Combining a number of culinary and mealtime influences into one heaping helping of a meal, brunch has culled a number of avid followers from Atlanta's sleep-in set. Many of the brunch offerings you'll find in Atlanta are traditional (think eggs benedict); many more are traditional- with-a-twist (subtract the English muffin and hollandaise, add corn cakes and chipotle hollandaise). Some of Atlanta's best brunch venues add a dash of Southern flavor to their offerings; others throw in a generous helping of beautiful landscaping to help ease you into a relaxing weekend.
RAYS ON THE RIVER 6700 Powers Ferry Road Sandy Springs, GA 770-955-1187 Sunday Brunch 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM
A seafood brunch is simply satisfying at Atlanta’s Ray’s on the River. Not only will you enjoy a peaceful view, but you will be able to partake of some of the finest fish and shrimp in the south. Other items on the Sunday brunch menu are made to order omelets, fresh salads, waffles with whip cream or other toppings, and an assortment of sweetly satisfying desserts. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially during holiday weekends. It will take more than one visit to sample the over 80 items available to diners. After your first taste, it is likely you’ll want to make a return to Rays on the River for a future Sunday afternoon meal.
Estimated Price $20-$25
AGNES AND MURIEL 1514 Monroe Drive (404) 885-1000 Hours: Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm; Friday 11am-11pm; Saturday 10 am-11pm; Sunday 10am-10pm If you have ever wondered how people go to garage sales, pick up a lot of 50's junk and make it seem like style, Agnes and Muriel's is the perfect place to pick up tips. Cheerful and chock full of such forgotten delights as Ken and Barbie convertibles and busted TVs with big knobs and antennas, A and M provides a great morning-after recovery location. Avoid the overpriced seafood entrée selections but go for the yummy maple pecan banana French toast, the spinach cheddar omelet or the veggie plate with the green bean or squash casserole. Try a biscuit for comparison to Atlanta's more famous flying biscuits and don't forget to wink at the cute waiter.
Estimated Price: $7-$15
APRÈS DIEM 931 Monroe Drive (404) 872-3333 Hours: Brunch Saturday & Sunday 11am – 2pm Après Diem's attempt to transform a run-of-the-mill strip mall into a homey French café is surprisingly successful. Get here early on a weekend morning, grab a seat outside and relax to the hum of ceiling fans and the ongoing chatter of diners discussing the food and the weather with Diem's gregarious owner. While they do offer a brunch menu full of nicely executed breakfast items, you can also order off the regular menu. For a really lovely start to a weekend, bring your honey and order the Fruits et Fromages, a generous platter of fresh fruit, cheeses and French bread. Other favorites include the smoked trout sandwich, the cheese tortellini and, on many occasions, the soup of the day.
Estimated Cost: $7-12
BABETTE'S CAFE 573 North Highland Avenue (404) 523-9121 Hours: Sunday Brunch 10:30am-2pm, Despite the traffic web engendered by Babette's tiny parking space and a fleet of young valets, the inside of Babette's sparks the very sense of well-being and ease that so many road-raged, overstressed, on-the-rise Atlantans crave. Though its location boasts a small inside dining space, the deck is expansive and well cooled. Brunch at Babette's is best if prolonged into an epic affair. Start with the roasted squash soup, move on romaine and arugula salad with thyme dressing, and round out the meal with any one of Babette's excellent egg specialties. The smoked salmon and herbs omelet has an especially loyal following.
Estimated Cost: $10-25
CANOE 4199 West Paces Ferry Road N.W. (770) 432-2663 Hours: Sunday Brunch 10:30am-2pm Featured in countless food and restaurant connoisseur magazines,, Canoe offers a beautiful view of the Chattahoochee River along with a diverse selection of decadent brunch entrees. Keep things basic with buttermilk cornmeal pancakes or Brioche French toast. If you are in the mood for something new and memorable sink your taste buds into wild mushroom, bacon and Vidalia onion pie. Get here early, around 9 o'clock, to get the best view of the river.
Estimated Price: $15-25
CRESCENT MOON 174 West Ponce De Leon Decatur, Georgia 30030 (404) 377-5623 Hours: Brunch Saturday & Sunday 7:30am - 3pm Located near the apex of Decatur's charmingly old-fashioned town square, Crescent Moon offers a combination of retro-sixties looks with the kind of slightly-updated classic that you wish your mother used to make. Particularly outstanding are all of Crescent's takes on eggs benedict, using such mix-and-match ingredients as corn cakes, chipotle hollandaise, lemon-butter sauce and shrimp-and-crab patties. Griddle grits bring out the "ya'll" in us all and the ground chicken burger with bacon and onions makes for a heady healthy/sinful combination. Get here early; the line can be as long as a true southerner's fishin' tale.
Estimated price: $7-12
FLYING BISCUIT 1655 McLendon Avenue (404) 687-8888 Hours: Sunday-Thursday 7am-10pm; Friday-Saturday 7am-10:30pm A casual brunch tradition, the Flying Biscuit is the Indigo Girls' showcase for food that tastes as satisfying and vaguely new age as their music. Over time this menu has expanded to include a list of signature omelets and organic originals. The tofu dishes, love cakes (black bean cakes) and the veggie scramble give healthy eaters and semi-dieters alike a reason to celebrate. The biscuits, baked fresh, really are as good as everyone says.
Estimated Price: $7-12
MURPHY'S 997 Virginia Avenue N. E. (404) 872-0904 Hours: Brunch Saturday & Sunday 8am-4pm Even a relatively late arrival (say, 9:30 or 10:00) should land you a spot at this centrally located Virginia Highlands hot spot. After that, however, watch out for long lines and belated brunchers zooming around the nearby neighborhoods desperately looking for parking spaces. They are justified in their desperation - Murphy's offers one of the best brunch menus in town with a friendly charm that has converted many Atlantans into regulars. They offer a selection of takes on the standard eggs benedict, all made outstanding by their made-from-scratch bakery goods. Other winners include the sunrise frittata and the citrus-cured bagel and lox.
Estimated Cost Per Person: $9-15
R. THOMAS 1812 Peachtree Street (404) 872-2942 Hours: 24 Hours R. Thomas offers a 24-hour collection of everything from traditional eggs and bacon to healthy grains you've never heard. The menu is ready for both vegetarians and carnivores with a satisfying selection of omelets and gourmet sandwiches. The location and décor are worth exploring while you wait for your dish to be served. Memorabilia and a colorful garden, that may look a bit cluttered when you drive by, are enough to keep your mind occupied until mealtime. It is a wonder with all the condominium construction along Peachtree Street that this restaurant has survived. Make it a point to pull up a chair and sample the cuisine this café has to offer soon.
There is something sweet simmering in East Atlanta at Honey’s Kitchen. In a throw back to the diner styled eateries of the 1960s, this corner café offers up breakfast, brunch and lunch plates. Honey’s Steak & Eggs and Honey’s Country Skillet will fill you up for hours. You can also sample made to order pancakes or waffles. If you want to add a little fruit flavor, ask your server to “put a smile on that” and your order will be accented with warm strawberry or blueberry sauce. Sides include southern favorites, such as hash browns, grits, and mac n cheese What makes Honey’s Kitchen special is the atmosphere. While you are there you won’t feel like just another visitor. This is probably why on Saturdays and Sundays the restaurant is packed families and friends gathered around the tables for a taste that reminds them of home.
The Top List of Best Brunches - Atlanta, GA