Popular Johns Creek Brunch Spot Hen Mother Cookhouse Is Expanding to Alpharetta

Restaurant Holmes, backed by chef Taylor Neary (formerly of Marcel and St. Cecilia), is closing at Alpharetta City Center after five years in the historic Jones house. But a second location of popular Johns Creek breakfast and brunch spot Hen Mother Cookhouse is set to replace it next spring.

A statement posted to Instagram on Monday afternoon announced the closure of Restaurant Holmes and that Hen Mother Cookhouse is taking over the space on South Main Street. It’s unclear if Restaurant Holmes is already closed or whether it will remain open for a few more weeks. Eater reached out for further details and comment on the closure of Restaurant Holmes. Neary also owns pizza stall Holmes Slice at Halcyon in Forsyth County.

Soraya Khoury says she’s been looking for a space to open a second location for quite some time and was presented with the opportunity to open Hen Mother Cookhouse in the heart of downtown Alpharetta within its burgeoning dining district. Barring any delays in renovations and permitting, Khoury hopes to open in March 2024.

In Alpharetta, Khoury plans to expand the menu with more lunch items like a tuna melt and reuben and a few new breakfast dishes, including breakfast tacos, gluten-free hemp seed pancakes, and shakshuka. People can expect some of Hen Mother’s most popular dishes on the menu in Alpharetta, which will also feature a full bar offering wine, beer, and cocktails.

“I love that we are closer to our Roswell folks and our city folks,” Khoury tells Eater of opening in downtown Alpharetta. “That’s really the dream.”

When asked if she is considering adding dinner service in Alpharetta, Khoury says with two small children at home and wanting to be present for them as much as possible, the restaurant will stick to daytime hours. However, Khoury isn’t ruling out the odd dinner pop-up in Alpharetta, something she occasionally hosts at Hen Mother Cookhouse in Johns Creek.

Khoury moved to Atlanta in 2016 from California, where she had attended culinary school and worked as a chef at restaurants around the state. After serving as executive chef at Rumi’s Kitchen, Khoury went on to open Hen Mother Cookhouse on Jones Bridge Road in 2018. The Johns Creek restaurant quickly built a following and became known for dishes like brisket hash loaded with seasonal vegetables, daily omelets, and specials like brown butter buttermilk pancakes and squares of savory lobster quiche.

50 South Main Street. henmothercookhouse.com.