Newcomer Magazine - Relocation, Lifestyle and Living in Atlanta

Feb./March 2007

Murphy's

Brunch is Best
Celebrate Sunday Morning
by Katie K. Bell

Whether you start your Sunday off with an eight-mile run or a cup of coffee and the newspaper, sitting down to a lavish breakfast can be rich reward for enduring a long week. Atlanta has several spots sure to satisfy your Sunday breakfast needs.

Murphy’s (404-872-0904, 997 Virginia Ave.), a Virginia-Highland institution, has been serving the brunch crowd for years. Locals return for the attentive, warm service and a fabulous array of baked goodies to bring home. Healthy eating never tasted this good, especially with a bowl of Murphy’s whole grain granola or steel-cut oatmeal with sundried fruits, brown sugar and nuts. Eggs Slum Mulligan (poached eggs, potato hash, bacon, cheddar cheese) might sound better, however, to those of us who ran five miles before brunch. Omelets, sandwiches, frittatas and, of course, dessert round out the menu.

Babette's Cafe

Rich, flavorful and rustic European fare is the hallmark of Babette’s Café (404-523-9121, 573 N. Highland Ave.). Chef/owner Marla Adams offers a tantalizing brunch—the French toast with Texas sliced brioche, bananas and caramel sauce is beyond decadent. Others might prefer the fried oyster sandwich with cucumber sauce, served on a fresh baguette with shoestring potatoes. Chef Adams’ European talents truly shine in dishes such as the smoked salmon with fines herbs or goat cheese and arugula omelet.

If a heavenly, almost ethereal biscuit is what you hanker for, the Flying Biscuit (404-874-8887, 1001 Piedmont Ave. and 404-687-8888, 1655 McLendon Ave.) serves the best in town. Breakfast nirvana can be yours with the basic Flying Biscuit breakfast: two large farm-fresh eggs, a slice of free-range chicken and sage breakfast sausage and, naturally, a biscuit. Branch out a bit and try the Meggxican Wrap, a spicy scramble of eggs, cheddar cheese, onions and serrano peppers wrapped in a flour tortilla, topped with oven-roasted tomato salsa. Of course, a plate of the organic oatmeal pancakes topped with warm peach compote and served with pure maple syrup may be hard to pass up. Good luck deciding.

Food 101

Food 101 (404-497-9700, 4969 Roswell Rd. and 404-347-9747, 1397 N. Highland Ave.) has locations in Sandy Springs and Virginia-Highland, so getting there should be a snap. Emphasis is on traditional breakfast fare with a southern streak. Case in point: the buttermilk biscuits with red eye gravy and andouille sausage or the Georgia mountain trout with eggs over easy, asparagus, hash browns and Hollandaise. The bananas Foster French toast with caramelized bananas, cinnamon cream cheese and rum raisin syrup is one of the menu highlights. Throw in a platter of house cured salmon with mini-bagels and Boursin cheese and you’ll be set for the day.

Bellinis are a fine way to start a lazy Sunday and where better than at Brio’s Bellini Brunch. Settle in at Brio Tuscan Grill (678-587-0017, 700 Ashford Pkwy. and 404-601-5555, 2964 Peachtree Rd.) with your cocktail concoction of fresh fruit, peach nectar and prosecco, then order the house specialty, frittata al forno, a traditional dish featuring layers of egg and angel hair pasta, bacon, onions, spinach and artichoke topped with fontina cheese. The kids might prefer the Tuscan French toast with fresh berries, Mascarpone cheese and maple syrup. For super sized appetites, the bistecca alla Romano with poached eggs, beef tenderloin, Romano crusted tomatoes and Hollandaise sauce works quite well.

Brio Tuscan Grill

American Roadhouse (404-872-2822, 842 N. Highland Ave.,) is Atlanta’s best place to visit for down home comfort food, fresh choices, great prices and smart service. Satisfying selections include the smoked applewood bacon omelet or a heaping plate of crunchy French toast (rolled in corn flakes) with egg dipped challah and served with caramel syrup. Take note, breakfast is served all day.

Traditional southern favorites executed with sophistication are the soul of popular eatery South City Kitchen (404-873-7358, 1144 Crescent Ave. and 770-435-0700, 1675 Cumberland Pkwy.). Try the fried green tomatoes with goat cheese or spicy pimento cheese, served with house pickles, fresh celery and buttermilk bread, or enjoy homemade sausage gravy and buttermilk biscuits or the skillet crab cake topped with a poached egg.

Park 75

Take the whole experience up a notch at Park 75 (404-253-3840, 75 14th St.), a restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel. Start off your multi-course experience with a pair of jumbo lump crabcakes, chorizo frittata, or the mini-brioche French toast with cinnamon apple compote. Seal the deal with a nibble of the Georgia-grown Greenhill cow’s milk cheese, served with shaved Prosciutto and quince paste, some apple cider sorbet and a slice of milk chocolate cardamom cake.