5 Best Restaurants in Central and North Georgia, Georgia

This cozy yet sophisticated restaurant put the Athens culinary scene on the map almost two decades ago with chef Hugh Acheson's inventive cuisine that blends European technique with down-home Southern cooking. Acheson, an Ottawa native, honed his culinary skills in classical French kitchens in Ontario and San Francisco before settling in Athens. His cooking has garnered numerous regional and national accolades, including a James Beard Award. Five and Ten’s seasonal menu draws from local sources and includes updated Southern classics such as pimento cheese with bacon marmalade; veal sweetbread with Red Mule grits custard and succotash; and Lowcountry Frogmore stew with shrimp, andouille sausage, potatoes, and corn in a tomato-leek broth.

With its warm exposed brick walls and folk art decor, this local favorite specializes in Southern-inspired, from-scratch cooking. Everything, from the salad dressings to the bread, is made in-house. The menu offers a variety of salads, sandwiches, and "Moon Specialties" like fried catfish and shrimp and grits. Dinner features a few more upscale options like rib-eye steak and seared yellowfin tuna. The Moon Roof upstairs and Dark Side of the Moon Bar next door feature live music and late-night bar bites, while the adjacent Honeymoon Bakery offers decadent desserts and homemade gelato.

A favorite of locals and tourists alike, the Last Resort is a popular spot for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. For brunch, entrées like shrimp and grits, stuffed French toast, and breakfast enchiladas please a variety of palates. Lunch and dinner are equally appealing, featuring Southern cooking with a Southwestern and Mediterranean bent. Exposed brick walls, lined with reminders of the building's history as a 1970s music club, create a cozy bistro feel. The restaurant does not accept reservations, but you can call ahead for priority seating.

Hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood, and seasonal vegetables are the focus at this casual restaurant set in a cheerful old house in Nacoochee Village, just outside town. Shrimp and grits, whole fried trout, and slow-cooked ribs are customer favorites. There's also a nice array of signature cocktails and a wine list featuring several local wines.

Local foodies flock here for chef Ken Manring's delicious smoked meats and burgers at this hip but homey order-at-the-counter restaurant. Housed in an old storefront in the Boulevard Historic District just outside downtown, there aren't many indoor tables, but there's plenty of space to spread out in the picnic area outside. While meat is a specialty, the grilled tofu sandwiches and the Tiger Salad topped with tofu and fresh fruit have a fan following. Check out the daily specials, which can range from barbecue tacos to grilled fish.