South City Kitchen
1144 Crescent Ave NE, Atlanta, GA
(404) 873-7358
Fellow food shutterbug and Atlantean Melissa Goodman, AKA Gifted Gourmet invited me to Sunday brunch at South City Kitchen, one of Atlanta’s most popular modern-style Southern restaurants. Set in a beautifully restored 1920’s bungalow right in the middle of downtown Atlanta among the city’s skyscrapers, the restaurant serves updated and interesting twists on Southern classics. It was a really interesting contrast to the “Meat and 2 veg” hardcore Southern cuisine I had eaten at Mary Mac’s a few days before.
The menu, while decidedly Southern, features updated and interesting twists on classic Southern food.
The bar sits right behind the open kitchen where you can watch the staff hustle and great food come streaming out at a hectic pace.
Here’s a fried chicken dish that’s destined for another customer.
The cornbread at South City Kitchen is wondeful. Its just a little sweet, which is the way I like it. I actually preferred it to the cornbread from Mary Mac’s, which had no sweetness at all.
Cornbread closeup
The biscuits are no slouches either.
A perfectly made Bloody Mary. In Atlanta, alcohol cannot be served until 12:30 in the afternoon on a Sunday, so time your brunches accordingly.
Pimento cheese with toast points. Served with two different types of pickle and young celery.
Pimento Cheese closeup.
Melissa’s Old Charleston She-Crab soup with fresh cream and sherry. Very luscious, rich and creamy.
Fried Green Tomato “BLT” with Applewood Smoked Bacon, Watercress Garlic Mayonnaise.
BLT bisection view
Melissa’s Sautéed Shrimp & Scallops with creamy Logan Turnpike stone-ground grits and garlic gravy. A wonderful version of a true Southern classic.
A medley of Southern sides — Applewood smoked bacon, greens (which I thought were too sweet) and Skillet Potatoes with Tasso Ham
Eggs Benedict Southern Style – Smoked Beef Brisket, English Muffins, Creole Mustard Hollandaise, Pickled Jalapenos.
Hot Apple Cobbler with Creme Anglaise, cooked Souffle style in Ramekin.
Off The Broiler 
It was “to die for!” as they say … thoroughly enjoyed the food and the ambience as well as cherishing time again with an old friend from New Jersey!
Melissa we are going there next time I come to Atlanta. Our treat this time.
I saw they have a few things David and I can eat.
Looks like you and Melissa had a nice time Jason.
Is this restaurant wheelchair accessible? I’d love to go there. It seems like a great place!
Call the restaurant and ask… number is at the top.
Ok…. I just thought if you were actually there you would have noticed if it had a ramp or stairs at the enterance. I guess I’ll just have to call them instead.
Jason, I am not sure if you are still here in Atlanta or how long you plan to be here, but I’d love to show you a few great food places if you are up for it.
I was just in Atlanta on business 2 weeks ago, I wish I had know about this place then, seems I really missed out.
That place has been around a while. I must have eaten there, oh, around 1994? I remember enjoying it, but back then I used to just eat food, not write about it afterwards. Trip down memory lane.
I was just in Atlanta on business5weeks ago, I wish I had know about this place then
One of the best in the big A!