Whether you're headed to Lake Lanier to experience the LanierWorld Winter Adventure or plan to visit the Big Beach in warmer weather, the area has a wide variety of restaurants for you to enjoy.
From fine dining to dock and dine, these are seven Lake Lanier eateries you're sure to love:
Aqua Terra Bistro, 55 E. Main Street, Buford. 770-271-8161. www.aquaterrabistro.com.
Aqua Terra Bistro features traditional, elegant classics influenced by world cuisine.
"Aqua" selections include grilled wild unicorn fish served over a crispy Asian won-ton salad and grilled Scottish salmon with a marinated white bean salad. The "terra" portion of the menu includes fried chicken with sweet corn mashed potatoes, green beans and white country gravy, as well as braised beef ravioli with roasted brussels sprouts. The potato salad is a popular side item.
Rico's World Kitchen, 306 W. Main St., Buford. 678-765-7518. www.ricosworldkitchen.com.
Bold, creative flavors are on the menu at Rico's World Kitchen, which emphasizes hospitality and comfort cuisine. Starters include Mama Nett's lumpia (small Filipino-style egg rolls) or fried green tomatoes with a creole remoulade. Then indulge in your choice of smoked-meat dishes, such as Chicken Cuban, which is served with mojo dipping sauce.
Rico's was named one of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Atlanta 50 – the restaurants that define the best of the area's dining.
Credit: lanierislands.com
Credit: lanierislands.com
Sidney's Restaurant, 7000 Lanier Islands Pkwy, Buford. 770-945-8787. www.lanierislands.com/dining/sidneys-restaurant.
Located in Legacy Lodge at Lake Lanier, Sidney's Restaurant emphasizes farm-to-table fine dining made with ingredients from local and family-owned farms. The restaurant overlooks Lake Sidney Lanier and has plenty of large windows to accentuate the view.
Breakfast includes house-baked pastries, Belgian waffles and more. Dinner offerings include steaks, Georgia trout, duck and Georgia shrimp with Tabasco cheddar grits.
The Twisted Oar, 6900 Lanier Islands Pkwy, Buford. 678-714-7582. www.facebook.com/twistedoar.
The Twisted Oar is located on the waterfront at Holiday Marina at Lake Lanier, so you can arrive by boat and dock and dine if you'd like. Warm up with a soup of the day special like shrimp chowder or red or white bean chili, and pair it with half a sandwich or salad.
If you're in the mood for a heavier meal, entrees such as a lamb gyro and spicy sausage, chicken and shrimp pasta are also offered.
Credit: Ted's Montana Grill
Credit: Ted's Montana Grill
Ted's Montana Grill, 1680 Mall of Georgia Blvd., Suite 1755. Buford. 678-546-3631. www.tedsmontanagrill.com.
If you're craving a burger or steak, Ted's Montana Grill is the perfect destination. It's primarily known for its ranch-raised bison, and you can give this flavor a try or stick with Angus beef. Everything is prepared from scratch, with burgers ground in-house twice daily.
Although the meat is showcased, greens such as the kale salad and sides like squash casserole are also popular.
Luigi's, 3260 Buford Drive NE, Buford. 678-714-6062. www.luigisslice.com.
Luigi's serves up a variety of pizzas, pasta dishes, steak dishes and hot and cold subs, and gluten-free pizza is also available.
Try Italian favorites like the paste fagioli, a homemade Italian soup made with white beans, sautéed onions, tomatoes and a little of Luigi's sauce, or the ravioli di nonna – large cheese ravioli topped with homemade vodka sauce.
Bullfrogs, 7000 Lanier Islands Pkwy, Buford. 770-945-8787, ext. 6157. www.lanierislands.com/dining/year-round.
Bullfrogs, a Southern gastro pub, offers a casual experience inside Legacy Lodge at Lake Lanier Resorts.
Enjoy a beer by the poolside fire pit and head inside for your choice of burgers, sandwiches and other entrees. Try the shrimp and grits, Atlantic salmon or beer-battered fish if you're a bit more hungry.
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