Photo by Boyd Baker
“My grandfather used to always say, “Howdy, Partner,” says Howdy ATL Biscuit Café founder Boyd Baker. “I’ve always loved the word ‘howdy’. It’s easy to remember. It means welcome.”
That’s what Baker wants Grant Park residents and visitors to Zoo Atlanta to feel when they stop by his new bakery cafe, located in the former Grant Park Coffeehouse space on the corner of Augusta and Cherokee avenues. (The Coffeehouse moved to 8 Park Place, Downtown, in early 2022.) Baker, who most recently worked at Waller’s Coffee Shop in Decatur, says he hopes to open Howdy ATL Biscuit Café in April, dependent on permitting.
“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time,” he says. “I started baking more during the pandemic and realized I missed it. I like working with my hands, and feeding people is one of the most intimate things you can do.”
A self-described Southerner, Baker learned to make biscuits from his grandmother. Larger than average, his biscuits are made with flour (including a little whole wheat), butter, milk, and “lots of love.”
Photo by Boyd Baker
Photo by Boyd Baker
“It’s a workman’s biscuit—it’s structurally sound,” he says. “It won’t fall apart on you and gets the job done whether for a sandwich or jelly. It soothes the soul.”
Baker will be selling biscuits as breakfast sandwiches, as well as by the single, half dozen and dozen. He’ll also make scones, muffins, pop tarts, cookies, cakes, and pies. He may sell freshly baked bread in the future.
Lunch offerings will feature a “plant slant,” meaning salads and soups with a vegan or vegetarian focus. Items may include pasta salad, tabouli, and Mexican corn salad. “It’s not just leaf salads,” Baker clarifies.
Based out of Mexico City, Capeltic coffee will provide the beans for espresso, lattes, cappuccinos, cold brew, and more. The fair trade company supports indigenous farmers in the area.
Photo by Boyd Baker
“I wanted to find a way to give back,” Baker says.
He wants to give to the Grant Park neighborhood too by providing a bright and cheery space for people to meet and mingle. The nearly 3,000-square-foot 1990s building has a horseshoe shape and an open-air patio out front. Baker describes it as “a little retro and funky,” with gray-blue walls and bold red accents. There’s exposed brick, a lot of natural light, and a takeout window.
“We want people to have a good time,” he says.
