13 Local Spots That Have Awesome Breakfast in Athens, GA
Breakfast in Athens, GA is an experience. Food in general is an experience here but I feel like an Athens breakfast is one to remember. The reason: the variety is amazing, the quality is top notch, and the uniqueness factor is a 10/10. Whether you’ve craving Zombie donuts, a biscuit from Mama’s Boy, or french toast from Big City Bread, you’re sure to find a breakfast in Athens that will satisfy any craving.
I had the pleasure of graduating from the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) and then moving to one of the surrounding Athens cities to raise my family. I’ve lived in/next to Athens for about 10 years so I consider myself an expert on all things Athens food.
If you’re still going to chain restaurants in Athens I need you to pump the brakes. Now. Try a local restaurant next time you’re in town. Any of them. They’re all fantastic.
We’re focusing on breakfast in this post because it’s my favorite meal of the day and because Athens has an eclectic list of options for you to choose from. Pay attention to the notes, my friends! I’m a local letting you in on local secrets. When I tell you to order ahead its because you won’t get breakfast otherwise.
There are two types of breakfast
I think it is important to note that there are two types of breakfast eaters. The first one wants something small, succinct, and yet filling. It should be able to be eaten on the go or quickly at the restaurant. These people are looking for dynamite biscuits that serve as a whole meal or a bagel breakfast sandwich that has as many veggies as it does protein.
The second breakfast eater is here for the experience. They want the “all star breakfast with hash browns scattered, covered, and smothered” because breakfast is not just a way to get energy to start your day. It should be enjoyed. These people are looking for the two eggs, bacon, and french toast that they’ll eat slowly for almost an hour while sipping a cup of coffee. These are my people, by the way.
We split up our local spots for breakfast in Athens, GA into two categories: bagels and donuts, and full scale breakfast. You know which type of eater you are so I’ll let you decide which category to peruse.
The “Bagels and Donuts” list describes places that are very well known for their donuts/bagels or exclusively sell donuts/bagels. If you’re looking for the whole shebang then you should keep scrolling down to “Full Scale Breakfast”
Awesome Breakfast in Athens, GA: Bagels and Donuts
These donut/bagel places are legit. They are each known for a special something that makes them, well, them. You won’t find a Dunkin Donuts or Kripsy Kreme on this list, as local as they are. We’re highlighting Athens born and bred bagels and donuts that [n e v e r] disappoint.
Cafe Racer
UPDATE for 2024: There is a new location on Broad Street at 2343 W Broad St, Athens, GA 30606. This is a true drive through-style option and tastes just as amazing as the original location that is reviewed below.
I hate to start my list off with a donut shop that doesn’t even have an Athens address but please trust me when I say there is a reason it is at the top (and its only 15 minutes outside of Athens). Cafe Racer has a donut unlike any other.
Their potato donuts (you read that right) are the perfect mixture of fried dough topped with homemade icing. They are not syrupy sweet like you’ll find at a local chain and they certainly don’t leave a nasty processed film on your teeth.
They offer flavors like Espresso, Maple, Vanilla Sprinkle, Blueberry Cake, Strawberry Sprinkle, and other rotating flavors. Cafe Racer operates out of what looks like a tiny trailer or a box car.
They sit on the side of the highway, take orders from a drive-up window, and then call your name on an outdoor bullhorn when your food is ready. It is literally made while you sit in the parking lot.
ORDER AHEAD. Let me repeat: ORDER AHEAD. So many people drive out to this place expecting a delicious breakfast only to find that they have run out of food. The food at Cafe Racer is prepared fresh daily so when they run out, they run out.
Go to their website, place an order for your desired day, and specify any donut flavors or biscuit instructions in the notes section at checkout. Also note: their 1/2 dozens sell out days in advance so plan ahead.
PS-I did not even mention their coffee because i’m all about the donuts in this part of the post but you should definitely order one of those too. Great coffee!
Address: 3 Arnoldsville Rd, Crawford, Ga 30630
Hours: Tues-Fri 7AM-11AM, Sat & Sun 8AM-12PM
Website: Check out their website here.
Zombie Donuts
I’m starting out strong with the donuts because I truly think Athens has some of the best. Zombie donuts is one of those with the best. Zombie hand makes their donuts each day and then tops them in a made to order fashion. See the order form below:
You literally get to choose everything about your donut! You can be as basic as a plain glazed donut or as fancy as a vanilla donut with maple glaze and bacon topping. My kids personally prefer a vanilla donut with vanilla icing and rainbow sprinkles. I love their chocolate icing but their lemon glaze is also very good.
Zombie donuts is also unique in the way it supports the community. They ask anyone who places an order to use a wooden donation coin to vote for your favorite cause/nonprofit. At the end of the month, the one with the most votes will be supported by a 5% (or more) gross revenue donation form Zombie. Cool, right? They’re simply using coffee and donuts to pour love and money back into the community.
PS-I have not mentioned coffee in this post either but Zombie coffee rocks! Zombie donuts and coffee seem to compliment each other in a really cool way that you don’t always get to experience at other donut shops.
Address: 350 E Broad St, Athens, GA 30601
Hours: Mon-Thurs 730AM-8PM, Fri 8AM-2PM, Sat 7:30AM-3PM & Sun 8AM-3PM
Website: Check out their website here.
Ideal Bagel
Ideal Bagel in Athens opened its doors in 2013 and quickly became a hometown staple. People seriously underestimate the power of a freshly made bagel. Ideal has people in house making fresh bagels every single morning. As an added bonus, they also top them with handmade schmears.
Bagel flavors include varieties like plain, sesame, salt, pumpernickel, honey wheat, everything, and cinnamon raisin. Spreads include plain, whitefish, Nutella, sundried tomato, hummus, seasonal fruit, and peanut butter. The Ideal Bagel menu also includes bagel sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, and a build your own menu.
As an added bonus, they are serving up Counter Culture coffee, which is fair, fresh and sustainable coffee based out of Durham, NC. You can get a delicious bagel and coffee breakfast for less than $4!
Address: 815 W Broad St # B, Athens, GA 30601
Hours: Mon-Fri 630AM-2PM, Sat & Sun 730AM-2PM
Website: Check out their website here.
Poindexter Coffee
Poindexter Coffee is a lovely little cafe that is tucked inside The Graduate Hotel in Athens. Poindexter does not specialize in bagels or donuts, but they also do not serve a full scale breakfast. So, they landed here.
Poindexter is known for awesome, made to order coffee drinks as well as breakfast sandwiches, biscuits, pastries, croissants, etc. Exactly what you would expect from a quaint little cafe. We have always gotten our breakfast to go but there are tables in the cafe that allow you to eat in if you’d like.
Address: 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens, GA 30601
Hours: 7 days a week from 7AM-8PM
Website: Check out their website here.
Athens Bagel Company
This one is at the bottom of the list for one reason: Athens Bagel Company closed temporarily due to mandatory building repairs. According to social media, the bagel shop does plan to reopen but there is no reopen date set currently.
If you are looking for Athens Bagel Company bagels, you can find a small selection of them being sold at Molly’s Coffee and Jittery Joe’s. We will update just as soon as ABC does!
Awesome Breakfast in Athens, GA: Full Scale Breakfast
Alright, my real breakfast people: this one is for you. If you are looking for a full plate for breakfast or brunch then you can’t go wrong with any of these choices. Check out the descriptions for the different types of food you can expect!
Mama’s Boy
Number one on my list and number one in my heart. Mama’s Boy is one of those places that is just special. If you travel to the original location (both locations serve the same amazing food, btw) you might be wondering how you ended up on that side of Athens BUT trust me when I say you’re there for a reason.
The Mama’s Boy menu includes things like pulled pork with eggs with potato hash or grits, french toast plates with eggs and a choice of meat, trail mix granola with greek yogurt and honey, and even chocolate cake. You read that right-they serve chocolate cake for breakfast. Another really popular menu item is a biscuit sandwich, made with classic combinations of bacon or sausage, eggs, cheese, soysage, and even fried chicken.
Mama’s Boy is truly a restaurant for every member of the family. Sweet eaters, salty eaters, healthy eaters, full plate eaters and sandwich eaters can all find something delicious here. If I may make a personal recommendation, the Georgia peach french toast is magical. Check it out!
Address: 197 Oak Street Athens, Georgia 30601 (original location) & 8851 Macon Highway, Suite 403 Athens, Georgia 30606
Hours: 7 days a week from 7AM-2:30PM (both locations)
Website: Check out their website here.
Big City Bread
Big City Bread in Athens is one of those local mom and pop shops that serves big time food. They pride themselves on using ingredients (produce, meat, and cheese) that are locally sourced, which provides you with a healthy and fresh meal.
Big City Bread is well-known for savory dishes. They don’t have a lot of sugary menu items, although their french toast is fantastic! Aside from french toast, their other sweet items are things like yogurt and fruit. Their quiche really sets them apart from other breakfast spots in the area. Its homemade, in house, with locally sourced eggs and produce. How cool?
They also serve a really mean buttermilk biscuit sandwich! You can’t go wrong here-truly! Come out and support a really hard-working local family.
Address: 393 N Finley St, Athens, GA 30601
Hours: Monday-Friday from 8AM-3PM (Breakfast and Lunch), Sat & Sun 8AM-2PM (Brunch only)
Website: Check out their website here.
The Grit
The Grit is going to be the spot that all of you vegetarians need to know about. I am not a vegetarian and have loved my meals at The Grit. However, they pride themselves on being 100% meat free so, if that’s you, then come on down!
The Grit serves up some really awesome plates like Grits and Gravy, Breakfast Burritos, and a breakfast reuben made with housemade tempeh bacon. The Grit definitely falls under the savory category but packs a flavor punch with all of their dishes. My personal favorite is the fried egg sandwich with some added tempeh bacon! Come check them out!
Address: 199 Prince Ave, Athens, GA 30601
Hours: Sat & Sun 10AM-2PM (Brunch only)
Website: Check out their website here.
Mayflower Restaurant
UPDATE: As of January 2024, the Mayflower has closed indefinitely.
Mayflower Restaurant is the oldest standing restaurant in Athens, GA. They opened their doors in the lat 1940s and have been family owned and operated ever since…by the same family! Mayflower is right across the street from North Campus and The UGA Arch so you can take in some scenery after you finish your breakfast.
Mayflower Restaurant serves a classic breakfast. That, to me, mean there are eggs, bacon or sausage, and some type of delicious carb to accompany them. They offer sides like country ham, hash browns, cheese grits, and cheese toast.
They even serve steak and eggs! At this kind of restaurant, I’m a hotcakes kind of gal and I can tell you that there’s do not disappoint! For even more excitement, try the safari hotcakes.
Address: 171 E Broad St, Athens, GA 30601
Hours: Mon-Fri 6:30AM-2PM, Sat 6:30AM-1PM, Sun 7:30AM-2PM
Website: Check out their website here.
Heirloom Cafe
Heirloom Cafe is another awesome locally sourced restaurant that works hard to support local farmers. They have an entire page on their website dedicated to their producers, the local farmers they support and a link to each farm’s website. You can really understand exactly what goes into your food here!
Heirloom Cafe breakfast includes Doscuit holes (donut holes made from biscuit dough-so good!), homemade cinnamon roles, pancakes, french toast, biscuits and gravy, omelettes, and some vegetarian options. You can also order eggs any way you like them!
You can actually taste how fresh and homemade every meal is that is served at Heirloom. We highly highly recommend this place for your next breakfast outing! Spoiler alert: they serve amazing lunch as well with locally sourced grass-fed beef and meats.
Address: 815 N Chase St, Athens, GA 30601
Hours: Sat & Sun 9:30AM-2:30PM
Website: Check out their website here.
Nedza’s
Nedza’s is a really cool, local spot that serves up some unique dishes for breakfast. Like totchos..ever heard of them? I hadn’t either. Think nachos but with tater tots instead. Nedza’s specializes in big plates of food, like pancakes the size of a large pizza to share with the table. In addition to giant pancakes (and I mean giant) they also have some pretty big omelettes and some really awesome breakfast plates.
The chicken and waffles plate and the breakfast burrito are both wonderful! They also have donuts in house, though we’ve only ever gone here for “full” breakfast. If you’re strolling down Lumpkin, definitely check out Nedza’s!
Address: 1591 South Lumpkin Street, Suite A, Athens, GA 30606
Hours: Tues-Sun 8AM-2:30PM
Website: Check out their website here.
Donderos’ Kitchen
Donderos’ sounds like it would have a southwest style breakfast, am I right? Yes, I am. This is the place you go if you want a savory breakfast that is cooked with peppers and cilantro, and then topped with homemade salsa. There is nothing sweet and sugary about this breakfast (unless you go all the way to Donderos and order a yogurt with granola, which I do not recommend).
On their menu, you will find things like egg scrambles with peppers and onions, breakfast burritos fried potatoes and salsa, and breakfast skillets. All of their breakfast items have an awesome southwest flair and can be served with candied jalapeños, spicy pinto beans, and even fried green tomatoes (they are in Georgia after all).
If you do have more of a sweet tooth, don’t be disheartened! Donderos’ is also a bakery and has some delicious goodies on hand that you can grab. They are not listed on their breakfast menu though so make sure you order ahead of time if you’re taking it to the table. Go check them out! You won’t be disappointed.
Address: 590 N Milledge Ave, Athens, GA 30601
Hours: Mon-Fri 8AM-4PM, Sat & Sun 10AM-2PM
Website: Check out their website here.
Em’s Kitchen at Hawthorne Drugs
Em’s Kitchen is relatively new, although still over 10 years old! I say it’s newer because I am old enough to remember when it opened. Maybe that just means I’m old and not that it is new. Oh well!
Em’s Kitchen began by serving the classic soda fountain food that Hawthorne Drugs (a local pharmacy) had served for ages. They actually still serve those classics but have added some current foods and even a dessert counter. If you’ve never been and you have a sweet tooth, you MUST try the ooey gooey bars! They live up their names perfectly.
Anyways, back to breakfast. Em’s serves up a “classic breakfast” with items like eggs, bacon or sausage, pancakes, and toast. They also serve omelettes and grits bowls. This is a great place for families or anybody looking for a kid-friendly breakfast spot. Check out their menu for specific items!
Address: 975 Hawthorne Avenue Athens, GA 30606
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30AM-10:30AM
Website: Check out their website here.
Wrap-Up: Did you find an awesome breakfast in Athens?
We sure hope so. There are truly so many ways to experience breakfast in this city and none of them are wrong. If you have a favorite, give us a shout out and let us know! Personally, we [ love] some of these homemade donuts and would go to Mama’s Boy every morning if we had the time (and money). Check them out!
