Breadboard, yes, but if you're making your own PCB, I'd argue that SMD for the micro is easier (not to include BGA, but everything with perimeter pins, I think SMD is easier, even for the home hobbyist).

For SMD-only parts, there are SMD to DIP adapters readily available to let you use them on breadboards; for relatively low-frequency digital work, there's no problem using them, so being available in through-hole isn't a practical advantage.

And the "winner" is something like the Teensy which is an SMD part but its mounted on a board that gives it pins like a DIP chip.

NXP makes a smaller LPC that's also PTH, the LPC810. It's only 8 pins, but it looks a lot sexier for certain designs than the ol' standby ATtiny85, because it's got things like built-in i2c.

Oh, and with a mild amount of bravery, soldering SMD components isn't that difficult. A cheap toaster oven that you know damn well will never ever ever be used for making food again can do a decent enough job of doing the reflow for you.