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The 2023-2024 Flagpole Guide To Athens, GA

Restaurants Coffee/Tea Houses and Bakeries

  • 1000 Faces Coffee

    1000facescoffee.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 510 N. Thomas St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-534-8860 View Map

    File Under: Coffee Houses. Features: Counter service, Wi-Fi. Hours: Seven days. • Fancy but simple coffee roasted in the same building for maximum freshness and ideally prepared as pour-over. Also: tea, other drinks, bags of coffee, coffee accessories and light snacks. Coffees on offer change out frequently.

  • @local. Coffeehouse & Lounge

    localonchurch.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 198 College Ave. Athens, GA 30601. TBA

    File Under: Coffee Houses. Features: Counter service, live music, Wi-Fi. Hours: Seven days. • Looking for that '90s vibe of a coffeehouse that also serves as a hangout and a music venue? This new place with an original location in Covington has you covered. Elaborate drinks with fruit and glitter, mocktails, cereal bar, a few snacks and lots of local music.

  • Apotheos Roastery

    apotheosroastery.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1725 Electric Ave. Watkinsville, GA 30677. TBA

    File Under: Coffee Houses. • This coffee roaster out of Kennesaw is expanding into the cafe business, with a location to come in Watkinsville's Wire Park development. Baked goods from Gabriel's Bakery in Marietta, owned by the same folks. 

  • 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.

  • Barnes and Noble Café

    barnesandnoble.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Wi-Fi.

  • Baskin-Robbins/Dunkin' Donuts

    dunkindonuts.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 771 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-548-3444 View Map

    • 2081 Hog Mountain Road Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-769-8363 View Map

    • 1045 Gaines School Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-353-7166 View Map

    • 1880 Epps Bridge Pkwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-546-1635

    • 935 Highway 29 N. Athens, GA 30601. 706-548-6338

    File Under: Ice Cream and Smoothies, Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Drive-thru, Wi-Fi, counter service. • Prince Avenue, Epps Bridge Parkway and Highway 29 locations are Dunkin' Donuts only.

  • Bee's Knees Bakery & Gifts

    beeskneesbakeryandgifts.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-353-3633 View Map

    File Under: Bakeries, Sandwiches, Delivery. Features: Catering, counter service. • Cute independent bakery does cupcakes, custom cakes, cookies, cake pops, gooey bars and box lunches with a sandwich, cheese straws and a cupcake.

  • 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.

  • Birdies

    instagram.com/birdiesathens

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 497 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30601. TBA

    File Under: American, Coffee Houses. Features: Counter service. Hours: Lunch. • A specialty market with some table and bar seating serving coffee, sandwiches and soups. Coming this fall.

  • Bitty and Beau's Coffee

    bittyandbeauscoffee.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1540 Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30605. 678-361-8184

    File Under: Coffee Houses. Hours: Seven days. Features: Wi-Fi. • This coffee shop out of Wilmington, NC, employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and serves a range of coffee and espresso drinks, plus snacks like cinnamon rolls. Lots of charging stations.

  • Bon de Paris Bánh Mì

    bondeparis.us

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1860 Barnett Shoals Rd. Athens, GA 30605. 706-850-8289

    File Under: Asian. Features: Take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Vietnamese sandwiches and various fancy beverages in this Eastside space. You can get your banh mi with the classic fillings (grilled pork, ham) or vegan on fresh baked bread. Picking a drink might be harder, with a lot of bubble teas, coffees, smoothies and slushies to select from. Also: pho and snacks.

  • Bubble Café

    bubblecafeathens.com

    Price: $☆ Expanded Listing!

     

    Locations

    • 247 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-355-3002 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Asian, Tea House, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, counter service, take-out, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Bubble tea, of course, in a wide variety of flavors (almond milk for the lactose intolerant; milk teas, fruit teas, smoothies, cloud cream, matcha), but also snacks, dumplings, good soups, rice and poke bowls and more, all in an Instagrammable interior. Good vegetarian options.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Cecilia's Cake Shop

    ceciliascakeshop.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 610 N. Milledge Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-3308 View Map

    File Under: Bakeries. Features: Catering. • Longtime Athens bakery offers cupcakes, cookies and cakes made to order, including for special occasions like weddings and birthdays. Popular flavors include lemon, tres leches, hummingbird, mocha, caramel, coconut and red velvet. Purchase only. No seating.

  • 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.

  • Choco Pronto

    choco-pronto.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 700 Baxter St. Athens, GA 30605. 706-850-0622

    File UnderCoffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Counter service, take-out. Hours: Seven days. • The Dale brothers' coffee shop is neat as a pin, with a simple menu (coffee, tea, Montane seltzer, Figment kombucha, chocolate milk) and a focus on sustainability. A few snacks include pastries from Independent and Condor Chocolate brownies. Pop-ups from time to time.

  • Condor Chocolates

    condorchocolates.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1658 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-4803

    • 160 E. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-521-8966

    File Under: Coffee Houses, Something Different. Hours: Seven days. Features: Outside seating, Wi-Fi. • Locally-based small-batch chocolate shop offers truffles, chocolate bars, coffee bars and more, plus drinking chocolate, coffee, gelato, ice cream sandwiches, toffee, etc. Vegan options. Downtown location has big windows to watch the chocolate elves at work, or you can book a tour.

  • Cravings

    facebook.com/cravingsofathens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 480 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-0049

    File Under: Coffee Houses, Sandwiches. Features: Take-out, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch• Low-key downtown restaurant does deli sandwiches (build-your-own or pick a combo), salads, soups and, surprisingly, bubble tea, plus sides like potato salad or chips and a range of coffee drinks.

  • Crumbl Cookies

    crumblcookies.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 196 Alps Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-389-5894

    File Under: Bakeries. Features: Catering, delivery. Hours: Mon-Sat., opening early and closing late.

  • Ding Tea

    facebook.com/dingteaathens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 125 W. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-3737

    File Under: Tea House. Features: Counter service, take-out. Hours: Seven days. • Bubble tea: milk, fruit or classic tea-based drinks.

  • 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.

  • Entangled Cat Cafe & Market

    entangledcatcafe.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 6 Court St. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-225-9085

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. • Not a place for Alf, but a place where you can go love on cats while enjoying some snacks and beverages. This partnership with the Georgia-based animal rescue organization Circle of Friends Animal Society aims to open this fall in downtown Watkinsville.

  • Foxglove Plantbar

    foxgloveplantbar.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1063 Baxter St. Suite 600 Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-8930

    File Under: Coffee Houses, Bars. Features: Beer and wine. Hours: Wed–Sun. • This cozy hangout for plant lovers offers a space to learn about and purchase plants. The bar serves beer, wine, coffee, soft drinks and things like canned oatmilk lattes.

  • 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.

  • Independent Baking Co.

    independentbaking.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1625 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-3550 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Bakeries. Features: Outside seating, Wi-Fi. • Consistently delicious baked goods made by bread nerds with house-milled wheat. Also: delightful viennoiserie, a few beautiful cookies. No buttercream to be found, just good ingredients and an emphasis on proper technique. Choco Coffee and hot chocolate, plus house-milled flour and grits. Products available at a few other places around town.

  • Insomnia Cookies

    insomniacookies.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 228 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-623-6277 View Map

    File Under: Bakeries. Features: Catering, delivery. Hours: Seven days.

  • 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.

  • Jittery Joe's Coffee

    jitteryjoes.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 27 Greensboro Hwy. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-769-4280 View Map

    • 1860 Barnett Shoals Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-354-8000 View Map

    • 1480 Baxter St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-548-1099 View Map

    • 1230 S. Milledge Ave. Athens, GA 30605. 706-208-1979 View Map

    • 297 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-613-7449 View Map

    • 1880 Epps Bridge Pkwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-354-8900 View Map

    • 150 Fritz Mar Ln. Athens, GA 30607. 706-227-2161

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Coffee/Tea 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 quite a bit beyond Athens, but the beans are still roasted in town. Lots of specialty roasts benefit different causes. Hot and cold drinks, premium teas and locally baked goodies. Stop by the Tasting Room on Fritz Mar Lane for fresh-roasted beans by the pound—whole or ground; cups of coffee, teas and shots of espresso.

  • 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.

  • Kiki's Bakeshop

    kikisbakeshop.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 20 Greensboro Hwy. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-769-6766

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Catering, counter service, take-out. Hours: Mon–Sat. • Watkinsville bakery does a wide variety of cakes and pies (order whole ones in advance), plus cookies, scones, cheese straws, cupcakes, quiches, pimento cheese, bread, muffins and more. Holiday menus. Will accommodate dietary needs. Always trying something new.

  • Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

    krispykreme.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 3703 Atlanta Hwy. Athens, GA 30622. 706-208-0628 View Map

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

  • Mochinut

    mochinut.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1860 Barnett Shoals Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-850-6554

    File Under: Asian, Tea Houses and Bakeries. Features: Counter service, take-out. • Donuts made with rice flour (gluten-free) in a wide variety of flavors at this franchise that also serves bubble tea and Korean corndogs coated in things like Hot Cheetos.

  • Molly's Coffee Company

    instagram.com/mollyscoffeeco

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 8830 Macon Hwy., Bldg. 100 Athens, GA 30606. 762-499-2002

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Drive-thru, outside seating. Hours: Seven days. • Darling independently owned coffee place does drip coffee, cold brew, lattes, tea, kombucha, mochas, bagels, pastries from Kiki’s Bakeshop, all with an emphasis on sustainability. Latte art and pop-ups.

  • Nothing Bundt Cakes

    nothingbundtcakes.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1021 Dowdy Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-400-6950

    File Under: Bakeries. Features: Catering, counter service, curbside pick-up, delivery. Hours: Mon–Sat.

  • Ok Coffee

    instagram.com/ok_coffee_athens

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 225 1/2 College Ave. Athens, GA 30601 . No # specified.

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Counter service. Hours: Open mornings and early afternoons. • Sister shop for Comer Coffee Co., sometimes has regular hours and sometimes is more of a pop-up in the itty-bitty space at the foot of Bizarro-Wuxtry. Hot and cold coffee drinks, lemonade, horchata, baked goods, coffee beans by the bag.

  • Poindexter Coffee

    graduatehotels.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 295 E. Dougherty St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-549-7020

    File Under: Coffee Houses. • Coffee shop inside Graduate Athens hotel does grab-and-go snacks all day and coffee by La Colombe.

  • Sabor Latino

    facebook.com/saborlatinogrill.oficial

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 2131 Hog Mountain Road Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-6333

    • 1550 Oglethorpe Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-8299

    File Under: Mexican and South American, Bakeries. Features: Delivery, full bar, take-out, outside seating (Oglethorpe). Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Looks like your standard Americanized Mexican from afar but is actually Uruguyan, with choripan, chivito, churrosco del sur and more hiding on the menu at both locations. Great baked goods, especially Latin American sweet breads (Watkinsville location), and tasty empanadas, both sweet and savory. Kids menu.

  • Sips Espresso Café

    instagram.com/sipsespresso

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1390 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-363-7211 View Map

    File Under: Coffee/Tea Houses and Bakeries. Features: Outside seating, art, Wi-Fi. Hours: Seven days. • Small, independent coffee shop makes caffeinated beverages (including trendy stuff) with local coffees, plus has a variety of treats and other snacks like scones (sweet and savory). Good smoothies and plenty of loose tea options.

  • Sunroof Coffee Company

    instagram.com/sunroofcoffeeath

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 175 Tracy St. K5 Athens 30601. 706-512-1345

    File Under: Coffee Houses. • Kiosk-based coffee company in the Southern Mill development on Oneta Street opening late summer 2023. Cold brew, hot brew and other stuff. 

  • Sweet Spot Coffee

    sweetspotathens.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 149 Oneta St. Athens, GA 30601. No # specified.

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Outside seating. • Darling space in the Chase Park warehouses packed with art, books and more. In-house-roasted small-batch coffee (available brewed or by bag of beans), tea, baked goods and other surprises.

  • 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.

  • Tai Chi Bubble Tea

    taichibubbletea.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 151 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-395-6483

    File Under: Asian, Tea Houses. Features: Take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Bubble tea, ramen, poke bowls, sushi burritos and salad bowls. Order online and pick up.

  • 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.