Breakfast in Erie: beignets, burritos, brunch and the 6 am window

Downtown Erie is a breakfast town, and the line outside Lucile’s on a Saturday is the proof. Four places, and when to go to each.

The famous one: Lucile’s Creole Cafe

Lucile’s on Briggs Street is the Erie branch of the Boulder Creole institution: beignets, pain perdu, chicory coffee, gumbo and po’boys, breakfast and lunch only. Weekdays 7 to 2, weekends 8 to 2. The weekend brunch line is well known; go on a weekday.

The room where downtown works: FOX•DOG Coffee

FOX•DOG, the family-owned independent on the corner of Briggs and Moffat, does espresso drinks, vegetarian and vegan burritos, quiche and pastries, with enough seating to open a laptop. 7 to 4 every day.

Brunch with cocktails: 24 Carrot Bistro

24 Carrot Bistro is the downtown dinner place, but on Saturday and Sunday it opens at 9 for brunch, with a seasonal New American menu and a cocktail list built on housemade syrups. Closed Mondays.

From 6: Ziggi’s

Ziggi’s on Milan Place off Erie Parkway is the drive-through: espresso, blended drinks, breakfast burritos and paninis, open at 6 every day.

Open right now

Every place page says whether it is open at this moment, from its posted hours, and the Eat & Drink page has an “Open now” filter. Hours change fastest of anything on this site; the kitchen’s own page is the record.