The Scoop: Most Atlantans are familiar with R. Thomas by now. But if you’ve been missing out on this quirky gem, here’s the gist: Atlanta’s one-of-a-kind 24-hour burger and breakfast joint specializes in raw foods, fresh juices, smoothies... and diner food. Pass through the gardens, duck through beaded curtains and into a colorful tent of ceiling murals and paper lanterns. Sip on organic wine, teas and coffee, and fresh made-to-order juices. Get your fill of raw veggie dishes, free-range chicken wings, burgers and breakfast all day and night. It’s equal-opportunity eating for carnivores and vegetarians, but it’s also good for late-nighters, early-risers, adventurous appetites, health nuts, greasy grubbers, business suits, Birkenstocks... and the talking birds who live out front.

Scout Notes: Richard “R” Thomas regrets to inform me that the restaurant isn’t much to look at in the winter. “You really should see this place when the gardens are out,” he says as he flips through his little photo album of pink gardens and perfect vegetable patches. The place is practically covered in green come spring, summer and fall. Even though it’s too cold right now for all his growing decor, he seems to forget that the place is still quite a spectacle with a dining room that feels like you wound up in Key West and a year-round greeting committee of birds. Richard keeps all his feathered friends including Sparkle (his first pet) here at his restaurant, much to the entertainment of visiting kids. Sparkle quacks like a duck, hangs upside down, and does a flew fly-overs to impress the lunch crowd. I’m taking pictures and, the next thing I know, there’s a dove hanging out on my head and three chilling on my forearm. It's safe to say meeting Richard and company is an experience in itself, but it’s his round-the-clock menu that brings the regular crowd. There’s nothing else in Atlanta quite like it.

So why the diner/juice bar/greenhouse/bird zoo? That would be Richard's boredom in retirement. He was inspired by San Francisco’s Hamburger Mary and decided to create his own “burger joint with a California flair” here in Atlanta. It wasn’t until 1990 that he decided to complement the burgers with some healthier options. Hence, the juice bar which led to a friendship with nutritionist Donna Gates (author of “The Body Ecology Diet” ) and Richard’s interest in raw foods. Thus, the renaissance retiree found a new passion for his master gardening... and his restaurant became a destination for a whole new kind of eating. It’s drawn such a following, his healthy specialties are now sold in local stores like Sevananda Natural Foods Market, Return to Eden, Life Grocery, and the Buckhead and Ansley Krogers.

In the mood for breakfast? Try the french toast. Need some healthy juices? Go for The Champ (apple-carrot-ginger juice) or The Mojo Jojo. But the menu goes on and on. So whether you’re a meat-eater, veggie-lover, late-nighter, morning-feeder or bird-seed pecker ... you’ll be well-fed and welcome back any time with R. Thomas.