Mama's Boy embodies the best of brunch cuisine

By: Cole Rogers

Classic southern brunch does something special for the soul. It’s the bright spot of a tough day. It’s a friend listening to your problems. Most of all, it’s a home away from home. It’s not difficult to find many southern-inspired restaurants and brunch spots in Athens, Georgia, but “southern fun dining” can only be found at the original Mama’s Boy. The slogan is incorporated into every nook and cranny of the small eatery’s atmosphere. The large windows lining the front of the restaurant allow the sunlight to illuminate the decorative wallpaper inside with a subtle blue hue. With an ambiance as relaxed and casual as this, all the customer’s focus is swayed towards what’s important…brunch.

Since it’s opening in 2006, Mama’s Boy has become one of the most well-known and popular restaurants in Athens through its almost effortless simplicity. Due to this popularity, attempting to get brunch on a weekend here includes a long wait in line. On a typical weekend, the wait time for just a party of two is almost guaranteed to be around 45 minutes. Despite the wait, any passerby will see dozens of people standing together like canned sardines outside of the restaurant. Mama’s Boy is just outside the downtown area on Oak Street, and the lines can always be seen from the road. Since every weekend has these types of lines, it’s safe to assume customers believe what they are waiting for is worth it. I can’t say this about many restaurants, but there’s no doubt in my mind that I believe the wait is worth every last second.

The concise menu would make you think you’ll be able to pick something out in no time. That’s not the case. With choices like Salmon Cakes Benedict and Pulled Pork & Potato Hash, it’s going to take some time to decide. Once you place your order, it’s interesting how loud it can seem within the small eatery’s walls. Conversations all being held simultaneously create a symphony of voices that aren’t too difficult to hone in on. To my left was a group of college students complaining to each other about a professor, and to my right was an older couple talking about how cool the weather had been that week. In the background, noises of silverware clanking and water running in a sink echo from the kitchen. The noises seem to fade away once the waiter begins walking in your direction with a large black tray. Once the wait for the food is over, ironically the food is now waiting on you to dig in to it. After much deliberation with myself over the impressive menu, I chose to order the most popular dish according to the waiter, The Mill Town Breakfast Plate. The menu describes it as “Two eggs cooked any style, cheese grits, thick cut bacon, & a buttermilk biscuit.” I’d like to say in advance that this description does not do it justice. However, I did substitute the cheese grits for potato hash because I’m a sucker for some good breakfast potatoes. I got my eggs scrambled, and they were a perfect balance of fluffy and runny yellowy goodness. The thick-cut bacon was thick as advertised, and had great savory flavor in addition to the solid sear on the outside. The potatoes in the potato hash were cooked to a golden brown crisp, and were seasoned just right to give it that little extra something with every bite. Although, what many may consider as an obligatory brunch side, the gargantuan biscuit became the star of the meal. The biscuit was buttery, moist, flaky, and down right delicious. At every table sits a large bottle of purple raspberry jam ready to be liberally squeezed. As if the biscuit wasn’t a home run by itself, putting the jam on it is life changing. As a dish, all the individual components worked together in harmony in a way that defines southern brunch.

With brunch being so popular and trendy, it has never been more difficult for these restaurants to stand out and thrive. For a brunch restaurant to separate itself from the rest of the pack, it has to succeed in almost every area since people are so quick to judge and find alternatives. Mama’s Boy has been able to withstand the test of time and continue to be an Athens mainstay through it’s “southern fun dining” mentality. Perhaps this mentality is exactly what made it possible to open their second larger and nicer location ‘Mama’s Boy at the Falls’ off Macon Highway. People may come for the food or the atmosphere, but it’s the southern charm and minute details like serving every drink in a mason jar, or giving a York Peppermint Pattie to every customer that keeps them coming back.