8ARM, Atlanta, USA – Spot Check — the RAD AND HUNGRY blog

Apr 29

Apr 29 8ARM, Atlanta, USA – Spot Check

Atlanta is the New South. If Savannah be drippin’ in Spanish moss and New Orleans reppin’ colonial architecture and jazz heritage, Atlanta is a global glass tower on a hill.

The city is boomin’ and lookin’ ahead. Whether it be for the film industry or finance, attracting people from all over. We felt a little lost in all this newness – like when a billboard for Pencil Factory made our hearts race and turned out to be converted condos. Ponce City Market’s huge Art Deco sign is dope as hell, but the historic building turned out to be an overwhelming mall housin’ chain stores and a trendy cafeteria. No hatin’ – it’s just not our jam. No rare office supplies to unearth, no RAH–worthy goods to share.

We wanted a local grub spot and found it just a few blocks down the street. The rad street art mural out front was the first good sign.

Inside, 8ARM kept gettin’ more inviting. A bright orange and white cafe led into an open dining room dotted with plants, and then to an outdoor patio and bar housed in a container. Turns out the building was an old scooter garage!

8ARM felt like your cool kid friend was cooking for you. Sippin’ coffee, scopin’ out the designy vintage touches while a hip crowd trickled in. A snake and wolf mural with a Latin phrase dominated the sunny room – something from Aesop’s fables. Awesome!

The menu rocked some brunch classics, but didn’t play too safe. Lamb cheek for breakfast with lemongrass and carrots? HELLZ YES. Everyone said the biscuits were a MUST, but to our dismay – SOLD OUT. Cravin’ the pastries in the glass case was as close as we got.

We coulda been grubbin’ at 8ARM all day, moving from morning cafe to cocktails on the patio. Instead, we walked off our grits at nearby Paris on Ponce (antique market) and the BeltLine (rail line converted to a pedestrian path). Next time we’re in Atlanta though, those biscuits are top of the list.