Up early? Where to eat breakfast in Winston-Salem

Early to bed, early to rise? Up at the crack of dawn, even though you went to sleep just a few hours ago? Never went to bed in the first place?!? Here are the hot spots for early morning breakfast in Winston-Salem.

First, let’s look at this objectively. If you’re up early (and by early you mean before noon), you’ll most definitely want to head over to Mary’s Of Course on Brookstown Avenue. Mary’s opens its doors at 9:30am Tuesday through Friday, and 10:00am on Saturday and Sunday–perfect timing for you college kids and recent grads. If the weather is nice, make sure you stake out the patio tables along the front and side; your server will come to you! With an impressively diverse menu, and breakfast served all day long, you’ll almost certainly be able to find something you’re dying to try, whatever your tastes. My suggestions: don’t pass on their hash browns (add them as a side item whenever you can!), their build-your-own omelets are humongous and outrageously good (spinach and feta omelet to die for), and finally, you have to give their newest breakfast sandwich “Apple Butter Baby” a spin (smoked sausage, apple butter & scrambled eggs on whole wheat toast — $4.89)

If you’re up and you can see straight even earlier (let’s say before 9:00am), I happily point you toward Ollie’s Bakery on South Marshall. Ollie’s opens at 7:00am Tuesday through Friday, and 8:00am on Saturday and Sunday. There are a couple tables out on their porch that you can try to snag, or you can sip your coffee at one of a few indoor tables. Check out their menu before you go (though they’ll have a variety of freshly baked goodies when you peruse their board) and make sure you try their HUGE cinnamon buns, their delicious Pain au Chocolat and their tasty cheddar scones.

Now, if you’re up and at ‘em really early (we’re talking before 7:00am, folks) you have to check out my favorite place in Winston-Salem for breakfast: The Bagel Station on Oakwood Drive. They don’t have a website of their own, and you might overlook them if you’re driving by, but you’ll do yourself a disservice if you count them out just because they’re low-key. The Bagel Station is open daily from 6:00am to 2:00pm and serves up the most incredible bagels and bagel sandwiches you’ve ever sunk your teeth into. Their wares, baked fresh daily, are spread beneath the front glass counter and you can buy any variety in any amount to eat at their wooden tables or to take home and freeze for the week ahead. Have them toast ‘em up for you, pick up some of their specialty cream cheeses or choose a delicious sandwich they’ll prepare in front of you. My picks: cheddar bagels galore (or my sandwich of choice, cheddar bagel, sausage, egg and cheddar cheese!), raisin bagels with their cinnamon sugar cream cheese or their tasty sun dried tomato basil bagels! They also have whole wheat bagels for you health-nuts.

Eat your hearts out, Winston-Salem!

[Bagel Station image: wakestudent.com]