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Longtime devotees of Thumbs Up Diner on Edgewood Avenue in Atlanta's Fourth Ward will find a familiar atmosphere and the same great all-day breakfast menu at this new location in historic East Point. Located in one of the nicest renovated buildings on White Way, and just around the corner from Main Street, it features a lovely brick facade and an open, airy dining room. The retro-modern look is spare and comfy rather than cutesy, with sealed concrete floors, high ceilings with exposed beams, a curved counter and spacious booths. The diverse clientele is from the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood, local businesses and the nearby Fort McPherson.

The offerings are huge, both in the number of breakfast items and the size of the portions. And the quality of the ingredients — Vermont maple syrup, stone-ground grits, house-smoked meats and homemade jams — is one of those menu cover brags that turns out to be a delicious fact. Among the favorites, the Southern-style fried catfish comes with eggs, grits and a biscuit. The Heap is a gigantic mound of seasoned spuds topped with melted cheddar/jack cheeses and two eggs any style; regulars add bacon, sausage or smoked chicken. The hefty Farmer's Omelet is filled with a similar combo of sausage, potatoes and cheese. And the healthy Yukon omelet has smoked salmon, fresh spinach and cream cheese.

CHARLOTTE B. TEAGLE/AJC (ENLARGE)
The Belgian waffle is a light and fluffy way to get the day started in East Point. And any mutant would easily give the build-your-own breakfast a hearty three thumbs up.
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Our favorites Ria's Bluebird  Thumbs Up Diner  Pastries A Go Go  The Original Pancake House

But the best thing about the menu is that you can have it your way. Fine tune your own big and fluffy omelet from a sizable selection of cheeses, veggies and meats, and even build your own breakfast plate. The savvy might choose one slice of double-thick Challah French toast, one big buckwheat pancake or a puffy golden Belgian waffle, and then add a side of smoky, thick-sliced bacon or spicy Italian sausage. And the truly hearty might get eggs, spuds or a bowl of cheese grits, too. Put simply, this is a place where breakfast lovers can indulge almost every whim.

HOURS: Breakfast 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays
CREDIT CARDS: Not accepted, but ATM on premises.
RESERVATIONS: No
RECOMMENDED DISHES: Fried catfish and eggs, Farmer's Omelet, Belgian waffle, grits
CHILDREN: Welcome
PARKING: On street and nearby lot
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
SMOKING POLICY: Nonsmoking
TAKEOUT: Yes
THE GOOD STUFF: It still has the feel of an undiscovered gem, on weekday mornings at least, and the build-your-own menu makes it as easy as hot cakes to have the breakfast of your dreams.
TO GROUSE ABOUT: If you like your coffee on the smooth side, the strong cup of joe here may taste like something from another decade. And why do those dense, doughy, multi-grain biscuits get such raves?