There’s just something about the local burger stand with the plaques on the wall of sponsorships of local sports teams; the food always hits differently. In Brea, PK Burger is that spot. Breakfast burritos here come with scrambled eggs, potatoes, melted cheese, and traditional breakfast meat options including bacon, sausage, and pastrami.

Athenian #3, also known as Don Carlos #5, has long been a favorite for its breakfast burrito — so much so that there’s a banner outside of the restaurant proclaiming its popularity. The order is the triple meat, comprised of ham, bacon, and sausage. With potatoes that have an almost mashed potato-esque quality to them, scrambled eggs that envelop the potatoes, meat, and cheese (all stuffed inside a carrot-hued tortilla) this burrito still stacks up against all comers.

Tacos El Gringo, formerly a food truck-only operation that would tow around a wood-fired grill to various breweries before the pandemic, now has a prime brick-and-mortar location across the street from the Anaheim Packing House. With the new location comes a new menu, including five different breakfast burritos. The most popular of those at the moment is the Farmhouse Burrito, and for good reason: freshly grilled carne asada, bacon, egg, diced potatoes, cheese, salsa verde, and avocado make for a strong showing. Upgrading to pork belly or tri-tip (or going vegetarian with some soyrizo) is also an option.

Chorizo, bacon, eggs, potato, and cheese. The breakfast burritos at both Nick’s Delis tucked away near the far west corner of the LA/OC border still remain one of the best bang-for-buck burrito options around, as each comes stuffed with all of the above and runs under $10. Another viable option is the Italiano burrito: Italian sausage, diced potatoes, scrambled eggs, cheese, and a choice of salsa

This is the home of the burgerrito, a burrito served with a hamburger patty, eggs, and bacon or ham inside — though diners can also try a soft shell crab burrito, or a fish, egg, and cheese options. Yep. For a simpler, more refined option, go for the pastrami with avocado along with the extra-creamy comeback-style house sauce, or try the classic Spamurrito.

Putting shredded hash browns inside of a breakfast burrito is usually risky business, as it has the potential to create a greasy mess. Yet, somehow, the folks at Nate’s pull it off. The hash browns are crispy yet do not overpower the burrito itself, and the over-medium eggs make for a nice yolk contrast. The pastrami and the double meat option are the favorites here, though a three-meat, three-egg burrito is also an option.

The “Sawed Off” breakfast burrito at Sancho’s Tacos comes loaded with eggs, skillet potatoes, cheddar jack cheese, and bacon, sausage, chorizo, or boneless chicken breast. It’s about as heavy as a shotgun barrel, with a “lighter” option that includes mushrooms and artichoke hearts. Salsasabound at Sancho’s, ranging from extra spicy to a 5150 that’s sweet and spicy.

This place is tiny, but packs a serious punch thanks to thick-cut pastrami, chorizo, or bacon, plus scrambled eggs, cheese, chopped Serrano peppers, hash browns, and a chipotle cream sauce on the side.

Burnt Crumbs, who gained notoriety around 2017 for the spaghetti grilled cheese sandwich of all things, also has a breakfast menu. With seasoned, crispy breakfast potatoes folded amongst scrambled eggs, cheddar, tender carne asada, cilantro crema, and pico de gallo, this is definitely a spot to try. There is a $1 upcharge for the asada option, but it’s worth it.

There was a time when Surfin Donuts in Mission Viejo gained notoriety for the doughrito, a burrito that had a glazed donut stuffed inside of it. Those days are now long gone, and today the restaurant’s toned-down menu is earning its own place in the spotlight. The standout machaca burrito that comes with shredded pork, jalapenos, eggs, and cheese, and even the standard options of sausage, bacon, and ham are winners here. When it comes to salsa, opt for the green at Surfin’ Donuts, truly one of the best and most underrated spots in South Orange County.

A Filipino-inspired breakfast burrito has long been overdue in Orange County, and Breezy is here to fill that void. This newer South Orange County concept is a proper first step thanks to plenty of shredded pork adobo, garlic rice, scrambled eggs, cotija, and avocado.