The Spring 2021 Flagpole Guide To Athens

File Under: BBQ. Features: Drive-thru. Hours: Lunch and Dinner, Thu-Sat. Old-school barbeque, with chicken, pork and rib plates served with coleslaw, stew, chips and bread, which is all you need. Famous banana pudding for dessert. Currently drive-thru only.

File Under: Ice Cream and Smoothies, Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Drive-thru, Wi-Fi, counter service.

File Under: Ice Cream and Smoothies. Features: Catering. 

File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Drive-thru, pick-up. Hours: Breakfast and occasional pop-up dinner. Wee, darling, hipster donut place out in the country that also does amazing biscuits, great coffee and, lately, pop-up burger nights, too. Worth a drive.

File Under: Asian, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer and sake, delivery, trivia, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night. Quick-service Japanese and Korean food at bargain prices. You can get rice and meat basics but also bibimbap, bulgogi, tonkatsu and Korean tacos.

File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken, Ice Cream and Smoothies. Features: Drive-thru, delivery, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

File Under: BBQ. Features: Catering, take out, drive-thru. Hours: Lunch and dinner. Downtown Crawford eatery prides itself on brisket but also offers pork, chicken and ribs. Five different sauces, great green beans among the sides and a kids’ menu that offers grilled cheese or a hot dog.

File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Counter service, delivery, take-out. Hours: Lunch. Drugstore soda fountain with sandwiches: pimento cheese, chicken salad, grilled cheese, Southwestern chicken wrap, spinach salad with egg, bacon and poppyseed dressing. Also chili dogs, slaw dogs, good soups, PB&J, fro-yo and milkshakes.

File Under: Sandwiches. Features: Drive-thru (Baxter), delivery, catering, counter service, outside seating (Baxter). Hours: Lunch and dinner.

File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Drive-thru (Baxter, Greensboro and Epps Bridge), outside seating, art, Wi-Fi. Hours: Vary by location. The local coffee roaster now extends beyond Athens, but the beans are still roasted on Barber Street. Lots of specialty roasts benefit different causes. Hot and cold drinks, premium teas, locally baked goodies.

File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries, Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Curbside pick-up, drive thru. Hours: Breakfast and lunch; open until 8 p.m. for coffee. Jittery Joe’s coffee drinks, biscuits and breakfast plates in the a.m. Lunch features classic sandwiches, soups, salads, kids menu. Baked goods, too.

File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Catering, drive-thru, Wi-Fi. Hours: Seven days.

File Under: Chicken. Features: Take-out, drive-thru. Hours: Lunch and dinner. Grab-and-go chicken spot does wings and tenders, either plain or sauced, plus fried fish, hot sandwiches, salads, desserts and fried pickles as well as family meal deals.

File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Drive-thru. Hours: Lunch and dinner. Fast-casual Mexican from the folks who own La Cabana, both drive-thru and dine-in, with tacos, enchiladas, burritos, rice bowls, kids’ menu and more.

File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Drive-thru. Hours: Seven days. New coffee place on Macon Highway does drip coffee, cold brew, lattes, tea, kombucha, mochas and pastries from Kiki’s Bakeshop. Coffee from 1000 Faces, meaning they’re serious about it.

File Under: Downhome. Features: Take-out, vegetarian friendly, drive-thru. Hours: Breakfast and lunch Mon–Sat. Country store in Winterville does hot lunch, fresh produce, grab-and-go stuff from a cold case, biscuits in the morning and excellent homemade ice cream on Saturdays, often with fresh fruit.

File Under: Downhome. Features: Drive thru, take-out, vegetarian friendly. Hours: Lunch and  early dinner (closes at 6 p.m.). Drive-thru only for the moment, but you can order ahead on the website to make it easier. Options change daily, but could include tomato pie, lasagna, salads, cheesecake, enchiladas, pork chops and anything else the owners feel like making. 

File Under: Chicken. Features: Counter service, drive-thru. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

File Under: Sandwiches, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Drive-thru, catering, counter service, curbside pickup, delivery, outside seating, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. 

File Under: Downhome and BBQ. Features: Drive-thru, take-out. Hours: Breakfast and Lunch. Texas-style bbq with a chef pedigree. Breakfast burritos in the a.m., brisket and other meats in the p.m., plus cornbread, beans, housemade tortillas, smoked cauliflower. Meats smoked daily.

File Under: Downhome, Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Drive-thru, catering, outside seating. Hours: Breakfast and lunch, Mon–Sat. Heavily football-themed place that does biscuits with sausage, bacon, bologna, steak, chicken, country ham, tenderloin, smoke-link or salmon. Beef, chicken, salmon and shrimp burgers. Wings available in large quantities geared to tailgating.

File Under: Mexican and Latin American. Features: Full bar, outside seating, drive-thru. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days. Named for the Aztec rain god, this restaurant has a cult following for its Central American specialties and real-deal Mexican food; it’s added a drive-thru in COVID times. Pupusas, massive tortas, regular specials and fantastic mole. Breakfast, which includes chilaquiles, starts at 10 a.m. and is served all day. Margaritas, beer.

File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Drive-thru, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. Long-time Athens place famous for hot dogs (with slaw, chili or pimento cheese), onion rings and frosted orange drink. You can also get burgers, BLTs, grilled cheese, chicken sandwiches, fries, fried pies and ice cream.

File Under: BBQ. Features: Curbside pick-up, drive-thru, checks, take-out. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, Wed–Sat. Lunch, Sun. Country bbq joint of long standing, with a signature pepper-vinegar sauce on the pork sandwiches. Burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, tots and slaw, too. Brightly colored slices of soda cake by the register. New drive-thru.

File Under: Sandwiches, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Curbside pick-up, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner, Wed–Mon.