• Matthew Thorsen
• Parkway Diner

Parkway Diner

1696 Williston Rd., South Burlington, 652-1155

Parked on Williston Road since the 1950s, this vintage Worcester Lunch Car serves breakfast all day. While it looks like your typical greasy spoon, the specials are surprising — like the deep-fried pork tenderloin on a cheddar biscuit, topped with a runny egg and chipotle hollandaise. Is a basic two-egg plate more your steez? Add a side of crispy-on-the-outside, buttery-on-the-inside home fries. And if you're off the oeufs-and-bacon wagon, there's an open-faced turkey sandwich, smothered in velvety gravy, whispering your name. No better way to start the day.

The Doughnut Dilemma

55 Main St., Burlington, thedoughnutdilemma.com

Apple fritter or Funfetti? Boston cream or blueberry? Deciding which artisanal doughnut to order may take a while, so go early — the shop closes when the 'nuts run out.

Mirabelles Café & Bakery

198 Main St., Burlington, mirabellescafe.com

Crowds line up for stellar sweets stacked in tiered trays and glass cases. Seeking a sit-down affair? Don't miss the popover breakfast, heaped with scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and lemon-shallot crème fraîche.

Penny Cluse Café

169 Cherry St., Burlington, pennycluse.com

Long lines signal food that's worth the wait — and celebs such as Elijah Wood and Joe Biden have joined the café's devoted following. Try the Zydeco Breakfast — two eggs any style, black beans, corn muffins and andouille sausage.

Rustic Roots

195 Falls Rd., Shelburne, rusticrootsvt.com

You can get shirred eggs, burlap bacon and cinnamon-bread French toast all day long at this intimate chef-owned eatery. Not sure what all of that is? Try it; you'll like it.

Sneakers Bistro

28 Main St., Winooski, sneakersbistro.com

Weekend brunch at Winooski's retro café is the stuff of legends, and the daily specials are always eclectic. The classic eggs Benedict is a home run.

The Swingin' Pinwheel Café and Bakery

11 Center St., Burlington, theswinginpinwheel.com

Grab a stuffed popover or wafflini — that's a waffle sandwich — at this Western-themed bakery. The cowboy coffee is strong enough to bring you back to life.