Augusta Brunch House makes Yelp’s top 100 restaurants list
Nestled in the former Whistle Stop Cafe on Greene Street sits one of Augusta’s newest gems — although it’s bound to get a lot more attention after being named to Yelp’s Top 100 Restaurants in the U.S.
Brunch House of Augusta made its debut in the Garden City last February and is already at No. 51 on the list that includes everything from fine dining to food trucks.
Asian Brown said he decided to open the restaurant on a whim after noticing downtown Augusta needed a place for local breakfast dining.
To create the list, Yelp says it reaches out to “Yelpers” for their favorite dining spots. Then, each location is ranked by total number of submissions, ratings, reviews and how the restaurants represent their areas, as well as other factors. Brunch House of Augusta has 48 reviews on Yelp with a 4.5 star rating. It also has 4.8 stars on Google Reviews and five on Facebook.
Brunch House serves up homemade breakfast dishes including shrimp and grits, salmon croquettes and grits, chicken and waffles with the option of blueberry, strawberry or maple syrup and the Garden City breakfast bowl — an open-faced omelet over yellow stone ground grits with a choice of meat, vegetables and bread. The lunch menu includes sandwiches, pasta bowls, burgers and salads.
Chef Frank Mims said he strives to provide “elevated diner food.” Mims is also Brown’s cousin and the duo started doing catering together before opening the Brunch House location.
“He is the whole creative mastermind behind the menu,” Brown said. “You give him an idea and he’ll run with it and make it his own.”
Mims has worked in the restaurant industry for over 30 years and attended Johnson and Wales to study culinary arts after a high school teacher mentored him and encouraged his love of cooking. Now, Mims does the same by teaching interns in the restaurant.
“I teach my cooks here that you build on flavors — you start with something simple and you add a little bit of this and a little bit of that and make it what you want,” he said.
Now that Brown has made the list, he only wants to go higher. He’s eager to claim the No. 1 spot from Cocina Madrigal, a Mexican restaurant in Phoenix, next year.
“That’s the goal,” he said. “When we opened this, our goal was to be the best that we could be and be one of the top restaurants in Augusta.”
Brown said he knows he wouldn’t be where he is now without the loyal support of his customers, family and staff.
Customer Duane Harris visited the restaurant Thursday morning after the big Yelp announcement. After congratulating Brown, he took a seat in a corner booth. He admits that he isn’t considered a “regular” at the restaurant but has been to it at least a dozen times since it opened.
“It’s a fabulous little diner in a historical spot in Augusta,” he said. “The service is great — just how they treat the guests, they’re always happy to see everyone.”
Brunch House of Augusta isn’t the only Augusta restaurant to make the list. In 2020, Jackie M’s & Son’s was No. 77 and has five stars on Yelp.
The restaurant at 573 Greene St. is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Find it online at brunchhouseofaug.com.
