The best breakfast in Atlanta?
AJC Staff
My recent column about Thumbs Up Diner got a number of people asking: Where do you go for breakfast in Atlanta?
Personally, I do like Thumbs Up a lot — but not the one in Decatur as much as the older branch on Edgewood Ave. in the Old Fourth Ward. Why? Because the dishes I like come out just the way I like them. The tofu and veggies are big, sloppy and steamy enough to wilt their bed of raw spinach. The omelettes are fluffy and (usually) free of brown spots. The sunny side up eggs have that edge of crisp brown lace. The biscuits are whole-wheat rocks, but in a good way.
Lots of people love Ria’s Bluebird on Memorial Drive for its pancakes and poached eggs served with slow-cooked brisket. (Ria’s, along with Thumbs Up, were both recently named as two of the “59 Best Breakfast Places in America” by Esquire Magazine.) Others swear by the Social House on Howell Mill Road for its ginormous platters of fish and grits and variations on Eggs Benedict. And then there’s Waffle House. It may all be about the eggs.
Hillary Clinton tells the best scrambled egg story, which goes something like this. Soon after her family moved into the White House, Chelsea woke up in the middle of the night, scared. Clinton did what she always does for her kid: went into the kitchen, took out a pan and started scrambling eggs. The sleepy, bathrobe-wearing staff went into high alert, and soon a cook appeared to whisk the pan out of her hand. Clinton had to explain, “You don’t understand. I’m her mother. I have to scramble the eggs.”
Indeed. The person who cooks your eggs — whether a short-order diner cook or your mom — does a lot for your soul.
So, where are the great breakfasts around Atlanta?
accessAtlanta Partner Sites
Sections
Advertise on accessAtlanta.com »
Reach the audience you want by advertising on accessAtlanta.com
Join the Access Atlanta Network »
Advertisers and Publishers, expand your reach by joining the Access Atlanta Network.
Tell us what you think about the site
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement | About our ads
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
161 comments Add your comment
Why???
March 27th, 2009
1:47 pm
Definitely…Thumbs up!!! I have eaten at three of the four locations…not sure about the Decatur local. I love the fact that they have consistent staff who know what I want!! Please they have nice vegan dishes.
Phil
March 27th, 2009
1:47 pm
Main Street Resturant in Snellville, ” Great breakfast at a Great Price”
Reign
March 27th, 2009
1:49 pm
I enjoy Mimi’s Cafe in Dunwoody. The ambiance of the restaurant is nice, the food is good and I love their french toast…
Jason Kayen
March 27th, 2009
1:52 pm
Gwinnett county has limited choices when it comes to breakfast… However there are a few places that offer delicious options… JR’s, J.Christophers, MiMi’s, and Einstein bagels are my favorites…
Cracker Barrel is always a trusty stand-by when all else fails….
IC Atlanta
March 27th, 2009
1:53 pm
My favorites:
Watershed on Sundays – all is good pancakes, grits
Gato Bizco – for casual
Ria’s
Pastries A go-go
pete
March 27th, 2009
1:56 pm
I know it’s not Atlanta,but,The Breakfast Club on Tybee is my all time
Favorite.The owner is a CIA grad and has the best Omelets and shrimp an grits.
janis
March 27th, 2009
1:56 pm
Douceur de France, corner of Glover Street and Atlanta Rd in smyrna. small blue house, French place, pastries to die for, cant beat the ham and swiss omelet and they have these parmesan scallion hashbrown pancake things. YUM
Christy
March 27th, 2009
1:57 pm
The Clifton omelet and french toast at the Flying Biscuit are awesome!
BnBFinder
March 27th, 2009
1:59 pm
You can also find gourmet breakfast at Tea Cakes Bed and Breakfast in Atlanta. Imagine waking up to the delicious smell of buttermilk blueberry and ricotta pancakes, spinach and feta frittatas, sweet potatoand ginerbread waffles topped with bananas and pecans. They don’t call them B&Bs for nothing. You can find other great breakfast options at nearby inns or recipes at http://www.bnbfinder.com.
Theresa
March 27th, 2009
2:00 pm
Palace Bakery (Jewish Deli) in the Toco Hills shopping center.
Heather
March 27th, 2009
2:04 pm
No question about it…. The Flying Biscuit
kopp
March 27th, 2009
2:09 pm
Hopefully folks will differntiate between Breakfast and Brunch. My favorite breakfast used to be the Dutch Baby at the Original Pancake House in East Cobb – I don’t care for the surviving locations as much. Now, I pretty much go nuts on a Heap (pictured above, I take it?) at Thumb’s Up on Edgewood. Great folks working there, excellent food, and (if you get there before 8:30)usually a quick breakfast.
Sherry
March 27th, 2009
2:16 pm
Thomas Restaurant in Forest Park has one of the best down home breakfasts that you can get anywhere. The biscuits are better than Mamas.
TBizzle
March 27th, 2009
2:18 pm
My favorites: McDonald’s (McGriddles are awesome and you never have to wait for a table), Chick Fil-A (breakfast burros are to die for), Burger King (Sausage, Egg N Cheese croissant is a great way to start the weekend), Waffle House (scrambled eggs and hash browns smothered covered and diced). So many great options here in Atlanta!! I can’t believe it!
N
March 27th, 2009
2:20 pm
West Egg. Great food. Most of the staff is good (including the host, who is great), but you occasionally have to deal with some bad service (of the VW driving, mac elitist variety). All in all, nothing starts a day off like their food — I haven’t had a dish yet that I would let anyone even try a taste of because it would take away from what I got to eat.
Carrie
March 27th, 2009
2:45 pm
I had a great time at Tea Cakes B&B in Atlanta! My hosts, Karcheik & Joel were friendly and very accommodating. They were able to handle serving a ‘gluten-free’ b’fast and provided juices and snacks as well.
LS
March 27th, 2009
2:54 pm
Scattered, smothered, and covered. Where else but Waffle House!
Sami
March 27th, 2009
2:55 pm
Definitely Sweet Melissa’s. It’s a little pricey, but he food is to die for. The yogurt pancakes, omelets, etc. It’s a great place.
Amanda
March 27th, 2009
2:56 pm
I have been eating at J.R.’s Log House in Norcross for 25 years and it just keeps getting better. Chicken and gravy biscuits are AMAZING and my kids eat for free.
Sekou K. Smith
March 27th, 2009
2:58 pm
Thumps up, Highland Bakery and Canoe or Ray’s on the River for Sunday Brunch!
SexyCool
March 27th, 2009
3:01 pm
West Egg gets my vote for the atmosphere and the originality of the eclectic decor. And the food is REALLY GOOD too.
When I don’t feel like making the trek, Dennys, it is.
Ada
March 27th, 2009
3:02 pm
Gotta love the Java Jive on Ponce. Worth the wait if you have the time, the coffee’s good, and the pb&j french toast is amazing!!
Nana T
March 27th, 2009
3:02 pm
GRITS on the Square in McDonough!
Sarah
March 27th, 2009
3:15 pm
Checkers..They have a great Sunday Brunch
Kris
March 27th, 2009
3:24 pm
Radial (on DeKalb Ave.) is our current favorite breakfast spot; we go there almost every Sunday for brunch.
John Kessler
March 27th, 2009
3:26 pm
Yes, that’s a Thumbs Up “Heap” pictured, kopp. Would love to hear more about GRITS in McDonough, Nana T…
JR
March 27th, 2009
3:41 pm
Pastries a Go Go in downtown Decatur. Absolutely delicious!!!
MM
March 27th, 2009
3:41 pm
Copelands on cobb pkwy’s french toast is to die for
and Crescent Moon in Downtown Decatur has the best wheat pancakes and chicken sausage. bt my old reliable for something quick is Waffle House…love those waffles
MOT
March 27th, 2009
4:00 pm
I’m with Pete: to Tybee’s Breakfast Club!!!! Amazing food, get there early or you will stand in line out the door and down the block! There is a bonus too: get a seat at the counter and watch the cute guys doing their thang at the grill! (well for us girls, anyway)
Miche
March 27th, 2009
4:02 pm
I love Highland Bakery. The sweet potatoe pancakes are ridiculous! The shrimp and grits with the faccocia bread are awesome as well. The entire menu is fabulous! Just like me!
Oh and if you are looking for an all you can eat brunch, try Gilbert’s on 10th Street. It is right across from the Flying Biscuit(yuck!) and there is hardly ever a wait. The menu is all you can eat, but cooked to order so it ain’t buffet style(yuck, gross and disgusting!).
And I think Sarah meant Chequers Seafood Grill by Perimeter Mall. They do have a fabulous brunch. Kind of pricey for those of us that like to brunch every weekend, but great for special ocassions. Easter and mother’s Day it is always crowded!
TBizzle, I need you to get out more. You can’t eat fast food all of your life! That food WILL kill you…
Mel
March 27th, 2009
4:04 pm
Breakfast is the best meal of the day. I can eat breakfast food all day if I could. Other than my own kitchen, i’d have to vote Thumbs Up one of the best places to go for hot plate of breakfast.
Try the shrimp and grits! Mmmm.
Now, I’ve only been to the Marietta Street location and my only issue is the place isn’t big enough for the amount of people that try to jam into the place on a Saturday morning. OMG!
Kitty
March 27th, 2009
4:12 pm
There is no better white gravy on the planet than the sawmill gravy at Cracker Barrel … eaten over a biscuit plastered with butter. Yum-o-licious!!
gapine
March 27th, 2009
4:12 pm
Agnes and Muriel’s or the Bagel Palace in Toco Hills
A. Teesman
March 27th, 2009
4:23 pm
LePeep in Dunwoody.
Destin
March 27th, 2009
4:32 pm
Have none of you ever been to Sun in My Belly? The bacon is amazing.
Gymnasium
March 27th, 2009
4:34 pm
There are lots of good places, but one of my favorites is the Marietta Diner on Hwy 41 south of the Big Chicken. Not only is the food good, but the quantities are almost to much and the price is very good. If you go during the week, a glass of juice is included. Weekends are crowded.
A. Teesman
March 27th, 2009
4:34 pm
That wasn’t really the AJC editor, it was just me funning with either the real or fake Hawks beat writer.
SheStartedIt
March 27th, 2009
4:36 pm
J. Christopher’s is fantastic! They have THE BEST berry crepes…it’s a must try
veghead
March 27th, 2009
4:43 pm
RIAS!!!!!!!!!! Hands down, there is no better place in the city for brunch.
KC
March 27th, 2009
4:52 pm
Ok, I’m fairly new to Georgia – -where is there a REALLY good and a REAL bakery in Towne Lake Area – or within 5 miles?? And Cracker Barrell is “standard blah”.. but GOOD! Where around Towne Lake is there a non-francised breakfast place??? I’d very much like to support/shop in my community!
KT2
March 27th, 2009
4:58 pm
What about Landmark Diner on Roswell, the best breakfast with great service!
Joanie
March 27th, 2009
5:04 pm
Artisan Foods Bakery & Cafe – Canton Street, Roswell, GA. Great breakfast & lunches. Everything homemade – Beignets (french doughnuts), breads, pancakes, eggs, etc.
I.V. Boyd
March 27th, 2009
5:20 pm
Ria’s Bluebird is my favorite breakfast/brunch spot! The country fried tempeh is off the meter! My 2nd favorite is Highland Bakery. The sweet potato pancakes make me wanna thump my momma upside her forehead! LOL
Jennifer
March 27th, 2009
6:15 pm
i miss Le Peep’s skillets… they make a pretty good one at J. Christophers… but…
I do like how you can customize your skillet any way at J. Christopers, though – and their egg white omlettes are very tasty
Mikey
March 27th, 2009
6:43 pm
American Roadhouse has the worst service. Rude and in a place with a lot of competition. Try Java Jive during the week and Food 101 or Murphys on the weekends. Goldbergs is great too.
Frani Ze
March 27th, 2009
6:54 pm
Ain’t no place like the Waffle House on Holcomb Bridge and Miss Wanda’s grits with butter. Waffle House grits are a Georgia legacy!
dervish
March 28th, 2009
2:53 pm
The food and waitstaff at Sun in My Belly are both wonderful.
Pi$$onaDAWG
March 29th, 2009
9:17 am
“PawPaw’s” he makes the best biscuts. I keep bees and bring the honey. Paw also makes his own fig and blueberry preserves. Breakfest with my family, sisters, and grand kids is the best time of the week.
Rose
March 29th, 2009
9:25 am
Thumbs Up Diner is the winner. I like the one in East Point.
Kevin
March 29th, 2009
9:44 am
Original Pancake House, hands down. I love the pumpkin pancakes!