The humble kolache still hasn’t quite made its way into the Atlanta consciousness. And that’s a shame, because they’re delightfully versatile and darned delicious. Originally a Central European pastry—a soft, yeasted bun cradling a pool of sweet cheese, fruit, or poppy seed filling—the kolache picked up a second identity when Czech immigrants brought it to Texas in the 19th century. There, it evolved into something heartier: a fully enclosed, savory version stuffed with sausage, cheese, and jalapeño, sometimes called a sausage roll or, confusingly, a “klobasnek” by purists who want to keep the two forms distinct.
Atlanta doesn’t have the built-in kolache culture of a Texas suburb or a Czech immigrant stronghold. But between airport counters, suburban donut shops, and the occasional brunch specials board, there’s more kolache to be found around metro Atlanta than you might expect.
Grand Polish Bakery & Store
This Lawrenceville institution has been baking old-world Polish pastries from scratch since 2009, and its kolache is the genuine open-faced article: a soft yeasted bun cradling a pool of sweet cheese filling, topped with fruit (blueberry is a standout) and a blanket of buttery streusel. Closer to its Central European roots than the Czech-Texas version, and a good excuse to grab the bakery’s poppy seed rolls and kolachki cookies while you’re there. 439 W. Pike St., Bldg A, Lawrenceville, grandpolishbakery.com
Sarah Donuts
Order it here and you won’t even see the word “kolache”—this popular suburban donut chain lists it simply as a “sausage roll.” Each of the eight locations offers a straightforward sausage version and a jalapeño variation with real kick, wrapped in the same hand-kneaded dough the Texas-founded, family-run chain has used since it opened in 1988. Multiple locations, sarahdonuts.com
KoHo House (Kolache House)
Among Atlanta’s kolache purveyors, KoHo stands out for going all in on the Czech-Texan yeasted pastry. The kolache-centric menu spans the savory (sausage and cheese) to sweet (peach cobbler). Reviews of the Concourse D airport stand are mixed on execution, but the concept is expanding—founder Randy Hazelton of H&H Hospitality is rumored to be opening a standalone West Midtown location at 881 Marietta Street, former home of Delia’s Chicken Sausage Stand. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Concourse D, Atlanta
Marietta Donuts
Parked next to a Shell gas station on Johnson Ferry Road, the flagship location of this local chain is a staple for apple fritters and custom donuts. But ask Sokcheat Heng and Soophal Chhim for something savory, and they’ll point you to their kolache: a warm, hand-wrapped yeast pastry filled with smoked sausage and cheese, plus a jalapeno option for spice lovers. Multiple locations
Ray’s Donuts
This old-school Marietta shop has mixed dough by hand and cut every pastry individually for more than 20 years, and it shows—regulars show up before 7 a.m. on weekends to beat the fritter rush. The sausage-and-cheese kolache isn’t the headline item, but it fits the shop’s ethos of nothing frozen, nothing rushed, made fresh in-house daily. 4805 Canton Rd., Ste. 400, Marietta
Hen Mother Cookhouse
At chef-owner Soraya Khoury’s beloved brunch spots in Johns Creek and Alpharetta, the kolache shows up as a seasonally inspired, weekend-only treat—think cherry almond, strawberry cream, or pumpkin cheesecake—and it tends to sell out. Check Hen Mother’s Instagram before you go to see what’s currently on the menu. Multiple locations, henmothercookhouse.com
Donut Lane
This family-owned Acworth shop treats the kolache as its own little category, distinct from the standard sausage-egg-cheese croissants and burritos on the menu. Golden-brown kolaches come simply filled with sausage or packed with sausage, egg, and cheese, though the jalapeno version is the local favorite. Perfect picnic fodder for an afternoon at Lake Acworth. 2639 Hickory Grove Rd. NW, Ste. 170, Acworth
The Bake
This Duluth cafe and bakery covers both ends of the kolache spectrum. The oblong meaty version is fully encased in cheese-crusted dough—closer to a Texas-style sausage kolache—while an open-faced basil cream cheese variation aligns more closely with the traditional Central European pastry. Grab a Korean salt roll while you’re at it. 3294 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Duluth, thebakeus.com
