The ride outside I-285 to Cascade Road is nothing when it ends with anything-but-boring dishes at Gocha’s. Owned by celebrity hairstylist Gocha Hawkins, the menu is inventive and totally satisfying. There’s no question that the golden brown-fried jalapeno shrimp and grit cakes not only sound good, but are good. The same goes for Gocha’s Cajun-Creole lump crab fish and grit plate, fried green tomatoes sprinkled with feta, and smoked salmon BLT. Desserts here, such as a fruit-filled fried pie, offer even more brunch sustenance.

It seems Neyo can do pretty much anything, which people have learned from his singing, dancing, songwriting, and even a stage performance as the Tin Man in “The Wiz”. Now, he and partners Karlie Redd and chef Crystal Smith are getting folks to dine on brunch throughout the day at their new College Park restaurant. Craving the bird-meets-bread combo of chicken and waffles (the chicken can come as breasts, thighs, legs, tenders or wings)? Pair the poultry with either a plain or red velvet waffle. Johnny’s also serves a mean roasted barbecue salmon with ginger teriyaki glaze, and features a brioche French toast log, served with either savory bacon, eggs, and potatoes or chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Be sure to leave room for a cheddar drop biscuit, or three, topped with honey butter.

Recently opened in the former Kafenio Greek restaurant space in College Park, the Breakfast Boys is a new restaurant from the owners of nearby Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen and chef Lorenzo Wyche. Expect an upgrade on classic brunch dishes here, including jerk chicken atop sweet potato waffles, grits with both fried catfish and shrimp, coffee-rubbed steak and eggs, and green eggs and lamb empanadas topped with chimichurri. Some brunch cocktails on the menu are a bit strong, particularly the French Connection, made with vanilla Cognac, Grand Marnier, and crisp prosecco. 

With an atmosphere described as part-Gatsby, art gallery, and Euro café, Cultivate’s bright white exterior makes it almost blend into the background on Howell Mill, just north of the on-ramp to I-75. It’s worth a stop on this busy stretch of road in ATL for the extensive beverage menu offering Ground Control immersion-brewed coffee, along with caffeinated concoctions like the Doppio (two espresso shots, a sparkling soda, and a shortbread cookie), and a variety of tea drinks. On plates, there’s the 8-ounce French toast farm cheeseburger, several hash presentations, and Nashville hot chicken served on a biscuit or with a waffle. There’s even vegetarian beignets with blueberry-basil dipping sauce and vegan options on the menu.  

West Egg Cafe has been serving breakfast and brunch all day, every day on Howell Mill Road for more than a decade. It’s tough to beat sour cream pancakes with syrup and spiced honey butter or the simple comfort of the blue plate (two eggs, biscuit, choice of breakfast meat, and roasted garlic grits or skillet potatoes). Don’t skip the steak and eggs here or the fried chicken hash. On the Emory side of town? Check out the General Muir, partially owned by the folks behind West Egg, for Jewish deli-style brunch staples like smoked pastrami hash or pecan-crusted French toast with spiced honey butter. Make sure to order one of the open-faced bagels on the menu here, like the Avenue A with smoked salmon, grapefruit, avocado, red onion, cucumber, dill, and schmear. There’s also a location of the General Muir now open in Sandy Springs.

An uber-popular corner post for breakfast and brunch, as well as scene-y daytime socializing, Breakfast at Barney’s has been packing them in for brunch and a bit of luxury since opening last summer. Open daily at 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., the menu here features French toast drizzled with bourbon apple cider syrup, Creole-sauced salmon croquettes, and cornmeal-crusted catfish and grits. Make sure to try the 24 karat pancakes topped with edible gold, too.

Open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Osiris Ballard and chef Anthony Sanders brought their popular downtown Atlanta restaurant Atlanta Breakfast Club to Auburn Avenue in 2020. This location leans into its name, offering variations on buttermilk fried chicken and Belgian waffles on the menu. But the Georgia Peach version, with its warm peach cobbler and buttered-crumbled shortbread, is the star here. With all of that sinfully sweet and savory starch, make sure to order a caffeinated pick-me-up. That’s where nitro coffee beverages from Duluth’s Phoenix Roasters come in handy, like the medium roast Panama Black.

Beloved ATL chef Ria Pell passed away in 2013, but her indelible legacy lives on at her Reynoldstown diner. There’s no going wrong on the breakfast side at Ria’s, from the lauded buttermilk pancakes and rum-soaked French toast to the 14-hour roasted brisket in spicy tomato broth and the vegetarian Bionic breakfast of skillet potatoes, poblanos, mushrooms, and grilled corn. Try one of the brunch sandwiches at Ria’s, including the pimento cheese brisket melt on sourdough, or nibble on a croissant baguette, with a side of pepper milk gravy. Don’t skip the drinks here. The lavender lemonade is a must.

There was a sense of dread that ran through the city in spring 2020, as Home Grown publicly weighed staying open or closed on social media as the pandemic spread. Thankfully one of ATL’s most popular all-day breakfast and brunch spots is still open and serving its famous comfy chicken biscuit. There’s now a parking lot patio, too. Everything is homestyle here, from the kitschy decor to the folksy vibe of fellow diners. It’s hard to ignore the undeniable flavor appeal of the humongous comfy chicken biscuit smothered in pork gravy, and even the chicken sausage breakfast dog link, the cream cheese-iced cinnamon Wafflebon, or the chorizo, cheddar, mozzarella, and ranchero sauce breakfast enchiladas.

The original Inman Park location is sure to present people with a bit of a wait, but it’s worth it. Folk Art has earned a reputation for having some of the best brunch fare in Atlanta since opening in 2013. Having opened a second location in Decatur in the former Thumbs Up space, Folk Art continues to pull in throngs of patrons there, too. Look for plates of Southern brunch fixings on the menu, like deep-fried cheddar jalapeno grit fritters, Angus beef patty melts, and roasted pork and chilis over eggs and queso. Don’t shy away from the staples at this restaurant, including the three-egg omelets and whiskey compote waffle with fried chicken. The latter totally stands up to fierce competition in this chicken-and-waffle-crazed town.

Brunch is served Wednesday through Sunday from morning until late afternoon at this Avondale Estates restaurant. Rising Son is dedicated to Southern comfort and brings fresh seasonality to brunch. Start the meal off with a panko-crusted fried green tomato or breakfast dumplings filled with ground pork, ginger, and cilantro topped with a soy maple glaze. Don’t miss out on the fried trout and grits, the chorizo and scrambled egg tacos, or the vegan grit bowl with potlikker gravy. Brunch is a relaxed and delicious affair at this congenial spot.