ria's bluebird

vegetarian. had a vegetarian friend treat me to breakfast at this place this morning. lots of vegetarian items on the menu but also a lot for meat eaters. i've had a bunch of meat on this trip so decided to pass on the brisket breakfast for $9. sounded great, a 14-hour slow-roasted angus beef, shredded in its own spicy tomato broth, with 2 eggs poached and toasted baguette. i ended up getting thebluebirdburrito, which was 2 eggs scrambled, skillet potatoes, white cheddar, choice of beans, i had black beans, topped with salsa verde & sour cream, and a choice of one side which for me was a fruit cup, although i almost went with the organic grits. good portions for $8. my friend who eats here frequently had some sort of bionic tofu scramble, lol. i would eat here weekly if i lived in atl. just a breakfast and lunch joint, i will eat here again the next time i am in hotlanta.

ria'sbluebirdis a local legend with an incredible following.  the diner is small, leaving the parking lot filled with diners waiting for a table.  i was lucky enough to visit after the brunch crowd one day with a friend, to which we ordered brunch.  we decided to split a few of their specials.  the biscuits and gravy was quite good, the gravy being vegetarian.  the biscuits were buttery and soft while extremely filling.  the pancakes were incredibly fluffy, though there was little syrup given (we likely needed more toppings to sweeten it).  the early bird special had plenty to offer, the eggs cooked to order with fried potatoes and bacon, a biscuit on the side.  the food was incredibly filling and the service was fast.  i'd highly recommend this restaurant, but be prepared to wait!

here's some background from the ria'sbluebirdwebsite about chef ria pell and her culinary experiences (rest in peace, chef!): "from berlin to san francisco, ria’s cooking has gained a cult following for her gourmet southern classics in the heart of the atl: light & fluffy biscuits, topped by a generous portion of thick, spicy milk gravy, just like grandma used to make. buttermilk pancakes moist and delicate enough to prompt locals, and jane fonda, to tout them as the ‘best in the city’. and innovative sandwiches like the popular prosciutto, brie, dates & basil on toasted baguette. locally roasted coffee from batdorf & bronson acts as the bass note to ria’s creations. chef ria pell earned her stripes in some of the toniest kitchens of the city, like dish, mondo and chef annie quatrano’s

 here's the first, which is dedicated to our blogger pal sara , a current atl homegirl. diana, carrie and i were looking for a quick weekend trip together, and atlanta seemed just the place.  although it is pretty central to our three locations, and though we may have been swayed too heavily by a donut place we had espied on bakerella's blog , we quickly learned there were other fantastic eats and sights to experience also that made it the perfect destination spot. ria'sbluebirdwas among them, noted in nytimes fun 36 hours article series as the best pancakes in the world .  now that is something we all had to validate. ria's is notorious for long waits in the morning, so we made sure to arrive right when it opened.  within moments, the place completely filled up, and there

every once in a while, my friends and i would go on what i call a foodie road trip.  it's where we would go somewhere to just literally eat.  on this trip to atlanta, i was determined to go somewhere outside of the norm. thanks to siri, i found this place called ria'sbluebirdon memorial drive in the grant park area.  it was definitely a good sign that we pulled up there was no where to park.  there was also a wait outside.  i signed in on a sheet just inside the door and settled outside to wait with the rest of the hungry patrons. i got thebluebirdburrito.  it had 2 scrambled eggs, skillet potatoes, white cheddar, black beans topped with salsa verda and sour cream.  i get to also chose from a list of sides.  i got the organic grits with cheese.  in all, it cost about $10.  i was starving and this is just right.  i did forget there was no meat inside the burrito and thought i should have gotten a side of bacon or something.  i was glad i got the grits though.  it was rich and creamy

we were down this way not long ago on a visit to oakland cemetery and i promised myself we'd come back to try ria's bluebird. every time we've gone past ria'sbluebirdit's been packed and this day was no exception. we waited about 20 minutes and we were seated with coffee right away. the atmosphere is warm and inviting and the staff could not have been nicer. we both ordered omelettes and they arrived much more quickly than we had expected. one thing right off the bat, is that these are two egg omelettes rather than 3 egg which we've become accustomed to elsewhere yet they are the same price range. melanie had her omelette with her usual assortment of veggie stuffings. for her side items, she ordered the creamy grits and soysage . i had wanted the sausage (standard pork sausage for me) inside of my omelette but the server must've misunderstood because i received the three cheese omelette (the omelette of the day) with the sausage on the side. i also had the skillet po

ria’sbluebirdis reasonably priced and a good value for the money too (

absoultley amazing. went in yesterday and loved it! i had the pepper turkey sandwich on marble rye and cream of squash soup. the soup was amazing!!!!! i like to think of myself as a soup connoisseur if you will...
my boyfriend had the pancake's and can i just tell you.. they were some of the best pancakes i have ever put in my mouth... oh ms. ria... how i love your food and your funkybluebirddecor... nifty little place if ya ask me and we will definitely be back soon!

we went to ria's on a day when my wife's plane flight was cancelled, and she needed something to eat before heading back to the airport. ria'sbluebirdhad been on my "to go" list for ages, and so we winged it. knowing it was in the general vicinity of gr

the best ever!. there are tons of breakfast options in atlanta and ria's is one of the best! i love the tempeh and thebluebirdburrito. they always have a pancake and eggs benedict special. it's so good people wait outside in the cold weather just to eat there! don't go during peak weekend hours unless you have the time to wait (again, outside) and the weather is nice.
the wait staff are great. i love to come in plop at the bar and see a familiar face with a hot pot of coffee!

tasty vittles. located across from historic oakland cemetery, ria'sbluebirdrestaurant is a jewel! not much to look at from the outside, it is what's waiting for you on the inside that counts!

arriving on a sunday at 12 noon, one can expect a wait of 20-30 minutes. the décor is simple with brightly colored murals on the walls and a collection of old local street signs hanging among the bamboo “garden” as decoration. dress code is extremely casual. outside seating is a must during the warm summer months, although the patio floor accumulates large puddles during rain even though it is covered.

the table service was acceptable, only a 7 minute wait for the initial greetings by the waiter and once the order was placed, only a 12 minute wait for the food. the menu, which is posted online, has a wide range of choices, including vegetarian. the prices are reasonable, with the average being about $10 per person, drinks included.

the food is well seasoned making every dish a delight! the “tofu scramble,” a deep bowl of seasoned black beans with 1-inch cubed spicy tofu, large broccoli florets, thick slices of tomato, rings of red onion and a dollop of pesto, was delicious! for a hearty tasting sandwich, try the house roasted beef, thick slices of beef piled high on a onion kaiser roll. served with your choice of a side, their soup of the day makes a fine addition to this tasty sandwich!

no matter what you order, you will not be disappointed.

so gather your family and friends and head downtown for a brunch at ria'sbluebirdcafe. it is well worth the wait!