As college students, trying to fill your stomach early in the morning with satisfying breakfast can be a struggle. Whether you are a breakfast person or not, starting your day off with a nice treat is refreshing more often than not. Here are five cozy breakfast places near Emory that offer a cozy dining experience with a side of April sunshine.

1. B-side: When Bagel Meets Coffee

Charlotte He

B-side, located in Decatur Square, is only a ten minute drive from campus. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to 3pm, B-side provides a wide range of breakfast items, from wood-fired bagels to their signature pounders. Their hand-rolled, freshly made bagels keep their neighborhood customers coming back, even on busy weekday mornings. 

Even if you are not a fan of bagels, there are other options such as salads, soups, sandwiches, and pounders. If you are lucky, you will run into their special menu for the week. Luckily enough, I tried their weekly special The Baller comprised of saucy meatballs and hearty cheese. It instantly warmed me up on a chilly morning. 

Charlotte He

Aside from their bagels and pounders, B-side also prides itself on their tasty pastries, coffee, and tea. You just can't help but be mesmerized by their aesthetic coffee and delicate pastries. 

2. Momo Cafe: The Extra Pump of Sweetness

Charlotte He
Charlotte He

I feel like it's been a public secret how delicious Momo Cafe's sweet treats are – until now! Open from 9am to 9pm every day, Momo Cafe is a great option if you have no morning classes or want an afternoon break from campus. As a matcha fan myself, I could not recommend more their matcha brownie, with the perfect texture and the right amount of sweetness. They are also offering mocha croissants on weekends, so any mocha fans out there, don't miss it!

3. Buena Gente Cuban Bakery: Muy Delicioso

Charlotte He

Once a food truck, Buena Gente Cuban Bakery recently welcomed its first brick and mortar location on Clairmont Road. Buena Gente, meaning good people, is a breakfast place that makes you feel welcomed and at ease whenever you go. Open from Wednesday to Sunday, Buena Gente prides itself on freshly made pastries from pastelitos, croquetas, papa rellena (essentially potato balls stuffed with beef picadillo, my favorite) to desserts such as flan, Tres Leches cake, and colado tiramisu. 

I would also recommend trying out their sandwich menu that is served after 11am. Warmly toasted with cuban bread, their sandwiches are the exemplar of delicioso. Their five-star Yelp score is certainly indicative of how much the neighborhood loves this bakery. 

Charlotte He

4. Spiller Park Coffee: Chill Over Sunshine

Charlotte He

Spiller Park Coffee is my go-to breakfast place on weekends, where I can indulge in fulfilling nut butter toast with a nice cup of coffee outside in the pouring sunshine. Although they also offer delicious avocado toast and occasionally bagels from dearfriendbagels on Sundays, I always stick to their nut butter toast, and that's telling of just how amazing their toasts are. Cut in thick pieces, toasted to the perfect crispness, and drizzled with honey over nut butter – need I say more? 

And of course, their coffee is amazing. Although there might not be a lot of specialty coffee options as other cafes offer, the original taste of their coffee deserves all the praise. You should definitely try out their macadamia milk next time you want something special for your coffee!

Charlotte He

5. Velvet Taco: Let's Taco Bout a Late Brunch

Charlotte He

Where are my weekend brunch people at? Why not sleep in on weekends after a tiring week of studying? Velvet Taco is the place to chill with a main course of creative tacos. They are far beyond the average tacos you'd imagine. From a spicy tikka chicken taco to Korean fried rice tacos, you can explore different flavors every time you go. With the call "It's taco time!", you'll be ready to dive into a mouthful of juiciness and freshness.

Next time you're lacking in motivation on a weekday morning or want to treat yourself to a weekend brunch, these five cozy breakfast places listed above will rightfully fill your stomach and supply the energy you need to power through the day!