PERC in Atlanta: Where to Find International Flavor and Coffee Culture

If you’ve heard people in Atlanta talking about PERC and wondered what it is, you’re not alone. In this city, PERC is best known as a coffee-focused spot with an international flair, sitting at the intersection of specialty coffee culture and global café-style food. While it’s not a traditional “international restaurant” in the sense of full table-service world cuisine, it does fit squarely into Atlanta’s international dining landscape as a place where global flavors, techniques, and influences show up in a casual, approachable way.

This guide walks you through what PERC is in Atlanta, how it fits into the International Cuisine scene, and how locals and visitors can get the most out of it.

What Is PERC in Atlanta?

In Atlanta, PERC generally refers to a local coffee roaster and café brand known for:

• Specialty coffee drinks inspired by global coffee traditions
• Casual food and pastries that often borrow ideas from international cuisines
• A lively, colorful atmosphere that feels closer to a modern cafe in a major global city than an old-school diner

For someone exploring international cuisine in Atlanta, PERC is less about sit-down ethnic dining and more about everyday international eating and drinking: grabbing a flat white in Kirkwood, a bold espresso in Midtown, or a globally inspired pastry before heading to a festival on the BeltLine.

How PERC Fits Into Atlanta’s International Cuisine Scene

Atlanta’s restaurant scene is incredibly diverse, with full-service spots representing cuisines from Korean and Vietnamese to Ethiopian, Mexican, Indian, West African, and beyond. PERC plays a complementary role as part of the casual, global café layer of that scene.

Here’s how:

1. Global Coffee Styles in a Local Setting

At PERC locations around Atlanta, you’ll typically find:

• Espresso-based drinks with roots in Italian café culture
• Pour-over and filter coffee reflecting global specialty coffee trends
• Occasionally seasonal drinks influenced by flavors from Latin America, Asia, or Europe

You’re not just getting a generic cup of coffee; you’re getting a global coffee experience adapted for Atlanta tastes.

2. Internationally Inspired Café Food

Menus change over time, but PERC’s food offerings usually lean into:

• Pastries and baked goods with techniques or flavors tied to European or Latin American baking
• Sandwiches or light bites with sauces, spices, or toppings that draw on international pantry staples
• Occasional fusion-style items, where a familiar American format (like a breakfast sandwich) gets a twist from another cuisine

This makes PERC especially appealing if you’re the kind of diner who enjoys subtle global influences in everyday meals, not just at special-occasion restaurants.

3. A Gateway to Atlanta’s Global Neighborhoods

PERC locations are often surrounded by other food and drink options. For example, a PERC café might be a starting point for:

• Exploring Buford Highway afterward for more in-depth international dining
• Wandering through Inman Park, Old Fourth Ward, or Midtown, where you’ll find everything from ramen to tapas to West African cuisine

For visitors, this makes PERC a useful first stop: you can get your bearings, grab a coffee, and then branch out to more specialized international restaurants nearby.

Typical PERC Experience in Atlanta

While specific layouts and menus differ by location, the core experience is pretty consistent.

Atmosphere

• Bright, colorful, and casual
• A mix of students, remote workers, neighborhood regulars, and travelers
• Music and décor that feel more like a modern urban café than a quiet lounge

What You Can Usually Order

While menus evolve, expect things like:

• Espresso drinks (cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos, flat whites)
• Filter or drip coffee, often with beans from different regions
• Cold brew and iced drinks, sometimes with playful flavor combinations
• Pastries, cookies, and baked items that may nod to European or Latin styles
• Light breakfast or lunch items, depending on the location and time of day

You’re getting a global coffeehouse experience, but streamlined for convenience: order at the counter, grab a seat, and stay as long as you like (within reason).

Who PERC Is a Good Fit For

If you’re in Atlanta and curious about international cuisine, PERC can be a particularly good fit if you:

• Want a casual, low-commitment taste of international influence in food and drink
• Prefer to try global flavors in café-style items rather than full multi-course meals
• Need a central meeting spot before heading to more specialized international restaurants
• Enjoy exploring Atlanta neighborhoods and like using coffee shops as a home base

On the other hand, if you’re looking for:

• A fully traditional meal from a specific cuisine (for example, a full Ethiopian platter or an elaborate Korean barbecue dinner)
• Table service and long, formal meals

…then PERC is better treated as a pre- or post-meal stop, not your main international dining destination.

Practical Tips for Visiting PERC in Atlanta

Here are some general pointers if you’re planning a visit:

1. Time of Day Matters

• Early mornings and weekends: Often busier with locals grabbing breakfast and coffee.
• Midday on weekdays: Likely to have a mix of remote workers and lunch visitors.
• Afternoons: Good time to grab a pastry and relax or plan your next stop.

2. Parking and Access

Depending on the specific PERC location, you may find:

• Dedicated parking lots or shared retail parking in more residential or mixed-use neighborhoods
• Street parking with meters in denser areas
• Easy access from MARTA bus routes or nearby MARTA rail stations if you’re staying downtown or in Midtown

If you’re visiting from out of town, it’s often easiest to pair PERC with ride-share or walking from nearby hotels or attractions.

3. How to Order if You’re New to Specialty Coffee

If you aren’t familiar with international-style coffee drinks:

• Ask staff for a recommendation based on what you usually drink (for example, “something like a sweeter latte” or “a strong, small black coffee”).
• If you’re curious about coffee origins, ask which beans are on offer; many specialty shops highlight beans from regions like Ethiopia, Colombia, or Guatemala, each with distinct flavor profiles.
• Don’t hesitate to request less sweetness or different milk options to suit your preferences.

Using PERC as a Starting Point for International Food Exploration

PERC can be part of a broader international food itinerary in Atlanta:

Example Mini-Itinerary Ideas

• Morning at PERC + Lunch on Buford Highway

  • Start with coffee and a light bite at a PERC location.
  • Drive or ride-share to Buford Highway, where you can choose from a wide range of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Mexican, and Central American restaurants.

• Coffee at PERC + BeltLine Stroll + Global Dinner

  • Visit a PERC café near the Atlanta BeltLine.
  • Walk the BeltLine to explore food stalls, markets, or nearby restaurants.
  • Finish with dinner at an international restaurant nearby—options include everything from Mediterranean and Latin American to Asian and African cuisines, depending on the neighborhood.

This approach works well for both locals wanting to break routine and visitors trying to experience Atlanta’s global flavors in a single day.

Quick Reference: What to Expect from PERC in Atlanta

Here’s a simple summary to help you decide if PERC fits into your international dining plans:

How Atlantans Commonly Use PERC

Based on typical consumer patterns in the city, people often use PERC for:

• Daily coffee runs on the way to work or school
• Remote work sessions with reliable drinks and snacks
• Weekend meetups before exploring farmers markets, festivals, or nearby international restaurants
• Quick breakfasts or light lunches with a bit more character than standard chain cafés

If you’re trying to understand how international cuisine “works” in Atlanta, PERC represents the modern, hybrid side of that story: not a single-cuisine restaurant, but a globally influenced café that fits naturally into a day of exploring the city’s food scene.

Once you’ve used PERC as a jumping-off point, you can branch out to:

• Full-service international restaurants for in-depth experiences
• Food halls and markets with vendors representing multiple countries
• Neighborhoods known for specific communities, where you’ll find more concentrated clusters of global cuisines

In short, PERC is one piece of Atlanta’s international food landscape—casual, coffee-centered, and globally inspired—that works especially well for everyday visits, meetups, and as a starting base for exploring the city’s wider restaurant scene.