STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — We went on a hunt for the best eggs, pancakes, waffles and home fries for our Best of Breakfast on Staten Island 2025 contest. Fifty six places were nominated on our social pages, then the voting began and our winners were determined. The top three vote-getters were Z-Two Restaurant & Lounge in Charleston, Page Plaza Diner in Richmond Valley and Fina’s Farmhouse in Tottenville. The Advance/SILive.com recently visited each restaurant to find out why our readers chose each place for their morning meals. Z-Two is no stranger to our Best of contests. The restaurant/diner/lounge won for Best of Breakfast in years past — but this year was a little different. Owner Steve Osman has been running the show in Charleston for more than 14 years. But after a recent health scare, his 19-year-old son stepped up to help Pops with the day-to-day operations. And it has brought this restaurant family even closer together, they said. “My dad has been helping me and training me since I was 2 years old,” said Ali Osman. “He taught me to never cut corners and always do everything the right way. “And that’s what’s helped me step up here when he’s been out.” Our leading-vote getter didn’t abide by our three-dish request (who ever does?) of food to feature during our visit. The team brought out a ton of food to sample, showcasing the variety for all different types the customers enjoy. Here’s what they had: a chicken and waffle sandwich with honey honey chipotle; breakfast burger with short rib and cheddar cheese; double-waffle with brownie, ice cream and strawberry caramel; stuffed French toast with cannoli, chocolate chip and fruit; lox and bagel tower; avocado toast with gluten-free bread; lobster-tail Benedict; California omelette with steak and veggies; gluten-free Mexican breakfast burrito and Oreo pancake tacos with vanilla ice cream. And this isn’t even counting their shakes or breakfast mimosas. The point here is: “We have something for everyone,” said restaurant manager Khaled Elbahlawan. “We didn’t want to bring out too much food,” he said with a laugh, noting that they have quality food for any customer’s needs. The owner said winning our Best of contest again never gets old — because the loyalty from his customers “means everything.” “I need to thank my staff first, because without them, we wouldn’t be anywhere,” Steve said. “I’m so thankful to our customers and we will continue to keep going.” A mainstay for diner lovers on the South Shore has always been Page Plaza Diner. The restaurant has stood at the same location for almost 17 years inside the Page Plaza shopping center. “Talking to the people, seeing how they’re doing and making sure they leave happy is what always counts,” said Bahaa Elansary, the owner of Page Plaza Diner. “They should always walk in happy, leave happy and always feel satisfied.” The three dishes Elansary said helped propel his establishment into the top-three this year are the famous stuffed French toast with cream cheese; the lumberjack pancake stack with eggs, bacon, sausage and ham and Nutella crepes stuffed with strawberries and bananas. Elansary says there’s always been something unique about a diner and what it offers on Staten Island. “A diner is always for everyone at any time,” he said. “If you want breakfast or dinner, coffee or dessert, we have everything here.” The owner made sure to thank all of his staff and the customers who got word out about the Best of contest. He said hopes that if you haven’t tried them yet, you’ll stop in to try some signature dishes. “Thank you very much to everyone who chose us as the best three on Staten Island. We hope to see you soon!” Serafina Dunn always enjoyed brunch dates with her family. But she felt that there just wasn’t a place on Staten Island that fit the bill for her. That’s how Fina’s Farmhouse came to be, and what’s driven her to make some of the best breakfast and brunch food on Staten Island. “It’s been exciting, shocking, but we’re also super grateful,” she said. “To know we only opened four years ago and we’re top-three on Staten Island? “That’s a huge accomplishment.” Jeanne Dunn, Fina’s manager, said each dish is always inspected and isn’t sent out to a customer unless it meets their high standards every day. “We pride ourself in using the best quality ingredients,” she said. “All of our eggs are cage free . . . we fry all of our food in beef tallow and are a completely seed-oil free kitchen.” And these ladies made sure to remind us that they couldn’t stick to just three dishes when the Advance came to visit. “We’re Italian,” Jeanne said. “So everything we do is extra!” The duo prepared a bunch of dishes that they say are most often requested on a daily basis: the chicken and waffles; fried Oreo pancakes; brunch burger; eggs in Philly panini and their most popular steak Benny — an eggs Benedict dish with Angus certified ribeye steak. “We just want to thank you all for the continued support over the years,” Jeanne said, adding that they strive to provide a warm, welcoming place for everyone. “We need to thank our customers and our staff,” said Serafina. “They are a huge part of why Fina’s Farmhouse is where it is today.”
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