Looking for places to eat or see in the State of Georgia.

[gmc2003]

Call out for all folks who live in Georgia(the state):

My wife and I are heading down to visit my daughter and her husband in a few weeks. Are there any recommendations for places to go visit or eat? We'll be in the Social Circle area. Oh yeah if you happen to see a black dodge charger with VT plates take it easy on us.

Chris

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

Isn’t that where Paula Dean has a restaurant with her sons? That might hit the spot if you are into butter. I’ve also seen a couple of tv spots for a zombie burger place in Atlanta. Funny it was there before the walking dead. That’s supposed to be amazing. Never been so it’s pure speculation for me.

George

 

[weedeater]

Social Circle? The only place that I know of that is required is “The Blue Willow”. Classic southern cooking that should not be missed if in Social Circle. Beyond that you would need to expand out toward Atlanta or north for me to be of any help.

Paula Deans place mentioned above is in Savannah which is 5 hours or so south of Social Circle.

Weedeater

 

[AllAces]

If at breakfast someone offers you a choice of "sweet" ham or "country" ham, always go with the country ham. Sweet ham is sometimes called "city" ham. Also, if in Atlanta, you have to have at least one meal at the Varsity, but get a true local to explain to you how to order.

 

[dward51]

Zombie burger place? You talking about the Vortex in Atlanta with the "skull" entry? They have a "Zombie Apocalypse" burger. It's Barbecued pulled pork, spicy honey BBQ sauce, pepper jack cheese & two eggs over-easy on Texas toast. Be forewarned, the Vortex is a 21+ place (no children allowed at any time). Great food though. Go early and expect a line to get in (and parking is limited, they charge $5 next door but tell them you are going to the Vortex and it's usually free). The Vortex is in the Little 5 Points area and there are a lot of popular and quirky shops within a block or so (which is why parking is at a premium and they charge). They have another location in midtown, but the one in little 5 points is the one you want to visit!!!

Their Menu:

https://thevortexatl.com/menus/food-menu/

The "Zombie Apocalypse Burger"

They also have a wide range of "Coronary Bypass" burgers:

What it looks like - comes in a large salad bowl on a bed of tots....

 

[gmc2003]

Thanks guys, We are going to Atlanta for a day or so, we'll also be heading to Athens for a day. My daughter works for the University of Georgia and her husband works for Delta. His father who I get with great and lives in Atlanta will be meeting up with us so he should be able to get us to at least one or two of the above mentioned places. Oh and the over 21 isn't any issue at all but thanks for the warning.


Thanks

Chris

 

[dward51]

In Athens, if you like pizza, go to the "Little Italy Pizzeria". It's on North Lumpkin St about a block from the UGA arch in downtown Athens (just off W Broad St). Great pizza, and it's almost a tossup for me between Little Italy in Athens and Vintage Pizza in Chamblee (Atlanta) for some of the best I've ever eaten.

There are so many places to eat and things to do in the metro Atlanta area, you could almost fill a category in the forum much less a single thread. Google and TripAdvisor are generally your friend.

Of course, World of Coke, Georgia Aquarium, a Braves game, etc... are standard fare, but this city has so so much more if you just look a little deeper. Fox Brothers BBQ is a "must" and some will say Daddy D'z is another great spot (it looks like you need a tetnus shot just to enter, but the food is great - a true BBQ "joint"). Ponce City Market, Krog Market are also both interesting food locations just for the variety of things to see and buy (and eat on site).

Like I said, someone from here can go on for hours about "what to see, do and eat". It just depends on your likes...

 

[gmc2003]

Yeah I'm not looking for the typical tourist fanfare. I would like to experience a true BBQ joint just to see if what I make is even close to what it's supposed to be, and as for pizza that's a possibility - but it will be hard to beat NY pizza. The Aquarium sounds interesting will have to put that on the list. I wish we were going during the college football season, because I keep hearing how Athens turns into a crazy town during that time of year.

Chris

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

Zombie burger place? You talking about the Vortex in Atlanta with the "skull" entry? They have a "Zombie Apocalypse" burger. It's Barbecued pulled pork, spicy honey BBQ sauce, pepper jack cheese & two eggs over-easy on Texas toast. Be forewarned, the Vortex is a 21+ place (no children allowed at any time). Great food though. Go early and expect a line to get in (and parking is limited, they charge $5 next door but tell them you are going to the Vortex and it's usually free). The Vortex is in the Little 5 Points area and there are a lot of popular and quirky shops within a block or so (which is why parking is at a premium and they charge). They have another location in midtown, but the one in little 5 points is the one you want to visit!!!

Their Menu:

https://thevortexatl.com/menus/food-menu/

The "Zombie Apocalypse Burger"

They also have a wide range of "Coronary Bypass" burgers:

What it looks like - comes in a large salad bowl on a bed of tots....

Yep that was the place I was thinking of.

George

 

[AllAces]

Dekalb Farmer's Market for a international food experience, especially the seafood market.
As for local bbq in Atlanta - most of it is cooked and flavored for the out of towner's. Dusty's near Emory U was good, hear it is closed.

 

[gmc2003]

Dekalb Farmer's Market for a international food experience, especially the seafood market.
As for local bbq in Atlanta - most of it is cooked and flavored for the out of towner's. Dusty's near Emory U was good, hear it is closed.

Thanks that's why I wanted to ask. I don't want to travel all that way for something I could get a Applebee's. Anywhere between Athens and Atlanta would be perfect. Where/which Farmer's Market. I'm assuming Georgia has more then one.


Chris

 

[gmc2003]

2 Hours north In Helen GA is the Bodensee. Its a German restaurant that is out of this world. I'd have no problem making the almost 1,200 mile round trip for the sauerkraut alone.

Thanks cool that's a definite option I'll have run by the family. Is it casual dress, or shirt and tie? I have to know what to pack.

Chris

 

[AllAces]

Google Dekalb Farmer's Market. It is a farmer's market in name only. It is where I go for odd food that cannot be found elsewhere. I once ran into Alton Brown there. He was buying some belt fish. Yea, weird.

 

[gmc2003]

Google Dekalb Farmer's Market. It is a farmer's market in name only. It is where I go for odd food that cannot be found elsewhere. I once ran into Alton Brown there. He was buying some belt fish. Yea, weird.

Thanks will do.

Chris

 

[gmc2003]

Thanks for the info Holly.

Chris

 

[dward51]

A lot of the "old school" southern true BBQ joints have closed down over the years. Owners aged or passed, kids did not pick up the interest, and in some cases kids did but they aged also and the grandkids just lost interest.

Harold's BBQ used to be a great spot and you still hear people talk about it. It was near the old GM Lakewood Plant (gone) and the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta. However Harold Hembree, the original owner passed a long time ago and his kids ran the original location and another one in Jonesboro for a while. They have since sold the business to some foreigners. It's nothing like it used to be and I would cross it off the list as it is Harold's BBQ in name only.

Same for Dean's BBQ in Jonesboro. Jesse Dean passed and his kids (in their 60's and 70's themselves) have totally screwed the business up. Squabbles of ownership, lawsuits against each other back and forth and most recently a fire that took the old concrete block open pit. Fire codes grandfathered the old pit, but once it and the pit house burned, it had to be brought up to current standards so they just closed.

On the other hand..... I forgot about this old school classic!

The Fresh Air BBQ just south of Jackson, GA. It is on the old route from Atlanta to Macon and Savannah before the Interstate opened (yes I can remember when we had no interstate in Atlanta). It's still there on GA Hwy 42 & US 23 south of Jackson, and has been in business since 1929. It is classic southern BBQ "joint" and their meat comes from a decades old open pit. Nothing fancy, just the basics you expect at a place like this and most days they close around 7:30pm. Good food and great old style Brunswick stew. They were voted "All Time Best BBQ in America" by WSB-TV in 1984. Still owned by the same family for over 80 years. I may have to make a point to visit them again soon myself. Not too far out of the way from social circle and I would take the scenic route and enjoy the countryside on a summer day (ie, not the interstate)

While pulling these photos, I found that apparently they have another location now in Bogart, GA which is close to Athens. Although I would want to go to the original 1929 location if it was me, the Athens location might be a good alternative if you did not want to drive to Jackson. I have no idea if this location is a franchise or a family expansion, nor have I eaten there. Might ask the locals since you have contacts in Athens.

 

[dward51]

Interesting blog on Georgia BBQ which has a lot of places to look at. It has not been updated in a while, but interesting info none the less. A lot of placed I never heard of but that's the fun of exploring!

http://gabarbecue.blogspot.com/

 

[gmc2003]

Thanks Dave I'll be checking out the blog. It's too bad about the old school places closing up.

Chris

 

[gmc2003]

Ok I just watched a couple of Moonshiners TV episodes and picked up my overalls this morning. Thank god I don't need to pack any shirts. :)

I just really wanted to say thank you for all the recommendations on places to chow down. Some we will hit up some probably not(time constraints). If anyone see's a couple of Yankee's looking out of place and driving down southward give us a honk. VT plates are pretty easy to pick out.

Chris

 

[SonnyE]

I remember when I went to an equipment school in Oklahoma.
I'd go down for a cup of coffee, and every day the waitress would ask me if I'd like grits with that...
And every day I said no.

Who'd want grits in their coffee? :confused:o_O