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.

File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Beer and wine, catering, counter service, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Standard bowling alley food inside Showtime Bowl (chicken fingers, fries, pretzels, wings, pizza) but slightly nicer than average. Beers by the bucket include local and craft brews, or you can do hard seltzers in bulk.

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.

File Under: Asian, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Counter service, take-out, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Pay attention to the second half of the name and get the poke, available at a reasonable price with loads of topping choices (raw and cooked). Vegetarian options, hibachi, fried rice, noodles and basic soups and salads.

File Under: Ice Cream, Something Different. • Cookie dough specially formulated to be safe to eat raw, available in many flavors. Jittery Joe’s coffee, milkshakes (with cookie dough), ice cream sundaes and toppings. Some vegan, gluten-free and keto choices. You can also take its product home and bake it if you want some crunch.

File Under: Frozen Treats. Features: Take-out, drive-thru, counter service. Hours: Seven days.

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.

File Under: Something 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.

File Under: Italian and Pizza, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer and wine, counter service, delivery, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Big slices of New York-style pizza made in pans brushed with garlic oil, plus delish but not giant subs, salads and cannoli all with quality ingredients. Vegan-friendly + gluten-free options.

File Under: Burgers. Features: Beer, take-out, catering, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Tiny menu means focus on executing perfect smashburgers, flattened and crisped around the edges just right, then topped with caramelized onions, cheese, housemade pickles and zippy house sauce. There are also fries and banana pudding, but the burger is the main attraction.

File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer (Clayton St.), catering, outside seating, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Locally owned burrito chain has expanded throughout the Southeast but remains Athens-y. Serves health-oriented Mexican-ish fare, highlighting low-fat options. Everything is customizable to your taste/dietary needs: burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, tacos, nachos and salads, lots of veggies; vegetarian and vegan options.

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.

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.

File Under: Ice Cream and Smoothies. Features: Outside seating, counter service. Hours: Seven days.

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.

File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Take-out, counter service, cash only (ATM available). • Old-school hot doggery in the country makes a steamed dog with coleslaw on a toasted bun like no other. Also grilled cheese, corned beef and chicken salad.

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.

File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Counter service, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Tacos, grilled meats and Mexican standards, but the real attraction is the birria, a meaty stew highlighting goat or lamb, darkly spicy with ancho chiles. Pendergrass location, too.

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.

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.

File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Take-out, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Wings and chicken fingers to go, with 17(!) different sauces. Also: burgers, corn dogs, meaty salads, onion rings, fries and fried apple pies on the side. Other locations are in Statham, Lexington, Commerce, Elberton, Hartwell and Royston. Online ordering.

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.

File Under: Ice Cream and Smoothies. Features: Catering, drive-thru. 

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.

File Under: Italian and Pizza, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Counter service, delivery, take-out. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night. • Some of the biggest pizzas in town, plus wings, hot and cold subs, calzones, fried apps, pasta, salads, breadsticks and dessert. Open as late as 3 a.m.

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.

File Under: BBQ. Features: Full bar, live music, catering, outside seating, delivery, trivia, karaoke. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • The rare barbecue place that has both good smoked meats (especially pork and ribs) and a full bar. Sides like chicken mull, corn nuggets, fried okra, meat skins and a meaty potato salad are legit. Desserts are well thought of. Kids menu.

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.

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.

File Under: Mexican and Latin American. Features: Outside seating, beer, wine and margaritas (Eastside), delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Both locations of this Athens original do Latin American food with a Peruvian influence: lomo saltado, big sandwiches, plantains (sweet and savory), yuca, tacu tacu (rice and beans topped with eggs) and much more. Lots of veggie choices. Eastside location is bigger and full of quarter-operated kiddie rides. Lumpkin has a small fee to BYOB. 

File Under: Sandwiches, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Take-out, curbside pick-up, vegetarian friendly, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

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.

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.

File Under: American. Features: Counter service, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Hot dogs, brisket and barbecue.

File Under: Asian. Features: Counter service, catering, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Mostly to-go food, available fast, but a better selection than your standard stir-fry eatery: lo mein, pancit, teriyaki, sweet and sour, moo shu and meat entrees, plus chef’s special Cantonese dishes.

File Under: Asian, Vegetarian Friendly. Hours: Lunch and dinner. Features: Counter service, take-out. • Americanized quick-service Chinese dishes, including chop suey, lo mein, mai fun, moo shu, et al., make up the primary order of business in this small restaurant that mostly does to-go.

File Under: Mexican. Features: Counter service, take-out, catering, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

File Under: Coffee 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.

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 hibachi basics and lots of fried stuff, but also bibimbap and bulgogi.

File Under: Italian and Pizza. Features: Beer and wine. Hours: Seven days.

File Under: Italian and Pizza. Features: Buffet, catering, counter service, curbside pick-up, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

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.

File Under: Italian and Pizza. Features: Delivery, take-out, catering, counter service, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night.

File Under: BBQ. Features: Catering, counter service, delivery, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Cheerful, Black-owned barbecue joint that does ribs, chicken, pork and sausage, plus southern-style veggies (available in small, medium and large) and fruit cobblers. Picnic tables out front plus seating inside.

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

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.

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.

File Under: Italian and Pizza. Features: Counter service, delivery, take-out, beer. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night, seven days.

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.

File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Delivery, outside seating, take-out, counter service, catering, beer and wine, vegetarian friendly. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Locally originating burger chain does patties with 100% grass-fed, no-antibiotics, locally raised beef, pasture-raised pork, ground chicken or vegan ingredients. Lots of toppings, sides, kids menu, shakes and floats, burger + beer combos. 

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.

File Under: Something Different. Features: Curbside pick-up, delivery, take-out. • The tasting room for Figment Kombucha features its small-batch drinks made with high-quality local ingredients, available on tap, canned or by the growler (half or full), plus a rotating selection of fermented goods, like ketchup, giardiniera and various krauts. Specific flavors change regularly. Get a kombucha float with housemade sorbet for a grown-up treat.

File Under: Downhome, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, take-out. Hours: Lunch. • Real-deal southern food, available in meat-and-sides combos or as all-you-can-eat. Menu changes daily but could include pork chops, fried chicken livers, catfish, greens, yams, black-eyed peas, mac and cheese and more.

File Under: BBQ. Features: Catering, counter service, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Both locations have classics like chopped pork, Brunswick stew, baked beans and coleslaw. Bogart is take-out only. Hull Road has a bigger menu, including chicken tenders and banana pudding, kids menu, tailgating specials, meats and sides in bulk. 

File Under: Burgers, Vegetarian Friendly, Bars. Features: Full bar, counter service, outside seating, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Small chain out of Atlanta does smashburgers with one patty or two (beef, turkey, beans and quinoa, or Impossible Burger), plus bar snacks, fried sides and boozy or virgin milkshakes. Nice upstairs outside seating.

File Under: Burgers, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer and wine, take-out, outside seating, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Clever burgers (both meat and veggie), plus salads and hot sandwiches (pimento chicken, Italian beef), good sides (“street corn,” Brussels sprouts, fabulous onion rings) and milkshakes.

File Under: Something Different. Features: Outside seating, drive-thru, take-out, counter service. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Small Atlanta chain does build-your-own bowls, salads and wraps with a protein (chicken, shrimp, tofu, avocado), veggies and sauce, ready fast. Kids menu.

File Under: Sandwiches, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Take-out, counter service, beer. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Longtime Athens franchise, with its own identity and a cult following, moved around the corner from its original location under new ownership. Curly fries, gyros, salads, etc., plus a new bar upstairs with a view of campus and wallpaper based on old Athens band posters. 

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.

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.

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.

File Under: Asian. Features: Counter service, delivery, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Quick-service hibachi includes steak, chicken, shrimp, salmon, tofu and “Ultimate Vegetarian” with fried rice, vegetables and two sauces. 

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.

File Under: Sandwiches, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Delivery, catering, counter service, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

File Under: Ice Cream. Features: Take-out, counter service. Hours: Likely noon to 11 p.m. • Certified B-corp with locations all over the US is opening one in Athens this year, in a cute lil' house in Five Points that used to be a bank. Innovative flavors like everything bagel, frosé sorbet and wildberry lavender. 

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

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.

File Under: Something Different, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer, catering, counter service, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Hefty portions of jerk chicken, oxtail, curry goat, barbecue ribs, salmon, spicy cabbage, spicy squash, rice and peas, fried plantains, mac and cheese, patties, super-sweet tea and cornbread, served with good cheer.

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.

File Under: Mexican and South American Features: Catering, outside seating, take-out, counter service. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Birria-focused, adorable, family-run restaurant in a new location with some seating inside and out. Quesatacos, ramen, burgers, ceviche, plus the hearty meat stew that forms the basis of most of its menu. Kids menu. Aguas frescas made in house.

File Under: Sandwiches, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, counter service, outside seating, art, take-out. Hours: Lunch, Mon–Thur. • Sweet little cafe in Watkinsville does deli sandwiches (including pimento cheese, egg salad and hummus) and salads, both lettuce-based and mayo-based. Order ahead online if you like.

File Under: Frozen Treats, Mexican. Features: Counter service, take-out, outside seating. Hours: Seven days. • Hundreds of flavors of popsicles and ice cream in this shop attached to La Jalisco grocery store and taqueria. Also: street-food snacks like a grilled ear of corn encrusted with Hot Cheetos, agua fresca with ice cream, sliced mango with chile powder and a fruit cup topped with spicy gummy worms.

File Under: Ice Cream and Smoothies, Mexican. Features: Outside seating. Hours: Seven days. • Astonishingly good Mexican ice cream shop that makes flavors fresh in-store daily (including queso, tequila, eggnog and more), as well as gorgeous paletas full of fruit, smoothies, aguas frescas and street-food snacks like Dorilocos and loaded potato chips. Its food truck shows up at the J&J on weekends with ice cream and savory stuff.

File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Counter service, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Walk inside the grocery store to find this taco counter next to the butcher counter. Weekends usually find the tortilla press working hard. Tacos (including "American" style with lettuce, tomato and cheese), tortas, burritos and specials like shrimp cocktail and chiles rellenos. Horchata and aguas frescas to drink, or snag a Jarritos from the store.

File Under: Sandwiches, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, counter service, delivery, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

File Under: Sandwiches. Features: Take-out, counter service. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night, seven days. • Yes, it's a convenience store with a variety of vapes, but it also has a good sandwich counter that slices Boar's Head meats and cheeses to order. Good both after the bars close and in the middle of the day.

File Under: Ice Cream and Smoothies. Features: Delivery, take-out, catering. Hours: Seasonal. • The lil' dude in question, Beau Shell, is now a college student, but he and his family still own and run this super-fun ice cream shop, which has a wide variety of flavors, milkshakes, fat ice cream sandwiches (made in house), Italian ices and pints. You can hire the truck for parties or pick up a tailgate box of ice cream or popsicles. Dairy-free options.

File Under: American, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, take-out, counter service. Hours: Lunch and early dinner (open until 6 p.m.). • Salads (chicken salad, pimento-less cheese and the like, plus bowls of greens and vegetables), soups, lots of veggies that change daily. Cookies, brownies, fancy chocolates, candy and gift items available, too. Holiday menus. 

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.

File Under: Italian and Pizza, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer, counter service, delivery, take-out. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night. • Classic New York-style pizzeria is fast and busy. Slices are big and floppy, subs are ginormous (one of the best deals in town), salads available, too. 

File Under: American, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Virtuous and tasty quick service, now franchised and expanding elsewhere. Start with brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes or salad greens. Add a protein, two veggie-forward sides and a housemade sauce. Menu changes seasonally. Condor Chocolates and cookies for dessert. Kids meals. Gluten-free choices. Everything is recyclable or compostable. Epps Bridge/Oconee location opening later this year.

File Under: Asian. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Basic Chinese restaurant with pictures of the food you can order: chow mein, stir fry, fried rice, lo mein, egg foo yung, Mongolian chicken, Szechuan beef, Hunan shrimp and the like, all ready fast. Menu has a Weight Watchers section.

File Under: Something Different, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Take-out, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Athens' only Ethiopian restaurant feels like you're being hosted in someone's home. Beef, for sure, but also loads of vegan choices, all served with chewy, pancake-like injera bread. Ethiopian tea and coffee, plus cookies.

File Under: Something Different, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Counter service, catering, delivery, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Grilled meats and veggies (lamb, chicken, kufta, gyros) and tons of vegetarian choices, like falafel, salads, dolmas, hummus and tabbouleh, all of which can be mixed and matched into good combos. Kids meals and business lunch specials. Baklava and other desserts.

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.

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.

File Under: Asian, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Delivery, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Sweet covered patio is a great place to sit at this Vietnamese restaurant. It has its titular beef broth-based noodle soup, of course, but also banh mi, crepes, summer rolls, claypots and rice dishes, with a good veggie-friendly selection. Vietnamese coffee, fruit slushies, bubble tea and coconut juice to drink.

File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Catering, late night, take-out, delivery. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night (closed Sundays). • Snacks, drinks, smokes and food. This convenience store/restaurant does gyros (including one that incorporates mozzarella sticks), plus hot subs, chicken fingers, rice bowls, salads, fries and sodas. Open after the bars close.

File Under: American Features: Catering, delivery, dinner, lunch, take-out. Hours: Seven days.

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

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.

File Under: Frozen Treats. Features: Outside seating. Hours: Seven days (closes in cold weather).

File Under: Italian and Pizza, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer and wine, counter service, take-out, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Owned by the same folks as Little Italy, so the food is similar (New York-style pizza, enormous subs), but the vibe is different and more family-oriented. Italian salads, pasta of the day, stromboli, tiramisu and cheesecake.

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

File Under: Chicken. Features: Catering, take-out, outside seating, vegetarian friendly, delivery, counter service. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Tenders fried in rice bran oil, tofu options, vegan patties, hot dogs fried and served with slaw and sides that include white or brown rice and Japanese pickles.

File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Beer, counter service, outside seating, wine, take-out, vegetarian friendly. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Get an elaborate michelada preparada, a pambazo (a torta soaked in red sauce) and some wet wipes, and you'll be thrilled. Lots of taco fillings, including an array of vegetarian choices that go beyond beans. Good, cold tres leches cake. Beer buckets.

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

File Under: American, Vegetarian Friendly, Bars. Features: Counter service, outside seating, live music, catering. Hours: Dinner. • Bar/restaurant on top of the historic Georgia Theatre is open during and just before shows, with food from pop-up restaurants.

File Under: Bars and Clubs, Something Different. Features: Full bar, counter service, outside seating, take-out, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Board-game café with plenty of food: hot and cold sandwiches, pizza made with pita, salads, cheese plates, bowls of salty and sweet snacks, kids menu, coffees. Games for rent or purchase, and drinks soft and hard.

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

File Under: Ice Cream. • Small Georgia ice cream chain with other locations in Madison and Monroe is about to be open in Watkinsville's Wire Park development (and has been popping up in a truck before the space is complete). Lots of kid-friendly ice cream flavors, plus an excellent selection of candy, including vintage and obscure items.

File Under: Something Different, Bars. Features: Full bar, catering, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Dinner. • Longtime hip oyster bar, with a great selection that changes frequently. Also fun takes on seafood and more: scallop fried rice, scallion pancake, lobster roll, grilled cheese. Beer, wine, absinthe, sake, serious cocktails and frozen Negronis. Hire its mobile unit to shuck at your party.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

File Under: Something Different, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Counter service, outside seating, take-out, catering. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Fresh flavors, low salt cooking and lots of vegetables in dishes like pasta with creamy basil arugula pesto or coconut macademia crusted fish at this restaurant tucked away on Baxter. Gluten-free and dairy-free options.

File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer, outside seating (Milledge), take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Not a Mexican restaurant, but an Athens restaurant. Milledge location has been open since the 1970s, with very little in the way of change, as it should be. Burritos, veggie chili, quesadillas (nuked or grilled), gigantic nachos. Eastside has some different options and a much more squeaky clean vibe.

File Under: Mexican. Features: Counter service, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Excellent traditional Mexican inside a former Huddle House: pollo, lengua, cabeza, al pastor, chorizo, carnitas, barbacoa, asada and tripa. Menudo on weekends, horchata and great sopes.

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.

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.

File Under: Mexican. Features: Full bar, catering, counter service, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Chef-crafted taqueria with a focused menu. Pork, brisket, fried chicken, carnitas, fish and veggie tacos, plus weekly specials and a blue-plate special. Great selection of premium tequilas, build-your-own margaritas and bottled beers.

File Under: Mexican. Features: Counter service, catering. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Great taqueria inside the Petro Express does tacos, sopes, gorditas and burritos with fillings including asada, chicken, al pastor, barbacoa, carnitas, desebrada (shredded beef), tongue, tripe, chorizo and buche (stomach), plus hot wings and really good soups. Excellent condiment bar.

File Under: Mexican. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Taqueria inside a full-service grocery store with a butcher counter. Menudo, carnitas, chorizo, tortas, al pastor and a few freshly made salsas. Great baked goods in the grocery section and paletas/helados next door.

File Under: Something Different, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer and wine, catering, counter service, delivery, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Mediterranean quick-service franchise does gyros, entree-size salads and "feasts" (grilled veggies or protein, salad, side). Soups, baklava, daily specials, family take-home meals, hummus and spicy pimento cheese, too.

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.

File Under: Italian and Pizza, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer and wine, outside seating, take-out, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Beauteous personally sized pizzas are as far from chain pizza as you get, carefully prepared with thinly sliced fancy toppings. Also other Italian-ish items and great salads. Gluten-free options. Desserts in the refrigerated case. Good beer in cans, on draft and bottles, a few wines by the glass. Large patio with a sandbox for kids.

File Under: Asian. Hours: Lunch and dinner. Features: Counter service, take-out. • Quick-service hibachi and sushi, plus wings, bento box specials at lunch and dinner, hibachi, soup, edamame and some fried apps.

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.

File Under: Downhome. Features: Catering, counter service, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • A legend, in Athens and far outside it, and thankfully still open. Look for the bright-green cinderblock building and the sign that reads “Automatic for the People.” Fantastic fried chicken, squash casserole, mac and cheese, collards and the like, varying a bit daily.

File Under: Sandwiches and Burgers. Features: Drive-thru, counter service. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Texas-based fast-food chain is expanding to Athens with two locations to come. Burgers with jalapeños, fries, shakes, hot apple pies and more.

File Under: Something Different, Downhome and BBQ, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, counter service, delivery, take-out, art, outside seating, table service, full bar (Watkinsville). Hours: Lunch and dinner, weekend brunch (Watkinsville). • Original location is in an old-timey grocery with high ceilings and a ton of outside seating under fairy lights. BYOB. New candy-colored "Deluxe" edition is in Watkinsville with cocktails, beer, wine and dance party bathrooms. Both serve amazing cheeseburgers, pork and tofu barbecue and excellent veggie sides.

File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer, catering, counter service, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Counter service, take-out, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Wings and chicken tenders (for an individual or in bulk), wraps (including one with french fries, cool ranch, cheese and bacon), sandwiches and some Asian options (sesame chicken, tonkatsu, teriyaki).

File Under: Asian. Features: Counter service, take-out, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Fast-casual made-to-order stir-fry. Pick a protein (steak, chicken, shrimp, pork, tofu), some veggies, a sauce and a base (rice, noodles, salad), and they’ll cook it for you right then and there.

File Under: American, Bars, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Counter service, delivery, art, full bar, live music. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night. • Half bar, half restaurant, with hearty, fun food (poutine, meatball banh mi, General Tso's tofu), lots of veggie choices and regular specials. Creative cocktails, well-priced beer (including lots of canned craft brews), wine, housemade nonalcoholic sodas and a great chalkboard.

File Under: Italian and Pizza, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Beer and wine, catering, counter service, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Locally-based franchise does personal- and full-size customized pizzas. Lots of topping, sauce and cheese choices, as well as several doughs. Vegan and gluten-free choices. Panini, pasta, bread bowl salads, gelato, beer and wine.

File Under: BBQ. Features: Curbside pick-up, drive-thru, checks, take-out. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. • Country barbecue joint of long standing keeps long hours, has great atmosphere and is well known for its peppery, vinegary sauce. Burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, tots and slaw, too, but the barbecue sandwich is the real attraction. Slices of soda cake shrink-wrapped to plates.