Bungalow neighbourhoods between Midtown and Decatur. The Highland Bakery, Murphy's and the Morningside Farmers Market on Saturday anchor the area.
Aurora Coffee in Virginia-Highland, Atlanta has run a no-frills neighbourhood cafe since 1992. The Little Five Points sibling is the original; same beans, same standards.
Signature drink: Drip and espresso
Tip: Cash and card. The VaHi outdoor seating gets early sun. The vibe is decidedly anti-Starbucks.
San Francisco Coffee Roasting in Virginia-Highland, Atlanta has roasted in-house and run a corner cafe since 1990. The mocha is the cult order across three decades.
Signature drink: Mocha
Tip: Cash and card. Decatur Square sister location has more seating. The VaHi corner gets afternoon shade.
Highland Bakery on Highland Avenue in Atlanta opened 2005 with all-day brunch, scratch biscuits and a cult cinnamon roll. Multiple locations across the metro.
Tip: The cinnamon roll is the marquee item. No reservations; line builds 09:00 weekends. Old Fourth Ward location is the original.
Worth the queue: Cinnamon roll
Humble Pie in Virginia-Highland, Atlanta runs a wine and wood-fired pizza counter with a Mediterranean and natural-wine list. Patio fronts North Highland Avenue.
Signature pour: Italian rotating glass list
Wine focus: Mediterranean, natural
Food: Wood-fired pizza, small plates
Tip: Reservations on Resy. The pizza programme is strong; the wine pairings come from a tightly edited list.
Pielands in Atlanta's Virginia Highland does NY round slices and 16-inch square Noni pies: pesto, marinara, house-pulled fresh mozzarella, fold-friendly cheese slices.
Try: New York-style pizza by the slice
Tip: The Green Granny square slice with pesto and house-pulled mozzarella is the move; standard NY cheese is the cheap default and folds correctly.
Murphy's has anchored Atlanta brunch in Virginia Highland for 45 years: crab cake benedict, fluffy pancakes, an award-winning wine cellar attached.
Order: Crab cake benedict and the complimentary biscuits with jam.
Tip: Heated outdoor patio runs October through April, so winter brunch outdoors is genuinely usable.