A good rule of thumb for any vacation is to eat where the locals do. Since you may not know any of our locals yet, we'd like to share a few of their favorites to get you up and at 'em with a great breakfast, or ease into the morning with the best brunch in town:
Punta Gorda
At John Ski's House of Breakfast and Lunch, the huge breakfast menu runs until 3 pm, so there's no pressure to rush. This is the kind of place that's packed on a Tuesday morning — always a good sign.
Tamiami Tavern earns its following with a menu that goes well beyond eggs and toast: a wide variety of Benedicts, hearty skillets with corned beef hash or steak, smoked salmon bagels, avocado toast, and more.
For a special-occasion brunch, Perch 360 atop The Wyvern Hotel is hard to beat. Weekend mornings from 8 to 11:30 am, you'll have sweeping views of Punta Gorda and Charlotte Harbor alongside a great breakfast menu.
Port Charlotte
Sweet's Diner has been an institution in Port Charlotte for over 17 years, and the loyalty runs deep. Come hungry and try the Pile Up and you'll understand immediately.
Little Good Times Diner has the homey feel and friendly service of a classic small-town diner. On good authority: the omelets are big, the potatoes are very good, and you should absolutely try the Oatmeal Crusted French Toast.
Zoe's Sweet Kitchen makes it easy to build your own perfect breakfast with specialty waffles, breakfast sandwiches, and an a la carte menu that gives you plenty of room to mix and match.
Englewood
Good Times Diner is a family-owned spot with an extensive menu of classics, Mexican breakfasts, specialty omelets, and daily specials. The kind of place where you feel like a regular on your first visit.
Spinnaker Cafe has been keeping Englewood going since 1980, and it's still the one locals keep coming back to — sometimes every single day. The menu is deep, from classic breakfasts to 16 different Benedicts, with fresh-baked pastries you won't want to skip.
At Coffee & Friends Breakfast Restaurant, you can sit down and savor or drive through and go. Alongside the usual breakfast lineup, they offer Birchermüesli—a popular Swiss breakfast of grains, nuts, seeds, raw rolled oats, dried and fresh fruit, milk, and yogurt, served with Swiss bread. You don't see that every day.
After an energizing breakfast or a laid-back brunch, you’ll have plenty of energy to enjoy all the delightful activities and attractions in Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach!
