Wilmington has a plethora of great breakfast spots. Locals can direct you to Jimbo’s for the classic diner experience or the Dixie Grill for a hip take on the first meal of the day. Another favorite eatery recently expanded to morning service, and you ought to try Bone and Bean before noon.

Bone and Bean is owned under the same umbrella as other staples Smoke on the Water and Fork and Cork, but it’s the first of this family of restaurants to open before lunch. The menu reimagines barbecue-themed dishes for breakfast. The brisket is delicious on its own but served on pancakes, or a Belgian waffle adds a new dimension.

Plus, this finally gave me an excuse to have barbecue sauce for breakfast. And, if you’re so inclined, booze is available at 7 am every day but Sunday (that NC law, not restaurant policy). No checking your watch for noon like at Sunday brunch. Bone and Bean gives a brunch style feel to breakfast without having to wait for the weekend. You can add bacon, eggs, and hash browns to your favorite lunch, and it qualifies as breakfast. It’s like a savory loophole.

Conversely, you’re allowed to pour syrup on waffles, which adds sweetness to the brisket or pulled pork. There’s a sweet loophole, too. This is not to say that you should only look at Bone and Bean in the AM. If you prefer to sleep in, then stop by for smoked wings or ribs. And once a week, you can find a jambalaya special that gives a brilliant taste of New Orleans in a Texas-themed joint.

Bone and Bean has been a lunch and dinner time favorite of mine for a good while now. Adding another desirable meal will probably be the death of me. But if I have to go, I’m glad the end involves waffles and bacon.