Downtown Douglasville packs a flavorful punch for such a modest-sized city. The downtown corridor emerges from the suburban Douglas County landscape with little warning. One- and two-story historic buildings face a railroad track that stretches alongside Veterans Memorial Highway, a clear sign you’ve arrived in the city’s center.
Between Greystone Amphitheater, which hosts a slew of concerts and other popular events, and the new restaurants that have appeared alongside the old-timers, downtown Douglasville is coming into its own. One surprising result is the city’s burgeoning love of brunch.
Lorenzo Wyche, co-founder of the Breakfast Boys in Atlanta, opened High Noon Brunchery in Douglasville in March. He said he suspects the arrival of brunch spots and trendier restaurants are a result of Douglasville residents craving dining options that are closer to home.
“The community was just starving for (more restaurants),” Wyche said. “It’s the biggest hub between Birmingham and Atlanta, and it’s a big, busy corridor.”
Whether you’re a resident, on a day trip or just passing through, here are our suggestions for where to eat in Douglasville.
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Gritz Brunch Bar
Restaurateur Teneshia Murray opened this brunch spot in downtown Douglasville in 2021. Murray, who has lived in the area since 1996, said there weren’t many restaurants serving brunch at the time, so she wanted to bring the city something different. The menu is overflowing with Southern comfort foods such as chicken and waffles, catfish and grits and smothered pork chops, plus other familiar classics like French toast, omelets and breakfast sandwiches.
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Credit: Olivia Wakim
The salmon croquettes are certainly worth a trip. Two crispy croquettes come with eggs cooked any style, a bowl of cheesy grits and a butter biscuit drenched in honey. The croquettes’ creamy salmon mixture and the biscuit’s lightly browned top and fluffy insides will satisfy most breakfast lovers. And as is a staple for brunch spots, the cocktail list includes mimosas, bellinis and sangria.
After brunch, walk off the feast with a stroll down Price Avenue and stop in at Hatrimony Hat Company to admire some of milliner Jordan Sullen’s custom chapeaus.
6671 Church St., Douglasville. 678-909-6956, gritzbrunchbar.com.
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Blu Rose Art Bistro
A few blocks away from the Douglas County Museum of History and Art, Blu Rose Art Bistro offers a spot to people-watch and relax by one of the large glass windows. The restaurant is a little mix of everything, including an art gallery, a full bar, paint-and-sip classes and a music venue. Strings of twinkling blue lights add a calming ambience to the space, and walls adorned with art make this a good spot to converse with friends while enjoying a drink.
The brunch menu is small, but the chicken and waffles are a notable entrée. The plate arrives with two juicy fried chicken wings served atop a dense cornmeal waffle and finished with pools of maple butter. The maple butter’s sweetness renders syrup redundant, and the whole meal can be paired with a classic brunch cocktail or a blueberry lemonade. The rest of the menu offers a mix of Southern dishes, including gumbo, a catfish po’boy, Southern fried chicken and crab-crusted Chilean sea bass.
12441 Veterans Memorial Highway, Douglasville. 678-909-2133, blurosebistro.com.
Credit: Courtesy of High Noon Brunchery
Credit: Courtesy of High Noon Brunchery
High Noon Brunchery
Step inside this Barbie Dreamhouse-esque restaurant decked out with pink walls, tables and even pink-tinted windows. A wall covered in fake roses and a pair of neon angel wings in the barroom are sure to attract the most Instagram-savvy guests.
The menu includes several vegan and gluten-free options, such as the vegan chorizo hash, which was particularly satisfying. Two vegan eggs rest on a mound of soft breakfast potatoes and vegan chorizo mixed with red and green bell peppers. A few slices of avocado come on the side, and two pieces of toast add some carbs to the meal.
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Sweet and savory combinations are abundant at this brunch spot, such as the “Sweet Chick” French Toast Sandwich, which includes a layer of turkey bacon, sausage and eggs sandwiched between two slices of thick French toast. The drink options are pink and sugary, including a butter pecan iced coffee with a caramel pecan popcorn topping, a guava mint mimosa with a sugared rim and the impressively large Kiss Me Pink Sangria.
8440 Courthouse Square E., Douglasville. 678-398-7853, highnoonbrunchery.com.
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Gumbeaux’s Cajun Cafe
Gumbeaux’s Cajun Cafe has been around since 1994, which might explain the city’s affinity for Cajun food. Purple, green and yellow walls are the first indication of its Louisiana roots, and the abundant New Orleans and nautical paraphernalia confirms any suspicions.
The portions are large enough to share family-style with Cajun classics like gumbo, crawfish and shrimp étouffées, jambalaya, po’boys and fried seafood platters. Be prepared to take a post-meal nap after this spread. No matter what you order, the heady aroma will likely greet you before the entree does, like the bowl of French Quarter shrimp that arrived on a garlic breeze. A sizable helping of shrimp float in a deep pool of butter, garlic and herb sauce with a side of bread to sop up the rich sauce.
12407 Veterans Memorial Highway, Douglasville. 770-947-8288, gumbeauxs.com/index.html.
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Credit: Olivia Wakim
Gabe’s Downtown
Louisiana natives Gabe and Tami Toups opened this bistro in 2015 with a menu of seafood, steak, chicken and Southern specialties. The cozy dining room is suitable for a midafternoon lunch with colleagues or a casual date night, and monthly wine dinners offer a four-course meal and wine pairings. Menu items include elevated Southern classics such as the fried green tomatoes with crumbled goat cheese, teardrop piquanté peppers and a lemon aioli; shrimp and grits; smoked duck fettuccine; a salmon fried green sandwich; and chicken prosciutto pasta. Gabe’s Downtown also offers a Saturday brunch with Louisiana-inspired breakfast staples like crawfish quiche and andouille potato hash.
6716 Church St., Douglasville. 770-765-1951, gabesdowntown.com.
Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter.
Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on X and @ajcdining on Instagram.
About the Author
