Brunch at Highland Bakery

Highland Bakery is one of the traditional Atlanta establishments that offers great baked goods and artisan sandwiches for brunch. In the past couple of years, it opened a new location in Midtown, but only the original location has all of the original charm. And yes, part of the charm is the long wait times, but my friend Cat and I braved them recently.

I had actually been to Highland Bakery once before for a sit down meal and another time to get food to go. So before I describe my most recent experience there, let me mention what I had before. The first time I went there, I stayed on the conservative side and ordered the Caprese Sandwich, which contains Italian staples like mozzarella, basil and tomatoes. The sandwich was really good, but something I can make myself. The second time I ate food from the bakery, I got the Sweet Potato Pancakes. I was pretty worried about how they would taste by the time I ate them at home, but all my worries were unfounded. The pancakes were still warm and fluffy. The caramel-based sauce that they came with was in a small container on the side, so I could eat the pancakes before they got soggy. Let me tell you, they were divine even after an hour away from the griddle! Well, the pancakes themselves were nothing extraordinary, but the sauce was just delicious! It was thick, sweet, buttery, and nutty (from the toasted pecans), and just the epitome of a guilty pleasure :) I have to admit, I had a few small tastes of the sauce by itself...

Finally, the most recent time I went to Highland Bakery, I decided to try yet another food group and got the Crabcakes Benedict. Just like the other items I had had before, they were delicious. The crabcakes were large, moist, and full of REAL crab meat. The Hollandaise sauce was the perfect consistency and lightness. I had the potatoes on the side, and they were nice and crispy without being too oily. They had sauted peppers and tomatoes, which is always a plus for me.

So, I've had traditional breakfast, sweet/dessert breakfast and a sandwich at Highland Bakery, and it hasn't disappointed me yet. This is the sign of a truly good place, but can't live up to the brunch at Murphy's...