Sweet Maple

SF brunch import beloved for thick-cut millionaire bacon, fluffy pancakes, and creative egg dishes with lines forming before opening.

Sweet Maple gives Palo Alto brunch a playful streak, combining American breakfast staples with Korean and other Asian influences. The signature Millionaire's Bacon is one reason to look closely: thick bacon baked with brown sugar and peppers appears on its own, in a sampler and alongside eggs. We like the menu's willingness to move from that sweet-spicy starting point into very different breakfast ideas. A smoked-salmon Benedict uses cucumber-wasabi hollandaise, while galbi breakfast tacos and kimchi-topped loco moco bring savory alternatives. The chicken croffle pairs fried chicken with a croissant waffle, fruit and spicy honey-maple syrup. Omelets, scrambles, burgers and sandwiches give more familiar options at the University Avenue location. For brunch in downtown Palo Alto, the appeal is having both recognizable comfort food and inventive combinations that make it tempting to compare a few dishes across the table.