The Athens Rooster interior. 44 2nd Street, Athens The activation of Athens adorable little waterfront downtown continues with the opening of chef Melissa Chmelar s The Athens Rooster, a breakfast and lunch spot dishing up hot coffee and from-scratch goodness. Chmelar, whose Murray Hill restaurant Spoon Table & Bar was among Manhattan s many COVID casualties, is an expert in elevated comfort food and in creating the type of neighborhood joint that regulars flock to. Breakfast kicks off with wholesome options like the Power Bowl, with steel-cut oatmeal, coconut flakes, flax and chia seeds, dried cranberries, and almonds ($6.50); indulgent picks like the breakfast panini with thick-cut bacon, scrambled eggs, housemade pimento cheese, and cheddar on a sesame roll ($5); or the hipster-friendly vegan avocado toast with turmeric-tahini-massaged kale, pickled red onion, and sesame seeds ($9). Lunch is all pizzas and paninis. For a p