This post is past due by about a month or so. It was April when I flew to the ATL for a work conference and got my grub on, ready to share on this here blog. But dang, the old song gets sung again – I’ve been busy-tired-working-running-wining (no, that’s not a mispell of winning; I’m not winning at anything… except perhaps wining). You get the picture. I slipped up and posted on plenty of other topics, but not on my Atlanta experience.
But I’m posting now, mouth watering in recollection of my four days in the Dirty (South, that is). My fro-workers and I wanted to do something really Southern. Really Atlanta. So we connected with one of my former colleagues – now friend, Rose (employed by the CDC) – who shuttled us around to a few of her favorite spots.
First dinner, Rose taking us to Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, a charming place heralded by locals as a favorite, opened up in Atlanta by a pair of Texan-born, self-taught twins who know their way around a grill. Having not fully digested my lunch from Yeah! Burger!, I chose the BBQ Salad with chicken – probably a silly way to get a taste of Southern BBQ, but I just wasn’t craving the carbs (spoiler alert – my non-desire for carbs eventually wears off), even though I sampled some corn, a few bites of macaroni and cheese.
The salad was a nice plate – I surely got an understanding of how Fox Bros. does BBQ, a smooth, smoky flavor to the chicken, tossed in a tangy, rich sauce.
Not food related, but I had to throw in a shot of our stop at the Atlantic Botanical Garden. Rose mentioned something about Thursday night Cocktails in the Garden. Unfortunately, we explored the place on a Tuesday – but something to keep in mind for the next visit.
We ended our evening with Rose at Sublime Doughnuts. Funny that I rarely eat doughnuts in the LBC, but seem to be on the doughnut prowl anytime I’m away from home. This proved to be a good decision, to head to over to Midtown for late night pastries (these are the carbs I eluded to earlier). It’s a quaint and delicious little shop, owned and operated by Atlanta native Kamal Grant. The selection was somewhat slim due to our late arrival, but what I tried was sweet, delicate, and absolutely sublime. A must try when you’re in Atlanta.
The next day, the fro-workers and I literally stepped out on our own, walking from our hotel to Mary Mac’s Tea Room, an Atlanta staple, officially declared as the city’s dining room. I was smarter this day, choosing a light lunch earlier in order to fully indulge. My choice was their Chicken Fried Chicken with white pepper gravy, which did not disappoint – the chicken fry not greasy at all; simply crispy, buttermilky goodness made spectacular with the sumptuous and hearty gravy. Not only was their food amazing but the hospitality was on point. We definitely felt at home at Mary Mac’s.
The final place worth discussing was Highland Bakery, a location we visited for breakfast (despite my still being full from the previous night’s chicken fried chicken). Still, I wanted to go there as the reviews for this place were outstanding. My selection was pretty boring – an egg and cheese sandwich on toast – but I was fully a fan of the sleek, industrial ambiance. Stuffed as I was, I couldn’t leave without picking out something from their bakery display case. I didn’t get a picture of it, but the sweet potato biscuit I shamelessly enjoyed later on during the day’s opening plenary – flaky crumbs dropping on my lap and beyond – was something of legend. If I had the time (or a car), I would have returned to purchase a couple dozen to take home with me. They were that good. Hail, Highland Bakery.
And Hail the ATL – for feeding me, for treating my stomach so well, and for begging me to come back for more delicious food. This certainly won’t be my last time Eating Atlanta.
Fox Bros. BBQ
1238 Dekalb Ave. NE
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Adjacent to Piedmont Park at
1345 Piedmont Avenue
Sublime Doughnuts
535 Tenth Street NW
Mary Mac’s Tea Room
224 Ponce de Leon Avenue, NE
Highland Bakery
655 Highland Avenue NE, #10 and other locations
Tin Lizzy’s Cantina
1540 Avenue Place and other locations
[…] were enough alone to get me back my next time in Atlanta. I’d also enjoyed yeast rolls at Mary Mac’s but the ones at Optimist were quite unique, the crust pretzel-like and the inside lush and lofty […]
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