I’ve found that it’s always a good idea to solicit recommendations about local restaurants before heading out on a trip. First-hand advice is inevitably the best. So, just before leaving Orlando on a work trip to Fort Lauderdale, I asked for tips from my co-workers. I received an almost immediate reply persuasively suggesting that I stop along the way in Lake Worth at a restaurant called John G’s.

“It’s well worth the slight detour; you won’t be disappointed,” my colleague glowingly claimed. She also forewarned about the restaurant’s popularity with residents and the good chance that there might be a rather lengthy line, all the while raving about their amazing breakfasts and beachfront location.

We were already past Palm Beach when it occurred to both my husband and me that it was past our normal lunch time. A quick glance at a map indicated that a speedy exit from I-95 and a few miles’ drive could get us to Lake Worth and John G’s, which sounded much more enticing than a burger and fries from a fast-food joint.

So, off I-95 we went. We made our way to SR 802, otherwise known as Lake Avenue, and headed east toward the beach, passing a cluster of cute shops and restaurants that looked worthy of a return visit. John G’s is across the bridge over Lake Worth (yes, there is a Lake Worth in Lake Worth), a block or so past SR A1A (S. Ocean Blvd.) in what is known locally as the Casino Building, a 1920s strip of shops and restaurants that actually did house a casino until gambling was outlawed in the mid-1930s. The building is pretty nondescript now, though a promised renovation is supposed to return it to its days of architectural glory.

Warning: Parking is at a premium and mostly metered. And, although the place was packed, we hit it lucky and got one of the few empty tables. (Packed is definitely the correct word—the tables are set extremely close together.) Our timing must have been good, because a line began snaking around the building shortly after we were seated.

John G’s is open only for breakfast and lunch and is renowned for its French toast. I had hoped they served breakfast all day (I really wanted to try the Cinnamon-Nut French Toast), but we were too late. So lunch it was. It seemed that everyone was ordering the same thing—either fish and chips or delectable-looking fish sandwiches. We studied the menu: an assortment of homemade soups and salads, seafood standards, burgers of varying ethnicities (American, Italian, Spanish), several pasta dishes and the usual variety of sandwiches, but decided to go with the crowd. Hubby’s fish sandwich ($8.10) was ordered broiled, my fish and chips ($10.95) fried.

We barely had time to take in our surroundings—a rather large, wood-paneled room with a decidedly nautical theme and hanging baskets of greenery—before our food was served. And let me tell you, the portions are more than adequate. The huge fish filets, both broiled and fried, were non-greasy and wonderfully fresh tasting. The accompanying corn fritters were crispy and golden, just the way they should be. John G obviously knows his way around a fryer—and he ought to; the menu says they’ve dished up a million servings of fish and chips since opening in 1973.

As good as our lunch was, though, John G’s claim to fame is their breakfasts—in particular their French toast selections. The one that gets the most press is The Original Cinnamon-Nut French Toast ($6.95), a scrumptious way to start the day. Thick slices of bread are generously embedded with sliced almonds, dusted with cinnamon sugar and then cooked till they’re fluffy and golden brown. Yum. The healthy-sounding Crunchy Honey Granola French Toast ($7.25) probably isn’t, but it most certainly is delicious. How could it not be when the crunch comes from almonds, pecans and peanuts? In the decadent Raisin Cream Cheese French Toast ($6.25) the cream cheese is stuffed between thick slices of raisin bread and served with warm raisin-filled maple syrup. Indulgent, to be sure. Or, you could opt for plain French Toast ($5.95). But why would you? All come with your choice of juice or a cup of fresh fruit.

We’ll definitely have to head south again soon, but this time plan our trip to arrive in Lake Worth for a late breakfast. And, if we manage to get there after breakfast hours once again, I’ll gladly settle for another order of fish and chips.