Restaurant review: Get breakfast or lunch any time of day at this reliable old favorite

When you excel at breakfast and lunch, you might as well take the rest of the day off. At Captain’s Galley Restaurant, plan to arrive early or be prepared to wait. This busy powerhouse packs the place with folks hungry for hearty, reliable food.

We met at 10 a.m. on a Sunday. Seating outdoors was immediately available. For a table indoors, we chilled for 10 minutes. When we left, the waiting benches were groaning with customers.

The pleasant décor does not strain for attention. Seafoam painted walls, wood trim and large fish forms are displayed. But the menu caught our attention. Breakfast becomes lunch and lunch becomes breakfast any time of the day.

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We started with a giant cinnamon roll ($5), because why not? It’s never a bad time for a soft, warm swirl of immensely satisfying cinnamon dough baked and drizzled with cream cheese icing and sugar. I think I heard that cinnamon is good for your blood sugar, although that might not include what we ate.

Our dining choices included crabcake Benedict ($18) with poached eggs and creamy hollandaise sauce. Toasted English muffins were topped with a hefty cake that was more crab than filler, fried green tomatoes and poached eggs. Creamy, tangy hollandaise sauce was the crown on this wonderful version of eggs Benedict.

Hash and eggs ($14), which is something I grew up with, was another’s choice. She enjoyed a large portion of grilled, flavorful, chopped corned beef mixed with potatoes, a side of two eggs, plus moist house-made biscuits. It was gone by the time I asked about it and she raved about the side of bacon ($4), marveling at the crispness and flavors.

The huevos rancheros bowl ($16) was a favorite. Chopped, spiced potatoes, chorizo, onions, green peppers, homemade pico de gallo, with two fried eggs on top was garnished with sliced avocado, sour cream, cilantro and a flour tortilla.

My choice was shrimp and grits ($16). I am on a quest to discover the best of this dish. It is a noble cause, but you may have noticed that many dishes are on that list. Captain’s Galley’s version of the shrimp and grits was lovely. Hot cheesy grits were heaped into a bowl then rimmed with tender, buttery shrimp coated in blackening seasonings. The drizzled sauce was a striking combination of onions, tomatoes, garlic and jalapeno topped with crumbled bacon. Breakfast? Lunch? Both.

The good folks at Captain’s Galley Restaurant serve soul-satisfying, reasonably priced food for breakfast and lunch. You can get a pork chop, acai bowl or the catch-of-the-day for breakfast. Lunch is burgers, sandwiches, country comfort food such as fried green tomatoes, liver and onions, and a “helluva” (or heavenly depending upon your fancies) Reuben, according to Carol, who has been a server there for 20 years.

Go early, go hungry, eat heartily, then go home. The Captain’s Galley Restaurant does its job well. Then, they get to go home.

Captain’s Galley Restaurant

• Cuisine: Breakfast and lunch

• Address: 825 Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce

• Phone: 772-466-8495

• Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; closed Monday

• Alcohol: Beer and wine

• Online: captainsgalleyfortpierce.com

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Restaurant review: Best breakfast, lunch Captain’s Galley Fort Pierce