You may know Atlanta as a hot spot for wings or soul food, but these days, true Atlantans know: It’s all about breakfast and brunch. The data from Lyft riders not only proves it — it shows which spots are catching the most early birds. So the next time you wake up hungry in ATL, check out one of these restaurants that Lyft riders love to frequent.
Bomb Biscuits has blown up since owner and chief biscuit-maker Erika Council opened her own brick-and-mortar in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood in 2022. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the industrial-chic café specializes in biscuits with buttermilk-fried chicken thighs, in flavors like lemon pepper, hot honey, or Carolina-style.
Inspired by the Jewish delis of New York City, The General Muir’s white-subway-tiled interior brightens up breakfast for morning eaters near Emory University. Listed last year in Atlanta’s inaugural Michelin Guide, TGM is known for its spicy Bloody Marys with green chili vodka and pepperoncini — a great companion for its open-faced salmon bagels; poutine with pastrami; or latkes with nova, arugula, apples, and sour cream. And the bakery next door, TGM Bread, provides an unending supply of cinnamon rolls, English muffins, and more.
One of the rare pandemic success stories was Breakfast at Barney’s, which opened in August 2020 and which many Atlantans credit as being a major driver of the city’s Black brunch wave. Plan your drop-off time strategically — there’s usually a line outside the door during regular operating hours. That’s to be expected at a swank, loungy restaurant serving some of the city’s best pancakes, which are layered with bourbon apple cider syrup, strawberries, blueberries, edible flowers, and edible 24-karat gold.
For those on the Buckhead end of Peachtree Road, Toast on Lenox is a great option for breakfast or brunch. This Black- and woman-owned restaurant serves a diverse crowd eager to indulge in bowls of seafood gumbo, strawberry shortcake French toast, lobster sweet potato waffles with salted caramel praline sauce, and more. “The joy is in cooking for others,” says chef and co-owner Virgil Harper.
Lyft riders are obsessed with Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall’s three-day brunch service, offered from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday to Sunday. Head to the Beltline’s Eastside Trail and grab a table outside, if you can find a seat under the yellow umbrellas, and ask your server for the savory pastrami hash with poached eggs, peppers, onions, and red potatoes. Other popular dishes include gulf shrimp and grits in smoked tomato broth, the crispy fried chicken sandwich topped with white barbecue sauce and pimento cheese, and the “trail snacks,” including crab hush puppies.
