PHOTO BY DREW PERLMUTTER

BRUNCH MADE BETTER

Melody and Michael Shemtov bring their Israeli-influenced, vegetable-forward concept, The Daily, to Atlanta.

For Melody and Michael Shemtov, opening their first Atlanta restaurant, The Daily (shopthedaily.com/atlanta), is a homecoming. The couple grew up here, moved away and then returned to the city to work at Mellow Mushroom’s Atlanta headquarters, where they met. Eventually, their friendship turned to marriage and the couple relocated to Charleston, where they opened the first outpost of The Daily in 2014 on Charleston’s now-bustling Upper King Street.

The Daily coffee service. PHOTO BY DREW PERLMUTTER

“I really wanted to open a juice and smoothie shop, and Michael thought Charleston needed more breakfast options, so we put our ideas together under one roof and created The Daily,” says Melody of the winning concept they recently replicated in Atlanta.

Loaded avocado bowl. PHOTO BY DREW PERLMUTTER

With vibrant murals and pastel-hued chairs, the Trabert Avenue spot’s interior is as bright and colorful as its food: made-to-order smoothies; fresh juices; and vegetable-forward toasts, bowls and sandwiches influenced by Michael’s Israeli heritage.

Seasonal fruit and yogurt bowl. PHOTO BY DREW PERLMUTTER

Take the hummus bowl, with tahini, pita and schug, a green-hued Middle Eastern hot sauce made with cilantro, parsley, jalapeño, lemon juice and garlic. The menu also includes Onyx coffee, pastries, breads and grab-and-go provisions.

Founders Michael and Melody Shemtov. PHOTO BY DREW PERLMUTTER

The Shemtovs say reading Michael Pollen’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma was a “defining moment” in their own culinary journey. “Reading that changed what we wanted to eat, and what we wanted to serve others,” says Michael. “We started focusing much more on in-season produce, and shifting more of our menu mix to vegetables.”

It’s a winning combination, as the couple plans to open two more locations in Atlanta, one in Inman Park in the former Proof space by the end of year, and another in the North Creek office complex in Buckhead next year.

Of their success, Melody says, “We see lots of people post-workout, getting a healthy brunch and protein smoothie, and our thesis is that there are lots of people in Atlanta that want to eat well but stay healthy, and our concept resonates with them.”