All About Community at Café Jonah and the Magical Attic

At year’s end, mailboxes are full of appeals from non-profits, and the phone rings constantly with solicitations to “make a difference” in the lives of those in need. And while we admittedly wait until year-end to make many of our donations, we spend the rest of the year finding ways to give back, whether volunteering for a worthy cause, or supporting a friend for a charity run.

It may be hard to find a better way to support the community than by dining at Café Jonah and the Magical Attic. Conceived by the iconic Jenny Levinson of Souper Jenny, our family has come to love this cozy lunch and brunch spot in the heart of Buckhead. Jenny has given the Atlanta community so much in terms of “real food” to feed our stomachs and souls, and Café Jonah is just another example of how she gives back to the community.

10% of all sales go to local charities that you, the guest and diner in this charming old home, get to select. Upon purchase of a delicious assortment of homemade salads and sandwiches (usually no soups here), you receive a gold coin that you can then drop in a basket to vote where you would like the profits to go. This is a great teaching opportunity if you happen to be dining with your Little Foodies, as we are just beginning to instill in them the value of philanthropy. I usually read Big A descriptions of each charity (this quarter’s proceeds are going to Street Grace, Atlanta Day Shelter, and “locals who need our help”) or “translate” into 5-year-old terms, and let her decide into which basket she puts her coin.

Sunday brunch for our family is a highlight. I can immediately sate My Little Foodies without a wait for a table or a wait for the food, and because the quality and selection are unparalleled. The all-you-can-eat buffet includes tables lined with delicious mini, sweet potato biscuits topped with goat cheese and homemade fig jam, sliced nova, Greek wheatberry salad, brocolini and balsamic, pasta salad, organic chicken salad (made with Greek yogurt in lieu of mayo), Highland Bakery mini sugar-sanded and chocolate-covered donuts, iced cinnamon rolls, cheesy grits, organic frittatas, steel-cut oatmeal with gogi berries and hemp seeds, fresh, pre-segmented grapefruit, warm biscuits and bagels with Fairywood Thicket Farm’s strawberry-lavender jam, and the list goes on. Similar to lunch, 10% of the profit goes to charity. However, for Sunday brunch you are encouraged to “pay what you think it’s worth.” There is a suggested price of $5-$10 per kid age 6-11 and $15-$20 per adult. “Souper Jenny” has certainly demonstrated her generosity with this little gem, named affectionately after her son, in the Buckhead community. Now it’s just your job to show up, eat, and give generously to pay it forward.