Tucked away on North 1st Street in downtown Phoenix, Matt’s Big Breakfast has quietly become one of the most beloved morning spots in all of Arizona. With a 4.5-star rating from over 5,500 reviews, this cozy American cafe has earned a loyal following of locals and curious visitors alike.
Open every day from 7 AM to 2 PM, it serves up fresh, hearty breakfast and brunch dishes that keep people coming back week after week. Whether you are a Phoenix native or just passing through, this place gives you every reason to set that early alarm.
A Welcoming Atmosphere That Feels Like Home
Walking through the door at Matt’s Big Breakfast feels less like entering a restaurant and more like stepping into a neighbor’s kitchen on a Sunday morning. The space is bright, happy, and filled with colorful energy that instantly puts a smile on your face.
Reviewers consistently mention how clean and organized the place feels. Fresh flowers sit on the tables, adding a charming touch that shows the staff genuinely cares about the experience.
The seating options include both indoor and outdoor areas, so you can enjoy your meal however you like.
Whether you are grabbing a solo breakfast or bringing the whole crew, the laid-back charm makes everyone feel right at home. It is the kind of spot that has that unmistakable “everyone loves this place” energy the moment you walk in.
The Team-Concept Service That Actually Works
Forget the frustrating experience of waiting for your one assigned server while others walk right past you. At Matt’s Big Breakfast, the entire staff operates as a team, meaning anyone on the floor can check on your table, refill your coffee, or bring your order.
Customers rave about how no one is ever just standing around doing nothing. Every team member stays in motion, and the result is a dining experience that feels smooth, attentive, and genuinely caring.
One reviewer noted that their coffee never dropped below half-full before someone came to top it off.
This system works especially well during busy morning rushes when traditional service models tend to fall apart. You feel looked after without feeling hovered over.
It is a small operational detail that makes a surprisingly big difference in how enjoyable your meal turns out to be.
Hash Browns That Deserve Their Own Fan Club
Some restaurants treat hash browns like an afterthought, tossing out a limp pile of potatoes and calling it a side dish. Matt’s Big Breakfast takes a completely different approach, and the result has become one of the most talked-about items on the entire menu.
Described by multiple reviewers as super crunchy on the outside yet firm on the inside, these hash browns are seasoned well and cooked with obvious care. One guest from out of town called them the best part of the whole meal.
Another said real hash browns are genuinely hard to find these days, making this spot a rare treat.
Paired with eggs, a burrito, or just enjoyed on their own, these golden beauties hold up to every expectation. If crispy, well-seasoned potatoes are your love language, Matt’s Big Breakfast already has your heart.
The Big Papa Burrito Worth Every Single Bite
Stuffed with chorizo, potatoes, egg, and cheese inside a fresh flour tortilla made right here in Phoenix, the Big Papa Burrito is a menu item that means serious business. It is filling, flavorful, and the kind of breakfast that keeps you going well past lunchtime.
Guy Fieri famously put this downtown Phoenix spot on the map, and the Big Papa Burrito is one of the dishes that helped earn that national attention. Reviewers who ordered it describe it as worth every bite, especially when topped with the restaurant’s house-made hot sauce.
A few guests mentioned they wished it had a bit more sauce coverage straight out of the kitchen, so do not be shy about asking for extra. The tortilla itself is a standout detail, made locally and noticeably fresher than what you find at most breakfast chains.
Fluffy Pancakes That Live Up to the Hype
A French tourist guide dedicated to NBA cities actually listed Matt’s Big Breakfast as a must-visit spot, largely because of the pancakes. That might sound like an odd endorsement, but one taste and it starts to make complete sense.
These are not the flat, rubbery discs that come out of a box mix. Reviewers call them fluffy, sweet, and deeply satisfying.
One guest from Houston said they were among the best pancakes they had ever tasted, and they travel enough to know the difference. The short stack side option lets you add them to any meal without going overboard.
Served alongside the restaurant’s house-made strawberry preserves, the pancakes become something genuinely special. The preserves add a bright, fruity layer that complements the buttery softness of the cakes in a way that store-bought syrup simply cannot match.
Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice That Starts the Morning Right
There is something about fresh-squeezed orange juice that immediately signals a restaurant cares about quality. At Matt’s Big Breakfast, the OJ is not poured from a carton or a concentrate jug.
It is the real deal, squeezed fresh, and customers notice the difference immediately.
Multiple reviewers specifically called out the orange juice as one of the highlights of their visit. The natural sweetness and bright citrus flavor pair perfectly with the savory, hearty breakfast plates the restaurant is known for.
It is the kind of small detail that elevates the whole experience.
Starting your morning with a glass of something genuinely fresh sets a different tone for the entire day. For visitors who are used to the bland, mass-produced version served at most diners, this one comes as a welcome and refreshing surprise worth ordering every single time.
House-Made Preserves and Hot Sauce You Will Want to Take Home
Most breakfast spots hand you a little plastic packet of grape jelly and call it a day. Matt’s Big Breakfast makes its own strawberry preserves in-house, and the difference is immediately obvious from the first bite.
Thick, bright, and bursting with real fruit flavor, they make toast, pancakes, and biscuits taste completely transformed.
The house-made hot sauce is equally impressive and has developed its own loyal following. Reviewers consistently rank it above even the beloved Arizona-based Gunslinger hot sauce that the restaurant also carries.
The balance of heat and flavor is just right without being overwhelming.
Here is the best part: both the preserves and the hot sauce are available for purchase to take home. One guest from Houston bought all three house-made products to bring back, though she sadly left the preserves behind at the restaurant.
That kind of regret says everything you need to know.
Sourdough Toast With a Crunch You Can Actually Hear
Sourdough toast might sound like the most ordinary thing on a breakfast menu, but Matt’s Big Breakfast manages to make it memorable. The slices come thick, toasted to a genuine golden crunch, and carry that slightly tangy sourdough flavor that plain white bread can never replicate.
One reviewer described having a nice crunch with every single bite, which sounds simple but is actually harder to pull off consistently than most kitchens realize. Paired with the restaurant’s house-made strawberry preserves, this toast becomes one of those small menu moments that sticks with you long after the meal ends.
For the anniversary Corned Beef Hash special served on Wednesdays, the sourdough is the perfect companion, soaking up all the rich savory flavors while still holding its own texture. Good toast is underrated, and this version is a quiet reminder of just how satisfying the basics can be when done right.
Steak and Eggs Done Like a Sunday Celebration
Sunday mornings call for something extra, and the steak and eggs special at Matt’s Big Breakfast answers that call in a big way. The steak arrives cooked to perfection, and the eggs are handled with the kind of care that shows the kitchen knows what it is doing.
One enthusiastic reviewer called it absolutely bomb and said the combination of the steak, eggs, and a side of thick-cut bacon was the perfect trio of crispy and chewy textures. Adding a single griddlecake on the side rounds out the plate into something that feels almost celebratory for a weekday morning.
The portion size is generous, which makes the pricing feel even more reasonable for a downtown Phoenix location. If you are the type of person who believes breakfast should be the biggest and best meal of the day, this plate will completely validate that philosophy without apology.
The Wednesday Corned Beef Hash Special Worth Planning Around
Mark your calendar for Wednesday, because that is the only day you can get the 20th Anniversary Corned Beef Hash at Matt’s Big Breakfast. This is not a gimmick or a marketing trick.
Reviewers who have tried it call it the best corned beef hash they have ever eaten, full stop.
Served with thick sourdough toast and the restaurant’s signature house-made strawberry preserves, the dish is a savory-sweet combination that somehow just works. The richness of the hash against the bright tartness of the preserves creates a balance that feels surprisingly sophisticated for a casual breakfast spot.
Planning a visit specifically around a Wednesday might sound a little extreme, but plenty of regulars do exactly that. When a dish earns that level of loyalty, it is worth a little scheduling effort.
Go early, because this special tends to generate buzz and the tables fill up fast.
Outdoor and Indoor Seating for Every Kind of Morning
Phoenix mornings, especially from fall through spring, are genuinely some of the most beautiful in the country. Matt’s Big Breakfast takes full advantage of that with a layout that offers both indoor and outdoor seating, letting guests choose their own vibe for the meal.
The recent expansion and remodel gave the restaurant a noticeably larger and more comfortable footprint. Reviewers who visited after the renovation describe a beautiful space with plenty of room to relax and enjoy the meal without feeling crowded or rushed.
The spacing between tables also allows for normal, low-volume conversations without having to shout.
On a crisp Phoenix morning with a fresh cup of coffee in hand and a plate of hash browns on the way, sitting outside at Matt’s feels like exactly the right way to start the day. It is the kind of setting that makes you want to linger just a little longer.
Reasonable Prices That Make Quality Feel Accessible
Downtown Phoenix dining can get pricey fast, which is part of what makes Matt’s Big Breakfast such a refreshing find. The restaurant is rated at a mid-range price point, but the portion sizes are generous enough that most guests leave feeling like they got more than their money’s worth.
Visitors from Miami, Houston, and even international travelers have commented on how reasonable the pricing feels given the quality of the ingredients. Fresh-squeezed juice, house-made preserves, real hash browns, and locally made tortillas are not cheap ingredients, yet the menu stays approachable for most budgets.
For a downtown breakfast spot that has been featured on national food platforms and earned over 5,500 reviews, the value proposition is genuinely strong. You are not paying a premium just for the name recognition.
The food backs up every dollar spent, which is exactly how a neighborhood breakfast spot should operate.
A Local Gem That Visitors Keep Discovering
There is a certain kind of restaurant that locals fiercely protect and visitors instantly fall in love with. Matt’s Big Breakfast at 817 N 1st Street in downtown Phoenix is exactly that kind of place.
It has been quietly earning its reputation for years, one perfect plate at a time.
Guests from Miami, Houston, France, and beyond have made special trips just to try it, often after seeing it featured online or hearing about it through word of mouth. Guy Fieri’s endorsement brought a wave of new curious visitors, and the vast majority of them left as converts.
Open every single day from 7 AM to 2 PM, it is accessible, consistent, and genuinely worth the early alarm. Whether you stumble upon it by accident or plan your whole morning around it, Matt’s Big Breakfast has a way of turning first-time visitors into people who are already planning their next trip back.