If you’ve visited Athens and wondered where the grown-ups who live here eat, here’s your answer. Out of the Acheson-axis of visiting foodies and away from the downtown bar scene, Heirloom is a tranquil spot in the Boulevard neighborhood (which Atlantans will find to be a hybrid of Candler Park, Cabbagetown, and Kirkwood).
Tucked into a retrofitted Amoco station, Heirloom houses a takeaway market (housemade pastries, cheeses from nearby Greendale Farm, and Mills Farm dry goods) and does a brisk breakfast and lunch trade (try the lentil-walnut Polk Burger). Evenings and weekends, the pace is slower with a small but interesting dinner menu and a standout brunch. The Happy Vegan tofu scramble was a light, fresh variation on the soy-dense options we’ve had elsewhere, made happier with a topping of sweet new carrots and early peas. Better yet, our waitress didn’t balk when we decided to pair the vegan dish with a side of thick, smoky BPH bacon.
Heirloom is a family affair, run by Jessica Rothacker (who previously worked at Muss and Turner’s) and her dad, Travis Burch. The homey dining room also doubles as gallery space for local artists.
