Updated October 28th, 2021

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Throughout many cities in the world weekends mean brunch-time! Visitors and locals alike love to go for brunch in Atlanta, Georgia. There’s no better place to find classic southern food than in the south. Whether you are craving some comfort food or looking for something a little different to get your weekend days started, look no further. You no longer need to stress over finding the top brunch spots in Atlanta. The only hard decision you’ll have now is what you should order. Let me tell you chicken and waffles or a fried chicken biscuit are always a good choice.

If you are planning to dine at one of the best brunch places in Atlanta be prepared to wait. These Atlanta brunch spots made my list for a reason. They are focused on more casual restaurants in Atlanta that won’t break the bank, but will leave your stomach and taste buds more than satisfied.

Do you want some more recommendations? Or maybe you notice some of your favorite brunch spots in Atlanta are missing from this post? They are probably in my breakfast in Atlanta post! Check it out for more suggestions that also make great brunches!

The Best Brunch Places in Atlanta

Folk Art

465 North Highland Avenue Northeast (Inman Park) & 174 W Ponce de Leon Ave (Decatur)

Inman Park is known for having some of the best restaurants in Atlanta. As one of the top brunch places in Atlanta, Folk Art fits perfectly into the neighborhood. This funky spot serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Their motto of “artful eats for simple folks” matches their menu of classic southern dishes with unique touches perfectly.

The “folk southern fried” is the dish to order at brunch. You want to be really hungry for this one though. It is a heaping portion of fried chicken and biscuits covered with eggs and sausage gravy. Every component of the dish is perfect and the result is a masterpiece!

Not that you need any more reasons to visit, but the location right off the Eastside BeltLine trail couldn’t be any better. The wait time isn’t great though. You can easily wait for over an hour on weekends. Don’t worry in addition to the BeltLine proximity, Inman Park is one of the most walkable neighborhoods in Atlanta. Sunday brunch in Atlanta only gets better with a neighborhood walk afterwards. Trust me you’ll want to walk if you manage to finish your chicken and biscuits. The Decatur location is also in a really walkable area. 

Buttermilk Kitchen

4225 Roswell Rd NE (Buckhead)

Buttermilk Kitchen is known as a go-to Atlanta brunch spot for locals and visitors alike. Located in an old house in Buckhead, there’s a nice cozy atmosphere. 

Buttermilk Kitchen is also known for really long waits. I was happily surprised with only a 30 minute wait one Saturday morning. They have a good system that you will be texted when your table is almost ready. Parking can be a little tricky, but there are a few different spots. A sign at the front of the building lists where you can park on different days. The food comes out pretty fast too. So while there is always a wait on weekends, they are efficient! 

The best part of this brunch place in Atlanta is the food of course. One of my favorite chicken and waffles in Atlanta is at Buttermilk Kitchen. The chicken was tender and flavorful, both the outside breading and inside meat. The waffle was perfect. The apple french toast is also very good if you catch it as one of the specials. I had to contain myself from ordering the biscuit basket. They smelled and looked delicious. 

Joy Cafe

1100 Peachtree St NE Exhibit A (Midtown)

“Made with love, served with joy” is Joy Cafe’s motto and I believe it. The food tasted great and our server was friendly and attentive. 

There are so many good options on the menu. It’s one of those places where you really struggle in deciding what to order. The spicy chicken biscuit was very good. I really enjoyed both the chicken and the biscuit. The menu claimed that the chicken was “smothered” in hot sauce. I definitely didn’t think this true and could have used a tad more. The green tomato chow chow was like a veggie salsa. 

You choose a side with the dish and I was really impressed with the side of fruit. There were some quality berries in that bowl! So if you are thinking about ordering pancakes or waffles topped with berries you can be assured that they won’t come out of a can. 

Many of the other Atlanta brunch places mentioned in this post are located in the more local neighborhoods of the city. They are some of the best neighborhoods in Atlanta, but further away from most of Atlanta’s main attractions. Joy Cafe is located in Midtown and only a 10 – 20 minute walk to the Woodruff Arts Center, the Fox Theater, Atlanta Botanical Gardens, and Piedmont Park 

Carroll Street Cafe

208 Carroll St SE (Cabbagetown) 

Cabbagetown is primarily a residential neighborhood. Along Carroll Street you will find a few businesses including Carroll Street Cafe. The cafe with indoor and outdoor dining is a busy neighborhood spot. Parking on the street can be tough, but there is plenty of parking available in the neighborhood a few streets over if you are willing to walk.

Unlike other brunch places in Atlanta, the menu has a more European feel. You can order both southern classics like shrimp and grits and French dishes such as eggs meurette. I enjoyed my steak and eggs and especially the fluffy biscuit. A large drink menu of coffees and cocktails accompanies the wide variety of food choices. 

After brunch, head up the block a few feet and try to find one of Atlanta’s Tiny Doors at the Milltown Arms Tavern.

Cultivate Food & Coffee

1952 Howell Mill Rd NW Suite 200 (Channing Valley)

If you are looking for brunch in Buckhead and the surrounding area check out Cultivate Food & Coffee. The light and airy restaurant and coffee shop combination is more casual than many of the places you will find in Buckhead. After ordering at the counter you can choose to sit inside or outside.

Cultivate is another great spot for chicken and waffles. Their chicken biscuit is also very good. The best part is the option of adding Nashville hot sauce to either of the chicken dishes. To me the typical Nashville heat flavor was missing, but I loved the Asian spicy taste just the same.

My usual brunch items might not be the healthiest, but at Cultivate at least I know I am eating fresh homemade ingredients. Vegans can rest assured that the menu contains some appealing options for them too.

Petit Chou

662 Memorial Dr SE (Cabbagetown) 

Along busy Memorial Drive you can’t miss the delightful periwinkle Petit Chou. On the weekends this French restaurant serves brunch. It’s not quite as busy as other Atlanta brunch restaurants so you may get lucky and have a shorter wait here.

The menu is on the smaller side, but you know what you order will be fresh and delicious. With a combination of rich dishes like French Toast Crème Brûlée Combier and lighter choices such as avocado toast, there are still plenty of delicious options.

On my second visit I was so excited to return for the Liege waffles. When having the entire order to myself, instead of only stealing one bite from my boyfriend’s plate, it was way too sweet. I do have a sweet tooth, but a little sweet goes a long way for me. Usually I like my brunch items more savory. If you are looking for something sweet this is what to order. If not you may want to convince your dining partner to split one savory and one sweet dish to achieve the perfect balance. 

El Tesoro

1374 Arkwright Pl SE (Edgewood) 

Are you hoping to switch up your usual brunch routine? Not all brunch restaurants in Atlanta focus on southern cuisine. El Tesoro, the treasure, is a Mexican restaurant tucked away in Edgewood. It’s funny how the restaurant is in a pretty quiet area in Edgewood, but you know you are getting close when the street starts filling up with cars. 

When you arrive your first step is to wait in the long, slow moving line before ordering at the window. Then you will find a seat and wait for your name to be called. With a large outdoor patio the wait isn’t too bad. Along with plenty of tables and chairs, the patio has outdoor games and fire pits.

In addition to the regular lunch offerings, breakfast tacos and burritos are available on the weekends at El Tesoro. The chorizo con papas is one of my favorites. It’s the perfect Mexican brunch item with chorizo, sweet potatoes, scrambled eggs, onions and queso. It only gets better when you add on the spicy green sauce.

Woodward & Park

519 Memorial Dr SE UNIT B2 (Grant Park)

Woodward & Park is part of Larkin, a mixed use complex in Grant Park along Memorial Dr. It is one of the many great places to eat in the neighborhood. The service is prompt and friendly here. 

Many Atlanta brunch places do not take reservations. Woodward & Park is one of the few that does. I requested an outdoor table in the shade and they reserved the perfect table for me. The outdoor area is really nice. It forms a U with Firepit Pizza Tavern and Full Commission. There are overhead awnings to provide some shade. 

The brunch menu contains some traditional dishes with a bit of a twist that aren’t as common at other brunch spots in Atlanta. For example the shakshuka and grits. It has a great flavor, but could use some sausage. The brisket hash is also very good with a great flavor, but a bit heavy on the potatoes and light on the brisket for my liking. Overall the flavors and ingredients are great, but portion sizes are a little smaller.

Bantam & Biddy

1544 Piedmont Ave NE #301 (Piedmont Heights) & Additional Locations 

Bantam & Biddy is known for their chicken, but I think the real stars are the waffles. Sometimes they have other specials, but right now their cheddar, bacon and cheddar, and banana bread waffles are on the menu. The breakfast menu goes until 11:30am during the week and 3pm on the weekends, but you can order their waffles and a couple other breakfast items all day every day!

If you aren’t into the more breakfast type brunch items, salads, sandwiches and other hearty entrees are available as well. It is a family friendly place that even has a “little clucker’s” menu.

There are a few different locations, but the Ansley Mall location in Piedmont Heights is handy to Midtown and Piedmont Park. Piedmont Park is one of the best places to walk in Atlanta.

West Egg Cafe

1100 Howell Mill Rd (Home Park) 

Prices at West Egg Cafe are on par with other brunch spots in Atlanta. As the Belgian waffle was only $6 I was concerned about size, but it was the full plate. It was a very good waffle with the right consistency and the bacon was done right. While the fried chicken and biscuit were both good they were on the smaller side. I couldn’t quite decide what I thought of the tomato sauce on the chicken and biscuit. It had more of a pasta sauce taste which made for a weird combination on a southern dish. The real crowd pleaser seems to be the churro waffle. 

West Egg Cafe is part of a group of restaurants from the same food partners. Another one of their restaurants, Wood’s Chapel BBQ, is one of my favorite BBQ places in Atlanta. West Egg didn’t wow me quite as much as the BBQ spot, partially because of all the weird Covid changes. Now most of them have been disregarded.

I would definitely give them another chance if I was in the area. Free parking spots are available in the nearby Westside Provisions District ramp. You don’t need to validate your ticket, the garage just lets you out for free. 

Mystery Picnic

Are you searching for a really unique brunch experience in Atlanta? What if I told you that you could brunch without knowing where you are eating or what you will be eating? It doesn’t get any more unique than that!

On a mystery picnic you and your partner are given clues to pick up delicious food from various places around Midtown (or the neighborhood you choose). Once all your food is gathered you enjoy your picnic spread in a beautiful location. It’s a great way to try several new places at once and explore a neat neighborhood.

Read more about why you should go on a mystery picnic or book your picnic today!

Pancakes, shrimp and grits, fried chicken biscuits….I bet you are starting to drool already. You can’t go wrong when you are eating at the best brunch places in Atlanta. Did I miss any of your favorite eateries? Make sure to read my breakfast in Atlanta post! 

More in Atlanta

ACTIVITIES:

• 3 Day Itinerary
• Explore the Best Neighborhoods
• Festivals
• When to Visit
• Date Ideas

ART:

• Tiny Doors
• Murals by Neighborhood

FOOD:

• Casual Restaurants
• BeltLine Restaurants
• Breakfast Restaurants
• BBQ
• Chicken & Waffles
• Donuts
• Mystery Date Picnics

OUTDOORS:

• Places to Walk
• Most Walkable Neighborhoods
• Chattahoochee River Trails
• Hiking Near Atlanta

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