Anyone raised on real Southern breakfast can spot instant grits from across the room, and it is not a compliment. Stone-ground grits are coarser, heartier, and take real time on the stove, which is exactly why plenty of kitchens skip them.
The seven Florida restaurants on this list do not, from a griddle-at-your-table spot in Melbourne to a downtown Pensacola brunch favorite. Save this one for your next weekend road trip, because a good bowl of grits is a fine reason to set an alarm.
1. Backwater, Melbourne, FL
Fair warning for smooth-grits fans: the grits here are stone ground, so expect texture in every spoonful. Backwater leans into that, serving them with cheese and scallions or piled into Loaded Grits.
The other big draw sits right on your table. Built-in griddles let you cook your own pancakes, which turns breakfast into a little project kids tend to enjoy.
The menu keeps the Southern theme going with a Fried Green BLT, Biscuit and Gravy, the Bayou Benny, and a build-your-own omelette. There is also a full vegetarian and vegan menu, which is not something every grits joint can claim.
Hours run 8 AM to 2 PM daily on Municipal Lane in Melbourne. Reservations are not taken and weekends usually bring a wait, so I would aim for a weekday morning if you want an easy table.
2. Briarpatch Restaurant, Winter Park, FL
Park Avenue in Winter Park is known for boutiques and sidewalk strolling, and Briarpatch fits right into that polished stretch. The airy dining room serves breakfast plus homemade ice cream, which makes it a handy stop any time of day.
Grits fans should go straight for the Southern Breakfast. It comes with two eggs, three fried green tomatoes, two strips of thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, and stone-ground heirloom cheese grits, and it has run about $20.
Steak lovers have options too, including Filet Mignon Steak and Eggs and a Short Rib Benedict. Sweet tooth types can lean on Raspberry and Brie French Toast or a short stack.
Briarpatch opens at 7:30 AM most days and stays open into the afternoon. Reservations are accepted, and dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables.
3. Good Vibes Scratch Kitchen, Ormond Beach, FL
Smoked salmon and grits on one plate sounds unusual until you try the idea. Good Vibes Scratch Kitchen pairs its Ocean Benny, made with in-house smoked salmon, capers, and poached eggs on an English muffin, with creamy stone-ground grits.
The name is a promise about the cooking. This beach-inspired spot on North Yonge Street makes its breakfast and lunch from scratch, with beignets, omelets, Huevos Rancheros, French toast, and even deviled eggs on the menu.
Practical perks are strong here. Parking is usually plentiful, reservations are accepted, and there is a kids’ menu with high chairs ready.
Doors open at 7 AM and close at 2:30 PM every day, which makes it an easy breakfast before a day on the Ormond sand.
4. City’s Bistro, St. Petersburg, FL
Small spaces sometimes hold the best breakfasts, and City’s Bistro is proof. This family-owned cafe on 4th Street North is tiny, but the food is made fresh daily.
The stone-ground grits come out hefty yet smooth, a nice middle ground for anyone torn between textures. Pair them with a crumbly homemade biscuit for a very Southern morning.
Beyond grits, the menu covers the Big City Breakfast, a Traditional Belgium Waffle, Malibu Avocado Toast, and gourmet sandwiches like a Corned Beef Reuben. The coffee gets plenty of attention too.
It runs Monday through Saturday, 8 AM to 3 PM, and closes Sundays. Parking is usually easy, and outdoor seating is available.
5. Ruby Slipper, Pensacola, FL
Downtown Pensacola has a charming core, and Ruby Slipper sits right in it on South Palafox Street. The cheery cafe brings a New Orleans-style brunch spirit with Southern fare and signature omelets.
A side of stone-ground grits here is full of flavor, served on the looser side rather than thick. Shrimp and grits is a popular order, and so is the Southern Breakfast.
The rest of the menu is fun to read. Look for Chicken St. Charles Benedict, the Three Little Pigs Omelet, Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes, Berry Chantilly French Toast, and a beignets starter.
Weekday hours run 7 AM to 2 PM, with an extra hour on weekends. Reservations are accepted, which helps, since waits are common.
6. Orange Blossoms – Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL
Fried catfish for breakfast is a true Southern move. Orange Blossoms serves fresh fried catfish with stone-ground grits and two eggs, and it is one of the most distinctive plates on this list.
Everything leans scratch-made at this Beach Boulevard eatery. The corned beef hash is made fresh daily, and the shrimp and grits and cinnamon rolls get plenty of love.
Other picks include the Hen House Skillet, Chicken and Waffles, the Hungry Jaguar Omelette, and a Smoked Salmon Benedict. There is also live music, free Wi-Fi, and a dog-friendly policy.
Plan around Mondays, when it is closed. Tuesday through Sunday it runs 7:30 AM to 2 PM, and parking is usually plentiful.
7. Another Broken Egg Cafe, Tampa, FL
Chain restaurants rarely bother with stone-ground grits, which is what makes this Tampa location worth a spot. At Another Broken Egg Cafe, the Shrimp ‘N Grits arrives on a bed of creamy stone-ground grits with a nice bit of spice.
The menu is wide and creative. Options include Crab Cake Benedict, Bourbon Street Pancakes, Cinnamon Roll French Toast, Chicken and Waffles, carrot cake pancakes, and lobster omelets.
Dog owners get a real perk here, since pets are allowed inside and on the patio. Curbside pickup is offered, and there is a military discount.
Hours are 7 AM to 2 PM on weekdays and 7 AM to 3 PM on weekends. No reservations are taken, so weekday mornings are your friend.
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