Grits are easy to make and surprisingly easy to get wrong. A good bowl should be creamy, well seasoned, and loaded with enough cheese to make you slow down and pay attention.
Georgia has no shortage of places that serve them, but only some kitchens treat cheese grits like the main event instead of a forgotten side. This list covers eight breakfast spots across the state, from a busy downtown Atlanta diner to a mountain town cafe in Blue Ridge and a coastal favorite on St. Simons Island.
You will find classic cheddar bowls, pimento cheese versions, white cheddar grits next to fried chicken, and a few creative plates that build whole meals on top of them. Some spots are old-school and some are newer, but every one earns its place with a bowl worth ordering.
Save this one for your next road trip or weekend brunch plan.
1. Atlanta Breakfast Club, Atlanta, GA
Downtown Atlanta wakes up early at 249 Ivan Allen Jr Blvd NW, and the line here usually proves it. Doors open at 6:30 AM every day, which makes this modern diner with retro seating an easy first stop before a busy day in the city.
The cheese grits are the reason it leads this list. They come out creamy and thick with melted cheese, the kind of bowl that pulls when you lift your spoon.
Pair them with the Southern Breakfast, the Southern Benedict, or the Peach Cobbler French Toast if you want something sweet on the side. Fried green tomatoes and a Fried Green Tomato BLT round out the Southern lean of the menu.
A little planning helps. Weekend mornings get packed, brunch reservations are recommended, and there is usually a wait.
On Fridays and Saturdays, hours stretch to 10 PM, so a late grits craving is covered too.
2. Goose Feathers Cafe & Bakery, Savannah, GA
Here is a fun one to order: the Birds Nest. It stacks grits, eggs, cheese, and salsa into one bowl, and it shows how this Savannah cafe likes to build breakfast around grits instead of just next to them.
Goose Feathers sits at 39 Barnard St in the historic downtown area, and it serves breakfast all day. Plain cheese grits with butter are a popular side, especially with a sausage, egg, and cheese bagel sandwich or an egg, ham, and cheese croissant.
Prices land around $10 to $20 per person, which is friendly for a tourist-heavy part of town. The bakery side adds desserts, and the flavored coffee of the day changes things up.
Reservations are not accepted, and parking can be tricky downtown. I would walk over if you are already exploring the squares.
Dogs are welcome inside and out.
3. The Farm Cart, Athens, GA
Athens has a strong college-town breakfast scene, and The Farm Cart on Baxter Street holds its own with a locally sourced menu and homemade grits.
You can go classic with creamy cheese grits or try the pimento cheese grits, which add a very Southern twist. Both make a smart partner for the buttermilk biscuit sandwiches the kitchen is known for.
Other picks include the Gravy Train, biscuits and gravy, and home fries. Specialty coffee, cappuccinos, and matcha lattes cover the drink side.
Service moves quickly, and seating is split between indoors and outside. Parking is free and usually easy to find, which is not always true near campus.
Just remember the schedule: closed Mondays, open 8 AM to 2 PM Tuesday through Sunday.
4. H&H Soul Food Restaurant, Macon, GA
Since around 1959, this Forsyth Street cafe has been feeding Macon. That kind of staying power tells you the basics are handled well, and cheese grits are one of those basics.
The setting is no-frills and homey. Breakfast plates come with cheesy grits next to eggs, bacon, pancakes, or chicken sausage, and the homemade preserves are a nice bonus for your biscuit.
Biscuit sandwiches are a strong reason to stop, along with the Country Ham Breakfast and the Butch Biscuit Brunch. Bread pudding is on the menu if you want to finish sweet.
H&H keeps daytime hours, 7 AM to 3 PM on weekdays and 8 AM to 3 PM on weekends. It does not take reservations, but parking is free and plentiful.
For a taste of Macon history with your breakfast, this is the stop.
5. Plucked Up | Chicken & Biscuits, Columbus, GA
Fried chicken gets top billing in the name, but the white cheddar grits deserve a mention on the sign too.
Plucked Up sits at 1208 1st Ave in Columbus, inside casual digs with exposed brick walls. The kitchen pairs crispy chicken that carries a slight spicy kick with big, fluffy biscuits and generous portions of white cheddar grits.
That combination is what sets it apart from the rest of this list. Try the Chicken Coop, the Fried Chicken and Sweet Biscuits, or the Biscuits Benedict.
French Toast Biscuits are there for anyone who wants breakfast to taste like dessert.
Seating is limited, so Saturday mornings fill up. The good news is that reservations are accepted and parking is free.
It is open 7 AM to 3 PM Monday through Saturday and closed Sundays.
6. The Yellowphant Cafe, Blue Ridge, GA
A mountain morning in Blue Ridge pairs nicely with a bowl of specialty grits, and The Yellowphant Cafe makes them a big part of its identity.
The menu goes beyond plain. Pimento cheese grits, loaded grits, and shrimp and grits all show up, so you can pick your level of commitment.
Brisket biscuits and signature lattes are the other calling cards.
The vibe is fun and eclectic, with a community-driven feel. Breakfast also includes eggs Benedict, frittatas, French toast, and avocado toast.
Breakfast and lunch run 8 AM to 2:30 PM Monday through Saturday, and the cafe reopens for evenings on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays. It is closed Sundays.
Parking is free, which helps on busy weekends in town.
7. Frog & the Hen, Augusta, GA
Salmon over cheesy grits is not the first breakfast that comes to mind, yet it is one of the plates people come back to Frog & the Hen for.
The Augusta eatery on Flowing Wells Road serves its salmon with green beans, tomatoes, capers, onions, and grits loaded with cheese. The grits lean bold and well seasoned, so cheese lovers will be happy.
Fried and roasted chicken are the signatures, with Chicken and Waffles, Chicken Pot Pie, and a Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich on the menu. Fried mac and cheese makes a fun side. 80s and 90s hits keep the mood upbeat.
It is closed Mondays and open until 8 PM Tuesday through Saturday, with Sunday brunch from 10 AM to 3 PM. Brunch reservations are recommended, and there is even a drive-through.
8. Palmer’s Village Cafe, St Simons Island, GA
Island breakfasts deserve a little extra, and Palmer’s Village Cafe on Mallery Street delivers with two grits options: cheddar cheese grits and Pimento Cheese Grits.
The menu gets creative fast. The Coastal Delight omelet brings shrimp, mushrooms, ham, and mustard greens, and there are banana pudding pancakes, crab cake Benedict, and Cafe Shrimp and Grits.
If you only order one sweet thing, make it the maple bacon glazed challah bread French toast with a side of cheese grits. Brûléed Key Lime Pie is waiting if you stay for lunch.
The storefront stays busy, especially in the mornings, so expect a wait or make a reservation. It opens at 7:30 AM daily and serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday.
From Atlanta to the coast, Georgia clearly takes its grits seriously. Pick the bowl closest to you, then start planning the next one.
Enjoyed this story?
Add Fast Food Club as a preferred source to see more of our reporting on Google.