At Buttermilk Kitchen, finding an open table without a wait can feel like winning the breakfast lottery.
The restaurant, known for its pillowy biscuits and elevated Southern comfort food, has become one of Atlanta's most popular breakfast destinations. But owner and chef Suzanne Vizethann says the recipe for success is about more than what's on the plate.
Vizethann spent years working in fine dining kitchens before deciding to focus on breakfast and brunch.
"I really wanted a place that had the same attention to detail as a fine-dining restaurant, but in a relaxed daytime atmosphere," Vizethann said. "I am a total morning person. Working nights for so many years, I just got burned out from the late hours."
The restaurant occupies what was once a house, a setting that helps create the welcoming atmosphere Vizethann envisioned. Baby photos of staff members line the walls, adding to the feeling that guests are gathering in someone's home rather than dining in a restaurant.
That sense of community keeps customers coming back — sometimes so often that they become part of the menu.
"I'm here every week," regular customer Wesley Stone said. "They used to have something on the menu called the Wes' Plate, which they named after me because I eat the same thing every day."
Vizethann's passion for breakfast began long before she opened the restaurant. Growing up, family meals centered around the table, often with breakfast foods making an appearance at dinner.
"My mom would always do breakfast for dinner," Vizethann said. "We always gathered around the table. From a very young age, I saw the importance of food."
Today, those family traditions are reflected throughout the menu, but one item stands above the rest: the biscuits.
On busy days, pastry chef Elliott Smith can make hundreds.
"I made 600 on Mother's Day," Smith said.
The biscuits' signature texture comes from a simple technique.
"This is frozen grated butter. I think this is what makes a big difference in our biscuits," Smith said.
Building the restaurant, however, was not always easy.
"Getting people in the door, making payroll — two weeks before opening, we discovered there was rotten flooring," Vizethann said. "That was thousands of dollars more and delayed opening even further. There were so many struggles you don't foresee."
Despite the challenges, Vizethann said her team remained committed. Employees such as kitchen manager Chris Munoz, who started as a dishwasher, have grown alongside the business.
She credits that dedicated staff, along with locally sourced ingredients and a commitment to hospitality, for the restaurant's continued success.
"We're just making great food and making people smile," Vizethann said. "You realize success is a whole dining room."
Whether it's a first visit or a customer who has a menu item named after them, Buttermilk Kitchen continues to offer a place where guests feel right at home.
