Brunch at Ray's on the River

One of the best dining experiences in the Atlanta area is Sunday brunch at Ray’s on the River. For the uninitiated, Ray’s sits on the banks of Georgia’s Chattahoochee River just south of Powers Ferry and almost all of the tables offer an excellent view of the river as a visual amenity. The buffet itself is another visual amenity.

We were promptly acknowledged and quickly seated in spite of a significant crowd when we entered Ray’s on the River, always a good sign. When I enter a well-run restaurant like Ray’s and get this kind of service I always remember other restaurants that take reservations then have you wait for an hour and a half to be seated. Immediately after being seated our waitress told us about the buffet stations and asked for our beverage order.

Chef stands ready to carve meat at Ray's on the River

The central buffet table contains a selection of chef-prepared dishes, some of which vary every Sunday. The standard scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and small waffles are here, as well as some foods traditionally served at a later meal – jambalaya, garlic mashed potatoes, varieties of chicken and fish. For those wanting a “lunchier” brunch a chef stands nearby at a carving table to serve fresh-sliced meats including ham and rare roast beef. To accent the meals a separate table has a variety of bread choices, from bagels and cream cheese to those hard-crusted oval rolls that taste so good with real butter (also served). Against the far wall is an extensive salad bar with ingredients that look, well, fresh.

What brunch would be complete without an omelet bar? The courteous chef told us we were going the wrong way in line, so we moved to the other end of the fast-moving line. From the ingredients on a shelf above a series of pans over open-flames we chose from shrimp, bacon, ham, onions, mushrooms and more. The chef then poured the specially prepared eggs into the hot pan, cooked them, added our ingredients to get them hot and threw on a handful of cheese – what a treat.

Don’t totally fill-up only on the brunch – save a little room for dessert. The dessert bar has a assortment of sugary treats for everybody in the family, and you can top them off with hand-dipped ice cream.



Location: South of I-285 at the Chattahoochee River
Directions: Take I-75 to Exit 258, Cumberland Boulevard. At the end of the long ramp, turn right onto Cumberland Boulevard and travel 1.7 miles to Ray's. Cumberland Boulevard changes names twice, once to Akers Mill and once to Power's Ferry.
Additional information:
Ray's on the River
Web site: Ray's on the River
6700 Powers Ferry Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30339
Phone: 770-955-1187

Date added: January 17, 2005
Last update: January 21, 2005