Dominique Wilkins’ perfect day in Atlanta
Nicknamed the “Human Highlight Film,” Dominique Wilkins is one of the top dunkers in NBA history. He spent the majority of his basketball career with the Atlanta Hawks, where he remains the franchise’s all-time leader in scores and steals. He’s now the team’s vice president of basketball and special advisor to the CEO. Here, he shares his perfect day in and around Atlanta.
The Silver Skillet
Hello, 1950s time warp. The sunny yellow walls, the fluorescent lights, the snug booths, the waitresses who call you “honey”: This is the place to take visitors longing to find some vestige of small-town Southern charm in Atlanta.
Rise-N-Dine
Settle into a table and immediately ask for a cup of the unusually fine coffee supplied by local roasting company Counter Culture.
The Red Eyed Mule
The location between Marietta and Kennesaw supports the highest concentration of biscuit pit stops in the metro area. The best of the bunch resides in a nondescript redbrick building with a dim, equally unassuming
interior. Oh, but those biscuits.
Home Grown
The restaurant prides itself on using local vegetables (some from its own garden), but you’ll find more evidence of such efforts on the lunch menu; breakfast is mostly a straightforward montage of egg dishes, pancakes, and biscuit sandwiches.
Ria’s Bluebird
Ria Pell’s breakfast diner has been a Grant Park draw since 2000, a bastion of tattooed waitresses and diverse crowds that mill in the small front parking lot while waiting for a table. Beyond the sense of community, though, the appeal can sometimes waver.
Douceur de France
Look for omelets and pain perdu (a hybrid take on French toast dolled up with strawberries, bananas, and whipped cream) among open-faced sandwiches and savory crepes.
West Egg Cafe
Small details impress: Spiced honey butter served with the waffle delivers a wallop of cinnamon and mellow sweetness, and fried green tomatoes stay crisp even while wrapped in a whole-wheat burrito with scrambled eggs.
Sun in My Belly
This comfortable, meandering space is one reason to visit the community of Kirkwood; it’s easy to grab a seat for a quick early breakfast or a languorous, hours-long brunch.
Bantam and Biddy
Shaun Doty's savvy approach extends to breakfast, when he plies sleepy customers with pork schnitzel and chopped liver on toast straight from the lunch and dinner menus.
NEWSLETTERS
