The Masonic Lodge is also home to the Wilkinson County Post. Maebob’s Diner is located to the left of the building.
Masonic Lodge, 1946, Irwinton
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Tag Archives: Georgia Restaurants
Cook’s Lunchroom, 1945, Jackson
Pit barbecue and homemade chili, cheeseburgers and fries. And apparently doing it right for over 70 years. You immediately know from the signs that the place is a landmark and the building is really neat. Unfortunately, I was here a little too early for lunch.
Hot Thomas Bar-B-Que, Oconee County
On my numerous trips to Athens, I always pass Hot Thomas Bar-B-Que and bemoan the fact that it’s not open. Numerous friends have told me I have to eat here, but I’m either here on Monday, when it’s closed, or pass through too late to sample their barbecue. They’re open from 10-2. Recently, I was determined to at least get a photograph of the place and while I was here shooting, owner Mark Thomas stopped by and graciously shared some of its history with me. He’s a really likeable guy and you can tell he puts a lot of himself into this business. He noted that the building was constructed about 1948 and first used as a general store. But the Thomas family has been on the property since at least the mid-1800s, when they opened a cotton gin here. They ginned cotton into the 1970s; the old Continental gin is an event space today. A farmhouse, tenant housing, barns, and other historic structures also remain on the property. They weren’t moved here to make the place look more authentic; they’ve always been here.
Mark’s late father, Carl Howard “Hot” Thomas (1935-2011), who started the business, was really a jack-of-all-trades, a farmer and entrepreneur who raised cattle, hogs, and turkeys, row-cropped, grew and ginned cotton. He also owned a large peach orchard until a hard freeze finished it off years ago. But he was best known for his barbecue restaurant, simply known as “Hot’s” to locals.
The day after meeting Mark I raced from a photo shoot in Jefferson back down to Watkinsville so I could finally see what all the fuss was about. I wasn’t disappointed. The place was packed with locals, from white collar bankers and lawyers to blue collar laborers in work clothes. That was the first good sign. And the interior walls are lined with shelves from the building’s days as a general store. Hot’s collection of old bottles and other treasures shares the walls with dozens of loaves of Sunbeam and Wonder bread. I guess some people have a preference. One of their most popular items is chicken mull, which I haven’t tried but is described as a sort of chicken pot pie in stew form. I opted for the barbecue plate with the vinegar sauce (a lot of people prefer the ketchup-based sauce and I’ll try it next time) and my prerequisite sides of Brunswick stew and slaw, complimented by some really good (and really sweet) tea. It’s an indulgence reserved for road trips. And a good day trip if you’re nearby would include a mandatory visit to the nearby Elder Mill Bridge.
As of August 2020, Hot Thomas has shut its doors.
Mayflower Restaurant, 1948, Athens
These days, it’s’ hard to find any Athens landmark in its original location.
Even the Varsity, in its second incarnation since the 1960s at the corner of Milledge and Broad, is about to pack up and move. And while purists and locals bemoan the proliferation of chains, especially downtown, the Mayflower is a standout. It’s the oldest restaurant in Athens in its original location. As its menus proudly proclaim, it’s been “Putting the South in Your Mouth” “Across from the Arch” since 1948.
If you’re looking for healthy or trendy, forget about it, but if you crave a good old fashioned diner breakfast or lunch, stop by the Mayflower. The staff are friendly, even if you’re not a regular, and you’ll definitely get your money’s worth.
BJ’s Bar-B-Que, Jesup
As with most good barbeque spots, BJ’s Original Hog Wild Bar-B-Que in Jesup is a bit ragged around the edges, but don’t let the looks fool you.
For nearly 30 years, BJ’s has been doing barbeque right in Jesup. Pulled (they call it chopped) pork with a tangy mustard sauce is the highlight of their menu for me. I personally hate sweet sauce on meat. Their baked beans, which I recommend, are a bit sweet but full of pieces of pork. Brisket, chicken, and Brunswick stew are also available. The only thing I don’t care for here is the slaw, which is just too sweet. But the pork is so tender and the sauce so good, the slaw isn’t that big of a deal for me.
Eden Roc Motel & Restaurant, 1958, Wayne County
Located five miles south of Jesup on US 301, the Eden Roc was a motel and restaurant owned and operated by Bill and Lila O’Leary. Thanks to Sandra Crawn for the identification; she notes that it was “a landmark indeed”.
The swimming pool (the outline of which is visible in the first photograph) as seen on a postcard from 1958, the year the motel was built.
Many such properties were located on US 301 near Jesup when it was a major north-south artery to Florida. Most thrived until the late 1960s when the construction of I-95 made them obsolete.
Pelican Point, McIntosh County
This spot in the Belleville community on the Sapelo River has been a seafood destination at least since the 1940s, when Rosco’s Place served up fresh local fare to scores of locals. Later, the Barnett family operated the Sandpiper Inn here until it was struck by lightning and burned in the 1960s. Mike Phillips opened Pelican Point here in 1986 and in 2015 his son Charlie reinvented the restaurant as The Fish Dock at Pelican Point. While some bemoan the loss of the legendary buffet, new patrons are warming up to the fresher seafood now being offered. And the fresh clams come from Charlie’s Sapelo Sea Farms.
The Buccaneer Club, McIntosh County
Since first opening in 1956, the Buccaneer Club was a venerable institution on the coast, especially among locals. Originally a members-only establishment, it was known for its huge platters, brimming with all variety of local and exotic seafood. I photographed it in 2011, not long after a complete remodel or rebuild. According to recent reviews on sites like Trip Advisor and Expedia, the restaurant, located on the Sapelo River near the Belleville community, closed earlier this year.
Norman Park Cafe
In many South Georgia towns, historic storefronts are finding new life as restaurants. Jim Howard writes: This building was built as a bank. When the bank failed the property was purchased by my mother and stepfather. Hazel & Frank Griffin. And they started the cafe. The Suwannee store was on the other end of the block. In between was the picture show, Sat. Mon & Wed nites
Home Cafe, Lincolnton
The Home Cafe has been open for a long time. It was quite busy while I was in town.