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. There’s also a location in Fayetteville.

Having taken over the former Kafenio Greek restaurant space in College Park, the Breakfast Boys is the latest 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. 

The latest addition to city’s growing collection of all-day brunch restaurants, T’s Brunch Bar leans into all things Atlanta on the menu. Expect dishes like fried fish and spaghetti called Spaghetti Junction, 75 South fish and grits, and Piedmont Park steak and eggs. There’s Georgia peach cobbler French toast, too, and a drinks menu with a section dedicated to a variety of mimosas.

Chef and owner Suzanne Vizethann’s non-stop breakfast and brunchery has been a Buckhead crowd-pleaser since opening in 2012. The bright blue building is known for starters that might as well be entrees. It’s too easy to fill up on the biscuit basket, which comes with ATL’s own Banner Butter, or the fried pickled green tomatoes, or even the cornbread loaf. But find room for the stone-ground grit bowl, with garlic spinach and chicken sausage or the pimento omelet with Benton’s bacon and red pepper jelly. For brunch on the unique side, stop by on Fridays before 3 p.m. and order the special waffle burger: a 50/50 blend of pork sausage and beef with bacon, maple aioli, and pepper jack between two buttermilk waffles. Wash it all done with a mimosa or a morning mule made with bourbon, tequila, or vodka.

Open daily from 7 a.m., Osiris Ballard and chef Anthony Sanders brought their popular downtown Atlanta restaurant Atlanta Breakfast Club to Auburn Avenue in 2020. This location leans toward the local crowd and 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. Follow the restaurant’s pop-up Ria’s Babybird on Instagram, too. Ria’s Babybird pops up at Boggs Social and Supply in West End every weekend.

Pancakes and waffles served all day? That’s the premise behind the menu at Pancake Social at Ponce City Market. Open daily at 8 a.m., head here for stacks of lemon ricotta, banana oat, or apple-spiced pancakes paired with sides of sausage links, bacon, and grits topped with scallions. Other brunch favorites here include an open-faced bagel sandwich with smoked salmon, a BEC topped with a fried egg on an English muffin, and a savory grits bowl served with a fried egg, chives, cheddar cheese, and bacon on top.

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 thriving once again and serving its famous comfy chicken biscuit. There’s now a parking lot patio, too, for warm weather dining. 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.

Former owner Marchet Sparks transferred ownership of her beloved Kirkwood brunch spot to Osiris Ballard and chef Anthony Sanders in 2021, the team behind Atlanta Breakfast Club and ABC Chicken and Waffles. After reopening the restaurant last fall, Ballard and Sanders kept their word in retaining much of the menu Sparks created for Le Petit Marche when the restaurant first opened in 2008. But look for new dishes on the menu here, too, including fried lobster tail and a short rib burger dripping with cheese and topped with bacon.

New to the all-day brunch scene in Atlanta, and already a popular spot for the meal, Belle and Lily’s on Chamblee Tucker Road gives brunch a Caribbean twist. Look for conch fritters, fried parrot fish served with sweet plantains, and halal jerk chicken and buttermilk pancakes served here. Pair brunch with a passionfruit mimosa, too.