Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 4/3/21

ATLANTA’S TOP BRUNCH SPOTS 2021

A pile of chicken sits perfectly atop a stack of warm waffles just waiting for a bit of maple syrup on top, beside it sits two beautiful poached eggs just waiting to run down the side of a smoked salmon benedict. And just like that, we are hooked on the savory, sweet, smoky, earthy flavors of brunch. We poured, dripped, sipped our way around Atlanta finding all the best brunch spots and came upon a good list of favorites. These top spots each have something unique and special that we want to share with you, so grab your stretchy pants and get ready to eat.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE! APRON AND LADLE – BISCUIT FRENCH TOAST 

Brunch Goal: Biscuit French Toast. Nestled in a spot in Sandy Springs near the hustle and bustle of Roswell Road, Apron and Ladle is a brunch gem!  Hiding behind a strip mall store front, the cozy cafe-style restaurant, has a laid-back patio space where we enjoyed our Biscuit French Toast! It was brought as a surprise by our server, and we cannot thank her enough! It starts out sweet with heavy cinnamon notes, then bright and tangy fruit on top of the ooey, gooey goodness. It was hands down favorite by John and I both. On top of this delicious find, we also enjoyed the Spicy Fried Chicken Benedict to the flavorful Avocado, Bacon and Fried Green Tomato Biscuit, as well as the Thick Chicken and Waffles, they have a stout brunch line-up. 

Apron and Ladle is located at 227 Sandy Springs Pl in Sandy Springs.

Website: apron and ladle – apron and ladle

BISTRO NIKO – PORK BELLY

Brunch Goal: Pork Belly!  If you haven’t had Bistro Niko’s Chef’s Mustard Crusted Pork Belly you’re missing out! It’s easily our thing on the Bistro Niko menu. In love with the entirety of this dish, boasting bold mustard and red wine sauce drizzled over a juicy and tender pork belly. The crust is perfectly crunchy and paired with a runny egg for a bit of creaminess. Overall, it starts crunchy and savory and ends with a mustard and wine rich kick. We will be back for this one! If you’re looking for traditional or untraditional brunch fare, you can’t go wrong here, they have belgian waffles, brioche french toast, as well as a stellar steak tartare and champagne cocktails.

Bistro Niko is located in Buckhead at 3344 Peachtree Rd Ne.

Website: Bistro Niko | Buckhead Life Restaurant Group (buckheadrestaurants.com)

BUTTERMILK KITCHEN – CHICKEN BISCUIT

Brunch Goal: Chicken Biscuit! The Chicken Biscuit has the perfect harmony of crispy and juicy chicken, buttery and fluffy biscuit, and tangy and slightly spicy jam.  It starts out crispy and savory with hints of butter juxtaposed to the spicy and sweet of the jam that kicks up the flavor. This was Liz’s favorite with all that sassy flavor! Our pro tip is to take some of the pickles they put on the side and add them to the sandwich. It adds some salt and tang! We also loved the Ray’s Waffle Burger, boozy chicken and waffles, savory grits bowl, and the tasty cornbread loaf.

Buttermilk Kitchen is located in Buckhead at 4225 Roswell Rd Ne.

Website: Buttermilk Kitchen

CANOE – SMOKED SALMON

Brunch Goal: Smoked Salmon. What’s not to love about some tender salmon, crisp bagel, creamy cheese, and sharp onion? Canoe has a delightful starter, the House Smoked Salmon, that was every bit of this but elevated with a crispy potato cake, the salmon was absolute perfection slow smoked and tender, and the mix of cream cheese and goat cheese was the icing on the cake! Let’s dot it with some spicy onion and scallions and it’s one of the best little bites! Still can’t get over that crunch. We ended up eating the entire thing. Lick the plate? It’s a possibility. We also enjoyed cocktails, amazing scones, and a fantastic half chicken on a bed of cheddar grits.

Canoe is located on the Chattahoochee River at 4199 Paces Ferry Rd SE

Website: CANOE ATLANTA – Tucked Away, Not Far Away.

CARSON KITCHEN – SPAM BENEDICT

Brunch Goal: Spam Benedict! With the perfectly cooked and meaty spam, topped with a savory egg and the right amount of cheese, it was an amazing bite. But you know what was the showstopper? The fried green tomato. It was perfectly crisp and ripe and instead of bread held the entire dish together. Just imagine a crispy, crunchy, and earthy tomato topped with pork spam perfectly pan fried and topped with sauce and a gooey, runny egg. Cut up all the ingredients and mix it up, bite. Heavenly. We also got a creamy avocado toast, savory oxtail hash, divine cocktails, and the chicken and waffles.

Carson Kitchen is located in Alpharetta at 4 S Main St.

Website: Carson Kitchen | Atlanta

THE CIGAR CELLAR – STEAK AND EGGS

Brunch goal: Steak and Eggs! This brunch staple was Liz’s favorite thing here because the steak was tender and perfectly cooked atop some sweet and spicy grits and potatoes for crunch. Off to the side the eggs were so well seasoned and savory. Pro tip: make sure to eat all ingredients in one bite: savory, spicy, sweet, crunchy. Beyond the steak and eggs, you can grab a cigar, an amazing Cellar Signature Smoked Old Fashioned, as well as tasty French toast, wonderful potatoes, and a delicious breakfast burger.

The Cigar Cellar is located in Kennesaw at 2500 Cobb Pkwy NW Suite B3.

Website: Cigar Bar | The Cigar Cellar | United States

CORNER CAFÉ – SMOKED SALMON BENEDICT

Brunch goal: Smoked Salmon Benedict! THIS is how you benny. Boasting smoked salmon atop a potato cake and smothered in egg and sauce, it almost like a lox bagel and Benedict combined into one dish! With the salty and savory salmon pairing with the savory egg, onion of the hollandaise, and the creaminess of the potato it was one tasty number. A must try when you go to Corner Café. Plus, they have a dynamic chicken and waffles as well as warm and sweet Bananas Fosters Pancakes, and a Prosecco Sunrise to wash it all down.

Corner Café is located in Buckhead at 3070 Piedmont Rd Ne.

Website: Corner Cafe | Buckhead Life Restaurant Group (buckheadrestaurants.com)

GRANA ATL – EGGS IN PURGATORY

Brunch Goal: Eggs in Purgatory! They’re two perfectly over-medium eggs in a pool of hearty and chunky marinara, chocked full of onions, salty anchovies, sharp Parmesan and chili for a little kick at the end. It was the culmination of a variety of perfectly paired flavors that explode with each bite. Get everything on top of the crispy toast for the best bite. Must try. Pat also has a delicious cornmeal-ricotta pancakes and a stellar cocktail list beyond the Eggs in Purgatory. Plus, you HAVE to get the meatball flight. It’s a must.

Grana is located at 1835 Piedmont Ave Ne.

Website: Grana (granaatl.com)

JOY CAFÉ – SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE FRENCH TOAST

Brunch Goal: Sour Cream Pound Cake French Toast! Joy Café in midtown puts the joy in brunch, that’s for sure! The second the French toast beautify arrives at the table you’re in love, gorgeous outside, while simply divine inside! It’s dessert for breakfast! Sweet and very thick pound cake-like toast with a good amount of crunch on the edges. Topped with cool and fluffy whipped cream and berries for an essential tang to round out the bite. Love the raspberry and chocolate sauces that sit around the bottom. Make sure to get all the berries, cake and sauce in one big bite. Divine. Best French toast so far! They also have a tasty chilaquiles, amazing chicken and waffles, and a huge breakfast biscuit! Everything they have is delicious!

Joy Café is located in Midtown at 1100 Peachtree Street Ne. Ste. 110

Website: Joy Cafe | Southern Fare with a Creative Twist (joycafeatl.com)

LIVE AT THE BATTERY, SPORTS AND SOCIAL – AVOCADO TOAST with side of BOOZY CEREAL

Brunch goal: Avocado Toast! This fresh avocado toast starts out creamy and smooth then comes in the crunch of the toast and the perfect seasoning balances all the ingredients. It’s just avocado toast perfection. We also can’t say enough about how fun their Boozy Cereal where you pick your cereal and booze. It’s so unique. Think of this more as a cocktail! We also enjoyed the chicken and waffles and country poutine.  

Live at the Batter is located next to the Brave’s Stadium at 825 Battery Ave Se. #600

Website:  Live! at the Battery Atlanta – Battery Atlanta

MAC’S CHOP HOUSE –LAZY SUSAN & CHICKEN AND WAFFLES

Brunch Goal: Lazy Susan & Chicken and Waffles! It was a hodgepodge of delicious brunch items like a salmon bagel, creamy and cheesy grits, all the brunch meats you can imagine, a slice of dreamy crème brulee French Toast, a waffle, crispy potatoes, and scrambled eggs. It doesn’t get any more complete than this really as you get a good bit of everything on the menu. The favorites from the sampler had to be the amazing cheesy, tart, and creamy grits, along with the perfectly cooked and thick crème brulee French toast slathered in maple syrup, and the little salmon bagel.  Remember to bring your appetite, you’ll need it for this one. We had to include the chicken and waffles because they were John’s favorite. Crispy and tender chicken topped with candied bacon, and atop a crispy and warm waffle. Drizzle maple syrup in for the best bite. All the flavors! We also tried a savory pork belly appetizer, tasty eggs benedict, and the wonderful Thai Affair cocktail.

Mac’s Chop House is located on the Marietta Square at 19 N Park Sq NE

Website: Marietta Steakhouse | Your Marietta Square Restaurant | Mac’s Chophouse

MCRAYS TAVERN SMYRNA – SOUTHERN BENEDICT

Brunch goal: Southern Benedict. It’s a brunch favorite with a southern flare! Poached eggs perched atop a bed of perfectly smoked and meaty pulled pork and topped with a barbecue-forward sauce. On it’s own it’s delicious, but put some of the well-seasoned potatoes and vibrant salad and you’ve got something special. They also have a great French toast and delicious chicken and waffles.

McCray’s Tavern Smyrna is located at 4500 W Village Pl SE

Website: McCray’s Tavern

MILKDROP BISCUITS – GOLDEN ARCHES

Brunch Goal: Golden Arches!  This one has this crazy good, smoky bacon that pairs PERFECTLY with the soft and buttery biscuit, sharp cheese, and creamy egg. It’s smoky with hints of butter, sharpness, and savory egg and Chef Vizethann told us that bacon fat is on the biscuit. Must try. AND we got two of them!!! We also got the savory Not Your Momma’s Sausage and spicy Hot’Lanta Biscuit.

Milkdrop Biscuits is a pop-up located at 4209 Roswell Rd.

Website: Milkdrop Biscuits

OCEAN AND ACRE –BREAKFAST POLENTA BOWL

Brunch Goal: Breakfast Polenta Bowl. It is like a grits bowl, only more like mashed potatoes texture filled with bacon, ragu (tomatoes and mushrooms), and two poached eggs. Think a mixed-up, eggs, bacon, and grits dish but ELEVATED with polenta and the tart of the ragu. And here’s our tip: play with your food! The bacon is on the top and you can use it as a scoop to get all the polenta, egg, and ragu into one bite. The bacon adds a salt element to the creamy and savory of the other ingredients. What something even more playful? Eat the polenta with the steak and eggs. Wowza! We also enjoyed the steak and eggs, divine dutch pancake, and sipped on some cocktails.

Ocean and Acre is located in Halcyon at 6290 Halcyon Way #620

Website: Ocean & Acre | Alpharetta Seafood Restaurant | Book Reservation Today (oceanandacre.com)

STK – TRUFFLE STEAK AND EGGS

Brunch Goal: Truffle Steak and Eggs! Brunching around Atlanta has taught us to ALWAYS save room for steak! STK Atlanta has just the dish to hit that spot, Truffle Steak and Eggs. The phenomenal wagyu flatiron has the right balance of juicy tender steak and earthy, rustic truffle. Whatever temperature you like this will turn out JUST right. It was paired with a poached egg in a hole, which was buttery and savory, and crispy and hearty potato straws that gave the whole dish a well-rounded crunch. Delicious! We also got the BEST tuna tartare, we’ve ever had, tasty Pork Belly Benedict, and savory Hot Chicken and Waffles.

STK is located in Midtown at 1075 Peachtree St. NE

Website: STK Atlanta | Steakhouse, Seafood, & Drinks (stksteakhouse.com)

TWO URBAN LICKS – BISCUITS AND GRAVY

Brunch Goal: Biscuits and Gravy. Take us back to TWO for these! All the ingredients are piled high on a huge biscuit, the crispy and crunchy chicken is so tender, while the sausage gravy is rich, creamy, and savory. This great bite is best enjoyed with all the ingredients in one bite. Don’t forget the well-seasoned and crisp potatoes! We also got a stellar brisket and eggs, crunchy catfish and grits, their staple salmon chips, tasty turkey wings, great cocktails, and THE BEST peanut butter pie ever.

TWO Urban Licks is located on the Beltline at 820 Ralph McGill Blvd NE

Website: https://www.twourbanlicks.com/

THE WHISKEY PROJECT – MAPLE BACON OLD FASHIONED

Brunch goal: Maple Bacon Old Fashioned! When we think of Old Fashioned, it’s just a bourbon staple drink that some of our other guy friends or their father’s drink. This will make you rethink the assumption, the Maple Bacon Old Fashioned is a miracle cocktail marring bourbon, maple, lemon, and candied bacon on top. They take a drink torch and char the bacon in front of you. But you have to eat the bacon first and sip the cocktail at the same time, so the bacon grease doesn’t set into the drink itself. Insert fire emoji here. It was EN FUEGO with sweet and light char up front with a savory, maple, and boozy bourbon back end. Love, true love. We also enjoyed the tasty tartine, savory kalettes, sweet French toast, and loaded bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit.

The Whiskey Project is located near downtown Roswell at 45 Oak St.

Website: The Whiskey Project Restaurant & Bar (twpatl.com)

THE WHITE BULL – COLD CHICKEN SANDWICH

Brunch Goal: Cold Chicken Sandwich. The waitress told us that her favorite menu item was the Cold Chicken Sandwich, and after her ooh and ahh-ing we were sold. It has to be good if she loves it that much? She was spot on, this practically perfect chicken sandwich in every way, has it all. The crisp of the fried chicken hits you on the front of the palate then the flavor changes and you get the creaminess of the mayo, the crunchy pickles, and the savory of the hearty bacon jam slathered on top. The flavor is so rich, deep, and complex that you don’t know what ingredient you like more. The combination of flavors is striking, and you will NOT be able to stop eating it! Needless to say, put this on your list too! They also have a stellar half chicken, a brunchy poutine, and tasty smoked trout, as well as burrata and beets.

The White Bull is located on the Decatur Square at 123 E Court Sq.

Website: The White Bull – Decatur, GA (whitebullatl.com)

WOODWARD & PARK –CROQUE MADAME

Brunch Goals: Croque Madame Burger! Starting with tender and rich meat in the middle and expanding into crunchy and crusty toast and surrounded by tons of cheese and runny egg, this burger wasn’t much to look at really. One bite and you’re in love with the meatiness, richness of the bone marrow, creamy of the cheeses, and savory gooeyness of the egg. It begins with a crunch and ends with so much savor. Our tip is to get the egg all runny and let it sink in a little to the bread. Cannot stop thinking about it! We also got the savory Shakshuka and grits, handmade-in house English muffin with choice of meat (fried chicken), and an array of brunch cocktails!  

Woodward & Park is located in Grant Park at 519 Memorial Dr Se, Unit 2B

Website: Woodward and Park | Atlanta, Restaurant and Patio (woodwardparkatl.com)