: Sherrie Perkovich
One of my absolutely favorite things to do in SF is go out for breakfast. Not the Saturday and Sunday crazy brunch scene where you pay $20 each for breakfast (if you don’t drink a couple mimosa’s or bloody mary’s). No I’m talking the middle of the week local places where you are usually accompanied by old men sitting up at the bar, the occasional student, bartenders and the tourist.
For some reason, as you get older, women go to church and men go out for breakfast and to bars. Every now and again you’ll see an old lady at the bar drinking a bowl of scotch… but usually its the old dudes. And you never see them out after dark. Guess they come in for happy hour and leave before all the rowdy younger adults come in.
I digress… I was talking about breakfast. One of my fav dive diners for breakie is Bechelli’s in the Marina on Chestnut Street.
Bechelli's on Chesnut Street
Its been around since 1977. But it looks more like 1957. Complete with black and white checkered floors, uneven wood booths, retro light fixtures and an oval breakfast bar in the middle for the old dudes to sit, drink their coffee, eat their breakfast, read the paper and talk sports with the other old dudes.
Inside Bechelli's Diner
To be honest… the food is nothing spectacular. Its diner food. But the charm of the old place is way worth it. This morning I had a ham and cheese omelette with coffee. And it tastes just fine. And it tastes even better than usual since I had one too many glasses of vino last night!
Ham and cheese omelette at Bechelli's
They push OJ at this place like its crack. And it just might be. Its mighty tasty.
Go to Bechelli’s for the old school diner charm. Sit at the bar, bring your newspaper, people watch and get into chatter with the old dudes around you. I guarantee they have interesting stories to tell you. Then when you are done, you can burn off your breakfast walking the shops of Chestnut Street. There is mighty fine shopping, cafes and other local shops. Enjoy! 
DID YOU KNOW?: The word breakfast comes from “BREAK” and “FAST” referring to the conclusion of fasting since the previous day’s last meal. In Medieval Europe the basic format of meals differed from what is currently ‘standard’, in that only two meals were to be had – a heavy dinner at noon and a light supper. However, exceptions existed, most notably children and the infirm. They were allowed a small breakfast meal, and many laborers, farmers, and other physical workers also practiced the meal despite criticism and social pressure on them not to, and by the 15th century even the nobility had begun to ignore the rules and mores of polite society in order to take a breakfast.
