It’s always brunch season in Atlanta, so it was exciting to see several new brunch restaurants open in town this spring.
One new brunch restaurant replaced another backed by the same chef: The closure of Rising Son in Avondale Estates led to the birth of Babygirl in East Lake.
But the other two restaurants are net-new additions to Atlanta’s brunch scene. Muchacho expanded to a second location near Georgia Tech — and has a third location on the way in Decatur — while the star pop-up Sugar Loaf opened a brick-and-mortar cafe.
These three places offer a wide range of flavors and opportunities to indulge, and all of them are worth a visit.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Babygirl
Chef Hudson Rouse didn’t take any time off from the brunch game after the closure of Rising Son in Avondale Estate.
Babygirl opened in April in Atlanta’s East Lake neighborhood, barely a month after Rising Son ended its 10-year run. The new breakfast and brunch restaurant fits in well with its neighbors, Gene’s and Poor Hendrix, making the small development at the intersection of Hosea L. Williams Drive and 2nd Avenue an all-day hipster hangout.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Babygirl has the light, airy atmosphere of a coffeehouse, with free parking on the premises and an attractive, calm interior. The restaurant opens at 9 a.m., seven days a week; it’s set up for a leisurely breakfast or lunch rather than a quick-hit caffeine pit stop.
The menu is relatively short but has some fun options that draw inspiration from all over the world. There’s a tart mixed berry lassi hailing from India and a savory vegetarian fried rice dish with pan-Asian influences that works any time of day. My only complaint: The soft-boiled egg atop the warm fried rice was cold, which was not necessarily bad but did come as a surprise.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
In some ways, Babygirl has a an old soul. There are some classic Continental European dishes made with real care, like a spinach and Gruyere omelet, served with a green salad on the side. It’s basic but well-executed and comforting, as are the Belgian waffle and simple egg on toast.
The traditional table service also feels a little old-school at such a casual, daytime restaurant. The servers are prompt and professional, and I noticed that the staff was good at reading a table. If you’re there for a quick meal of convenience, they’ll move you along with efficiency. If you’re working on a laptop with a cup of coffee or enjoying catching up with friends, they allow you to linger. Should you happen to camp out for a while, get the burger — it’s good enough that you’ll want to stretch the experience.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Babygirl is still a newborn, so I expect the menu will evolve over time. But there are a lot of things to like, and it seems to fit nicely into a gap in the immediate area’s dining options.
2371 Hosea L. Williams Drive SE, Atlanta. 404-549-9692, instagram.com/babygirl.atl.
Credit: Luke Beard
Credit: Luke Beard
Muchacho (Home Park)
Already well-established on the Atlanta Beltline’s Southeast Trail, Muchacho’s expansion seemed like an inevitability.
The casual, all-day cafe with Latin inclinations opened its second location at the edge of the Home Park neighborhood in February, and there’s a third location on the way, according to the restaurant’s website.
The new version doesn’t have the Beltline or the historic building of the original Muchacho, yet it still feels distinctive. The semi-industrial exterior fits the theme of the west Midtown landscape, while the vibrant orange color scheme helps it stand out.
Existing fans of Muchacho will recognize the menu, which is identical between the two locations, as well as the efficient service, interesting drink choices and energetic atmosphere.
Muchacho’s food is approachable and value-oriented, with a focus on hearty burritos, sandwiches, tacos and bowls. I liked the Ray Mysterio, a dense breakfast burrito (available until 3 p.m.) made with Hatch green chiles, bacon, cheese, potatoes and eggs. It felt like a bargain at $13. Tacos are $5 apiece but are similarly hefty; the chilaquiles verdes taco is a vegetarian option that will stick to your ribs thanks to eggs and salsa-soaked tortilla chips. Two tacos at Muchacho are likely to make a meal for most folks.
Credit: Luke Beard
Credit: Luke Beard
The menu has enough variety to make the restaurant an option for a wide range of situations — a quick breakfast, an indulgent brunch, a coffee date, drinks with friends — without losing the thread of its Central American surf town vibe. Plenty of items, like the blue matcha latte made with butterfly pea powder, are visually exciting enough to ensure they get shared on social media.
Though the Muchacho on Hemphill Avenue does not benefit from the Beltline like the original location, it has many of the same community-building characteristics. Its menu and price point should attract the many Georgia Tech students and apartment-dwellers in the immediate vicinity, and its counter-service style and large, stepped backyard offer opportunities for socializing. The multilevel patio area in the rear is large enough to host events, including live music, and there’s even a miniramp to attract skaters and provide free entertainment for nonskaters.
Just like its first location, this new Muchacho adds up to more than the sum of its parts. The atmosphere is buoyant and optimistic thanks to its fun menu, community-focused space and great consistency in both food quality and service.
1145 Hemphill Ave. NW, Atlanta. 678-968-9025, muchacho.com.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Sugar Loaf Bakery & Cafe
If you’re looking for an easy restaurant to root for, Sugar Loaf might be it.
Married couple Lindsay and Nebiyu Berhane met when both worked as professional dancers who supported their artistic careers with jobs in food service, according to their website. They worked in kitchens in Chicago and New York before moving to Atlanta in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The couple started Sugar Loaf as a pop-up five years ago, focusing on baked goods. The Berhanes realized their dream of opening a brick-and-mortar cafe in February.
The couple’s talents clearly extend beyond the dance floor; Sugar Loaf’s biscuits were the runaway winner in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s biscuit taste test published earlier this month. Their plain buttermilk biscuits, cut into an efficient rectangular shape, have a gorgeous weight and texture. They’re rich without being greasy and neutral without tasting bland. Best of all, they have a tender crumb that clings to any fillings sandwiched in the middle. These are biscuits that could form the foundation of a fabulous success story.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Sugar Loaf is clearly in building mode. The new cafe space is bare bones, and if you arrive at the wrong time, the cupboards can be a little bare, too. That’s the cost of having an in-demand product; some biscuit-seekers are bound to find Sugar Loaf’s stock sold out and leave disappointed.
The menu, too, is economical; Somehow, it manages to be shorter than it first appears. There are essentially two breakfast options: a biscuit sandwich, made with a variety of breakfast meats, cheese and eggs; or a yogurt and granola bowl. The one I tried featured dried apricots and honey, a flavor combination they also use for a seasonal syrup that can be added to coffee or tea.
The lunch menu is slightly larger, featuring a nice tuna melt, a vegan grazing board and their “drive-in burger.” On the side, there’s an Ethiopian lentil salad called azifa (a nod to Nebiyu’s heritage), a tangy smashed-cucumber salad and what the menu calls “chip dip” — a bowl of sour cream and charred green onion dip served with Zapp’s potato chips.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
That burger might give Sugar Loaf’s biscuits a run for their money. Available as a single or double, it’s served in a nostalgic foil bag that adds a touch of charm and anticipation to the experience. The smashed burger patty overlaps the bun on all sides and seems to meld with the grilled onions and melted American cheese on a molecular level. It’s a truly indulgent treat that tastes like the kind of burger you craved as a kid.
At the moment, you can feel Sugar Loaf pulling itself up by its bootstraps. The counter-service restaurant is basic, but it’s focused. The Berhanes have both an exceptional biscuit and a cheeseburger worth seeking out; culinary empires have been built on less.
780 Memorial Drive SE, Atlanta. 770-990-0502, sugarloafatl.com.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s dining critics conduct reviews anonymously. Reservations are not made in their name, nor do they provide restaurants with advance notice about their visits. Roundup Reviews consist of first impressions and may not involve multiple visits, but critics always pay for their meals and never accept complimentary food or drink. AJC dining critics wait at least one month after a new restaurant has opened before visiting.
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