Daybreak

Tucked away in the quaint historic Pleasant Street neighborhood in NW Gainesville, Daybreak Pleasant Street has been making a name for itself among Gainesvillians who crave hearty and well-crafted breakfast and lunch fare. Daybreak’s menu is quite diverse, offering an array of tasty dishes that cater to carnivores and vegans alike.

When we sat down, the waitress was juggling orders of stuffed brioche French toast and massive omelettes overflowing with everything from goat meat to braised collards and pimento cheese around the small restaurant. But we weren’t there for any of those. We were on a mission to sample what’s been rumored to be one of the city’s best burgers.

And we weren’t disappointed. The burger came to our table presented open face, with one side of the perfectly toasted potato bun donning a jacket of mixed greens, a summer-fresh tomato slice, pickled red onions, and house-made half-sour pickles. Perched on the bottom bun were two griddled grass-fed beef patties covered in molten American cheese. Once the two sides were unified, Daybreak’s burger became a perfect marriage of salt, tang, sharpness, and beefiness. And, if this were a potato club, Daybreak’s home fries would deserve their own article. Kosher salt, pepper, parsley, and a quick swim in the frier were all these red potatoes needed to shine.

Since Daybreak’s dining room is quite small, only a small group of GBC members attended this meeting. But we’ll be back in force to give this wonderful Gainesville treasure a full executive committee rating.