be. For more on bougatsa, pastries and local bakeries, see our Desserts & Bakeries in Rethymno guide.
What If You Need Breakfast Early?
If you are leaving early for a beach, hike, excursion or long drive, keep breakfast simple. A bakery-style breakfast or an early café is often more practical than waiting for a full brunch.
If you have nowhere to rush, do the opposite: sit down, order what you actually want and give breakfast some time.
So the useful question is not only “Where should I have breakfast in Rethymno?” It is also:
How much of your morning do you want to give to breakfast?
