See photo: this is how Dottie’s should look when you arrive. Closed. The doors open at 7:30 am, and by eight there is a line to rival that of Ruby Skye’s on a Saturday night. There are two surefire ways to minimize your waiting: show up with friends at opening time or enjoy a solo breakfast at the counter. Touted by locals as the “best breakfast in San Francisco,” the ten-table Dottie’s draws hordes of visitors, even though its location in the slightly seedy Tenderloin is a bit off-putting for some tourists. The phenomenal fresh baked goods include cream-cheese zucchini bread and chocolate-chip toffee scones. Dottie’s permanent menu has well-prepared standbys like eggs and potatoes with chicken-apple sausage, and a peek at the specials board indicates delicacies such as eggs over black bean cakes. Not on the menu: ask for the amazing fruit salad mixed with homemade crunchy granola and yogurt. The efficient regular wait staff keep your coffee cup full. Dottie’s intimate kitschy décor is enjoyable but superfluous; the food would be worth it if they served it out of a hole in the ground.

Photo:  Catherine Wargo