Easy to eat on the go and hearty enough to keep most energized until past noon, the breakfast burrito is an all-star start to the day. Whether packed with veggies, salty meat or with a dose of hot sauce, this ultra-customizable meal, neatly wrapped up in a tortilla, is universally revered and available on menus everywhere, and not just in the mornings.
THE YARDS BRUNCHEON 1248 W. Summit Pkwy.
What we got: Breakfast burrito, $13
I am completely spoiled by my partner's breakfast burrito-making prowess at home, so there's not much that can tempt me to order one when dining out. But when I saw that the Yards' fills its version with avocado and cilantro, along with chorizo and cream cheese, I was intrigued. The hefty burrito is certainly enough to split into two modestly sized meals if you choose, and comes with a decent-sized side of diner-style home fries. The eggs inside were nice and fluffy, and the cilantro added some herbal zest. The avocado got a little lost in this flavorful mix, and some bites without chorizo or cream cheese were a little bland. Getting a perfectly blended bite of any burrito can be a challenge though, am I right? Eating this to-go at my desk, I spiced things up with some Fletcher's Hot Sauce. (CHEY SCOTT)
GERARDO'S AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD 2706 N. Monroe; 723 First St., Cheney
What we got: Breakfast burrito, $5.69
A couple of things you should know when it comes to Gerardo's breakfast burritos — they serve them all day, and they are huge. HUGE. They actually have several burritos on their "breakfast" menu, including sausage, bacon and a steak and egg version, but I went for the one simply labeled "breakfast burrito." What I got was a monster-sized tortilla filled with essentially a Denver omelet. The ham, egg, onion and red bell pepper made for a pleasing filling, and the spicy green salsa I got on the side made it even better. If there was any potato — a staple of many breakfast burritos — it was pretty scarce. Consider this gut bomb "protein-forward." (DAN NAILEN)
SATELLITE DINER & LOUNGE 425 W. Sprague
What we got: Breakfast burrito, $11.95
Bring a friend for this one, it's a breakfast burrito that can feed at least two people depending on how hungry you are. They cut it in half before it ever reaches your table, making sharing easy, and it's served with a sweet side of cinnamon toast, as well as salsa and sour cream. The burrito itself is pretty basic, stuffed with the Satellite's shredded hash browns, eggs, cheddar and your choice of bacon, ham or German sausage. I opted for the bacon because, duh, bacon, but there wasn't a ton of flavor to the whole thing until adding the salsa. It does get bonus points, though, for the nice crispy tortilla thanks to a quick visit to the grill. (DN)
MY FRESH BASKET 1030 W. Summit Pkwy.
What we got: Breakfast vegetarian burrito, $5
What started out as a relationship of convenience eventually blossomed to true love. My Fresh Basket is down the road from Inlander Central Command, and a visit when I was too harried to down breakfast at home before work turned me on to the grocer's grab-n-go breakfast burritos. They come in two forms; the regular breakfast burrito typically includes breakfast sausage or bacon among its ingredients, but I've become monogamous in my love of the vegetarian version. Packed with black beans, potatoes, eggs, salsa and cheddar in a flour tortilla, it's always hot and satisfying. The salsa is negligible, so I keep a bottle of hot sauce handy, and the occasional inclusion of broccoli, red and/or yellow bell peppers is always a welcome treat. (DN)
MAD MOOSE CONCESSIONS 510 E. Best Ave., Coeur d'Alene
What we got: Mad Wrap, $9
Gotta love a chef who prefers "and" to the word "or," as in ham, bacon and sausage in this more-than-you-can-eat-in-one-sitting burrito. It came close to recreating the taste experience of my first breakfast burrito — also served by a food truck, but it had chorizo — when I realized part of the appeal was in knowing you could continue gnawing on the thing for lunch. Mad Moose's version includes eggs, semi-crispy hash browns, mild purple onion, sweet red pepper and cheese, but the real kicker is that they grill the burrito, reintroducing that necessary crunch associated with hash browns. (CARRIE SCOZZARO)
THE COMPASS BREAKFAST WAGON 1600 W. Tenth Ave.
What we got: The B-Fast Burrito, $5; $6 with bacon or sausage gravy
I am a fan of a quick and simple fix to my breakfast cravings and the Compass Breakfast Wagon food truck does just that. Their website says it best: the B-Fast Burrito is "compact and flavor packed." This tasteful creation is filled to the brim with classic breakfast burrito necessities to help you jump start the day: two eggs, hash browns, a Mexican cheese blend and sautéd peppers with options to add bacon, sausage gravy or vegetables. To top it off, the burrito comes with Sriracha aioli and De Leon's salsa verde. (RILEY UTLEY)
BRUNCHEONETTE 1011 Broadway Ave.
What we got: The breakfast burrito with tater tots, $12.50
I love big tots and I cannot lie. I'll take them on the side of my dish. In a large mound. Stuffed inside my food. I don't care. I will devour each crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside nugget with glee. At Bruncheonette, not only do these babies fill the inside of your beautiful breakfast burrito, they also come in a bowl on the side. I digress. The breakfast burrito is also pretty damn good. But when you take crowd-pleasers (breakfast + burrito = impossible to screw up) and fill them with other crowd-pleasing ingredients (in this case: scrambled eggs, bacon, cream cheese, avocado, and did I mention tater tots?) it's really hard to get bad results. Dip it in the Yellowbird habanero or jalapeno hot sauce provided for spicier results. (QUINN WELSCH)
CHAPS DINER & BAKERY 4237 S. Cheney Spokane Rd.
What we got: The breakfast burrito, $9
I may have been a little underdressed for the garden-casual vibe at Chaps, but I was hung over and I needed a cure. And Chaps delivered. Their breakfast burrito was precisely what I needed: a combo of protein, carbs and grease, with a small side of fresh fruit (vitamins!). My taste buds aren't the most keen, so I naturally thrive off texture. The burrito is a delicious combination of gooey, crunchy, meaty goodness. Wrapped in what looks like a sun-dried tomato tortilla, it contains scrambled egg, cheddar cheese, potato, pico de gallo, sour cream and my choice of protein, chorizo sausage. (QW)
ATILANO'S Six Inland Northwest locations
What we got: Chorizo breakfast burrito, $4.19
Ah, Atilano's. The local chain offers some of the best cheap eats in town, and it's a regular stop for me, especially when I'm craving a filling breakfast burrito. They're good at any time of day, and you've got a variety to choose from — steak, ham and potato ($4.19), as well as the loaded super breakfast burrito ($4.59), which includes bacon, ham, cheese, potato and egg. On this particular excursion, I opted for the chorizo burrito, a delicious combination of scrambled egg, potato, refried beans and Mexican sausage. As is the case with most Atilano's dishes, it's simple but satisfying, and the portion size isn't messing around — this is one hefty $4 burrito. And since all of its locations are only closed for about three hours every night, it's an ideal stop for a late-night fourth meal or a morning hangover cure. (NATHAN WEINBENDER)
CLARK'S FORK 1028 N. Hamilton St.
What we got: Trail Wrap, $7.49
If there is one thing in this world I love, it is a breakfast burrito. Perhaps it's the nostalgia I feel when I see a neatly wrapped burrito, or maybe it's because I can use my hands to eat them and barely need a plate, but mostly because a well-executed breakfast burrito is comparable to a warm hug. It's also really hard to get wrong. That being said, the Trail Wrap at Clark's Fork did not disappoint. Fluffy scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, cheddar cheese and pico-style salsa wrapped in a warm tortilla came together to form a respectable vegetarian breakfast burrito that can be enjoyed at any time of day. Though nothing extraordinary, this wrap certainly got the job done, and I was left feeling comfortably full while maintaining the healthy vibe Clark's Fork always promises. If protein is what you're after, meat can be added for $2, and avocado for $1. (MORGAN SCHEERER) ♦
