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heirloom cafe 42
heirloom cafe 42
Reviews

Why Heirloom Cafe Should be Your Next Athens Brunch Stop

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at UGA chapter.

Located in the Boulevard neighborhood off of North Chase Street, Heirloom Cafe and Fresh Market feels like a secret garden for hipster fairies.

It’s driven by local farmers and treasured family heirloom recipes (hence the name). Are you getting the vintage vibes yet?

As soon as I parked, I felt hip just by association. But don’t worry ironically non-hipster hipsters… Heirloom definitely doesn’t try too hard to be hip. It’s just naturally cool like that.

heirloom cafe

Photo by Gabi Rosenthal

In addition to the for-sale artwork hanging on the walls, Heirloom makes a point to feature some local producers — GA Olive Farms olive oil, 1000 Faces coffee, Lauri Jo’s pineapple jelly, and Phickles Pickles.

heirloom cafe

Photo courtesy of heirloomathens.com

Major bonus points for the outdoor seating arrangement. If Athens ever gives us a sunny day, enjoy your local food outside on Heirloom’s patio. Soak up some sun and good vibes.

Now for the best part… the food. Oh, the glorious food.

heirloom cafe

Photo by Gabi Rosenthal

I’m a lentil fan so the veggie burger spoke to me on a spiritual level. If you don’t like to hang with lentils, ordering this might just convert you to a lentil worshipper.

The tender and flavorful lentil pecan patty is sandwiched between a bun from Atlanta’s H&F Bread Co. and smothered in tomato shiitake jam plus some of Creature Comforts’ Athena mustard. And don’t forget about the arugula and cheese packed in there, too. Individually, each component is great. But all together? Dream team.

heirloom cafe

Photo by Gabi Rosenthal

This omelet was filled with a hearty portion of classic pimiento cheese and some bacon cooked to crisp perfection. (Because if it wasn’t crispy, was it really even bacon?)

heirloom cafe

Photo by Gabi Rosenthal

It came with a flaky, fluffy, and buttery (but not greasy) biscuit – an item that was featured on a sign above the counter with high praises.

Very, very, very, well deserved praises, I might add.

And just when you think it can’t get any better, the waiter tells you that the jam sitting in front of you is apple pie jam. Yes. Please.

heirloom cafe

Photo by Gabi Rosenthal

Let’s just talk about the home fries that came with both meals for a second. Seasoned with salt and parsley, these taters were golden brown but still perfectly potato-like on the inside. Needless to say, I could’ve EASILY eaten a few tubs of those.

Have I convinced you to visit Heirloom Cafe yet? Yes, yes I have.

Lexi is studying journalism and music business at the University of Georgia and will graduate in 2018. Her love language is food (especially cereal), and she’s not afraid to make a mess or two in the kitchen. Tortilla chips, sweet potato fries, pumpkin bread, and pretty much any other carb (she doesn’t discriminate) make her foodie world go round. Consuming raw fish and meat gives her anxiety.