For decades, Carlyle’s restaurants were reliable places for busy office workers to get fresh-made meals. Founded in 1976 by Roy Torbert and his brother-in-law Billy Boyd, Carlyle’s began as a single restaurant at Colony Square, serving soups, sandwiches, and ice cream. Roy’s mother served as executive chef, and within a few years, family members Charlie Boyd and Helton Jolly had joined as owners. By the mid–1990s, the restaurant group had almost 20 locations across Atlanta.
“My earliest memories are my dad bringing treats home from the restaurants for us, like Andes mints and shortbread cookies,” says now president Walt Torbert. “We had birthday parties there and took our friends after school.”
“I started working there in high school, bussing tables, doing dishes, and working for the store managers,” laughs his first cousin and the company’s current sales director, William Boyd. “We were free labor.”
Torbert and Boyd are not the only ones with fond memories of Carlyle’s, but they certainly have a unique point of view from growing up in the business. The two are first cousins and part of the second generation stewarding the family business; alongside them are more family members: Mary Atkinson, Sarah Merrill, Caroline Holliday and Ben Torbert. The group of cousins leads everything from corporate catering to social events to wholesale orders to marketing.
While some might lament the loss of a physical lunch spot, Carlyle’s has evolved into so much more in the last five decades, serving Atlantans in myriad ways. “As corporate Atlanta grew, [our parents] realized that operating restaurants wasn’t as in demand as catering could be for the building. Everyone loved Carlyle’s food, but wanted it in their offices.”
In the last 15 years or so, the company has expanded into new areas little by little: a wholesale grab-and-go product line called Carlyle’s Market; an event venue, The Carlyle, for corporate events, social events, and weddings; several locations of Closer’s Coffee, a full-service coffee shop; and the company’s bread and butter, corporate catering for companies across Metro Atlanta like Honeywell, Roam, and Georgia Tech.
Each one of the segments interprets Carlyle’s foundational food and service principles in slightly different ways. By offering a wide range of foods, ranging from nutritionally paneled deli wraps to chef-attended stations, the company serves a huge range of food in many unique settings around the city.
“Our goal is to provide clients with solutions that meet their specific needs,” says Torbert.
The innovative approach is combined with tried-and-true recipes from grandmother’s original menu, such as Carlyle’s chicken salad, resulting in an irresistible combination for Atlantans looking for delicious, inspired, and comforting food.
Part of the reason Carlyle’s has such longevity, says Boyd, is that they support each other. “We all take accountability and cover for each other. It’s a perfect setup,” he says. “We get to work with people we really care about.”
Torbert and Boyd, along with their family members, are taking Carlyle’s into the next 50 years with the ethos that has made the company what it is today, plus a forward-looking vision.
The second generation is expanding Carlyle’s in meaningful ways. One is through helping companies build consistent lunch programs in offices. “We love that some companies see food as an amenity to foster a better workplace culture,” says Torbert. The second is through expanded wholesale offerings run through a new wholesale and food manufacturing kitchen in Midtown that will open in October. This will allow them to bring the charm and comfort of Carlyle’s into the region at scale.
What differentiates Carlyle’s today from others is the approach—one that has not changed much over the decades, whether in a restaurant setting, in an office conference room, or at The Carlyle. “We combine homemade foods and a simple, friendly level of service. We care about our clients; it’s really the most important asset we have as caterers,” says Torbert.
Boyd says the company’s core value will always remain the same: “We make our clients successful.”
Plan your next event with Carlyle’s or schedule a tour of The Carlyle.
