Milk & Honey — Restaurant in Chattanooga

There may be many things one looks for when searching for the ideal breakfast or brunch establishment, with a variety of options that speak to all; and ideally that has the space to accommodate all. Often we find ourselves somewhere that is popular because of its location and the aesthetic set, even if that set up is not memorable. Finding the best location for a business can be a difficult task, but there are many gems out there, with potential to bring in business. Milk & Honey, being located just across from the bridge of the bustling downtown Chattanooga, is right off the street full of antique shops and boutiques that attract the same customers who would occupy this same space due to its look and what is served. We have a loft-like interior with an open ceiling, neon signs, some wood and plastic fixtures, and brunch food. Also, the servers are pretty young. I did notice families gathering, but there were plenty of younger adults meeting up to enjoy Milk & Honey. When arriving, there was already a crowd; tables filled up, nose from loud talking and laughter. I found myself lined up right at the door, waiting to get to the front only to ask how long the wait would be. Luckily, I was told ten to fifteen. Ended up waiting just under ten. Not bad. My partner and I were also very lucky to be given a seat by the window to take in the nice warmth of the sun and be a bit outside of the crowded tables that seemed spaced just enough to get to and from where one needed to go. The chairs are relatively comfortable and the metal table was large enough for us. While waiting for our server we tried to pinpoint the type of vibe the place had. To be honest, I am still not sure. There was nothing that stood out to us with everything there. Even the flying cow felt like a footnote. After receiving our water, and coffee for my partner, we went through the nice sized menu and made our decisions. It is always appreciated when there is not an overwhelming list of options, and the menu's design matched decently with what the place was going for, whatever that is. They do some of the decision making for you by limiting how each item is made. Waffles cone with chicken, with rose, or as a side. That is it. I would say in most cases I like that, and this is one of those instances. We went ahead and ordered our food: rose asked for me and a side of waffles for my partner. Food got to our table within fifteen minutes, could have been sooner. Waffles are basic, I know, and when ordering something like this, what does one expect. They are sweet and fluffy, maybe with some crisp edges if the cooks know what they are doing. The rose waffles had a slightly different touch, being made with rose and coming with rose syrup. The waffles were presented with cut strawberries and whipped cream. I was pleased with its look, and could get a whiff of that alcohol. From the very first bite, I was satisfied. Again, there is not much special about a waffle, and the special rose mix does not change the simplicity of a waffle; however, it is different from many other places, and for anyone who has tried food made with alcohol, oftentimes the cooks have too much fun. I've had my share of liquored up foods that contain more alcohol than food. This was not the case. The rose complimented the meal, and never tried to take over the experience. I enjoyed my meal, and my partner appreciated hers. After a good breakfast (maybe it was brunch) we paid the bill, which was modestly priced, and went about our day, full. We were very lucky to have such a kind server. If you happen to be just Northside of the river, maybe this place can be...

UPDATE: After messaging with Jennifer everything has been sorted out and I’m going to chalk it up to a miscommunication, a bad day, bad luck etc. I’m so impressed and with how well she worked to fix things. That’s so rare these days. I’m very appreciative!

Usually I love Milk & Honey, but this last visit will likely be our last for a while. We visited Wednesday, May 22nd. We arrive for Brunch around 11:30-45 or so. They were busy, but our party of 5 was seated quickly. The waitress took drink and appetizer orders pretty quickly as well. Things were going great. Side Note my daughter is moving to Australia and is getting married there next month. While we were waiting for the order to be taken she gets an alert on her phone from the airline that because her ticket had no return date she needed to be at the airport 3 hours early rather than 2 hours. I get up track down waitress and explain the situation. I tell her I know they are busy and I ask her whether I need to either pay for what we’ve already ordered and go on or can a rush be put on our order. She tells me there’s no problem. She’s happy to help rush everything. Again, I did tell her I understand if this isn’t possible because my husband and I both have worked in food service and know it’s stressful, but she assured me it was no problem. We ordered and I expected the starters/appetizers to come out after we ordered, but we never saw them. I assumed she had just either forgotten them or canceled them because of the rush. She basically disappears after we order. I had to ask the lady at the host stand about our check. She reappears after a couple more minutes. I remind her we never got the appetizers so leave them off the check. She seems surprised they never came out. She comes back with the check and the starters we had ordered packed up to go and asks if I want them anyway? Otherwise they’ll probably just be thrown out. This is on me, but the way she phrased it I thought she was just throwing them in so I said sure. Don’t throw them out. We’ll eat them later. I hand her my card. Tip/sign/and we’re out. On the way to the airport my daughter is looking at the check and notices we were still charged for both appetizers/starters. To add insult to injury they honey was in a little plastic cup that was just thrown in the bag and at some point had tipped on it’s side creating an awful mess and there was no honey butter to be found. I admit my fault in not clarifying whether we would be charged or not, but I can’t help, but feel like I paid $115 to have to chase the waitress around and to clean sticky honey out of my car. The food was pretty good which is why...

The brunch game is strong here. If the regular lines don't convince you, the food certainly will. We were lucky enough to snag a table without a wait one weekend, and had one of the most delightful morning meals we've ever had in Chattanooga. I ordered the Big Kid breakfast, which came with well-crisped bacon, eggs your way (with optional cheese), a bowl of juicy berries, and a few slices of the famous Niedlov sourdough. Everything was hot and well done, especially the home fries, which tasted like chunks of seasoned, straight-out-of-the-fryer French fries - the optimal form of home fry, in my opinion.

My husband's prosciutto, egg, and smoked mozzarella sandwich immediately prompted him to crow about his love for prosciutto and ask things like, "Why don't we ever make this at home? It's delicious!" At our server's recommendation, he added the optional fried chicken to his meal (for an added charge of $5), but after tasting it, I'd say it's almost mandatory. It's crispy, beautifully seasoned, and a sinfully good addition to any breakfast plate here.

The hot honey on the table was something else. My husband experimentally drizzled some onto a piece of fried chicken, chewed thoughtfully, and clearly enjoyed it because in the next breath, he'd upturned the bottle and drizzled some over the rest of his plate. It was good enough that we inquired about whether it was possible to take some home. If you're also curious, it's available for sale by the ounce and our server was kind enough to MacGyver us a spill-proof container so that we wouldn't lose any along our travels home.

There are some tables available outside, which might cut down on the waiting time if it's nice weather, but it's clear that the brunch atmosphere is best indoors, with the bustle of the crowds and the smells of coffee and pastries wafting in from the...