Great starts with home-style food
Looking for a hearty breakfast? Here's where to start your day (no matter when it begins)

By JESSICA PACHLER, For The Capital

Published 03/23/07, Copyright © 2007 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.

The prevailing wisdom in Annapolis is that, while there are numerous places to get a nice leisurely brunch on the weekend, there only a few places for a hearty weekday breakfast.

There is, of course, Chick and Ruth's, the downtown stalwart, where breakfast is served from 6:30 until closing each and every day. Many a story can be, and has been, written about this venerable Annapolis institution, its morning flag raising, its named dishes (such as the Senator Pinsky Pastrami and Swiss Omelet) and its walls of local and national notable faces.

There is also the Double T Diner, the classic 24-7 breakfast/Greek/anything you might possibly be hungry for diner. Breakfast at the Double T is served all day, and all night, so you can satisfy your craving whether it's 8 a.m., 8 p.m. or 2 a.m. Challah French Toast, eggs your way, omelets the size of the plate - all this and more can be yours at the Double T.

Other than these two, and various coffee shops and fast-food places, convention has it that breakfast, at least in Annapolis, is something you make at home or eat on the weekends. Well, as it turns out, convention, in this case, is wrong. Very wrong.

Breakfast is a meal that is alive and well in Annapolis and one that can be had around town, and throughout the day. Whether you are looking for a quick grab and go or a sit down, whether you're eating at the "normal" breakfast time or have your bacon and egg hankering in the middle of the afternoon, whether you're downtown, in Eastport or in Severna Park, you can have your breakfast and eat it too...

Pusser's

You can usually find breakfast served at hotel restaurants, though sometimes the quality often leaves something to be desired. That cannot be said for the breakfasts at Pusser's (80 Compromise St.) in the Marriott Hotel where an a la carte breakfast menu is served from 6:30 to 11 and a breakfast buffet is served from 7 to 10 every weekday.

The buffets - there are three choices - go from small (cereal, fruit and bakery items) to large (the above, plus omelets, waffles, a carving board, five hot items and more). The a la carte menu features the classic egg and meat combos, as well as healthy entrees (low carb, low fat and low cholesterol choices), brunch favorites (eggs Benedict, French toast, pancakes) and specials like huevo rancheros and a smoked salmon platter.

The crowd at Pusser's is more than just hotel guests, as locals come in for this earliest breakfast in town, as well as breakfast meetings and a great view of the water and Ego Alley.