Is the breakfast burrito the perfect food? It’s certainly a contender, don’t you think?

Just imagine: a warm flour tortilla, its folds hiding creamy pinto beans, cool avocado, savory scrambled eggs, crumbly queso fresco, plus fresh veggies, and/or hunks of tender meat. 

If you’ve experienced the bliss that is sinking your teeth into the Wake Up Louisville at Foko, the eatery home to the biggest smiles at Logan Street Market, 1001 Logan St., you already know. 

Its breakfast burrito, the hottest-selling menu item at the shop that includes two scrambled eggs, Oaxaca cheese, avocado, baja aioli and garlic pinto beans served with a side of chilaquiles, was created in those hard days of the early pandemic, FOKO co-founder Joshua Gonzalez told the Courier Journal. 

Inspired by the breakfast burritos his mom made for her three active sons when he was growing up, “the name was important to us because it was a tough time and morale was kind of low,” in early 2020, says Gonzalez. “ … It kind of like encouraged someone to say, ‘OK, ‘'m going to wake up and go get this burrito and it’s gonna hopefully change the course of my day.’”

Well, I can vouch for that.

It starts when you approach the Foko stall greeted with beaming smiles. The restaurant industry is tough, and folks are struggling with staff shortages and the seemingly never-ending supply chain disruptions from COVID-19. But you wouldn’t know that from the positively exuberant welcome you’re treated to at the counter here.

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And, almost without fail, I’m here for the Wake Up Louisville. And whether it’s serving as my breakfast, brunch, or lunch, this hefty little packet of goodness made with love and served with a smile always brightens my day.

That’s the whole idea, Gonzalez  says. Hospitality is at the core of Foko's mission, which is illuminating culture through food. In its case, it’s the cultures of Mexican and southern American food coming together. Chef Francisco Garcia brings his culinary training from Mexico City, he says, but after some dozen yearsworking at local favorites like Mayan Cafe and Con Huevos, where Garcia garnered a James Beard Award nomination, southern cuisine has also influenced the chef’s style. 

Leading us to one of the side dish options for the burrito that you probably wouldn't imagine finding there: mashed potatoes. Yep!

Honestly, I kind of wondered about that when I saw it on the menu. That’s one of those things I generally only like from my mom’s kitchen. But, like everything else at Foko, the potatoes are made from scratch, so when I tasted my friend’s scoop one day, I was sold. 

Still, no breakfast table in Mexico is complete without chilaquiles, Gonzalez says, so his recommendation for your side (and my go-to) is just that: tortilla chips re-hydrated in green tomatillo sauce and strewn with cheese and sour cream.

This combo makes for some serious sustenance that’s perfect if you are hungover, says Gonzalez, or were out dancing until 4 a.m. Or just because. And if you aren’t quite ravenous? No worries. The burrito comes cut in half so it’s perfectly portable to take home, stick in the fridge, and grab as a snack later (it’s even great cold!).

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Recently Foko added a bit lighter version at La Pana, its bakery walk-up window on the sidewalk at Logan Street. As opposed to the fork and knife meal that is the Wake Up, the $6 egg burrito here is a quick, handheld baby burrito perfect if you’re on the go and still need real food. 

If you’d like to try your hand at making the perfect breakfast burrito at home, it’s a wonderfully versatile and flexible dish to make.

Gonzalez says its key to start with a good flour tortilla and add a bed of refried beans, then top with some scrambled eggs and any meats or veggies you have on hand. (Note: this is a great way to use up anything hanging out in your fridge that you don’t want to waste; Gonzalez recently made a burrito loaded with some leftover ribs). Next, add cheese, of course. And Gonzalez likes to include some kind of aioli, too. A quick trick is to stir hot sauce into mayonnaise, and slick that on. Throw the loaded burrito into a skillet and warm it through.

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If that seems like too much work, honestly, just head to Foko and add a fresh avo-lime juice, mango juice, or my favorite, the sweet, milky espresso drink Cortado Con Azucar.

And if you didn’t wake up with a smile, I promise you’ll leave with one. 

Tell Dana! Send your restaurant “Dish” to Dana McMahan at thecjdish@gmail.com and follow @bourbonbarbarella on Instagram.

While the offerings at Foko are delicious, it's not the only game in town and breakfast burritos seem to be speaking to a need we all have right now for deeply comforting food. Various spots across town are slinging their takes, as well. Here's a few other places where you can find an authentic breakfast burrito in Louisville: 

Bandido Taqueria Mexicana, 905 E. Liberty St.; 423 University Blvd: The are five breakfast burritos and one breakfast burrito bowl on the menu here. Try Steak & Eggs burrito which features Carne Asada, eggs, potatoes, and cheese.

Beargrass Farmer’s Market, 4100 Shelbyville Road: Maria Louisa Salsa Burrito tent offers fresh made salsa, and hand-rolled burritos made with Garey Farms chorizo sausage, and Duncan Farms eggs. Rolled to order with your choice of farm-fresh ingredients.

Con Huevos, 2339 Frankfort Ave.; 4938 US Highway 42; and 210 W Liberty St.: There are numerous burrito options here. Try the Burrito de Mama, which features Scrambled eggs, roasted bell peppers and onions, Chipotle cream, refried black beans, Oaxaca cheese and a side of Chilaquiles. You can add ham, bacon or chorizo for an extra charge. 

La Suerte, 2116 Bardstown Road: The breakfast burrito at this restaurant in the Highlands is chock-full of refried beans, Mexican rice, chorizo, pico de gallo, cheddar, and sour cream. Served with home fries and Morita sauce.

Zombie Taco, 100 W. Washington St.: This burrito spot downtown is the place to go if you're looking for something a little different. Try its Korean Steak burrito, which features crunchy vegetable, pickled cucumber, spicy vinaigrette and scrambled egg.