When it comes to breakfast, Tucson has it all

Now, how many times did you hear that growing up? How many times do you say it to your own kids? Well, it's true. And eating breakfast out is quite the treat. Whether you're a cinnamon- bun-to-start-the-day kind of person or you prefer to tuck into something savory, like say enchiladas with eggs and chorizo, Tucson boasts plenty of great places to chow first thing, or perhaps a little later, in the morning. Here's a look at some - but not all - of what you'll find around town, complete with reader shout-outs. Consider this a start.

Rigos

On a Sunday, the northside Rigo’s will go through 50 gallons of menudo, says manager Gloria Santana. That’s a loooot of menudo. Rigo’s Mexican Restaurant — 2527 S. Fourth Ave., 882-9323; and 5851 N. Oracle Road, 887-2132 — sells red and white varieties. It sells at Christmas; it sells at New Year’s;  it sells when it’s cold, it sells after church services, Santana says.

Beyond Bread 

Cindy’s Raisin Challah French Toast is what you want to order. 

Hearty bread studded with soft raisins. Yeah, you won’t leave disappointed. 

421 W. Ina Road, 461-1111; 6260 E. Speedway, 747-7477; 3026 N. Campbell Ave., 322-9965; www.beyondbread.com

Village Bakehouse

This spot’s got a full-on breakfast menu and a gorgeous array of pastries in the front case, all of them calling your name, 7882 N. Oracle Road, 531-0977; www.villagebakehouse.com

Ghinis Caffe

Hard to believe this longtime favorite turns 20 this year. Menu items range from French (Eggs Provencal) to Canadian ham and eggs. How can you not love a place that proclaims "We allow ALL dogs and most well behaved humans on our patio, every working day of the year." 1803 E. Prince Road, 326-9095; www.ghiniscafe.com

Bobo’s Restaurant

Bobo’s  Flying Saucer is out of this world with spinach, Cheddar and Swiss cheeses and crushed red peppers. 2938 E. Grant Road, 326-6163 www.bobostucson.com

A Great Location 

This small mom-and-pop eatery on the east side gets props for its friendly service and wickedly good grits. 20 N. Sarnoff Drive, 733-1388, www.agreatlocationcafe.com

• Chaco's Cafe - Not the pancakes type? Here's the place for a burrito. For those always on the go, grab a takeout early bird special on weekdays for under $5. 2027 S. Craycroft Road, 790-1828; www.facebook.com/ChacosCafe

• Chaffin's Diner - You need a nap after just reading the menu. There's everything from the usual suspects of pancakes and eggs to a french toast sandwich and even an omelette with lox. 902 E. Broadway, 882-7707; www.facebook.com/chaffinsdiner

• Claire's Cafe and Art Gallery - Claire's is a bit of a drive (the eatery is in Catalina), but regulars say it's worth the trek for the cinnamon roll french toast (a recurring special) and the eggs Benedict, a special every other Sunday. Claire's also offers a gluten-free menu. 16140 N. Oracle Road in Catalina, 825-2525, clairescafeandartgallery.com

• Crying Onion Cafe - Take it away, James F.: "Perfect omelettes, delicious home fries, pancakes that hide the plate, yummy country gravy over my favorite country fried steak, and coffee cake to die for. Mmmmm." 3684 W. Orange Grove Road, 531-1330.

• Frank's Restaurant - A Tucson institution (it opened in 1972), one of its mottos is "elegant dining elsewhere." Drag yourself in before 9 on a weekday and score an amazingly cheap special: two eggs, home fries or hash browns and a biscuit, slice of toast or tortilla for $1.75. 3843 E. Pima St., 881-2710; franksrestaurant.com

• Gus Balon's - Noted food journalist Michael Stern, on the www.roadfood.com website, sings the praises of several menu items, many of which are slathered in or served with butter and that includes the famous, super-sized cinnamon roll. 6027 E. 22nd St., 747-7788.

• The Happy Rooster - A former Department of Motor Vehicles outpost, this mom-and-pop packs 'em in on weekends. Longtime manager Richard Flory says the top breakfast seller is bacon. "Our bacon is really good," he says. So good, it even goes into pancakes. 1114 S. Sarnoff Drive, 298-1752.

• Le Buzz Caffe - Looking around this place on the weekend, you'd swear there was a dress code: helmets and Spandex required. It's popular with cyclists zipping up Catalina Highway. "If you can get past the bicycle people clip-clopping around, they've got the best quiche anywhere (the bacon, tomato and Swiss is awesome). The pastries are unbelievable and the coffee is fantastic," according to Jake M. 9121 E. Tanque Verde Road, 749-3903; www.lebuzzcaffe.com

• Millie's Pancake Haus - This place is like the Bubba Gump of pancakes. Ya got your whole-kernel corn cakes, buttermilk pancakes, buckwheat pancakes, crepes, even Bohemian pancakes - buttermilk cakes topped with apricot sauce and sour or whipped cream or even both. 6530 E. Tanque Verde, 298-4250; www.milliespancakehaus.com

• Omar's Hi-Way Chef Restaurant inside TTT Truck Stop - You don't have to be a trucker to eat here, but a big appetite sure is required. The I-10 Belly Buster special features three eggs any style, two strips of bacon, two sausage patties, two pancakes, grilled ham and a partridge in a pear tree. Just kiddin' about the partridge. 5451 E. Benson Hwy., 574-0961, www.omarshiwaychef.com.

• Piazza Gavi - This Foothills eatery is known for its creative tweaks to breakfast staples - brown sugar and pecans gussy up french toast - and its amazing patio view of the Catalinas. Now that gets the appetite revved. 5415 N. Kolb Road, 577-1099, www.gavicucina.com

• Poco & Mom's Restaurant - This is heaven for chileheads. Red and green chiles from Hatch, N.M, are featured ingredients in the hearty Mexican fare such as the Red Chile Pork Breakfast Burrito that's also stuffed with scrambled eggs and cheese. 1060 S. Kolb Road, 325-7044, www.pocoandmoms.com

• Robert's Restaurant - Three words you must know about Robert's: homemade cinnamon rolls. We love that you can even order your roll split in half and grilled. Oh, and two more important words: closed Sundays. So, plan accordingly. 3301 E Grant Road, 795-1436; www.robertstucson.com

• Son's Bakery Cafe - Regulars swear by the cafe's fresh homemade bread, which elevates every dish it's in, and the ever cheerful, hardworking Son, who owns the place. 5683 E. Speedway, 885-0806.

Even 'small' is really big at Bobo's 

Bobo’s Restaurant isn't flashy. Neither is the menu. But well into its 30s (the restaurant opened in '75), this nondescript joint — joint seems the right word — on Grant Road still draws a crowd waiting outside on weekends.

This is comfort food at its finest — and biggest. 

The humongo pancakes flop over the plate. Many a person has treated a hangover over Bobo's massive breakfasts, which can surely soak up the ill aftereffects of too much alcohol. At least, that’s what we’ve heard. Not that we have any first-hand knowledge.

Whether you go a more traditional pancake route with apple or banana or blueberry or order the savory "flying saucer" (spinach, Cheddar and Swiss cheesees and crushed red peppers), they satisfy.

A kid favorite is the chocolate-chip-studded pancake liberally sprinkled in powdered sugar. Is it breakfast? Is it dessert? Well, probably both as well as lunch and dinner, too, because even the "small" size pancake is really big. 

Four ways to start your day

At 12 ounces, the Big Az doughnut is the equivalent of a half-dozen of its regular-sized brethren. Get a glazed one for $5 (a chocolate iced or sprinkled one is $6) at Mom & Pop Donut Shop, 7854 E. Wrightstown Road, 721-6611.

May's Counter, 2945 E. Speedway, offers a $43 Southern Style Family Breakfast on its menu that sounds like something a football team would order: eight pieces of fried chicken, a dozen eggs, a pound of bacon, eight sausages served with biscuits and gravy, a mountain of hash browns, grits and four waffles. Woof. Er, make that bock bock.

Surprise - the top-selling cereal creation at The Cereal Boxx is its least sugary. The Health Nut II features Kashi Heart to Heart and Cinnamon Life along with cranberries, raisins, almonds and pecans. In fact, it's been popular since the restaurant opened nearly five years ago at 943 E. University Blvd., 622-2699, www.thecerealboxx.com As a side note, despite its name, the place offers plenty of non-cereal items like waffles, burritos, even lunch and dessert.

Best breakfast item name ever - Denny's "Moons over My Hammy," a ham and scrambled egg sandwich topped with Swiss and American cheeses and served on grilled sourdough. It comes in omelette form, too.