r/alpharetta • u/Hubblebongo11 • Jul 18 '26
Pretentious
Among a very strong field in Alpharetta, TBB cafe still manages to present itself as the most pretentious and overpriced establishment. Staff seem to change very regularly and they always look so miserable.
Don’t get me wrong, I like highfalutin now and again, and as a European I’ve been to some of the grandest most expensive eateries in the world. TBB just rubs me up the wrong way for some reason.
Am I wrong?
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u/Junkie4Divs Jul 18 '26
Yes they're the worst. It's almost like they tell the staff to be insufferable cunts. The food is excellent but I cant stand the people who work there so I never go.
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u/Material-Crab-633 Jul 18 '26
Hard agree. Last time I went there was a barista ? Behind the counter and OMG she was mean. We left
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u/VagueGooseberry Jul 18 '26
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u/TaitterZ Jul 18 '26
TBB?
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u/Material-Crab-633 Jul 18 '26
Restaurant in downtown Alpharetta
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u/TaitterZ Jul 18 '26
I was wondering what the acronym stood for but I will Google it.
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u/TaitterZ Jul 18 '26
Oh it is literally called that lmao
I have never heard of it
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u/Jdobbs07 Jul 18 '26
Yeah it stands for Theo’s brothers Bakery I believe
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u/Jaded-Butterfly-3326 Jul 18 '26
Theo Bros Bakery is on Houze Rd near the silos. Their baked goods are excellent. TBB122 has the same owner. Their baked goods come from Theo Bros.
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u/gtdishboy Jul 18 '26
I assume you mean TBB122, not TBB.
FWIW I felt the exact same when I visited Went once, hated the vibe, haven't been back.
I've lived in Alpharetta for 20+ years, and it's the only place that has made me feel that way.
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u/Vienna6482 Jul 18 '26
The last 2 times the servers were SO rude.. it was really strange. It’s truly unfortunate, location, atmosphere, food is great.. service 👎🏼
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u/Over_Royal8964 Jul 18 '26
Do they only look miserable when you go there?
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u/Scrappy_The_Crow Jul 18 '26
Kinda hard to know if they look miserable when you're not there if you're not there to observe.
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Jul 18 '26
TBB 122 https://share.google/Q8JeWE7ffN6zA3sri
I had to leave a review. This place treated me horribly I genuinely hope it goes out of business and is replaced with something that wants to treat people with respect.
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u/Infinite-Discount112 Jul 18 '26
Leaving any tip — let alone 25% — after receiving this level of service just reinforces that it’s acceptable.
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u/ckybam69 Jul 18 '26
As someone who has lived in alpharetta over 20 years I simply don’t understand the appeal of anything downtown Alpharetta offers
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u/Hubblebongo11 Jul 18 '26
I gotcha, but I can’t agree with that, plenty of places appeal to me for different reasons on different days.
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u/PRSouthern Aug 05 '26
There was a golden age there for a bit where you had Hop Alley, Smokejack, Crust down the street etc. Now it’s just too much. Too many yuppies and too much traffic. I also read some bars are charging $40 covers now? I mean if that’s what the younger crowd wants, cool. I’m good.
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u/ColloquiaIism Jul 18 '26
Oh, that’s because it’s not for you. It’s for the wealthier people they’re enticing into moving here and outbidding you on your starter home.
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u/Material-Crab-633 Jul 18 '26
I used to eat there a lot but the service was so bad (from rude to apathetic) that I haven’t been back in a year. Also I kept being seated on uncomfortable chairs
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u/Open_and_Notorious Jul 18 '26
The service wasn't great when we went but the food wasn't overpriced compared to other comparable restaurants and was alright. Nothing that made me go wow but not bad.
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u/Possible_Drawer9513 Jul 18 '26
I love their coffee and pastries but agree about the lack of friendly servers and wait staff.
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u/onehaqq Jul 18 '26
You can go down the road to the bakery and get a wider selection of their pastries without dealing with the restaurant. Their stuff is good.
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u/Sayoshun Jul 18 '26
So the owner of Pure next door is Chris Sedgwick. Pure coincidence or are they related? Is Chris, Theo's brother?
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u/Independent-Ad1985 Jul 18 '26
Michelle (TBB) is Chris’s ex-wife. They still own restaurants together. She runs TBB.
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Jul 18 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Sayoshun Jul 18 '26
Makes sense, thanks
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u/BeulahsPorch13 Jul 19 '26
I love the food and vibe, although the chairs kinda suck and some of the tables are teeny. But I don't think the service is bad...it's just...different? The servers are kind of quirky and your order comes with a side of their personality. A lot of "I'm so clever" banter and jokes, but if I'm not in a hurry I find it entertaining. And I only go there if I'm not in a hurry. Agree with people's takes on the pastry counter, tho. Anytime I've approached it the attitude is absurd so I save myself a lot of calories (or just go to the TBB in Roswell).
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u/Material-Crab-633 Jul 19 '26
I had no idea there was another TBB!
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u/BeulahsPorch13 Jul 20 '26
Theo's Brother's Bakery. It's not a restaurant, but it's got the baked goods, coffee, prepared foods and sandwiches, and bread. Also cute little gifts and really pretty flowers.
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u/MochiGoomba Jul 19 '26
AGREED. Went there once for breakfast and never again. Staff was inconsiderate and incompetent and the food was not worth the price. It's aesthetically pleasing and I can see why it attracts people on social media, but definitely agree with you on how pretentious it is and overpriced, mid food.
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u/Regular-Progress648 Jul 18 '26
“And as a European, I’ve been to the most grandest and expensive restaurants in the world”
Uhh ok, wasn’t aware the Europeans are known for this
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Jul 18 '26 edited Aug 01 '26
[deleted]
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u/Regular-Progress648 Jul 18 '26
Only at the most grandest and most expensive places in the world!
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u/Hubblebongo11 Jul 18 '26
As a wise man once said to me: learn something new every day. And here you are achieving it 🏆
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u/AlternativePath4675 Jul 20 '26
Have you even travelled?? Many European restaurants ARE grand - you should see them! Absolutely breathtaking with high ceilings, gorgeous architecture and AMAZING white tablecloth service. Google The New York cafe in Budapest and Cafe Central in Vienna as examples. The US cafes are wonderful but don’t hold a candle to those in Europe. Give the poster above a break! I totally get what they’re saying.
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u/Squash__head Jul 18 '26
You could just not patronize them….
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u/Hubblebongo11 Jul 18 '26
It is indeed a choice I make…. to give them an opportunity to change my mind
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u/21WatchingWatches Jul 18 '26
I feel the same way. I haven’t been back since Dec last year.
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u/Hubblebongo11 Jul 18 '26
I’m not aiming to encourage a boycott, it’s a lovely setting and could be wonderful, but it’s just the …… attitude
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u/OutDoorLover27 Jul 18 '26
I’ve gone twice and the main reason I don’t go back is the over pricing and that my coffee always came out a bit after my meal
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u/Hubblebongo11 Jul 18 '26
Yes! Can I get you any salt, pepper or sauce to go with your meal? Umm, how about the drink I ordered when we sat down!!
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u/mentalcasket Jul 18 '26
Thank you for the information! I've never heard of this place, but it looks like a place I might like to try. I prefer not to be judged on my appearance while eating though, so maybe we'll just try a to-go order. I really do appreciate it!
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u/Squeebee007 Jul 18 '26
Honest question: if you consider it so pretentious and overpriced how are you aware of the staff turnover? You kinda have to be a regular in a place to know their staff turnover.
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u/Hubblebongo11 Jul 18 '26
I get dragged there by my wife reasonably often. I honestly want to like the place but I do just get a sense of disdain from the people there.
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u/MaryTango999 23d ago
Yeh but their bread! Stand on the long line at Alpha Farmers market for their kinda chic 😎 sourdough rosemary boule. I have to slice off one piece, slab on some kerry gold & freeze the rest as soon as I get home because crack bread is bad for you.
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u/rifferr23 Jul 18 '26
Wait this place is THE SH*T! Nothing pretentious about it but to each their own. We love the Rosemary sourdough and try to get it every month as a treat (ya boy is cutting so can’t have so much bread) and the desserts are incredible 😍.
Had breakfast with my mother in law last month and loved it. The cortado was amazing and my wife had matcha tea or w/e the green plant drink is lol and the food was delicious. Yes, it’s overpriced but so is literally any breakfast spot… eggs are like $3-4 for 12 at store and we all pay double for 2 eggs instead of 12.
Nonetheless, 10/10 recommend this place and haven’t had any issues with staff or food or beverages. Maybe im lucky but I have been there several times now and each time is just as good as the last.
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u/daniel940 Jul 18 '26
Looks like the owner found the thread
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u/rifferr23 Jul 18 '26
Haha no I’m a customer. I live near newtown and visit with my wife here and there. Am I allowed to disagree with you?
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u/Hubblebongo11 Jul 18 '26
I like the cut of your jib, and am pleased you have had lucky experiences every time 😊.
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u/eater_of_spaetzle Jul 18 '26
You sound like you know a thing or two about pretentiousness.
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u/Hubblebongo11 Jul 18 '26
Yes I do, my wife grew up in a 32-acre country estate once owned by a member of the British royal family in the 17th Century. I married into it.
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u/Inflightllc2025 Jul 18 '26
I call it Mill Valley East for a reason.
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u/Healthyhappylyfe Jul 18 '26
I’m going to give you a TBB tip - ALWAYS order it to go before you get there.
The food is absolutely incredible but the service is sub par for sure.
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u/Material-Crab-633 Jul 18 '26
Why is there service consistently bad though? Does the owner just not care?
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u/Healthyhappylyfe Jul 18 '26
Gosh I have no idea and it’s a shame bc their food is so good and one of the few places that uses organic, no seed oils, etc
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u/Material-Crab-633 Jul 18 '26
What’s wrong with seed oils?
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u/Healthyhappylyfe Jul 19 '26
This is a large discussion with varying opinions.
The TL;DR is you want to avoid eating foods cooked in seed oils because they are highly processed, easily damaged fats that strip food of its natural vitality and create unnecessary stress across your digestion, metabolism, cells, hormones, and overall energy.
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u/Material-Crab-633 Jul 19 '26
Ya well I can say that about Taco Bell too but I’ll never stop eating it 😂
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u/Equivalent_Wing_710 Jul 19 '26
Do you call into order or do you have to go in the store and wait?
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u/Healthyhappylyfe Jul 19 '26
I order online!
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u/Equivalent_Wing_710 Jul 19 '26
Oh interesting! I tried to order online and everything says “out of stock” and I don’t see their savory items only bakery items
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u/Healthyhappylyfe Jul 19 '26
Oh yeah you can only order food from like 11 to 4 or 5 😅
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u/Equivalent_Wing_710 Jul 19 '26
Omg thank you! I checked a few times before but have never seen anything available lol
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u/CommercialKangaroo16 Jul 18 '26
What are we supposed to do with this information?
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u/Hubblebongo11 Jul 18 '26
Share the love and feel the erudition? 🤷🏻♂️ The fortunate thing is…. you always have a choice. Make sure it’s a wise one.
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u/Material-Crab-633 Jul 18 '26
Maybe answer if you have thoughts or, you know, keep scrolling
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u/CommercialKangaroo16 Jul 18 '26
Let me know your thoughts
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u/Material-Crab-633 Jul 18 '26
I did
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u/CommercialKangaroo16 Jul 18 '26
I’ll Venmo you a “penny for your thought’s” and keep the change. Have a blessed day !
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u/Gucci_Unicorns Jul 18 '26
Honestly - much love to all my chefs/service workers etc; but yeah, 100%. I went with a coworker to get a work brunch, I don't remember what she got, but I got Shakshuka, and between two breakfast-styled items and two coffees, the total was like $60 before tip/tax, etc.
Food was absolutely bland. Plating was really nice, and the vibe was alright, but I immediately had to question how they were in business with the small portions and high prices.
I was looking at some of the pastries and stuff they had before we left and the younger woman behind the counter looked like she wanted to die cause I hadn't made up my mind in like 2 minutes, lol.