Back in the day, every city neighborhood had a small market within walking distance of your home. You could pick up a few groceries, see your neighbors and maybe sit at a soda fountain for a delicious lunch. Those days are coming back. We visited three new local markets where you can pick up the fixings for breakfast, lunch or dinner and enjoy a meal.
Grant Park Market and Tostones with Slow Roasted Cuban Pork
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Grant Park Market in the new Larkin on Memorial development is an offshoot of Candler Park Market. Both markets offer groceries ranging from wine and beer to prepared meals and fresh produce and flowers, but the Grant Park Market has a large seating area where they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner at communal tables. Chef Christina Conde shows off her Argentinian roots and love of Latin flavors in a menu that includes the delicious dinner small plate of tostones we tried. A serving is three tostones each topped with a spoonful of housemade chimichurri and a big helping of slow roasted Cuban Pulled Pork. The generous portion was enough to make a meal from, but you'll be tempted by the albondigas, bravas papas and marinated manchego as well. Quite a step up from a tuna salad sandwich at a soda fountain.
$9 for tostones small plate. Other small plates range from $6 to $16. Entrees are $8 to $16. Grant Park Market, 519 Memorial Drive, Atlanta. 404-330-8014. http://grantparkmarket.net
Decatur Market and I Pimento the Fool
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Credit: C. W. Cameron
A few blocks south of downtown Decatur, near Agnes Scott College and across the street from the Kimball House, is Decatur Market. The shelves are stocked with every brand of local craft beer, loaves of bread from Ratio Bakeshop and H & F Bread Co., sliced charcuterie from Spotted Trotter and soon-to-come, organic local produce. There’s a table with everything you need to grab for breakfast and the sandwich bar does a brisk business. We tried the neighborhood favorite, I Pimento the Fool. Made on ciabbata and pressed, the sandwich is filled with Wicked Moon Pimento Cheese, golden peppadew peppers, crispy fried onions and arugula. It was gooey and delicious. There’s a kids’ menu, too. And every sandwich comes with a fortune cookie. As owner David Prescott says, “Why not?”
$8.50 for I Pimento the Fool. Sandwiches range from $8.50 to $11.50. Decatur Market, 308 East Howard Avenue, Decatur. 404-254-3028. http://thedecaturmarket.com .
Caravaca Market and Chivito
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Set in the midst of midtown’s luxury apartments and co-working spaces, Harry’s Caravaca Market with its series of shops devoted to food and drink is standing by to feed neighbors breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as fill their pantries and wine cellars. Harry Bakes Cafe offers coffee and sweet treats. Provisions Market has prepared foods and gourmet groceries. There’s also Wine & Charcuterie, Beer & Pizza and Taste Bar where we sampled the Chivito, recommended by owner Harry Pagancoss, a chef and restaurateur and host of international TV shows. Pagancoss says the chivito is an iconic dish of Uruguay. We say it’s enough for at least two - with layers of seared beef, black forest ham, bacon, pimento, olives and two fried eggs topping a pile of French fries.
$15 for the chivito. Other mains from $15 to $22.95. Caravaca Market, 782 Peachtree Street, Atlanta. 404-565-0580. http://caravacamarket.com
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