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 Sunday Best
Atlanta’s Top Spots for Sunday Brunch
By Tamara Holly
It seems the busier our lives, the more hurried our meals. Breakfasts have been reduced to designer coffees and pre-packaged cereal bars, lunches are served in 10 minutes or less (and eaten even faster), and full-course dinners are reserved for special occasions and holidays. Fortunately, brunch remains a leisurely alternative to feasting on fast food or eating on the run, and many local restaurants feature Sunday specials that are worth the slower pace. Whether your taste is time-honored or trendy, down home or uptown, you needn’t travel far to satisfy your craving.
Village Tavern
The high wooden beams and double-sided fireplace at Alpharetta’s Village Tavern evoke the spirit of a warm, rustic ski lodge, and the brunch menu is equally as comforting. Personal touches from the owner’s family invite diners to kick back and make themselves at home.
In fact, the colorful drapery overlooking the fireplace is an original piece created by owner Scott Richardson’s grandmother. Neil Seiwell, server and trainer, attributes Village Tavern’s success to its cohesiveness. “From ownership and management right down to the servers and bussers, it’s great food and a great team,” Seiwell said.
Not limited to typical Sunday fare, the generous menu boasts savory specialties from the sea. The Grouper Hemingway is a flaky fresh filet inspired by the Florida Keys and sautéed in a reduction of capers and white wine. Expertly browned on a flat grill, the succulent jumbo lump crab cakes burst with the flavors of fresh celery and onions. The signature hot crab dip is sweet and creamy on the inside, golden and bubbly on the outside. Served with garlic buttered toast squares, it’s tasty enough to cause you to compromise your good manners. In other words, you won’t want to share.
If it’s conventional brunch fare you desire, Village Tavern offers four styles of Eggs Benedict: traditional, crab cake, steak and salmon. Spicy huevos rancheros are sure to satisfy, and French toast is jazzed up with fresh bananas, strawberries or whatever you like. This team aims to please and they are happy to make adjustments to suit your taste. “If it’s in the building, we can do it,” explained manager Todd McIntyre. With what he calls a “user-friendly menu,” guests will find detailed descriptions of all dishes.
Save room for dessert, because this brunch menu doesn’t skimp on the sweet stuff. An indulgent crème brûlée pleases with a smooth, warm center, while the World’s Smallest Sundae is a miniature hot fudge delight that is not to be missed, no matter how small. Enjoy it with the one you love under a canopied bench rocker on the open-air patio. This dessert may be small, but there’s room enough for two tiny spoons.
11555 Rainwater Dr.
Alpharetta, GA 30004
770-777-6490
www.villagetavern.com
 Au Pied de Cochon
Located in the elegant InterContinental Hotel in the heart of Buckhead, Au Pied de Cochon delivers “continental cuisine” with “French style and elegance.” The grand dining hall is haute dining at its best, from the heavy linen tablecloths and fine stemware of each table to the rich, jewel-toned rococo panels on the walls and beautiful woodwork of the bar. Colorful chandeliers provide fanciful lighting and a skilled pianist performs gentle music, which further enhances an upscale dining experience usually reserved for evenings out. The posh atmosphere may come as a surprise when one learns the English translation of the restaurant’s name is “Pig’s Foot,” but the charming ceramic pig centerpieces that serve as flower vases provide a glimpse of the true spirit of this brasserie.
Chefs Maxime Kien and Bixente Pery both hail from France and are masters at creating eclectic dishes often absent from many brunch menus. Perhaps that is why the “Sunday lunch buffet” is so named. Traditionalists will enjoy the made-to-order omelets, which allow guests to select from an endless list of ingredients that includes mushrooms, tomatoes, chicken, spinach and feta, to name only a few. Entrée items like the tilapia ceviche and the pepper grilled beef tenderloin with bordelaise sauce are kept warm in bulbous chafing dishes; fresh cheeses, pineapples, melons and cold cuts are neatly arranged on perfectly polished silver platters.
The middle island displays tempting desserts like brownies dusted in powdered sugar and topped with raspberries, mini cheesecakes and kiwi tarts. The impressive wine list ranges in price from $8 a glass to more than $800 a bottle, so there is a spirit to soothe any budget. European coffees like cappuccino and espresso are skillfully prepared and even the American coffee is exceptional. A children’s table allows kiddies to serve themselves with fried chicken tenders, French ham and cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, and ice cream with sprinkles. Though the venue appears formal, tasteful casual attire is accepted.
3315 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30326
404-946-9000
www.aupieddecochonatlanta.com
Pastis Restaurant & Bar
The illuminated balcony terrace at Pastis attracts Historic Roswell revelers like moths to a flame, but with a much more appetizing outcome. This two-story restaurant has three dining areas: one on the main floor, an additional area upstairs and an intimate outdoor patio. The cavernous first floor seating area appeals to larger parties and families, while the view from the top veranda is a bit more romantic, especially on warmer evenings when the open doors of neighboring vendors encourage moody live jazz to spill to the street below. Both quaint and classy with pastoral hardwood floors and a fully stocked bar, Pastis would be as at home in the French countryside as it is here on the fringes of tree-lined Canton Street. This warmth and modesty has drawn a loyal following, which makes for busy evenings and even busier weekends.
But the simple, splendid cuisine is worth waiting for. Brunch choices range from refreshing Riesling and honey-poached pears with yogurt and organic granola to crispy calamari Provencal with a piquant aioli sauce. Hearty homemade corn beef hash is paired with eggs cooked to your liking, and the French farmhouse plate provides a selection of fresh meats, pate, olives and peppers.
For larger parties, Pastis offers brunch party menus for $15 or $20 per guest. Each menu presents a choice of starters such as the French Charcuterie with dried sausages and rich cheese, entrées like Mediterranean egg scramble or the grilled Atlantic salmon with caper remoulade, and heavenly desserts like the profiteroles maison au chocolat served with soft vanilla bean ice cream and roasted almonds. Wine options are plentiful and you’re sure to find the perfect complement to any meal you choose. Standard pinots and chardonnays are a safe choice, but an unhurried Sunday may be the perfect time to sip a robust port or aperitif like the Abseinte de France. Sinful? Perhaps, but well worth the repentance.
936 Canton St.
Roswell, GA 30075
770-640-3870
www.roswellpastis.com
Einstein’s
Whet your appetite with a luscious libation from Einstein’s Bloody Mary Bar, Midtown’s legendary do-it-yourself cocktail bar featuring more than a dozen mixes, including a zesty house blend. Yummy garnishes like olives, onions and a medley of marinated veggies, as well as an impressive collection of hot sauces, make a festive start to your meal. Indoor seating features a swanky bar and chic lounge. A fusion of Japanese and urban influences adds a sophisticated sensuality to the space complete with a waterwall in the foyer and beaded curtains in the washroom hall. Artsy touches include metalworks and prints by acclaimed sculptors and artists. The off-street patio is a popular place to enjoy a meal, as shady trees defend against the aggressive summer sun.
Southern favorites and ethnic touches collide in dishes like the Ixtapa Scramble. With fluffy eggs, chorizo sausage, jalapeños and cilantro, it’s served with a jumbo flour tortilla and a side of sweet potato fries. “Guests love it,” said Frank Bragg, Einstein’s managing partner. “I think its spicy nature gives them an excuse to go to our famous Bloody Mary bar or to order a mimosa with fresh-squeezed orange juice,” Bragg said. Fresh shrimp atop fluffy Parmesan grits with roasted red peppers and caramelized onions are served on a platter large enough for two. Even the delectable cheddar shortcakes, with quaint drop biscuits, are dressed up by fiery sausage gravy. Scrambled eggs, applewood smoked bacon and a whopping biscuit make up the Veranda Platter, and seasonal fresh fruit can be ordered as a side, though it seems the chefs have a hidden wholesome agenda because fruit decorates most dishes, from fresh melon wedges to sunny orange slices.
The servers at Einstein’s are friendly and fun, and Bragg believes their pleasant nature is an extension of a common drive to make others happy. “I have been incredibly fortunate to work with people who really care about others,” Bragg said. He explained that the “food is creative and consistent, and the extensive renovation of two years ago offers guests a hip, comfortable environment in which to dine.” The appeal extends beyond civilians, as celebs like Jane Fonda, rapper Chuck D and CNN’s Anderson Cooper have been known to cop a squat on the patio.
1077 Juniper St.
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-876-7925
www.einsteinsatlanta.com
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