Fun Fact: "Manna" means an unexpected blessing, especially in a time of need! Atelier Manna was…read morecreated by Michelin-rated Chef Andrew Bachelier and his wife Larah as a creative workshop where food, art, wellness and community all come together.
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Located in Leucadia, Atelier Manna is definitely not your typical brunch spot. It feels part restaurant, part art studio, part wellness experiment, and I mean that in the best way. The space is intimate and eclectic, with cookbooks, ceramics, artwork, salvaged materials and little pieces collected from the owners' travels throughout the space. You can tell there was a lot of thought put into making it feel personal rather than overly polished.
Parking is do-able across the street by train , or on the street or surrounding neighborhoods. Best time to come when its not busy is W or TH morning!
And then there's the food.
We started with the Turkish eggs, soft poached eggs sitting over herbed yogurt, chili garlic butter and herbs with toast. The combination of the cool, tangy yogurt with the garlicky, slightly spicy butter was SO good. The toast is basically mandatory because you're going to want to swipe up every last bit of that sauce. P.S. dish comes with two eggs but you can order an extra egg if you have more people.
The steak & tortilla was another standout. Snake River Farms zabuton steak with Spanish tortilla, black garlic romesco and Jimmy Nardello peppers. The steak was tender and cooked beautifully, but what really made the dish for me was the black garlic romesco. Rich, savory and slightly sweet, it tied everything together.
And then came the torrija, Spanish-style French toast. This is not your basic brunch French toast. It's made with thick-cut sourdough, saffron vanilla, peach leaf oil, stone fruit and whipped labneh. The outside had that delicious caramelized/crispy texture while the inside was soft and custardy. The labneh was also such a good addition because it gave the dish a little tang to balance out the sweetness. Definitely a dish I'd order again.
But we can't forget the drinks because Atelier Manna takes their non-alcoholic beverage program VERY seriously. Their "vitality tonics" are basically zero-proof cocktails with a wellness twist, and they are way more interesting than your standard juice or mocktail.
I got the Mentawai: coconut, cold-infused green tea, lime leaf, pandan and astragalus, force carbonated. Light, refreshing and slightly tropical with enough acidity to keep it from tasting like straight coconut water.
My friend got the Goldenrod, made with clarified cucumber, turmeric, honey and long pepper. Very refreshing and earthy with a little sweetness. Another friend went with the cold brew, which was smooth and fruity with a creamy body.
I really appreciated that the drinks weren't just an afterthought. They actually felt like part of the experience.
Overall, Atelier Manna is one of those places where you can tell the people behind it genuinely care about the details. The menu is creative without feeling like it's trying too hard, the space is unique and inviting, and the food manages to be indulgent while still incorporating a lot of fresh, thoughtful ingredients.
Definitely a brunch spot worth the drive up to Leucadia, especially if you want something a little different from the usual eggs + mimosa situation.