By Cheryl Pruett
Every restaurant meal is a mini vacation. Kick off summer with a neighborhood breakfast road trip. Since Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of the season, it’s time to begin an eatery vacay.
Early birds rise and shine. Those less inclined to get up and go at the crack of dawn can still shake their night owl feathers to order the most important meal of the day.
Breakfast doesn’t always mean eggs. There are so many breakfast opportunities in Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, a hungry person can fill their summer with many morning meals.
A breakfast can stand alone as a mini-vacay moment or be paired with a walk, a beach outing or even a pre-meal before a cruise to Catalina from Dana Point Harbor.
DANA POINT
Turk’s at Dana Point Harbor continues to draw locals and visitors as much for the legacy of its body builder-actor founder as it does the bar’s atmosphere and food. It’s a bit of a trip to a nostalgic time.
The white board menu with handwritten items is your starting point. Turk’s is known for its spicy Bloody Marys. Chili cheese omelet is among its staples. Check for daily specials.
34683 Golden Lantern St. 949.496.9028. turksdpharbor.com.
RJ’s Café offers a menu so packed that it will make you hungry simply reading it. If bicycling in the harbor area, here’s a good stopping point. RJ Heavenly Potatoes is a meal in itself, featuring potatoes, two types of cheese, mushrooms, onions and spinach.
25001 Dana Point Harbor Dr. 949.218.5757. rjscafe.com.
SAN CLEMENTE
Alohana Acai Bowls & Coffee provides refreshing, healthy and quick options to eat your breakfast in or grab to-go on the way to the beach or other summer activities.
Made fresh to order, the most popular bowl is T-Street with acai, granola, banana, strawberries, blueberries, coconut shavings and honey. A Sunrise smoothie is another simple option with pitaya (dragon fruit), mango and orange juice. Add-ons and gluten-free options are available.
360 Camino de Estrella. 949.388.4015; 111 W. Avenida Palizada. 949.573.1129. alohanaacaioc.com.
Café Mimosa is one of the multiple breakfast options on a walk downtown. The name is a hint of what’s to come, given there are about 12 flavors of mimosas available.
On a visit, the crème brulee French toast provides a taste adventure using ciabatta bread, custard, and crème anglaise. Or try an egg white frittata with veggies and Swiss cheese, topped with Romesco sauce.
243 Avenida Del Mar. 949.481.6780. cafemimosasc.com.
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
Mollies is like a visit home. Known for oversized pancakes, why not try the bacon pancakes? Two treats in one with bacon mixed into the batter for a different pancake treat.
The menu is jam-packed with homestyle breakfasts for this nearby morning wake-up meal.
32033 Camino Capistrano. 949.881.6015. molliessanjuan.com.
JD Flannel Donuts and Coffee provides a reason to make donuts a breakfast meal. After all, donuts set a vacation mood. So, if donuts are your breakfast go-to, be prepared for more than the traditional donut fare.
The menu includes a taste bud vacation with such flavors as blueberry-lemon, brown butter sea salt, and maple bacon. Map out your donut journey: apple fritters, cake donuts, and a variety of glazes. Donut flavors and creations change monthly, so check what’s in store.
31878 Del Obispo St. 949.218.4483. jdflannel.com.Cheryl Pruett is an award-winning journalist and editor, having covered Orange County city and county topics to the food scene for Orange County Register, Patch.com and local magazines. She has called Dana Point/Capistrano Beach home for more than 30 years.
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