Photograph by Inari Briana
Gold-dusted pancakes, fish and grits, Veuve Clicquot on ice: Local restaurateurs have opened a spate of buzzy brunch spots over the past year. Here’s a few to try.
Breakfast at Barney’s
Founded by two Atlanta University Center alums, this corner restaurant on the first floor of the Pencil Factory Flats is worth the wait—and, yes, there will be a wait. Unfailingly stylish diners (recently spotted: Raphael Warnock and kids) pack the velvet banquettes for lobster mac and cheese, stacks of pancakes garnished with edible gold, and fried catfish and spaghetti—a classic soul-food pairing that tastes good any time of day. 349 Decatur Street, Sweet Auburn
Hot Betty’s Breakfast Bar
The biscuit—crisp and golden outside, fluffy within, nearly the size of a salad plate—is nonnegotiable. The real question is what you’re going to get to go with it. Gravy, either with meat or mushrooms? Sure. Homemade pimento cheese? Also an option! Fried chicken livers with smoked-paprika aioli? Pork chops brined in sweet tea? All the Southern classics are on the menu—and fancified just a bit—at this convivial DeKalb eatery. 2316 Main Street, Tucker
The Breakfast Boys
Between this popular new cafe and Johnny’s World Famous Chicken and Waffles just down the street, College Park is emerging as Atlanta’s epicenter of brunch. Striped blue-and-pink walls make the dining room feel cozy and fun, while chef Lorenzo Wyche’s soulful menu—think jerk chicken and sweet potato waffles, plus the full battery of boozy brunch cocktails—encourages lingering with friends or family. 3387 Main Street, College Park
Snooze: An AM Eatery
This Denver-based chain landed in Georgia earlier this year like a ton of burritos—specifically breakfast burritos, stuffed with your choice of meat, veg, and green or red salsa (or—why not?—sausage gravy). Fans also enthuse about the benedicts—options include a habanero pork belly benny and a “lox-n-latke” benny, with a combo plate available for those who can’t decide—and the pancake flights. And the mimosas. 4600 Roswell Road, North Buckhead
This article appears in our August 2021 issue.
