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The 2023-2024 Flagpole Guide To Athens, GA

Restaurants Breakfast

  • Add Drug Store

    add-drugstore.com/lunch-counter

    Price: $☆ Expanded Listing!

     

    Locations

    • 1695 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-548-2239 View Map

    File Under: American. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. Features: Counter service. • Opened in 1961, this soda fountain and lunch counter inside a Five Points pharmacy hasn’t changed much since then. Grab a stool and watch the cooks make your fries and bitty burgers. Real cherry and vanilla sodas, plus malts, milkshakes and floats. A serious bargain.

  • Angie's Place

    Find Us on Facebook

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 10336 Hull Colbert Road Hull, GA 30646. 706-546-6141

    File Under: Downhome. Features: Take-out. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. • Big ol' biscuits and breakfast plates in an old-school atmosphere.

  • Another Broken Egg Cafe

    anotherbrokenegg.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2375 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-1593

    File Under: American. Features: Breakfast, vegetarian friendly, full bar, catering. Hours: Breakfast and lunch, seven days. • Mostly breakfast (eggs, pancakes, biscuits, French toast) with a few lunchier things (club sandwich, burger, salads) and a whole bunch of cocktails like spiked coffee and mimosas from this national franchise.

  • Athens Bagel Co.

    athensbagel.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 268 N. Jackson St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-5001 View Map

    File Under: Sandwiches, Coffee Houses and Bakeries, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, counter service, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. • Excellent bagels boiled and baked in-house in a wide variety of flavors. Major renovations have been taking eons, but the owners swear it'll be open again at some point.

  • Athens Cooks

    athenscooks.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 100 Prince Ave., Ste. 103 Athens, GA 30601. 706-623-3373

    File UnderSomething Different. Features: Catering, beer and wine. • Fancy cooking store retails plenty of goods for cheffing, baking and making cocktails as well as host gifts aplenty, but also does classes and serves breakfast and lunch. Charcuterie boards to go, housemade granola, coffee from 1000 Faces, beautiful soups and well-presented, tasty sandwiches.

  • Big City Bread Cafe

    bigcitybreadcafe.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 393 N. Finley Street Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-0029 View Map

    File Under: Bakeries, Something Different, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer and wine, catering, counter service, outside seating, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Breakfast, lunch, Friday dinner • Longtime Athens favorite has a great patio popular with dogs and kids. Biscuits, French toast, continental breakfast, omelets, great sandwiches, quiche, soups, burgers (veggie and non), small but good selection of beer and wine. Baked goods galore, including for special order. Friday night dinners are a chance for the kitchen to play around with more elaborate offerings.

  • Biscuit Basket

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 723 Boulevard Athens, GA 30601. 706-548-3412 View Map

    File Under: Downhome. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. • Southern lunch counter inside a neighborhood convenience store is well known for its fat biscuits with sausage, ham, eggs, tenderloin, cheese, gravy and more. Grits, eggs or hashbrowns on the side. Lunch items rotate and include corn dogs, chicken fingers, pork chops and fish on Fridays.

  • Blenderz

    blenderz.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 245 Oconee St. Athens GA 30601. 706-514-0060

    File Under: Smoothies, Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Hours: Seven days. Features: Take-out, counter service, catering, vegetarian friendly. • Want to spend extra to get your acai bowl in a fresh coconut half at this small chain in the Mark? You can do that here and Instagram it to your heart's content. Also: smoothies, panini, wraps and juices.

  • Bruxie

    bruxie.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 311 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-1358

    File Under: Chicken. Features: Beer, catering, delivery, take-out, wine. Hours: Seven days. • This franchise specializes in waffle sandwiches that enclose big, nicely cooked pieces of fried chicken. Somehow, it doesn't all turn soggy. Lots of other things, too: breakfast sandwiches (half size and full size), big milkshakes, sweet waffles, kids meals.

  • Bulldog Bistro

    hotel.uga.edu/dining-in-athens/bulldog-bistro

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1197 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30602. 706-338-8781 View Map

    File Under: American, Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Take-out, outside seating, full bar. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. • This restaurant inside UGA’s Georgia Center does a wide variety of dishes throughout most of the day, including some grab-and-go stuff and made-to-order breakfast. Bar snacks, Savannah Room favorites like celestial chicken, Thai chicken salad, burgers and more.

  • Buvez

    instagram.com/buvez_athens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 585 Barber St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-0172

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries, Bars, Sandwiches. Features: Full bar, counter service, outside seating, Wi-Fi, comedy, live music. • Boo-vay, not booves, as in the French for "you drink." European-style cafe with a light menu (pre-made sandwiches, pastries, Swedish fish by the scoop, snoballs, including boozy ones) and a lot of different beverages: coffee, tea, cool sodas, craft cocktails, wine, beer and aperitifs. Popular with kids and grown folks alike.

  • C & C Cafe and Produce

    facebook.com/offthevinewinterville

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 302 Athens Road Winterville, GA 30683. 706-899-0400

    File Under: Downhome. Features: Take-out. Hours: Breakfast and Lunch. • New owners and new name at this country store/restaurant in Winterville that was previously Off the Vine (the Facebook address hasn't changed). It does breakfast plates and biscuits, hot lunch (meat-and-three-type stuff, lasagna, burgers), fresh produce, grab-and-go meals, boiled peanuts and more.

  • The Café on Lumpkin

    thecafeonlumpkin.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1700 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-215-9240

    File Under: Something Different. Features: Take-out, outside seating, beer and wine, catering, counter service. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. • Breakfast until late afternoon, with pastries, burritos, sandwiches, good baked things; classic sandwiches, soups and salads at lunch; several different types of proper tea service (by reservation) with scones, clotted cream, tea sandwiches; and then snacks and light drinks in the early evening. Wide selection of teas. Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options.

  • Cafe Racer Coffee + Donuts

    caferacer78.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 3 Arnoldsville Road Crawford, GA 30630. 706-899-0210

    • 2343 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30606. TBA

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries, Burgers. Features: Drive-thru. Hours: Breakfast and occasional dinner. • The original is an itty-bitty drive-up in Arnoldsville that flies a flag when it's open and does intense donuts, real good coffee, biscuits piled with good ingredients and more. A food truck slings smashburgers and 100% perfect fries plus other stuff. The brick-and-mortar Athens location should be open by press-time, combining the other two into something bigger and more expansive. And another Athens shop, on the Greenway on Oconee Street, is in the works. Watch social media for details on specials and changes to hours.

  • Celia's Bakery

    facebook.com/celiasbakeryga

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 9029 Hwy. 29 N. Hull, GA 30646. 706-850-2021

    File Under: Bakeries. Features: Counter service, take-out. Hours: Seven days. • Donuts, tamales and an absolute rainbow of Mexican sweet breads (conchas that resemble jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween and much, much more), all well priced and nicely made.

  • Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

    crackerbarrel.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1913 Epps Bridge Pkwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-208-0304 View Map

    File Under: American. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • Donderos' Kitchen

    donderoskitchen.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 590 N. Milledge Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-354-8688 View Map

    File Under: Something Different, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, counter service, outside seating, delivery. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. • Something for everyone: brunchy-lunchy hot food made to order until 2 p.m., with lots of veggies; stuff in the fridge and freezer any other time, plus delivery meals and lots of weekly specials, ranging all over the world in influences. Holiday special orders. Walkers, bikers and bus riders get a 5% discount. Great with dietary restrictions.

  • Earth Fare Café

    earthfare.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1689 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-353-2170 View Map

    File Under: Something Different, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Buffet, counter service, outside seating, Wi-Fi. • Hot bar inside grocery store includes veggie and vegan stuff, plus chicken, fish, soup and salad.

  • Effin' Egg

    effinegg.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 140 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. TBA

    File Under: American. Features: Breakfast. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. • Fast-casual breakfast sandwich franchise coming to downtown. Burritos, tacos, the requisite bowls, pancakes, waffles, loaded fries and tots, cinnamon rolls and more.

  • Ellianos Coffee

    ellianos.com/locations/athens-ga

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 925 N. US Hwy. 29 Athens, GA 30601. 706-770-1195

    File Under: Coffee Houses. Features: Drive-thru, catering. Hours: Seven days. • Brand-new franchise coffee shop does a wide variety of hot and cold coffees, fruity iced drinks that incorporate Red Bull and ice cream-based smoothies. Also quick breakfast and lunch sandwiches, bagels, sweets.

  • Em's Kitchen

    emskitchenathawthorne.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 975 Hawthorne Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-206-9322 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Catering, counter service, curbside pick-up, delivery, outside seating. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. • Family-run eatery inside Hawthorne Drugs does a surprisingly good Cuban sandwich as well as southern lunch standards (pimento cheese and the like), plus breakfast plates, milkshakes, hot dogs and more. Kids menu and a super family-friendly atmosphere.

  • The Farm Cart

    thefarmcart.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1074 Baxter St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-8150

    File Under: Something Different. Features: Delivery, vegetarian friendly, outside seating, take-out, counter service, beer and wine. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. • Primarily biscuits, served all day, but not just traditional egg and cheese varieties. Nice ingredients like housemade pickles and jam. Lunch adds non-biscuit sandwiches and burgers plus specials. Baked goods in a case at the counter, good coffee.

  • The Flying Biscuit Café

    flyingbiscuit.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1180 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-5656

    • 1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy, Ste. 117 Athens, GA 30606. TBA

    File Under: American. Features: Beer and wine, catering, outside seating, take-out, vegetarian friendly. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and weekend dinner. 

  • The Garden Grille

    hilton.com/en/hotels/ahndtgi-hilton-garden-inn-athens-downtown

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 390 E. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-6800 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Catering, Wi-Fi. Hours: Breakfast. • Inside the Hilton Garden Inn.

  • Hendershot's Coffee Bar

    hendershotscoffee.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 237 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-3050 View Map

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries, Bars. Features: Breakfast, full bar, catering, counter service, live music, art, Wi-Fi, outside seating. Hours: Open Mon–Sat. • Coffee drinks, nitro coffee, teas and juices all day, plus baked goods from Independent. Lots of draft and bottled/canned craft beers, plus wine, craft cocktails and mocktails (some made with coffee). Breakfast includes beignets, egg plates, a spam-based brekkie and more. Grab-and-go sandwiches and cheese plates. Loads of events.

  • Ideal Bagel

    facebook.com/idealbagel

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 815 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-0005 View Map

    File Under: Bakeries, Sandwiches, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Counter service, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Breakfast and lunch, seven days. • Nice bagels, excellent house-smoked fish and sandwiches (either on bagels or on Luna bread) and made with meats sliced in front of you (capicola, roast beef, etc.) but also hummus, roasted veggies, sauerkraut and scrambled eggs. Kids meals.

  • J&J Flea Market

    jandjfleamarket.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 11661 Commerce Road Athens, GA 30607. 706-613-2410 View Map

    File Under: American, Mexican. Features: Outside seating, counter service. • Wander around the flea market inside and outside and find some eats while you’re there. La Michoacana…es Natural has its ice cream/paleta truck there most weekends. Options inside include Taqueria Mi Tierra and a place that offers pizza and other crowd-pleasing foods.

  • J. Christopher's

    jchristophers.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1650 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-3520

    File Under: American. Features: Outside seating, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. • Breakfast favorites are served all day, as well as salads, sandwiches and burgers.

  • Java Joy

    javajoy.org

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1305 Jennings Mill Road Watkinsville, GA 30677. 678-324-9706

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Catering. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. • This brick-and-mortar location of the mobile coffee cart run by Watkinsville's Extra Special People has coffee, tea and biscuits and snacks from Golden Pantry.

  • Jennings Mill Drug Company

    jenningsmilldrugcompany.com

    Price: $☆ Expanded Listing!

     

    Locations

    • 1360 Caduceus Way Bldg. 400, Suite 105 Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-621-5996

    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.

  • Joe and Sam's Café

    joeandsams.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1021 Jamestown Blvd. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-1400

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries, Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Curbside pick-up, drive-thru, catering, counter service. Hours: Breakfast and lunch• Jittery Joe’s coffee drinks, biscuits and breakfast plates in the a.m. in an airy, open space. Lunch features classic sandwiches, soups, salads and kids menu. Baked goods, too.

  • Little City Diner

    littlecitydiner.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 135 Cherokee Road Winterville, GA 30683. 706-742-7590 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Counter service, curbside pick-up, delivery, take-out, outside seating, vegetarian friendly, catering. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch. • The Little City in question is Winterville, just outside Athens. Southern breakfast and brunch include biscuits, eggs, quiche and Red Mule grits. Lunch means sandwiches on housemade breads, burgers and salads. Good desserts, coffee and veggie options. Occasional dinners.

  • Madison Bar & Bistro

    indigoathens.com/dining

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 500 College Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-546-0430 View Map

    File Under: American, Bars. Features: Reservations, outside seating, live music, room service, take-out, Wi-Fi. Hours: Breakfast and dinner, seven days. • Hotel Indigo’s restaurant serves croissant sandwiches and omelets for breakfast, plus a full dinner, with steak, salmon, sandwiches, salads and even a kids menu. Nice cocktails.

  • Mama's Boy

    mamasboyathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 197 Oak St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-548-6249 View Map

    • 8851 Macon Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-8550

    • 1725 Electric Ave. Watkinsville, GA 30677. No # specified.

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Downhome, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, curbside pick-up, counter service, outside seating, art, Wi-Fi. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. Southern breakfast and lunch all day: biscuits with lots of toppings, hash, egg plates, tacos, pimento cheese burger, chicken salad, strawberry lemonade. Lots of great sides. Very accommodating to those with special dietary needs. Third, smaller location to open in Watkinsville's Wire Park food hall.

  • Panera Bread

    panerabread.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 3151 Atlanta Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-546-6812 View Map

    File Under: Sandwiches, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, Wi-Fi. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • Pita Pit

    pitapit.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 123 N. Jackson St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-552-0051 View Map

    File Under: Sandwiches, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, counter service, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner.

  • Strickland's Restaurant

    stricklandsrestaurant.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 4723 Atlanta Hwy. Athens, GA 30622. 706-548-7003 View Map

    File Under: Downhome. Features: Catering, checks. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. • Open since 1960, this unassuming place out on Atlanta Highway serves some of the best southern food in town. Menu changes daily but always includes fantastic biscuits. You might also get fried chicken, ribs, catfish, pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed corn and greens. Good desserts.

  • Stripling's General Store

    striplings.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 4501 Monroe Hwy. Bogart, GA 30622. 770-725-7772

    File Under: Downhome. Features: Catering, take-out. Hours: Breakfast and lunch. • The grocery out of Cordele well-known for housemade sausage also does a hot bar for southern breakfast and a meat-and-three-type lunch, priced by the pound. Pick up some snacks and drinks to round out your options.

  • Suncatcher Café

    facebook.com/suncatchercafe

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 42 Greensboro Hwy. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-424-8281

    File Under: Downhome. Features: Take-out, counter service. Hours: Breakfast and lunch, Tue–Sat. Sunday lunch. • As you'd expect from a breakfast place connected to a gas station, speedy service and big biscuits are characteristic, but there are bigger breakfast plates, too, plus meat-and-three Sunday lunch. Kids meals.

  • Sweetie Pie by Savie

    sweetiepiebysavie.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 150 E. Whitehall Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-850-9255 View Map

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Catering, take-out. Hours: Tue–Sat. • Asian-inflected bakery in a historic grocery does Eastern and Western baked goods, either custom order or from a selection each day. Impressive and elaborate cakes, croissants, cupcakes, mini pies, bar cookies, scones, mini quiches and more. Espresso and drip coffee. Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options available.

  • Tamez Barbecue

    instagram.com/tamezbarbecue

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1660 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-3939

    File Under: Downhome and BBQ. Features: Drive-thru, take-out, catering, delivery, outside seating. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and early dinner. • Texas-style barbecue with a chef pedigree. Breakfast burritos in the a.m. on unbelievable housemade tortillas, pork and other meats in the p.m. (brisket if you're lucky), plus cornbread, beans, collards. Meats smoked daily.

  • Team Biscuits and Burgers

    teambandb.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 745 Danielsville Road Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-8326 View Map

    File Under: 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.

  • Tlaloc El Mexicano Restaurant

    facebook.com/tlalocmexicano

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1225 N. Chase St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-613-9301 View Map

    File Under: Mexican and Latin American. Features: Full bar, outside seating, drive-thru. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days. • Central American and Mexican food at this cult favorite. Pupusas, massive tortas, regular specials and fantastic mole; lots of seafood options. Breakfast, which includes chilaquiles, starts at 10 a.m. and is served all day. Margaritas, beer and aguas frescas.

  • Walker's Coffee & Pub

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 128 College Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-1433 View Map

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries, Bars, Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Full bar, outside seating, counter service, art, Wi-Fi. Hours: Open seven days. • Local coffee and light food until the early afternoon, bar by night. Six beers on draft and over 70 in bottles, including many microbrews.