Solstice Cafe

I don’t believe in waiting in line for food. That means that from Friday at 5pm till Sunday at about 2pm, there are very limited places in Atlanta that I like to eat at that don’t involve a «dollar menu.»
But Solstice excels far beyond not having a wait at 12noon on a Sunday for brunch. Their food is just delicious, striking a perfect blend between artsy/​foodie creations and solid «American» standards. I’m still craving the «Green Eggs and Lamb» I had there a couple of weeks ago, particularly the perfectly seasoned new potatoes and zesty pesto sauce (the green in the dish’s title). A fried green tomato BLT at a lunch a few months previously was equally memorable and fresh. The service is somewhat lackadaisical, but somehow this only adds to the relaxed neighborhood vibe.
Each time I return to Solstice, I wonder why it took my so long to make it back.

I really like this place. Mostly because:
1) They seem to listen to feedback and be in a constant state of improvement.
2) They have phenomenal Bloody Marys
3) Brunch is always good
4) The warm steak salad… yum.
Overall, the vibe, location and crowd at Solstice really puts it near the top of my favorite spots to frequent. When the weather is nice its always great to sit outside, but even the vibe inside is warm and quaint with great artwork on the walls at all times. The waitstaff are attentive and friendly.

I’ve been reading reviews about Solstice Café for a little while now, and I finally decided to check it out for myself. I am so glad that I did !
The brunch was fantastic. I went with a friend of mine because we had heard good news about the Bloody Marys. We ordered the Bloody Marys and there were absolutely fantastic ! When we got our food, my tastebuds were satisfied. I had a heaping portion of the green eggs and lamb, and my friend let me try a few bites of her ‘French’ toast.
I’ve only tried the brunch at this restaurant, but the food was delicious and the service was spot-​on.

I enjoyed a mediocre dinner at Solstice Café – I enjoyed it because of the company and mellow vibe. The meal started well with a cup of hot Mighty Leaf jasmine tea, further stimulating my already raging appetite. And while my entrée satisfied my hunger, it did not please my taste buds. I had the ziti dish, drowning in pesto sauce, dotted with broccoli, sundried tomatoes and other so-​called «farmers market» vegetables. Based on the menu’s description, I expected the pasta to be cheesier, although only a couple of shavings comprised the pitiful heap.
My dining companion erroneously ordered the butternut squash raviolis: pasta pouches stuffed with what looked like melted crayon and tasted like cider.
Despite the lackluster food, I enjoyed my Solstice experience, especially since the waitress didn’t try to rush my date and me out. Stimulating conversation abounded.

I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed Solstice before! I’ve been coming here for years and frankly its probably good that I’m only getting around to reviewing it now. The reason I say that is that upon opening, Solstice was struggling to figure out what it wanted to be, the chef had a strange obsession with crepes and they didn’t yet have a liquor license.
Over the years Solstice has blossomed into this self assured, confident little café that definitely knows who she is. The menu gets updated regularly so you’ll never again get bored with crepes and you can actually order a bloody mary at brunch or even show up to Solstice as a late night destination. The ambiance was never a problem but it too has also blossomed into a more comfortable and quaint version of itself.
Going back for a moment to the bloody mary’s at Solstice. They are truly some of the best in Atlanta. So perfect that you will not get the itch to doctor at all… assuming you like your bloody’s exactly how I like mine which means lots of horseradish and a banana pepper in the bottom.
The menu is not only varied but over the last year or so, I haven’t tried something new that I haven’t liked a whole lot. This includes most recently the green eggs and lamb and the 9-​grain veggie sandwich. and even standards like the Solstice salad are delish.
I love Solstice for continuing to strive to be the best little place she can be and never disappointing.

This was definitely a great find for brunch! It’s sorta dive like (which I love) and it wasn’t crowed (which I love more)!!
We were a party of eight. I know places hate this. We were seated in the time it took me to park the car. Since it was 5pm somewhere, I decided to check out the beer menu. They had some wonderful bottle beer (no draught) and outstanding prices! Some on e else tried the Bloody Mary and said it was yummy. I had the fried green tomato BLT with goat cheese that was out of this world! The tomato’s weren’t my momma’s, but then my momma wouldn’t mix all of those ingredients together for a sandwich. Others had the patty melt and although no one complained and all of the plated were licked clean, I thought the melt was a little salty (which would explain why I drank more beer!).
Even though we asked for the check be separated at the very beginning, it could not be done. I can never understand that!
Despite the one glitch (or so I thought it would be), the server had all of our food and drink separated and everyone was waiting for me by time I went to get the car.
If I could give them a 4.5 if I could. This is a great new find in Grant Park and it will become one of my regular spots. The server was sweet as pie and just very good at her job. (The beer descriptions were fabulous!!) The food was great and the beer was original and cheap.
I want to make my way through their menu…

I love this place. It is literally up the street from my Grant Park neighborhood and have been there several times. Everytime I drive by, no matter what time of day, people are chillaxin at their cute café tables on their skinny but long patio. The first time I checked it out was for brunch because reputable sources had highly recommended it to me. I met a good girlfriend there and the minute we were seated we knew we found a new brunch place. The service gets a grade of A due to her patience and explanations of how the dishes were prepared. Brunch menu had all the delightful standards of sweet and savory.
I also went there for drinks on a late Friday night date – perfect! The mood was quite inviting with the twinkle lights on the awning outside, plus the music from within drifting outside. And it was quite lively late at night! Since the restaurant is divided into 2 spaces, one contained tables, bar, dessert case and DJ table (only on weekend nights). The other half had the tables plus a couple of comfy, beat-​up couches and club chairs. I will say the music was a little too loud to have an easy conversation (which is the opposite for brunch/​lunch times of day), but it wasn’t annoying. Our waitress was really out of it, though. She was friendly, but either forgot about us and/​or our drink orders or she didn’t seem to care.
All in all, no matter what the occassion or mood you’re in, Solstice is a great reliable for good food, beverages and service. I recommend for out-​of-​towners as well!

I’m not a religious girl, but HAL.EH.LOO.YAH. I have found it! My most perfect work spot, one that I see myself returning to again, again, and AGAIN. Despite coming here on a rainy day, I felt the clouds part and the birds sing as I entered the hallowed doors of Solstice.
It was empty. Gloriously empty, apart from a few regulars scattered around, quietly discussing politics and neighborhood happenings. A far cry from the hipster brigade at Octane. I had a little table all to myself and could stare out the giant windows on to the loveliness of Grant Park. The music was soothing, the bartendress was reading William Faulkner, and the BLFGT was stunningly good. Plus, the beer selection was wonderful. Some beers I had never heard of, and that I appreciate! Plus, I could use their stellar free wifi to check out
to see what I’d like to try out!
So yes, I love Solstice. LOVE IT. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for in my days of searching for a place where I can go from chai to high gravity brew, bagel to ravioli (yeah, I like carbs), all in a comfortable, inexpensive, local setting. I am at peace.

This place is just around the corner from my friend’s house. I was helping her today with some manly things (changing a flat tire) and she treated me to lunch at Solstice. We sat in the sunshine on the sidewalk out front, grateful that the cold weather snap that brought snow to Atlanta just a few days before is on a hasty retreat.
They have an impressive list of delicious sounding sandwiches and it was difficult to decide which one I was going to have. In fact, I ordered the grilled chicken panini with a side salad and before my friend got through her order, I changed my mind and told the server I wanted to try their Bacon, Lettuce and Fried Green Tomato sandwich instead. Great flavors, a good size sandwich on ciabatta bread, and I liked the fresh strawberries, pear chunks, walnuts and gorgonzola in the salad (although it was dressed too heavily).
I need to go back and try their dinner menu sometime soon.

I feel artsy when I eat here … and I’m not artsy by any means. Solstice Café has a funky vibe, a neighborhood feel — probably similar to other joints in the area, although I say that w/​o having much familiarity with this part of town :) They’ve also got patio dining which is cool — right on Boulevard but today was a little chilly for that. Inside they’ve got a variety of seating, incl. sofas & coffee tables. We opted for a normal table for two, and I had their brunch for the first time.
The menu has some very creative brunch selections (most under $ 10) — enough so that I had a hard time deciding what to get. And combine that with their lunch selections, which all sounded yummy, too. I told the server this was my first visit and asked for her recommendations — she raved about the «Casserole» which is one of their newest menu items. So that’s what I got. The dish has potatoes, cheddar cheese, broccoli, and it’s topped with 2 poached eggs & crab spinach cream for $ 10.95. A perfect choice for brunch — I’d definitely get it again.
My friend comes here a lot, and she was telling me that Monday nights is $ 10 all-​you-​can-​drink sangrias which sounds like fun. Their dinner menu looks good, too, incl. some tapas selections. You can bet I’ll definitely be back for more.

Look at me, I’m handing out a 5 star review. Pretty rare, really. Can’t remember the last time.
Oh my goodness: Every time I have been to Solstice it’s the same thing. I get big hellos when I walk in. I get seated right away. Someone wants to get me water, a menu, a beverage and some appetizers. The food has been yummy, inventive and well priced. My friends who look for wine seem to be challenged by the choices and generally happy with the results. I’m happy with the beer selection.
Bonus: Winter Solstice is my favorite December holiday.
So, I’m hoping they will start to recognize me when I walk in and treat me like a regular.

The place has been in the neighborhood for a while, but since I’ve become a Unilocal’r I’m trying many new places. The recommendations of many made me and my wife try this one last night. They had just finished up a wedding reception and the bar area was a hoot.
Let me start by saying this is the most relaxed I’ve ever felt in a restaurant with plush couches and a dark ambiance. I can only speak for the dinner menu but we got a bottle of wine, started out with the calamari (tapas) starter. I had the open faced steak sandwich and she had the tenderloin tapas and one other item. The service was great, and the food even better. I want to try breakfast now, but I can tell you this will become a regular evening bar/​food stop for me during the work week and a place for friends visiting town to go with us and enjoy.
I would give the place a 5, but I looked up at the ceiling… hmm… invest a little in décor /​renovation and this place will be kicked up to the ultimate notch. Rustic is fine, but pealing paint was a turnoff. Luckily the food and service rocks.
P. S. I forgot, the best cappuccino in Atlanta… I really wish Unilocal would allow 4.5’s

Top five best salads I’ve ever had in my life: ahi poke pagoda salad. Seriously. A strange combo, as it includes pineapple, broccoli, lettuce, two layers of architectural wontons, all topped with crispy noodles and a sweet honey-​ish dressing. And of course slices of beautiful tuna love.
The ambiance is, as some other reviewers mention, reminiscent of a couple other places in Atlanta, but the laid back Grant Park locale of this joint lends an extra special ‘je né sais quoi’ to the whole experience.. . or maybe I was just high off ahi.
Massive paintings, a pseudo flicking ‘fireplace,’ vintage chairs next to cushy sofas, and a patio decked in joyful mini lights pretty much sums it up. The room to the left is aglow with the only lighting of candles, so it could make for a romantic date or a dinner spot so as not to have your lova spot the big honkin’ zit on your chin.
One thing that detracted from the experience was the extremely slow service.. . the place was pretty empty (probably five or so other parties in the entire restaurant.. .and zero other ones in the entire dining room we were in) and the service was still very spotty. Friendly, but extremely slooooow.

Ahhhhh, Solstice… so unpretentious and so easy, like your favorite jeans or handgun.
Solstice Café is on the corner of Rosalia and Boulevard on the edge of the GP, next to the now defunct lavanderia and still funct Nayarit hispanic grocery. The décor is shabby chic, and like me they have a plethora of candles and unframed art in their space. The menu is solid but heavy on sandwiches and pasta; I’ve yet to try their entrees or specials. Drink menu is nice, with a good selection of beers, and plenty of stylish martinis I’m not metrosexual enough to order. My only complaint is slightly slowish but amiable service… I think this is because of inadequate staffing and training, or more likely because of turnover.
My dinner Friday was the BLGFT (FGT = fried green tomato), and my angelpumpkin had the mahi tacos. Both were perfectly acceptable, the fish tacos were even touching yummy. But the easy ambience was the real draw, and left me satisfied… friends walking by and stopping for a chat, lounge music slightly overloud, and the occasional roar of a passing garbage truck combined with a lazy summer evening.
If you want to slow things down a bit, stop by Solstice for a drink and let the evening lap at your feet while you relax on the sidewalk.

Solstice is an eclectically decorated, dimly lit café in Grant Park. It’s on Boulevard and its got Christmas lights all over – you can’t miss it.
I went for the first time the other night and was quite happy with it. I, like many of these reviewers ordered the BLFGT. It’s the first sandwich on the menu. Oh, and by the way, that menu is really exciting! It was a toss up for me between the BLT and a patty melt with blue (or bleu, whatever) cheese, and the Special (a scallop/​shrimp kabob with grilled asparagus and saffron rice).
The BLFGT is on thick focaccia bread and has an apple infused goat cheese spread. The combination of the sweet and tangy spread with the salty bacon and crispy fried tomatoes was DELICIOUS! You’ve got to try it, you’ve just got to.
My friend ordered the patty melt with the blue cheese. It comes with caramelized onions and bacon on I think Rye bread (with the little fennel seeds). If I can pull myself away from that BLT, I’ll order this next time, it’s fantastic.
All sandwiches come with a choice of a Caesar salad, a Solstice salad (with raisins, spring greens, and a house dressing), or house fried potatoes. My buddy’s salad dressing was really spicy and our server didn’t warn us – he’s not so good with spice, so he was really disappointed. And my house fried potatoes were a little cold, dry and chewy. But those sandwiches were so good; I wasn’t too upset about it.
Also the service was a little off. While the bartender was SUPER friendly when we walked in, our server didn’t check back really to see if we needed anything and she didn’t really know much – she was sweet though, maybe new. Oh, and she said I couldn’t have cranberry juice alone unless it was mixed with alcohol… I don’t think that’s quite right, but I didn’t argue.
I want to give 3 ½ stars. I’m going back again soon and I’ll see if these folks can squeeze another star out of me, I’m tempted, I’m tempted…
EDIT: After another visit I decided to stick with the 3 stars because of service. Too bad, but the food will guarantee my return.

Solstice Café is the bastard child of Apres Diem, not officially part of the Diem chain, but its DNA is unmistakable. Dark and cozy, the furnishings a deliberate mixture of shabby chic. Despite tables of dubious stability, the warmth of the place is enough to almost make you forget about the somewhat questionable laundromat next door.
They’ve done well in replicating the old Café Diem’s atmosphere, mellow, romantic even. You can linger, drink some wine or have some coffee. The beer is priced at a good price point for those whose tastes run more simple. The food is competent, though I’ve had more luck with the sandwiches and crepes than with the entrees. (The fish sandwich is probably one of the best things on the menu.)
Unfortunately, they’ve also replicated some of Café Diem’s bad habits, namely the flakey wait staff. Though in true fashion, they’re often very nice to look at.
But you’re not here to rush. You’re here to luxuriate. You’re here to nosh a bit and enjoy a quiet evening, staring into the eyes of a (potential) loved one. And if that’s what you’re looking to do, give Solstice a spin, wobbly tables and all.

I had a mucho delicioso tilapia sandwich there. It was really juicy, so ask for extra napkins… but the flavor was great. There isn’t anything I’d change about it. The lemon aioli sauce is a great compliment, the fish is blackened, it’s flaky and just full of yumminess. If you can get over the fact that these fish are bottom feeders, you’ll really enjoy it much better!
…
Ok — that was then… earlier in the week. Let me say, if you’re going to go here, DON’T GO ON A SUNDAY!!! For some reason it took them and HOUR AND A HALF to get out 2 breakfast sandwiches and 2 crepes. We were there over 2 hours total (cuz you gotta eat the food once it comes out and then wait to pay your bill…) I swear the chicken in the back must have went on strike or something. It wasn’t just us… no one was getting their food! AND, once it came, the potatoes were cold. The server was so nice to refill the coffee 5 and 6 times during the process, but I’m not sure she realized how that could backfire later. You get a restaurant full of angry customers all tweaked out on really good coffee, and they’re only gonna bitch at a faster speed! I mean it’s like looking around you and everything’s playing in fast-​forward motion, all sped up.
Their food is quite tasty — just don’t talk it up like I did and show up with all your friends hoping to get food anytime soon on a Sunday. Go during the week. That’s the lesson for the day people!

I think I’d like to give it 4.5 stars. I’m so persnickety.
I had the B.L.F.G.T. (a classic BLT with fried green tomatoes instead of regular ripe red’uns) and it may well have changed my life. The bacon was crispily cooked and the fried green tomato was well done without being overly fried and encased in grease. The two details that really made this sandwich? The rectangular-​shaped puffy bread it was on (I believe it’s called brioche?) and the goat cheese spread on it. Every lunch sandwich comes with a side – home potatoes, a house salad, or a Caesar salad. I picked the Caesar and was happy with its size and taste.
As usual, I’m reviewing restaurants while hungry. Wah.
The server was efficient and kind but pretty slow moving – it took a while for us to get our food and a while for us to get the check once we were done. No big deal, though – we had fun relaxing in the pretty room that was lit mostly with natural light from the big front windows. A charming place.

Solstice is an awesome little café. I go here for breakfast every weekend, dinner about once a week and coffee on the regular. Thus far from my experience, I will say I think they have the best coffee in town, good food, an awesome staff and a great vibe.
They also show support to the artists community by hanging local artists work. I am one of the local artists that have work hanging in Solstice, and i love that the café carries a certain energy that always keeps my creative juices pumpin. ;O)
It has come a long way in the short year+ that’s it has been open, and i feel it will continue to grow and thrive, especially with an owner like Sean. He makes a point to stop and greet every table, run food, clear tables, refill drinks & i’m sure a million other things. Anyone who has ever worked in the F&B industry knows that having a boss/​owner that isn’t scared to work is a godsend.
good food, good music, good people, & good vibes

Solstice Café and I think of Sunday mornings.
I love Sunday mornings. Before the dread and realization that monday happens overnight, you have a few hours to move slow, eat a good breakfast, and realize how great life can be when you finally get a chance to actually stop thinking about things that matter to everyone else — specifically anything having to do with work.
We wake up from a dead sleep caused by a Saturday night of too much everything, settle into the car, and tune the radio to one of the acoustic sunrise stations and drive while Radiohead carries us to Solstice Café in Grant Park. There it is at the north end of a strip mall, next door to an vacant space, a dirty, old, rundown laundrymat, and a small mexican food market with a ceiling lined with pinatas, Solstice Café is a quaint, bohemian food spot easily below the foodie radar.
Simple metal tables painted over with an amateur painter’s touch, walls lined with paintings in various media and a bar serving both omlettes and alcohol, this is yet another secret spot unvisited by the hoardes of breakfast feeders searching for another order of biscuits, grits, and pancakes.
Solstice Café is what would happen if you turned an excellent bohemian coffee shop into a breakfast and lunch spot and then gave it a liquor license. The staff is friendly and on this particular Sunday morning, everyone seems to be gripping the hours before tomorrow as they sip their coffees and enjoy Sinantra crooning over the speakers.
The menu is lite, mostly consisting of eggs, sandwiches, potatoes and other simple fare. No pancakes, no super size servings. Just a quiet space away from the lines at the Flying Biscuit, Thumbs Up, and Crescent Moon — all with a huge painting of Elvis behind the bar.