In my family of four, it’s hard to ever come to a consensus on what to eat. If my son wants tacos, my daughter wants pizza. If my husband wants burgers, I’m craving pasta. And so it goes, most days of the week. Though one thing we can always agree on when it comes to dining out is our favorite breakfast place, First Watch. (The fast-growing chain isn’t just our pick—it was recently named as a top spot by Newsweek readers, too.)
First Watch is the great equalizer in our household, and the kids always get excited when we have the chance to go. So when we saw the new holiday menu, we jumped at the chance to try it. While we each have our typical favorites—Market Hash for me, pancakes for the kids—this new holiday menu might have us switching up our orders with new twists on the classics.
First Watch’s 2025 Holiday Menu Has 4 New Items and a Returning Fan Favorite
To kick things off, First Watch is offering its coziest, most decadent treat yet. The Cheesecake Holey Donuts with Nutella take the chain’s perfectly poppable donut holes and gives them a festive upgrade with a cinnamon-sugar dusting, Nutella drizzle, glazed strawberries, and spiced gingerbread cookie crumbles. As if that wasn’t enough, they’re served on top of a whipped cheesecake filling.
Our family often gets an order of the regular donuts to share, so we were happy to try this version, and it didn’t disappoint. Cheesecake and Nutella? How can you go wrong? The donuts are the perfect balance of light and crispy, yet oh-so melt-in-your-mouth satisfying. We can’t wait to eat these all season long.
Next on the menu are two savory newcomers—Carne Asada Breakfast Tacos and Double Bacon Parmesan Hash. The tacos are always a winner at First Watch, so we knew these would be no different. The holiday edition features three fresh tortillas stuffed with carne asada, scrambled eggs, Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, pico de gallo, avocado, pickled red onions, cilantro, and a spicy crema. They’re also served with a side of seasoned black beans to round out each bite. The verdict? I could eat these every day.
The Double Bacon Parmesan Hash takes the chain’s hash format to new heights with the addition of smoked bacon, roasted onions, sautéed spinach, and mozzarella, all mixed into the typical potato hash. It gets topped with your choice of eggs, more smoked bacon, a Parmesan cream sauce, and a fresh and peppery arugula salad for added brightness and crunch. I loved this latest hash riff and would order it again—in between staying true to my beloved Market Hash staple, of course.
For those of us who love the juices (my husband always orders a Morning Mediation), the Tangerine Dream is here just in time to add a refreshing treat to our dreary mornings. Fresh tangerine and pineapple juices get leveled up with ginger and a creamy vanilla coconut milk topper for an irresistible taste of sunshine during the cold months.
Finally, wrapping up the holiday lineup, we have a returning fan favorite making its long-awaited return. The Cinnamon Chip Pancake Breakfast pairs eggs cooked any style with a cinnamon chip-studded pancake and choice of bacon, ham, or sausage. The Cinnamon Chip Pancake is the spice-filled, comforting version of First Watch’s light-as-air flapjacks that come steaming hot off the griddle, and were the highlight for my kids. This order will be on repeat for us until it takes another long winter’s nap.
Whichever holiday treat speaks to you, there is no wrong answer with First Watch’s offerings. If it’s too hard to choose, order like we did and get one of each. Fans on social media are ready to do the same, commenting “I’ll take one of everything,” and “All of the above!” Though we also can’t blame this person who said, “I’ll take 8 orders of Nutella donuts to go, please.”
First Watch is only open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, though, so just make sure you slot this into your holiday shopping schedule accordingly when you need extra fuel this time of year. We’ll see you in the long line for a table.
