I stopped by Shakers American Cafe the other day to present the Foodster Award for Best Breakfast to owners Greg and Terry Granda. They won the platinum award, as voted on my readers of ScottJosephOrlando.

While I was there, I figured I’d have a little breakfast myself. And I have to agree with the majority: this is a darned fine breakfast.

I had the Mexican Omelet, which had big chunks of sausage with green chilies and black beans, served with some salsa on the side. It came with hash brown potatoes, nicely crisped, and I requested a biscuit, which was fried to give it a little extra butteryness.

As long as I had the biscuit, I thought I should get some gravy to go with it. Sufficiently thick and unctuous, a fine accompaniment.

Of course part of the allure of a good breakfast place is the atmosphere, and Shakers has it. The decor is homey and comfortable, and it’s filled steadily with regulars. There was even the requisite table of old farts that every decent diner has, guys who sit around and talk about things they have no real knowledge of but have strong opinions about. If such groups didn’t form organically, breakfast diners would have to hire stand-ins just to give the place its proper mien.

Service was the right amount of charming, and my coffee mug — a really nice big one — was kept filled.

This is how Shakers has stayed in business for so long, and why it deserved to win the Best Breakfast Foodster Award for Independent Restaurants.

Shakers American Cafe is at 1308 Edgewater Drive, Orlando. It is open for breakfast and lunch daily. The phone number is 407-422-3534.