Belly General Store

Belly bagels are back!!! They are now serving breakfast at the new place that replaced it every morning! These bagels are by far my favorite. so glad they are back.

I seriously love Belly. When I’m in town visiting family from Los Angeles i make a point to stop in a minimum of twice during a trip. The Rosemary bagels are fluffy and tasty and the fresh OJ is awesome!

I’m admittedly biased. Belly is family. My husband, brother in law, and mother in law are all part of this beautiful little shop. DJ treats us like family, so there is a fondness in my heart for that reason alone…
There’s also a fondness in my heart for fresh bagels and fresh squeezed orange juice. The everything bagel is my favorite, and I’ve been known to have cravings for the hot ham sandwich, which is toasted with big slices of provolone and strips of red onions.
Grab one of those huge muffins, too! The blueberry and chocolate chip are two of my favorites!

My family used to LOVE this place and visited at least once a month. We would even take out-​of-​towners here. Unfortunately, it seems to be on the decline. It used to be filled with fun vintage knick-​knacks and old fashioned candy and sodas. All of that is gone and it now seems rather empty — the back half of the seating area is now covered by a large hanging sheet for some reason. Service wasn’t too friendly and the food seems to have lost it’s luster as well. I ordered the salmon salad sandwich and it was dry and flavorless. My dad requested a half sandwich and they said they couldn’t accommodate him even though they make all sandwiches to order. I’m afraid we won’t be back here — what a shame!

Best bagels in Atlanta, hands down. Huge variety. The rosemary bagel is life-​changing. The bacon, egg and cheese on an everything bagel is also outstanding. Fantastic coffee too!
Conveniently located in Atlanta’s nicest neighborhood, Virginia Highlands. This is a great spot for a quick breakfast (or lunch) and a clutch alternative to the overcrowded coffee shops. Comfortable spot to get some work done.

Belly General Store is within walking distance from my home. I went there for the first time last week. The outside of the store is quite unassuming, however, the inside elegantly blends a spartan simply with sophistication. There are large tables, wifi, and downtempo music playing for the focused mind seeking a few productive hours.
Now for the most important products: food and coffee. The food is excellent as it is well-​prepared, very tasty, and filling. The drip roast coffee is excellent and quite strong without being bitter (a sign of quality beans).
All in all, I am pleased that I decided to venture into Belly. I consider it a gem in my neighborhood. The bagels remind me of NYC. The workers remind me of NYC as well in that they answer questions with a very New York style of efficiency and directness. I suspect that is why some have not rated the establishment higher. In consideration of atmosphere and food, Belly excels.

This place is so cool inside. It is like taking a step back in time. They offer breakfast and lunch, however, I have only had one thing from here. They make these amazing olive oil bagels fresh every morning. They are huge! My favorite two flavors are: Everything or Rosemary. The rosemary olive oil bagel is so flavorful that you do not even need schmear on it. There is paid parking on the street on the side. I think $.50 gets you about 15 minutes or so. I cannot wait to go back and try some of the other breakfast items. Everything is very reasonably priced here too.

The only reason why this review is only four stars is the service — lacking a little in congeniality. But, as a native New Yorker, I don’t mess around with my bagels. They need to be fresh and without the crap that Einstein’s puts in theirs (high-​fructose corn syrup? really?).
Belly’s are the best bagels in the city, bar none. Go there for breakfast and get a bacon, egg and cheese on an everything bagel; you’ll thank me later.
The joint is totally hipster-​fun, too, so make sure to bring your laptop so you can work on that screenplay that’ll never get finished (if you’re like me).

Belly General Store makes me blushy cheek smile. I want to be best friends with everyone here and eat their delicious bagels every day.
After passing Belly and glancing in many many times, I finally made it over to the store on a recent weekend. The space is lovely. A casual counter, long communal tables, mis-​matched chairs and exposed brick walls make a great background for the deliciousness they serve up.
I ordered the everything bagel with avocado spread. The bagels are softer than normal bagels even though they are toasted (if you want). I think I would consider asking for my bagel to be toasted twice. The everything bagel here is extra special. I find it to have more flavor than others as it is topped with fresh herbs like whole pieces of rosemary. I appreciated the option of avocado spread over the standard couple of flavors of cream cheese (which they also have).
In addition to excellent bagels, Belly serves pastries and sandwiches. I have heard great things about their sandwiches, especially about the bread. They have a few additional items for sale like interesting juices, bagel chips and candies. Parking is generally available on the streets and it is free on the weekends. On weekdays, free parking is just a hop and a skip farther down the side streets.

I’ve only been here a few times and I return for the cinnamon raisin bagel. I’ve had it sweet with the cinnamon and pecan cream cheese, and savory with bacon, egg and cheese. Yum, yum crispy on the outside and soft and chewy in the middle.
The store gets a ton of natural light, so it’s a great place to start your morning with a paper or a book and a cup of coffee. It also sits on a corner so people watching is primo.

I truly want to like this place. It has a charming feel on the inside, and I like supporting local businesses. The coffee is good… but the bagels… really, really gross. I cannot stress this enough. They are oily, mushy, and the majority of any seasoning on the outside the bagel falls off as they are preparing it. So no matter what type of bagel you order, you’ll end up with a plain bagel in the end. The oil actually soacked through the paper wrapping… and left my hands greesy.
I will however, say that I have also ordered a tuna salad sandwhich which I thought was very good. If I return, I will order a sandwhich and NOT a bagel. For that, I give them 3 stars.

Wow. This place is cute and their food is excellent. What I absolutely cannot stand is the customer service matched with the price. The lady behind the counter (usually in bandana and wears glasses) is so rude it’s not even funny. Oh and expect to be YELLED at when your order is ready and perhaps even get the bag thrown at you lol. Oh and they were NOT busy when we came.
Customer service is the missing link

I’ve tried to like this place for years… maybe it’s like a bad relationship that you keep going back to. I think I’m finally done. they got my order wrong, as they normally do so Im not sure why I was surprised. when I went back to swap my poppyseed bagel for the everything bagel that I ordered I got into a long discussion with the two folks behind the counter as to why the bagel in my hand was actually a toasted everything bagel, even though it very obviously did not look like the toasted everything bagels on the tray in front of them. Odd… we talk for a few minutes about it with them swearing that the one in my hand was the same as the one on their side of the counter when it was obviously not. they explained it away by telling me that when they toast the everything bagels everything falls off but the poppyseed. are you kidding me? I’m done with this place.
It’s really too bad as it has such promise to be a great neighborhood joint. I’d bet that the culture of not caring about customers comes from the top.

I really want to like this place but every time I’m disappointed in my experience. We need a great team to come in and overhaul this potentially amazing place! After all, they’ve filmed major Hollywood movies here, and now that the indie-​pendent has swept through the dust and decorated with a shabby chic décor, it’s so much more welcoming and adorable.
Sadly, that can’t fix the mass amount of broken. The staff is rude, unwelcoming, and couldn’t care less about providing quality food. The woman’s manners are beyond unacceptable when it comes to running a shop in a service business. Someone needs to share with her that a smile goes a long way. Or perhaps a «thank you» for helping her keep the lights on?
The food is NOT good. The eggs are consistently undercooked and if you order a bagel with cheese the bacon is disgustingly greasy and the cheese is completely unmelted (and also shredded, so won’t stay on your sandwich). The bagels have potential but you can tell they sit out in the open air all morning after cooking.
Best thing — the indie-​pendent craft experience inside (that’s the only reason it got 2 stars)
Worst things — the food & staff’s level of service
Here again, giving another try on ⁴⁄₁₄ — again, ridiculous service, couldn’t care less about me being kind to him, nothing but a blank stare and a card dropped on the counter in front of my outstretched hand. We shall see how the food goes. I think this is definitely going to be my last visit.

My most recent visit here was on a gloomy Sunday morning. It was overcast and cold with a steady light rain coming down. I met friends here for breakfast. We set up shop at one of the long tables. The coffee drinks were delicious. I got a latte and others got plain coffee. Food-​wise, I ordered an egg sandwich on a rosemary bagel. I had never had a rosemary bagel before and it was absolutely delicious. Savory and soft and great paired with hot eggs and cheese. It was a perfect Sunday morning with good friends, good food, and good coffee.
This is the type of morning I think Belly General Store is made for. You feel like you’re stepping back in time when you come in here. There are lots of old wood tables and chairs. Last time I came they were playing old timey jazz music. The employees are friendly and efficient. And on top of it all the bagels are just wonderful.

Nuts and bolts: I was complaining about the lack of bagels in my neighborhood (compared to my old one), so a neighbor suggested Belly. I tried to come by once before but they were closed. Stopped in as I was driving home during the lunch hour.
Order: Cinnamon raisin bagel with cinnamon-​pecan smear. Also, picked up a cupcake. Carb heavy!
Neutral: Street parking. There is some free parking just a little bit down the road. The parking up close is metered. There are also some lots. I thought the food was just OK. The bagel and smear were not as sweet as I would have liked. I understand the bagels are cooked with olive oil. The cupcakes must be, too. :-(
Cons: When I came in there was only one person was manning the place. This was apparently the start of the lunch time rush. Luckily after a few more customers came in, he pulled someone else in from the back. They definitely need that during the lunch time. QA is lacking. The new person that called in didn’t really check my order when she gave me my bag. It was missing my cupcake. Luckily I didn’t get too far before I thought better of myself and checked the bag.
Take home: I thought the menu looked pretty good so I would like to try a sandwich instead.

I went here on a Saturday morning for breakfast. Per a lot of reviewer’s recommendation, I got one of the bagels (everything flavor). Since they’re made with olive oil, it literally tasted just like the bread and dipping oil you get from Carrabba’s. The cream cheese (I just got plain flavor) was more like butter, than the more sour taste I’m used to.
The service was… well, not as great. The lady behind the counter looked like she was angry to even be awake.
But other than that, it’s a good breakfast place if you’re in the neighborhood. Otherwise, I’m not sure I’d go out of my way to go there.

I live a couple of blocks from this place and I’ve attempted to visit a couple of times, but it seems that they are always closed. Yesterday was a Saturday. My friend and I were walking around Virginia Highlands and saw that the store was open, so we decided to stop by for coffee. It was 3:00. It was hot and humid, but the door was open and there was no air conditioning. There was only one other customer.
My friend ordered a water and cookie and I ordered an iced latte and orange juice. The latte and the orange juice were both good, but the total for both drinks and a tip was almost $ 10.00.
There are too many problems to give this store a higher rating. First, the seating is not cozy or comfortable. We weren’t even greeted or acknowledged by the cashier when we walked into the store. There was a very sweet guy working behind the counter who eventually came over and made some friendly conversation, but otherwise we didn’t feel welcome.
At about 3:30, they started cranking up the coffee grinders (presumably to get ready for the following day). The grinders sounded like jackhammers, so we were unable to carry on a conversation without yelling. Then, they closed the store about 10 minutes early, so we left earlier than planned.
The store is interesting and the concept is decent, but the lack of service and consideration is not acceptable. I’m giving one star to the guy behind the counter and the cool stuff to look at and one star because zero stars isn’t an option on Unilocal

Attention Virgina Highlands Dog Owners!
Unlike the majority of VaHigh businesses, especially coffee shops, that are pet friendly and offer a place to tie your dog up while you walk inside to order, Belly’s is not that place.
First, let me say, upon my initial visit to Belly’s, I was excited to find a VaHigh coffee shop that serves my favorite Batdorf and Bronson coffee. Even though the lattes are not well made, I can deal just to have some B&B flavor in the morning.
This morning while walking the dog, I headed over to Belly’s and popped my head in to ask where I could tie her leash while I came in to order. The woman at the counter instructed that I was to tie her to the fire hydrant on the corner. #1, you shouldn’t tie anything to a fire hydrant. #2, the fire hydrant is three inches from the curb. Why would I tether my dog to the EDGE OF THE ROAD?
When I commented on this, she then instructed me to tie her leash to the wooden sign they had sitting out on the curb. Again, I really don’t know why they think a dog owner would tie their dog to a removeable sign alongside a curb of a busy street. Moreover, while I’m happy to promote local business, Belly’s probably doesn’t want a 70lb furry advertisement running down the road with their sign dragging from her leash. Just saying.
When I asked if I could just order from the door and hand my money to another person in line, the woman at the counter rudely refused. At this point, I got the vibe they just didn’t want my business. A patron in a motorized wheelchair then offered to come outside to hold my dog while I ordered from inside the store – that was my cue to take my business elsewhere.
Bottomline: I don’t expect everyone to love dogs or accomodate petowners. But Belly’s, you’re in a pet friendly neighborhood, and your store front suggests a quaint neighborhood appeal. It’s too bad your service doesn’t share the same values. If you want the business, you should encourage ways for all customers to eat in your store. And really, all it would take is a railing, bench, or plant outside your store to loop a leash to for five minutes. Or at least allow us to order from the doorway and have a willing patron hand you our cash.
Until then, I will be walking the extra ¼ mile down N. Highland to Aurora Coffee where they welcome pet owners and have a nice railing to secure a leash to. And even though its not Batdorf and Bronson coffee, its quite good – plus they actually know how to make a proper latte.

What I ate: Tuna melt.
Visit date: August 17, 2012
First time? Yes.
After reading reviews on this here website I was expecting the lady at the register to be very rude. She didn’t seem so bad, but she didn’t come off as the friendliest person either, neither did the sandwich maker. Anyway, I was more concerned with the food. The tuna melt was your average tuna melt. What was not so average was that it came with a deviled egg. Strange, but still a treat. There are communal tables where you can dine; I did some reading while there and the lighting was good. The stores boasts a variety of beverage and snack items, but to my disappointment, none were locally made goods, which is unfortunate because the store gives off one of those ‘local flavor’ vibes.