Cheap Eats - ParkGrounds: Coffee with Fido

Cafe offers extensive menu and dog devotion

“People love cereal,” the owner of ParkGrounds proclaims as he describes the concept of its cold cereal bar to a curious girl, surveying the extensive menu. “I suggest Frosted Flakes with rice milk and fresh strawberries,” he says, also filling her in on his runner-up — Cocoa Puffs with chocolate milk and bananas. She settles on a homemade cupcake, which he insists she have à la mode. “It’s the best way,” he says. Outside, a tall brunette reads while her shaggy black dog chews a stick at her feet. She sips coffee, and her K-9 companion takes it upon himself to explore the small, fenced-in dog park.

Like many coffee shops and cafes around Atlanta, ParkGrounds offers a wide variety of hot and cold drinks, baked goods, sandwiches and breakfast items. It has added an element with which few establishments can compare, however. ParkGrounds is dog-friendly. Don’t expect to find yourself in the dog park at Piedmont with 1,000 dogs sniffing, barking and licking at whatever they can find. This spot prides itself on dog companionship, rather than as a place to exercise your pooch. Under the shade of a large tree exist a variety of seating options and water bowls to make an afternoon with your pet a little more enjoyable.

Coffee 101: ParkGrounds doesn’t play around when it comes to coffee. Its menu is extensive, offering a full range of espresso drinks as well as some of its own creations. Using an Atlanta-based coffee, Batdorf & Bronson, it can produce anything from an Americano for $2 to something more extravagant. The “Freddy Mercury” is a house-specialty iced coffee boasting a rich combination of ParkGrounds’ own cold brew with a hint of vanilla for $3. Much like wine, coffee has its classifications. Far beyond the usual light or dark roast, ParkGrounds takes pride in specifying the region from which the bean is grown, further diversifying the palate of its customers.

Coo-Coo for Cocoa Puffs: Cereal is the all-American breakfast staple, yet ParkGrounds has decided to kick that up a notch by creating an entire menu based on your specifications for the perfect bowl. You name it, they have it — and for $3 per heaping serving, you can customize the delicacy by selecting your favorite milk (rice, soy, dairy — in a variety of flavors) as well as add-ons such as fruit.

French toast-of-the-town: If cereal isn’t a good enough reason to wake you up, French toast is also on the menu. For ParkGrounds, this is its chance to showcase unique ingredients and flavor combinations. Changing daily and specifying the type of “toast” that is featured, the menu hangs in front of the main one for a reason. Made with French bread, this grandiose portion sets you back $4.50. Try the white-chocolate blueberry — it’s a favorite when featured.

Walking away from the cashier, you can see the place’s dog devotion: Inlaid on the floor are dozens of pictures of pups immortalized in digi-pic tiles. Yet to categorize ParkGrounds as a spot to walk your dog would be highly misleading. It’s more of a place to hang out and enjoy yourself while your dog does the same.