Just after the beginning of the year I took advantage of an extended weekend to visit friends in Atlanta.  As is usually the case when I’m traveling and visiting other areas, I always like to seek out unique food vendors, kitchen and cooking retailers, as well as restaurants.  I was first introduced to Sun in My Belly Neighborhood Café on a trip to Atlanta in May 2010.   I liked the quirky casual feel and had found several items on the menu to be appealing so I decided to return and check it out again.

Situated in an old hardware store, Sun in My Belly is easy to pass by if you’re not on the lookout.  Despite a sign above the front door, it’s quite unassuming so be sure to drive slow and look for the red brick building with a patio area in front (although in winter the patio isn’t exactly hopping).  The main entrance leads into the take-out counter and looks right into the kitchen. 

Opening off of the entrance are a series of rooms each connected to one another when the walls were cut out to connect the series of multiple buildings which the restaurant occupies.  The casual homey atmosphere is perfect for a lazy weekend brunch or relaxed midweek breakfast or lunch.  Last summer they were doing a series of “Supper Club” menus featuring 4-course menus for $40 that sounded like they’d be fun to experience.

I LOVE breakfast and am always on the lookout for places that have unique offerings to start the day off right.  Even better if they serve breakfast ALL DAY which is the case with Sun in My Belly!  The breakfast menu features traditional tried & true favorites for those who “like what they like” as well as more creative offerings, including a daily quiche of the day and other rotating specials.  On my first visit I enjoyed the Honeyed Ricotta French Toast with Fresh Berries and on my most recent visit, decided to indulge myself with the ultimate egg sandwich…a BLT made with fried green tomatoes and generously spread with a thick layer of homemade pimento cheese! (Something for which I’ve gained an increasing fondness for since moving to the south.)

To quote the Campbell’s soup commercials….it was “Mmmmm, mmmmm….GOOD!”  Breakfast potatoes can so often be a big disappointment, often seeming like an afterthought thrown on the plate to take up space.  The ones at Sun in My Belly were a pleasant surprise, having been prepared from creamy red-skin potatoes and fried up with plenty of onions and seasoning.  Most important of all….they kept my coffee cup filled!

Sun in My Belly – Neighborhood Cafe
2161 College Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30317
404.370.1088 cafe