Have you visited Milk and Honey yet? They are a coffee shop, brunch spot, gelato stop, and so much more.
Milk and Honey has been a Northshore Chattanooga staple since 2013. But in the last year they worked hard to renovate and expand into a larger space as they quickly outgrew what they had. Keep reading to learn about the changes and what they offer.
What is Milk and Honey?
If you were able to visit Milk and Honey a few years ago before they expanded, you know it was well overdue. They outgrew the space fast! Milk and Honey first opened in 2013 as part of the Monen Family Restaurant Group. The family owned restaurant chain started in Chattanooga in 2008 with Taco Mamacita which just so happens to share the same plaza with Milk and Honey. They have since opened 8 restaurants in both Chattanooga and Nashville.
Coffee Please!
Milk and Honey first gained Chattanooga’s attention through coffee. Most people consider them just another local coffee shop. And for good reason. They have a full coffee bar with countless drink options. Everything from espresso drinks and drip coffees to chai and matcha are offered. Milk and Honey uses Stumptown Coffee from Nashville which they also sell by the bag. I love their unique flavors such as the Burnt Sugar Latte or the Nutella Latte made by using their homemade syrups.
Did You Say Brunch?
Milk and Honey offers brunch daily from 6AM till 3PM. My friend and I visited early one Friday morning to try some new menu items. I got the Hot Mess which is an open-faced biscuit sandwich. It’s loaded with hot pepper jam, bacon, avocado, pickled red onion, melted pepper jack cheese, and a sunny side up egg (which I ordered over hard instead). It’s then topped with cilantro and drizzled with chipotle crema. There’s a lot of flavor going on here and it’s so good! It has cooling ingredients to balance the burn and it definitely lives up to its name.
My friend got the Avocado Toast which has a base of sourdough toast topped with avocado (obviously), tomato jam, caramelized onion, arugula, and lastly sunny side up eggs. I didn’t try it myself, but she said it was really good.
And if you want something more traditional, they have other egg breakfast options like omelets as well as bakery items like bagels with cream cheese. The menu has really grown, and there’s a lot to choose from. Be sure to plan for your visit by looking at the full menu.
What About the Gelato?
Milk and Honey’s other claim to fame is their gelato and sorbet that they make in-house. Some flavors are staples while others change out seasonally. Can’t decide which flavor to try first? Well, you can get up to three different flavors in just one cup. I still have yet to try their gelato or sorbet though, so I cannot give my opinion on that. Hopefully sometime this summer that will change. I’ll let you know what I think then.
My Experiences
I have been to Milk and Honey a few times before the renovation started. It was always packed and it was very hard to find a seat. The coffee and food was excellent, but it was difficult to enjoy within the tiny, indoor space. There was no room for a group bigger than four people unless you wanted to sit outside, and even eating alone inside felt claustrophobic. The new space is very open and inviting, stark contrast to the previous layout. And the transition to a sit-down restaurant style really adds to the positive experience as well.
I was surprised how busy they already were early on a Friday morning. Although I’m not sure why that surprised me. Like I said before, they’ve always been a busy, popular place. That being said, I think it’s safe to assume they’re quite packed later in the day so plan ahead for that. Another thing to note is that the old shop only had one entrance. Now there are two entrances. One is for just to-go items like coffee, baked goods, and gelato. The other is for being seated to eat there or sit at the bar where you will be waited on by staff. They also have outdoor seating available. The gelato and coffee shop is open 6AM till 6PM. The kitchen, and therefore brunch, ends at 3PM.
In Closing
If you haven’t tried Milk and Honey, I highly encourage you to. Nearly everything is made from scratch using local ingredients. And everything they offer is high quality goodness. To get a video visual of what it’s like to eat at Milk and Honey, watch the YouTube video.
Let me know in the comments below if you’ve been or plan to go now that you know about the place. Until next week, enjoy exploring Chatt!
