C. J.’s Bar-B-Q & Stew, Woodville
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Tag Archives: Georgia Restaurants
Mid-Century Modern Restaurant, Union Point
This restaurant, most recently known as Philly Attraction, is a good example of Mid-Century Modern architecture. Examples of this style are often modified and not often found in small towns.
Ripe Thing Market, Greensboro
I stayed at a cheap motel in downtown Greensboro because the chains near I-20 were way too expensive for what they were offering. I won’t sing the praises of the cheap motel, but the biggest bonus was finding Ripe Thing Market just a couple of blocks away. The gentleman who started the business was working when I went inside. He was very welcoming and knowledgeable about the myriad selection on display in the market. He explained that his son and daughter-in-law were now charged with its day-to-day operation but it was as if he never left the place. I’m amazed that a town the size of Greensboro supports a business like this; Ripe Thing has as good a selection of organic/locavore products as similar markets in much larger towns. The business is located inside an old service station which has been restored in an environmentally friendly, utilitarian style.
The stock rotates with the seasons, of course. There was a table full of moist loaves of Pumpkin Bread from Hillside Orchard Farms in Tiger when I visited. They have lots of candies and other baked goods, as well.
A growing selection of nationally known organic brands is available, as well as grass-fed beef and farm-raised pork. I didn’t have a cooler with me, so I didn’t get any of the meat, but I bought a bag of Butternut Squash Tortilla Chips that were among the best I’ve ever eaten.
If you’re a fan of organic, sustainable and locally sourced foods, you can’t miss Ripe Thing when you’re in Greensboro. It’s worth a drive of thirty minutes to an hour if you’re nearby. They also have daily menu items like homemade chili, soups, and deli sandwiches. Their fresh-baked deserts looked tempting, too.
Emily LaBorde Hines, a longtime favorite blogger of mine, has a nice write-up about Ripe Thing at Em’s On the Road: http://emsontheroad.com/tag/ripe-thing-market/
They’re open 7 days a week!
Holcomb’s Bar-B-Q, Greensboro
Holcomb’s opened their first location in nearby White Plains in 1971. Still open, the original is as famous for its sawdust dining room floor as it is for its Brunswick stew. People drive from miles around to buy the stuff by the gallon! This location, opened in 1981, is a bit better known, just because Greensboro is a bigger town than White Plains, and it seems appropriate that it’s located in an old gas station. George Dyar writes: Amoco Oil built this station in the early 1960s. John Bledsoe was the manager. 2 bay filing station and changed/repaired many logging and farm tires. Used them many times.
Mr. Hong Kong Chinese Food, Sparta
Sparta Historic District, National Register of Historic Place
Burger Chick, Tallapoosa
Open since 1972, Burger Chick is one of the most popular places to eat in Tallapoosa.
Charlie Joseph’s, 1946, LaGrange
Charlie Joseph Maloof was a Lebanese immigrant who got his start selling fruit from a cart in LaGrange in the late 1910s. By 1920, he and his wife opened their first Charlie Joseph’s restaurant on Main Street. This location, on Bull Street, opened in 1946 and has been the go-to place for hot dogs and hamburgers in downtown LaGrange ever since. The fifth generation of the family still owns and operates the business today.
LaGrange Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Southern Soul Barbeque, St. Simons Island
I rarely endorse businesses on any of my websites, but some places are so extraordinary they deserve a mention. One such place is the unlikely St. Simons landmark, Southern Soul Barbeque. You might have read about it in Garden & Gun, Southern Living, or The New York Times, or seen it on the Travel Channel, or the popular Food Network show, Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. But none of those outlets can compare to a visit in the flesh. Owners Griffin Bufkin and Harrison Sapp transformed this 1940s gas station into a mecca for barbeque and soul food lovers and their fans are legion. There’s a great beer selection and a good variety of sauces for different tastes. (I prefer the mustard/vinegar-based Carolina style sauces, none of the sweet stuff for me).
Everyone probably has his own favorite dish. Mine is the first meal I ever ate here. The pulled pork with mac & cheese and collard greens was truly heaven on a plate. The white bread was a fitting accompaniment to this pinnacle of Southern cuisine.
You know it’s going to be good when the employees who work in the heat and smoke all day still have smiles on their faces.
Books like the Southern Foodways Alliance’s classic series, Cornbread Nation, take up shelf space with modern culinary classics ranging from The Whole Hog Cookbook and Southern Belly to Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey and Smoke and Pickles.
Downtown Revitalization, Greenville
Greenville is one of the nicest little towns in Georgia. Much of its historic business district has been restored, with businesses like the Court Square Cafe, seen above, and for fans of architecture there are some great houses within easy walking distance.
Greenville Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Wilma’s Cafe, Pearson
Though most recently known as the Cowboy Cafe, Shea Browning notes: Most people will remember this as Wilma’s Cafe, the legendary eatery from our small town that began as the 441 Cafe across the railroad tracks before the widening of Hwy 441 took its toll on the old buildings along that strip. If these walls could talk…