Pancake Social at Ponce City Market

Pancake Social, Atlanta’s newest restaurant from chef Anne Quatrano and a team of all-stars from the city’s food scene, is cheerful and charming. The menu is creative yet familiar, making the dining experience feel special but not fussy. Located at Ponce City Market, this brunch-all-day spot is a great destination for families to fuel up before heading to the BeltLine, take a break from shopping or celebrate a special occasion.

What’s on the menu: We started off with fresh juice blends – ginger-apple-lemon for me and carrot-orange-coconut for my 9-year-old son. Both were bright in color and flavor. The drink list also features smoothies, hot chocolate and plenty of coffee as well as a curated list of wine, local beer and cocktails.

After much debate, we finally made our food selections. I chose a Dutch baby pancake – a soft-in-the-middle, crispy on the edges eggy pancake served in an iron skillet with tart and tasty apple slices and gruyere cheese. My husband ordered pork sausage and sourdough waffles served with maple syrup – a truly special take on a brunch standard, which reportedly gets its unique flavor from a 27-year-old sourdough starter.

Why parents will like it: The menu includes savory sandwiches, healthy grain bowls and yogurt. People who eat vegetarian and gluten-free will find great options. The main plates are generally in the $9-14 range, and sides are $4-6. In addition to the sit-down restaurant, there’s a take-away counter at the entrance with to-go beverages and treats.

Why kids will like it: There’s no kids’ menu, but with a range of portion sizes and tasty sides, there are plenty of choices. Our 9-year-old son didn’t have to look at the menu long: the buckwheat pancakes with dark chocolate syrup were surely developed with kids in mind. When they were placed in front of him, he said, “these pancakes are no joke.” They were the size of dinner plates, and there were three of them. Warm chocolate syrup covered the top and pooled around the edges. He dug in, and with just a little help from us, ate almost every bite. The pancakes were fluffy, not too sweet and had a unique texture with the addition of cocoa nibs to the batter.

– Sherry V. Crawley