DINING OUT:

Although it’s only 7 a.m. on a Thursday, the hustle and bustle inside the Corner Cottage in Burbank is hard to ignore. As dozens of eggs are being skillfully cracked in the red brick kitchen, orders are flying in, the line is gaining strength, and a handful of morning conversations are taking place.

Sitting at their favorite table in the affordably priced and modest restaurant, Kevin Jones and Dave Chambers are longtime patrons of the Corner Cottage, and with good reason. Their most popular item, the breakfast burrito, boasts plenty of fans.

“One time I waited over 45 minutes in line on a Saturday,” Jones said. “My daughter lives in Costa Mesa. She comes down here not to see her dad but to have a breakfast burrito.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Chambers, who recently went surfing and called in to order for the first time, fearing he wouldn’t be able to make closing time.

A hardy serving of eggs, potatoes and cheese in cascading layers that are wrapped in a tortilla, the breakfast burrito is a meal for champions and a great option if you’re of the vegetarian persuasion. Of course, if meat is how you roll, you can add bacon, sausage, ham and steak.

The burrito contains the perfect balance of ingredients — filling, yet not overwhelming. The fresh ingredients can even be enhanced with a drizzle of hot sauce, an item that can be requested on the side. Pair it with a side of coffee or orange juice and you’ve got a satisfying meal.

Although at first glance, the burrito is jam-packed to the brim with ingredients, each bite reveals the individual flavors of the scrambled egg, melted American cheese and finely cut potato slices. Neither undercooked nor overcooked, it contains the right amount of “umph” to leave you wanting more.

Of course, the burritos aren’t the only reason this easy-to-miss yet bustling establishment on Victory Boulevard is a local favorite.

“Part of it is the atmosphere,” Chambers said. “It’s kind of like Cheers, where everybody knows your name.”

Indeed, there’s Grandma Ruth, who hasn’t been able to come in every day since recuperating from surgery. Ruth has attended the weddings of brothers Jim and Ted Jeong who run the Corner Cottage — which is owned by their parents — and even has her own spot by the counter, according to Jones.

Saturdays tend to be the busiest, so busy that one patron mentioned the Corner Cottage needs a fast pass system, although he added that breakfast burrito lovers don’t really mind waiting, because it gives them a chance to catch up and talk to people.

Though the Corner Cottage serves their breakfast burrito exclusively until 11 a.m., the menu boasts a variety of items, including hamburgers, chili dogs, pastrami sandwiches, beef and chicken bowls, and tacos. There are vegetarian-friendly options as well, including the grilled cheese sandwich and onion rings. Alongside the more familiar beverages, the Corner Cottage serves cult favorite Orange Bang and horchata, a decadent cinnamon rice milk concoction, in addition to carrying daily specials like a double cheeseburger with fries or two chicken tacos.

A Burbank staple since 1981, the Corner Cottage is “nostalgia wrapped in a tortilla,” writes one patron on Yelp, a website that posts reviews and recommends restaurants, shopping and entertainment.

“It’s an icon,” Jones said. “There are certain things in a city that you wouldn’t want to be different.” With a breakfast burrito that completely satisfied and will keep me full until after lunch, I couldn’t agree more.

 LIANA AGHAJANIAN is a writer and editor as well as an avid baker with a penchant for Farmers’ Markets. She has written for Edible Los Angeles and makes sure to find a tea house in every city she visits.  LIANA AGHAJANIAN is a writer and editor as well as an avid baker with a penchant for Farmers’ Markets. She has written for Edible Los Angeles and makes sure to find a tea house in every city she visits.