The Absolute Best Brunch in Buckhead
You deserve it.
We all have that special brunch spot that we frequent the most. You know, that restaurant where even the longest wait time won’t deter you—because you know the French toast is beyond worth the wait. But while it’s great to have a trusted go-to, you should definitely keep exploring all of the incredible brunch offerings in Atlanta, especially if you are as infatuated with brunch as the rest of the city is. Neighborhoods like Buckhead, for example, have plenty of restaurants with unmissable brunch menus. If you’re interested in switching things up and hanging out on the north side this weekend, here is your personal guide to the best places to eat brunch in Buckhead—and here's your guide to brunch everywhere else in Atlanta.
Buttermilk Kitchen
Owner and Executive Chef Suzanne Vizethann first welcomed guests into Buttermilk back in 2012, and almost a full decade later, the Southern restaurant remains a force to be reckoned with breakfast and brunch menu items that are actually worth the wait. On the off-chance that you can’t choose between building your own custom breakfast platter or weekend brunch specials—we’re talking Strawberry Biscuit French Toast and Avocado Short Rib Benedict—a great entry point at Buttermilk Kitchen is its signature Chicken Biscuit, a sweet tea-brined fried chicken breast served on a buttermilk biscuit with house red pepper jelly.
Even though breakfast is available every day at The Betty (one of the eateries at the chic Kimpton Sylvan Hotel in Buckhead), Sundays belong to brunch. The restaurant offers unique and upscale brunch options like the Crab Omelette (with fine herbs, sherry, and arugula), the Pork Belly Benedict (with green chile hollandaise, and trapanese pesto), and the Salmon Tartine (with salmon soft scramble, dill mustard cream, and brioche). The drinks are just as swanky, so don’t hesitate to wet your whistle with a Sangria of the Season (rosé wine, seasonal fruits, and herbs), Aperol Spritz (strawberry infused aperol, bubbles, and soda), or Espresso Martini (Titos, La colombe espresso, and Nola Coffee Liqueur).
One of the eateries from legendary Atlanta restaurateurs Palo and Peter, Corner Cafe & Bread Bakery had been serving Piedmont Road since 1994, so if you are in the mood for a classic take on brunch, this is the place. Corner Cafe offers not just one, but four types of Eggs Benedict, including jumbo lump crab cake, tradition, fried green tomato, and smoked salmon. The menu also boasts specialty brunch items like the Nutella Belgian Waffles, the Eastern Shrimp Omelet, Scratch Corned Beef Hash, and White Chocolate Brioche French Toast. You’ll also have plenty of great tipples to choose from, including the Prosecco Sunrise (prosecco, fresh orange juice, and grenadine), Blood Orange Margarita (blood orange Pellegrino, 100% Agave, lemon, and lime), and the Café Bloody Mary (Charleston’s mix, sriracha, salt rim, applewood bacon garnish), among others.
Across the Metro Atlanta area, South City Kitchen has four different locations, and one of them is in Buckhead. The Southern restaurant has been open since 2016, and its brunch menu is unlike any other in Atlanta. In addition to expected brunch staples like shrimp and grits, loaded biscuits, and waffles, South City Kitchen offers She-Crab Soup, pan fried chicken livers, collard greens, and Carolina Trout. Top off your meal with a classic mimosa, served by the glass or pitcher.
If brunch and Sunday football are both on your itinerary this weekend, Big Sky is the perfect place for you. For what they call “the most important meal of the week,” Big Sky serves up its heavy hitters, including its Nashville Sliders, Fried Chicken Benedict, Big Sky Burger, and its appetizing combination of sautéed shrimp and cheese grits. Those who aren’t tied down to the brunch and mimosa concept will also enjoy specialty craft cocktails like the Buffalo Soldier (Buffalo Trace bourbon, Campari, POM juice, fresh lemon juice, agave nectar, and Angostura bitters), Harvest Mule (Hanson mandarin vodka, apple cider, Fever-Tree ginger beer, fresh orange, and cinnamon), or the Housemade Hooch (Bare Bone vodka, cinnamon, seasonal spices, and grain alcohol). During the fall, Big Sky saves its brunch festivities for Sunday from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm, but throughout the rest of the year, guests can enjoy brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
For what’s undoubtedly one of the longest brunches in the city, The Hive’s brunch stretches from 11 am to 6 pm every Saturday and Sunday. Make sure you come hungry because the Peachtree Road hangout offers a hearty brunch menu, complete with Southern-style breakfast standards like fried catfish and grits, steak and eggs, and pecan banana foster French toast. Those feeling adventurous can also dig into The Hive’s crab macaroni and cheese or the red velvet chicken and waffles. And in addition to having a drink or two, guests can also have hookah alongside their meal.
Those who think chivalry is dead must have never become acquainted with The Southern Gentleman in Buckhead. Rather than holding a door open for you or offering you a coat when you get cold, howevér, The Southern Gentleman treats your tastebuds with respect. On Saturdays and Sundays, the Buckhead restaurant switches things up for brunch, and the menu is overflowing with great choices, from the Buttermilk Fried Chicken (served with creamed leeks, herb roasted potatoes, carrots, and hot honey) to the delectable Brioche French Toast (served with macerated berries, lemon curd, powdered sugar, & whipped cream). And as with any great weekend brunch menu, The Southern Gentleman’s drinks—from cocktails to seasonal brunch punches—are just as varied as its food options.
The Chastain starts serving breakfast at 8 am on Saturday and Sunday, but if you roll out of bed just a bit later and pull up to the Chastain Park restaurant around 11 am, you’ll be able to enjoy a boozier brunch experience. In addition to its AM Café menu options like the Almond Croissant and the Sheeps Milk Yogurt, guests can also order cocktails and select lunch items, too. Plus, brunch is just better outside, so take full advantage of The Chastain’s gorgeous patio.
Brunch should be a celebratory occasion, and no restaurant in Buckhead knows that more than Toast On Lenox. Even with mouthwatering menu highlights like the Beef Short Rib Breakfast Skillet, the Hot Georgia Honey Fried Chicken, and the Lobster Waffle, the food has stiff competition with Toast’s eclectic assortment of boozy drinks. In addition to a mimosa with flavors ranging from traditional to apricot, Toast’s beverage program includes the Blackberry Smash (whiskey, blackberry, lime, and 1821 barrel-aged bitters), the D’usse Old Fashion (D’usse, 1821 barrel-aged bitters, brandied cherry, and orange), and the Blame It on Rita (Casamigos blanco, fresh lime, agave, and Combier orange), among several other must-try cocktails.