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The 2023-2024 Flagpole Guide To Athens, GA

Restaurants Downhome and BBQ

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Butt Hutt BBQ

    butthuttathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 480 Macon Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-8511 View Map

    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.

  • 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.

  • Cabin Creek BBQ

    Find Us on Facebook

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 199 Memorial Dr. Nicholson, GA 30565. 706-757-2267

    File Under: BBQ. Features: Catering, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Worth the drive a bit outside of Athens to Nicholson for some of the best barbecue around, Friday through Sunday. Also: chicken mull, Sunday buffet with Southern standards and cobbler for dessert. Holiday specials.

  • Dawg Gone Good BBQ

    dawggonegoodbbq.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 224 W. Hancock Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-613-9799 View Map

    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.

  • Food for the Soul

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1965 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-546-0052 View Map

    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.

  • Fresh Air Bar-B-Que

    freshairbbq.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 5170 Atlanta Hwy. Bogart, GA 30622. 770-725-5227 View Map

    • 1110 Hull Road Athens, GA 30601. 706-546-6060 View Map

    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. 

  • G Brand BBQ

    gbrandbbq.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1140 Athens Road Crawford, GA 30630. 706-743-7000

    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. Occasional steak nights.

  • 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.

  • Peach Pit Cafe

    facebook.com/peachpitcafe

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 321 Athens Road Winterville, GA 30628. 706-899-0001

    File Under: BBQ. Features: Catering, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Winterville barbecue restaurant has pulled pork, barbecue chicken, ribs and brisket, slaw, stew, chips and bread, plus frequently varying desserts: cakes (red velvet, Key lime, Devil's food, German chocolate), cobblers, banana pudding.

  • The Picnic Basket Meal Market

    picnicbasketmealmarket.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1973 Hog Mountain Road Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-1292

    File Under: Downhome. Features: Drive thru, take-out, vegetarian friendly. Hours: Lunch and early dinner (closes at 6 p.m.) • Don't feel like cooking? Check out this local company that makes home-cooked meals. Order ahead on the website or stop by to see what's on offer. Options change daily, but could include tomato pie, lasagna, salads, cheesecake, enchiladas, pork chops and anything else the owners feel like making. 

  • The Place

    theplaceathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 229 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-2988

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Downhome, Bars. Features: Outside seating, full bar, take-out. Hours: Lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. • More refined takes on Southern standards, like shrimp and grits with gouda. Big salads, chicken and waffles (not just at brunch), shrimp burger, collard spring rolls. Cocktails that play on things like peanuts and Coke.

  • Plantation Buffet

    plantationbuffet.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1119 Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-3663 View Map

    File Under: Downhome and BBQ. Features: Buffet, catering, counter service, take-out, outside seating, checks. Hours: Lunch. • Old-school Southern restaurant opened in the 1970s serves an all-you-can-eat weekday buffet. Expect fried chicken, steak and gravy, barbecue, meatloaf, turnip greens, black-eyed peas, fried okra and Southern desserts.

  • Pulaski Heights BBQ

    pulaskiheightsbbq.com

    Price: $$☆ Expanded Listing!

     

    Locations

    • 675 Pulaski St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-583-9600 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: BBQ, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: BYOB, catering, outside seating, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Who says a barbecue place can't be veggie-friendly? Chef-owned restaurant by the train tracks smokes high-quality meats and tofu daily. Watch the Instagram for specials and to see if things are running low; when they're out, they're out. Proudly inauthentic ramen on Wednesdays. Knife sharpening services as a side hustle.

  • Rachel's Southern Style Restaurant

    rachelssouthernrestaurant.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1021 Jamestown Blvd. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-310-0091 View Map

    File Under: Downhome. Features: Catering. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Traditional Southern cuisine with a rotating menu written on a whiteboard every weekday. Choose among pork chops, chicken, fish and more, grilled or fried, plus fried chicken livers and a host of vegetable sides (rutabagas, cabbage, carrot-and-raisin salad, turnip greens, hash-brown casserole). Homemade desserts.

  • Saucehouse Barbeque

    saucehouse.com

    Price: $$☆ Expanded Listing!

     

    Locations

    • 830 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 888-978-7948 View Map

    File Under: BBQ, Bars. Features: Full bar, catering, delivery, outside seating, take-out, counter service. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Barbecue in a cavernous space in a variety of iterations: pork, brisket, ribs, tofu, hash or stew, served over a starch, plus sides: slaw, beans, potato salad and more. Available in bulk orders, too. Bar menu is smaller and focused on snacks. Large outdoor space has games and a little playground.

  • Scott's BBQ

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 4007 Danielsville Road Athens, GA 30601. 706-546-1005 View Map

    File Under: BBQ. Features: Cash and checks only. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Family-owned place you might have seen on "True South" on the SEC Network serves barbecue pork, chicken, beef and ribs with beans, hash, slaw, potato salad, collard greens and seasonal vegetables. Sauce is hot and thin.

  • Shane's Rib Shack

    shanesribshack.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 680 U.S. Hwy. 29 N. Athens, GA 30601. 706-549-9135

    File Under: BBQ. Features: Catering, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Weaver D's Delicious Fine Foods

    facebook.com/weaverds

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1016 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-7797 View Map

    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.

  • White Tiger

    whitetigergourmet.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 217 Hiawassee Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-6847 View Map

    • 64 N. Main St. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-6115

    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.

  • Zeb's Bar-B-Q

    instagram.com/zebs_bar_b_q

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 5742 U.S. Hwy. 29 Danielsville, GA 30633. 706-795-2701 View Map

    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.