Try the poached free-range eggs on toasted levain with prosciutto at Blue Dog Bakery & Café in Louisville, Kentucky.

A NOTE TO OUR READERS:
"Brake For Breakfast" is from the November 2005 issue of Southern Living. Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.

I have a confession to make about breakfast. The best I usually manage is a piece of toast (if I'm good) washed down with juice or coffee as I head out the door. The exception is when I travel. Splurging for breakfast when I'm on the road, I delight in finding the best local spots. So what are some of our editors' favorite non-chain Southern breakfast spots? The replies flowed in thicker than maple syrup on a pile of fluffy pancakes. Pour yourself another cup ofcoffee, sit back, and enjoy these seven tried-and-true regional winners. Most all lie near interstates or main thoroughfares.

Blue Dog Bakery & Café
Louisville, Kentucky
You smell the bread before you even walk in the door of this friendly neighborhood bistro (easily accessed from Interstates 64 and 71). Husband-and-wife Bob Hancock and Kit Garrett bake up to 1,000 loaves of artisanal bread a day (each loaf is handmade with no preservatives.) For a true breakfast treat, try the poached free-range eggs on toasted levain with prosciutto ($8). Levain, their perfectly textured sourdough, is made in a wood-fired oven and joins a delicious host of pecan-raisin and nine-grain delights as well as yummy baguettes from which to choose. Take Along for the Road: Grab a loaf of incredibly fresh bread for $2-$3.75. 2868 Frankfort Avenue; (502) 899-9800. Hours: 8-10:30 a.m. Tuesday-Friday. Brunch: 8 a.m-1:30 p.m Saturday.

At the Corner Kitchen, co-owner Kevin Westmoreland (left) and chef/co-owner Joe Scully offer up tantalizing breakfast dishes in Asheville, North Carolina.

Corner Kitchen
Asheville, North Carolina
Just off the interstate and a few hundred feet from the entrance to Biltmore Estate, you'll find a group of shops, restaurants, and galleries that fill charming turn-of-the-century houses. The Corner Kitchen offers some of the best breakfasts you'll find. Co-owner Kevin Westmoreland and chef/co-owner Joe Scully cook up an All Souls Breakfast Salad (spinach salad with hard-boiled eggs, bacon, and toasted pecans - $6), along with homemade corned beef hash ($7). Take Along for the Road: Grab a bag of Joe's Chips--homemade potato chips in four varieties ($2.50). 3 Boston Way; (828) 274-2439 or www.thecornerkitchen.com. Hours: 7:30-11 a.m. Monday-Saturday. Brunch: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.