Thompson’s Café and Bakery (6 a.m.– 8 p.m. Mon.–Sat., 6 a.m.–2 p.m. Sun.), on Cola de Mico Road not far from the main intersection, sells utterly fantastic and inexpensive breakfasts. It’s always packed with divers stuffing themselves with pancakes, omelets, and the famous johnnycake (biscuits served plain or like a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin) and washing it all down with a mug of surprisingly good coffee before running out to their 7:30 a.m. dive. Delectable coconut bread and cinnamon rolls are sold to go, and lunch and dinner are available as well. Burgers, biscuits, baleadas, and burritas are US$0.65–2, while breakfast and dinner plates (comida típica as well as items like pork chops) are about US$3.75.

Munchies (tel. 504/425-3168, 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Sat.), on the first floor of a rambling wooden house just west of the dock on Main Street, serves up a solid breakfast with eggs, bacon, hash browns, juice, and strong coffee for US$4 (available all day). It also has sandwiches and salads. The front porch is a fine spot to greet the day and watch the town amble by.

Next to Bush’s Supermarket, GB’s (6:30 a.m.–2 p.m. daily) has a small selection of English tea, scones, meat pies, and toast with toppings like Nutella and Marmite. The iced coffee is tasty, and a light breakfast will only set you back US$2–3.

A bit farther east is Camilla’s Bakery (8:30 a.m.–2 p.m. Mon.–Fri.), set back from the road in the pink building just before Zanzibar, serving freshly baked croissants, bagels, and baguettes as well as cakes, muffins, and cinnamon rolls. For a quick lunch, stop in for a ready-made ham-and-cheese croissant.

Zanzibar’s is a good spot for breakfast, with fluffy pancakes and great smoothies (about US$4), and is open at lunch as well, serving subs and the like.