Downtown, the Breakfast Club (63 E. Pine St., 407/843-1559, 7 a.m.–2:30 p.m. daily, main courses from $4) is one of a handful of eggs-and-bacon joints. Its central location and no-frills atmosphere means it caters primarily to office workers, but the food here is decent and incredibly inexpensive.
The main focus at
Pom-Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria (67 N. Bumby Ave., 407/894-0865, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 24 hours Fri.–Sat., closes at 6 p.m. Sun., main courses from $7) is sandwiches and tea. More than two dozen varieties of hot and iced teas are available, and the array of pressed sandwiches ranges from tuna melts and Dagwoods to various combinations of meats, cheeses, chutneys, fruits, vegetables, Asian slaw, and more. Breakfast is only served on the weekends, when the restaurant is open for marathon 24-hour sessions catering to the late-night and early morning crowds; egg-and-cheese sandwiches, potatoes napoleon, crepes, and the standards of grits, bacon, and toast are available then. Owner Pom Moongauklang applies her quirky style to everything on the menu, resulting in a personality-filled restaurant that’s a perennial favorite with locals.
Ba Le (1227 N. Mills Ave., 407/898-8011, 9:30 a.m.–8 p.m. Mon.–Sat., main courses from $3) is a Vietnamese restaurant–French bakery–sandwich shop that got its start as a franchise chain in Hawaii. While there aren’t many chains listed in this guide, I felt the need to bring this one to your attention because the fresh French bread, seasoned meat, and herbs that go into Ba Le’s sandwiches are definitely worth checking out. The fact that they’re super-cheap is just a bonus.