Alpharetta’s Hen Mother Cookhouse makes a really good, hearty breakfast that deserves a notch on your regular brunch rotation. There’s always a crowd here (especially on weekends when the whole menu is available), and the scene is laid-back—the bright blue wrap-around porch and cold drinks served in old-school milk jars give the impression that you have all the time in the world. In reality, you’ll have a firm 60 mins to wrap it all up. But things move briskly along, and the kitchen pushes out plates of whole-roasted baby potatoes covered in salty herbs and chicken biscuits—masterful odes to the South with warm, melty pimento cheese, a flaky biscuit, and a juicy fried chicken thigh. Just note that their tasty 10-inch skillet pancakes can qualify for a group project because the thick-as-cornbread cake can get heavy after a few bites, and that you’ll want to get here closer to 7am when they open to score the quiche of the day and the popular cinnamon roll.