The Social House

The Social House is the latest offering from Lorenzo Wyche Restaurants, the company behind the stylish and soulful Harlem Bar and Rare. It features an all-day breakfast menu, plus sandwiches and plate lunches after 11 a.m., all served up in hearty portions, with some Wyche-style twists.

SOCIAL HOUSE STYLE: Most recently home to a hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop called Philly Boys, the Social House space has undergone a fairly remarkable transformation. The small building, perched next to a used car lot on a busy stretch of Howell Mill Road, would seem to be an unlikely spot for a breakfast place. And the traffic and parking can be vexing. But inside, the ambience is like a cheery cottage with shabby-chic décor — an old bicycle hangs from the rafters, historic photos and vintage newspapers cover the walls, and a mix of lime-green booths and shiny wooden tables offers easygoing comfort. Service is equally sunny, if a bit slow at times.

BODACIOUS BREAKFAST: Breakfast is the big meal of the day every day here. And the menu offers lots of clever variations on Southern favorites. Most iconic, the "Whole Farm" is a colossal assemblage, somewhat similar to a club sandwich, but buttery Belgian waffles serve as the bread. In between, layers of bacon, eggs, sausage patties and cheese are held together by a long wooden skewer. It's altogether tasty and fun, if quite unwieldy, and best eaten broken apart. Other choices include delicate fried green tomato crepes with spinach, mushrooms and cream sauce, and savory bread pudding topped with blackened shrimp and poached eggs. Other choices include buttermilk, blueberry and apple-cinnamon pancakes; and omelets ranging from simple cheese to turkey pastrami and Swiss cheese, and andouille with cream cheese.