Atlanta Good Food category interest

There’s a lot to like about brunch. There’s booze and pancakes, and everybody’s in a better-than-usual mood because it’s the weekend. But finding a place that’ll motivate you to get out of bed and put pants on before noon can be tiresome. So the next time you’re trying to get your friends to agree on a restaurant or need a place to take your out-of-town crew, turn to these tried and true Atlanta favorites. And if you happen to have late friends who always put a snag in your brunch plans, we've got ideas for them, too.

THE SPOTS

Ria’s Bluebird, by the Oakland Cemetery in Grant Park, feels like a classic diner that was taken over by artsy SCAD students with a thing for colorful mosaics. Ria’s is rightly famous for their buttermilk pancakes, and there’s really nothing that disappoints here. Grab a seat at the counter and get the slow-cooked brisket with poached eggs or, our favorite, the country-fried tempeh, which is covered in a white pepper gravy and sits on a big biscuit with tomato slices. Note that there’s always a wait here on weekends, but friendly staff will offer you coffee while you wait. And out of respect for the interred across the street, please avoid telling the staff that you’re so hungry you could die.

The Breakfast Boys is not only a place to have a quintessential Atlanta brunch experience (mimosas, music, and mood), the food is also top notch. Think of it as the Beyoncé of College Park’s brunch mile. From the same team behind Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen andamp; Bar, this brunch hangout with fantastic food and high energy is always packed, so book ahead, especially on weekends. When that Rihanna hit blends into a Maze classic, don’t be afraid to dance at your table, we assure that you won’t be the only one vibing inside the cutesy space with vibrant pink and blue striped walls and local artwork. When bites of crispy catfish and grits and tasty jerk chicken with moist sweet potato pancakes send signals to your pleasure receptors, it’s even harder to resist the groove.

We don’t need another excuse to go to JenChan’s in Cabbagetown since we’re down to eat pizza or Chinese food any day of the week. But their dim sum brunch gives us a reason anyway. The small interior dotted with Chinese lanterns hanging from the exposed rafter ceiling makes for a good spot to indulge in small plates with a group. It’s typically crowded with neighborhood regulars looking to get another taste of the juicy osso bucco and creamy grits, or the tasty shumai that we usually order two of because we can’t get enough of these pork and shrimp dumplings. The menu constantly changes, and it’s not unusual for them to run out of popular items like the Best Damn Coffee Cake, which absolutely lives up to its name.

While it’s far easier to slide in without a wait during the weekday, the weekend scene at Grits andamp; Eggs in Vinings should hold a place on your brunch bucket list. That’s because the everyday diner usually has a live pianist on weekends to jazz up the place—crispy fried snapper and creamy grits paired with Songs in the Key of Life is the winning combo your weekend needs. If you don’t feel like breakfast (the coconut pancakes are a must), look at the meat-and-two menu for selections like ribeye, mac, and collards. And if the weather is warm, their spacious covered patio is a nice spot to take in views of the scenic lake nearby.

You may know Beetlecat in Inman Park for their nautical-themed decor and oyster and seafood selections. But real breakfast people know Beetlecat for their super chill weekend Donut Brunch, which features an exciting collection of tasty, over-the-top donuts. If and when the fish artwork and boat deck-like wood flooring put you in the mood for some seafood, try their famed lobster roll. But if you aren’t feeling seaworthy in the am, opt for the spicy chicken sandwich with a sunny side up egg, bookended with glazed donuts.

Be it breakfast or brunch, this laid-back Cascade cafe generally keeps a crowd. It’s not that we have a problem waiting for a seat along the long, upholstered bench or in one of the tight tables in the middle of the room. We’d just rather beat the social hour rush to our gulf shrimp and flounder over jalapeño grits. The same goes for the parsley potatoes. They're good enough to be a meal, but once they’re topped with sizzling steak, an egg, and parsley, the photogenic plate turns into something so euphoric you’ll have zero regrets about leaving the house in sweats.

When Four Seasons Atlanta’s Bar Margot revamped its Sunday brunch buffet, you could almost hear a collective sucking of the teeth around the city. Change? The nerve! The esteemed Midtown establishment with spot-on service and grandiose Four Seasons-brand decor isn’t altering its menu just for the sake of doing it, though. Fried chicken thighs and citrus-roasted Pacific corvina have been added to keep things fresh. The buffet stations (made-to-order omelets and red velvet waffles) are fanned across several rooms, so wear some comfortable shoes—just probably not the embarrassing ones since the Four Seasons is a well-known scene and celeb haunt.

On the weekend, a velvet rope and line makes it feel like you’re waiting to get into a club where drinks are free before midnight, so arrive before 10am for your best chance of sliding right into a green velvet booth. With some of the best brunch offerings in town, Barney’s, near Grady, is kinda worth the wait (and it’s open every day). There’s a dish for everyone here, from favorites like their sweet 24 Karat Gold Pancakes—“thicc” pancakes topped with edible gold leaf and an orchid that taste as amazing as they look—and savory items like lamb and eggs to the regionally controversial fried catfish with spaghetti. The vegan friends in the crew, who you usually avoid sending invites to, can also come out to play with the plant-based entrees and fresh pressed juices.

Prepare to battle crowds when hitting this Emory Point spot for brunch. The spacious dining area is always bustling with Emory students capping off their all-nighters alongside plenty of OGs who have made this their brunch haunt for nearly a decade. The New York-style Jewish deli is stacked with multiple spreads and fish add-ons to top bagels, including an amazing smoked trout dip (which is kind of hard to come by in the city). And don’t leave without a bowl of tasty matzoh ball soup. Plus one bite of their eggs with a side of pastrami will have you questioning if bacon and eggs really are the perfect pair.

Sun In My Belly is a modest indoor/outdoor cafe in Kirkwood that works in any situation. It's a come-as-you-are place, so you can roll in after a BeltLine walk, after church service, or with unchecked morning breath (no judgement here unless you're a close talker). Find a seat on the awning-covered patio and order a Tip Top cocktail while you look over the menu and the growing pedestrian scene. Make sure to get some of their big housemade lavender biscuits to share and the PBLT, which comes loaded with pimento cheese and crispy honey bacon, if you’re especially hungry.

Why should brunch be a weekend-only perk? Open Wednesday through Sunday until 5pm, the all-day Buckhead brunch bar maintains a steady, energetic crowd, so reservations are highly suggested. During the weekend, you’ll find the usual brunch folks, friend groups, and families, but during the work week, there are plenty of WFH’ers along the bar dirtying up their laptop keyboards in between bites of tender short rib breakfast skillets or salmon croquettes that have a wee bit of kick. And for those who can’t fit the usual post-brunch nap into their workday, Toast has plenty of lighter options like acai bowls, avocado toast, and their flight of daily fresh-pressed juices.

If you’ve lived in Atlanta long enough, you’ve probably celebrated a birthday dinner at this Vinings fine dining establishment (or won a dinner-for-two gift certificate from some random fundraiser that you were guilted into joining). But if you haven't been to Canoe for brunch, book a reservation ASAP. The usually romantic atmosphere is far more lively at brunch thanks to tables filled with families who feel better about dragging their spawns to nice places in daylight hours (there’s a kid’s brunch menu). Get into the mimosas and the cinnamon roll- and scone-filled bread basket, and their house-smoked salmon is a must—whether on the salmon latkes (our preference) or salmon benedict. Then walk off that post-brunch lethargy in their scenic riverside gardens.

When the usual brunch pairings are no longer enough to persuade you from a fully sedentary weekend in bed, Oreatha’s in Cascade is the antidote to bring you back into the joys of breakfast dishes. For weekend brunch, the rum butter alone makes the muffins and bread basket worth the order, and then there are starters like their panzanella salad, which is a fun Southern spin on the traditional bread salad, here with cornbread croutons and shredded collards. Oreatha’s also transforms Southern diner classics with items like biscuits with duck gravy or pork steak with eggs and masala gravy. Even the simple sophistication of the natural light-filled dining room makes this place feel far more impressive than your normal weekend breakfast joints.

There’s always a wait at Murphy’s in Virginia Highlands on weekends, but we will happily line up for their complimentary biscuits and muffins with seasonal jams. They also have a great wine selection, so you can sip a glass of Provence rosé while you ponder your life choices and scan the bakery counter, then menu, which includes everything from pancakes to corned beef hash. Murphy's has housemade breads, the base for some really excellent sandwiches (like their Turkey Club) if you’re not in a breakfast mood. Best of all, brunch goes until 4pm, so you can turn off all seven of your alarms and head here whenever you wake up.

With its wood paneling and long counter, Home Grown looks like a place your dad took you for breakfast when you were a kid and told you stories that started with, “Back in my day.” This '70s-style Reynoldstown diner serves Southern comfort food, like steak hash and a pimiento cheese sandwich on Texas toast, but if you want something green on your table, they have a few healthier sides that come straight from their garden out back, too.

After an energetic morning on the BeltLine, you’ve probably mustered up an appetite for something more than smoothies and toast. Take your hunger to Folk Art. With vintage signs all over the brick interior and a massive menu, it’s a great choice for a casual brunch in Inman Park. Just note everyone else will be on the same page as you, so expect a lengthy wait on the weekend. There are a few essential picks, like their sticky bun pancakes or fried chicken benedict, but we would and do gladly eat everything on the menu.