Business of the Week: Beignets & Brews Offers Coffee, Cocktails and a Place to Linger

A fresh chapter is underway at Beignets & Brews at The Avenue in Peachtree City, where new owners Andrew Walker and his wife, Mehwish Walker, are leaning into what the shop already does best — serving up hot, airy beignets with a delicate crisp outside and pillowy center — while adding more reasons to linger, from morning coffee meetings to evening dessert cocktails.

The couple officially took over the business Jan. 12, partnering with Shahzad Pirani, a friend who introduced Andrew to the opportunity. Walker said the shop was already running smoothly, but the previous ownership wasn’t local — and the Walkers saw a chance to bring a more hands-on hometown presence.

“We wanted someone that was a little more local, that could provide some of that local touch,” Andrew Walker said.

That local connection is genuine. The Walkers live in Peachtree City with their two daughters, ages 7 and 4, who attend Kedron Elementary, Andrew said. Mehwish grew up in Peachtree City and graduated from McIntosh High School. Andrew is from Newnan and graduated from East Coweta. The two met through mutual friends in Atlanta and have now been married nearly a decade.

So what exactly is a beignet?

If you’ve never had one, think of a beignet as a donut’s more dramatic cousin.

It’s a square of yeasted dough, fried until the outside turns lightly crisp and golden while the inside stays soft and steamy. Then it’s buried — unapologetically — under a snowfall of powdered sugar.

It’s technically a pastry. But it eats like dessert and breakfast and a little bit of mischief all at once.

Unlike a typical ring donut, a beignet has no hole and no glaze to hide behind. It’s simpler, lighter, and somehow more indulgent. Served hot, the contrast between the delicate crunch of the exterior and the tender interior is what makes it hard to stop at one.

Which is fortunate, because Beignets & Brews doesn’t sell them one at a time.

Orders come in threes for the classic powdered sugar version, arriving in a small paper tray dusted so generously that you’ll likely leave with a little sugar on your sleeve — and very few regrets.

The shop also rotates specialty versions, including a recent Mardi Gras-inspired King Cake beignet topped with icing and sanding sugar.

More than beignets: A true coffeehouse

While the pastry case may grab your attention first, the coffee menu is substantial enough to stand on its own.

Beignets & Brews offers a full espresso bar — including lattes, cappuccinos, Americanos, macchiatos and iced variations — along with drip coffee and cold brew. Customers can customize drinks with a range of flavored syrups, including several sugar-free options.

Andrew said growing the coffee side of the business is a priority, especially for morning commuters and those looking for a comfortable place to meet.

The shop offers Wi-Fi, cushioned seating inside, and an expansive patio outdoors. Recent updates, including new tile flooring and softer seating, have shifted the feel of the space toward something warmer and more inviting.

“It should feel like a spot that’s comfortable,” Andrew said. “A spot that you can enjoy with friends… You can work here.”

The Walkers want Beignets & Brews to become a true gathering place — not home, not work, but somewhere in between. A place to hold a casual business meeting. A place to catch up with a friend. A place to settle in without feeling rushed.

Coffee in the morning, cocktails at night

The experience doesn’t end when the sun goes down.

Beignets & Brews holds a liquor license and currently serves espresso martinis, French 75s, champagne mimosas and chocolate martinis — dessert beverages designed to complement the sweetness on the plate.

The Walkers are experimenting with ways to build out that evening atmosphere, including hosting live music and considering smaller-scale performances, like a solo saxophone player on the patio, to nod to the pastry’s New Orleans roots.

Earlier this year, they hosted a Mardi Gras event with live music and face painting, creating a family-friendly environment where adults could enjoy cocktails while children enjoyed powdered sugar.

The goal, Andrew said, is to create a place that works at multiple times of day — breakfast stop, afternoon meeting spot, after-dinner treat.

Beignets & Brews is located at The Avenue in Peachtree City, across the parking lot from Trader Joe’s.

Beignets & Brews
239 City Circle, Suite 1030
Peachtree City, GA 30269
Weekdays 7 a.m.–9 p.m., Friday–Saturday 7 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. -6 p.m.