“Wakey wakey eggs and bakey,” the famous beacon to awake with the promise of breakfast. Yet, in the bitter winter months of Bend, bacon and eggs alone doesn’t cut it. So, what might elevate these eggs and bakey to prompt this said “wakey wakey” in these months? Buried deep in beauty sleep, my waking is fueled solely by a big ol’ cup of joe and THE ultimate breakfast burrito. Tortilla, potatoes, cheese — perhaps some veggie or crema — breeds the happiest tummy and therefore day. Disagree? You are clearly inexperienced in the breakfast burrito eating scene — don’t you worry — this brief guide can start you on the path to enlightenment.

10 Barrel: Hush hush, this brewery has in fact expanded their crops from hops to potatoes. Though it may at first garner feelings of surprise gosh darn, this unlikely turn of events ain’t a bad thing. Planning on hitting the slopes? Fuel up with this gargantuan burrito. Priced just right at $9, it has layers of flavors. The chorizo is spiced so that each bite sparks a new tastebud, and the textured tater tots directs a journey your mouth craves to travel. Upon discovering these, my family and I felt as though we struck gold, dragging our extended family to this treasure damn near every day they were visiting. Forcing them into the bendite lifestyle of eating at 10 Barrel Brewing before hitting Bachelor.

Only note: could use some cilantro.

Life and Time: Many have raised concerns about this restaurant — controversial views of the food being worth it versus not — building upon the restaurant’s confusing duality of being healthy, but also a “fast food” joint. I will hear your complaining if it’s about the burger buns being too small, or the “fast” aspect of their fast food lacking, but NOT on the breakfast burritos. With the options of either the classic breakfast burrito (golden potato) or the sweet potato breakfast burrito, you can choose if you would like to enter a food coma with the attack of breakfast burrito carbs priced at $10, or if you care to take the healthier route with black beans and a hard boiled egg at $9.50. As a regular, I am a stan of the regular breakfast burrito with bacon rather than sausage. This burrito has become such a staple in my life that there is a permanent alarm set in my phone, ensuring I can get this burrito before the grill is turned over at 10:30 a.m. 

Only note: the sausage is too sweet and seasoned to not cause nausea.

Sol Verde: Nestled beside a little red hair salon next to Big-O-Bagels, this food truck is greatly appreciated when it’s here, and greatly mourned from April to November when it vanishes from Bend. This place is the real deal, with green in the title (verde), the burrito is bursting with colorful flavor. If you are looking for a brighter and fresher burrito experience, make your way over to this truck on the corner of Federal and Galveston. At this stop, the full size burritos are steeply priced at $15 with the kid’s size running at $10. However, greeted each time with kind smiles, it is to this kind of establishment that money should be flowing. Bend is undoubtedly becoming like an inland Hawaii with food prices, yet we might just have to suck it up for a hearty yet unique burrito experience—fresh and flavorful—making it worth its price. 

Only note: Don’t take your first Sol Verde burrito experience for granted, because the burrito will never offer the same shock and enjoyment again. 

The Hooch: Maybe it was the chemical effects of whatever mysterious toxins lay buried in the Regroup $1 Sale, but this breakfast burrito was drool inducing post-shopping. The sign outside beckons those passing by with the $6 burrito deal. Fortunately, I was not lured into accidentally ordering much more complex (and about $5 more expensive) burritos under false pretense, however the mistake is supposedly quite easy to make. In opposition to the elaborate burrito options, the simple bean and cheese burrito is everything that it needs to be: no protein, just the yummy skeleton of what defines a solid breakfast meal. Nothing too special, just a solid combo. 

Only note: be honest from the curb to the cash register.

Papi Chulos: Speaking of another slightly shady burrito, at $14 the price also falls victim to the $10 burrito base with the $4 protein up charge. It’s a volcano of cheese. Overpowering the tastebuds to the point where I only learned there were eggs inside upon perusal of the menu. With protein options ranging from shrimp to steak, this burrito is a doozy to eat in the morning, feeling more appropriate as a dinner post-marathon. Distributed in columns, you can take a full bite of cheese on the right side, and then a full bite of bell peppers on the left. The experience is wholesome and hearty, but the stomach ache that follows is less enjoyable. 

Only note: the ingredients could be better distributed.

Market of Choice: Got food poisoning. 

Only note: Try to eat it in the morning when it is freshly made, not at five p.m., when it has been sitting out for hours.

Parilla: While yes, $14 at Papi Chulos and The Hooch is outrageous for a burrito, at least they are slick enough to say you’re paying extra for the protein. In contrast, Parilla has their breakfast burrito priced at $16 loud and proud. The name “Lazy All Day” feels like a callout, but respectably provides a breakfast experience all day long. Luring you in with its quality reputation, Parilla offers the blend of bacon and chorizo, tightly wrapped in cheesy scrambled eggs, and your choice of either sweet potatoes or tots. All topped with a meager portion of crema, I wish that I could say the burrito lives up to what is promised, but nothing about it is calling me back. 

Only note: more crema, lower price.

Bend Breakfast Burrito: Sometimes all you’re looking for in a breakfast is for it to be warm and mush enough to overtake any mistakes of the night before, whether it be syrup soggy waffles or a cheesy egg scramble silky enough to make you question your odds with salmonella. However, let’s get this clear, there is a line. With a mucky mess of potatoes and eggs, this burrito was simply lackluster, a “whole lotta filla with no thrilla.” The experience was filled with familiarity on both the texture and flavor, ultimately leading me to the realization that the burrito heavily resembled cheesy grits in a tortilla. Paradoxical to my opinion, this is a dearly beloved meal as it is the repeatedly awarded BEST Bend breakfast burrito. Priced at an average of $10, I can appreciate the warm and fuzziness of the burrito (from afar). 

Only note: more structure.

If you’re looking for a hole in your wallet to actually fill your stomach, enjoy your journey of eating a breakfast burrito in Bend Oregon.