Greensboro: The Yesterday Cafe
This is billed as “Home of the Buttermilk Pie,” a simple but delectable dessert that draws diners, including celebrities, from around the Southeast. Order a slice after lunch or dinner, or buy a whole pie to take home.
114 N. Main St., Greensboro. 706-453-0800, theyesterdaycafe.com.
Jasper: Woodbridge Inn
Celebrity chef and cookbook author Hans Rueffert infuses classic German cuisine with a touch of Southern flavor, resulting in a menu that boasts fried chicken and wiener schnitzel on the same page. Stay the night in one of the 18 guest rooms.
44 Chambers St., Jasper. 706-253-8500, woodbridgeinn.net.
Juliette: Whistle Stop Cafe
There’s not much to see in this tiny crossroads, but it’s worth a trip to dive into a plate of the signature fried green tomatoes. Housed in a former store built in 1927, the space was turned into the Whistle Stop Cafe for the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes” and became a Southern-cuisine restaurant with the same name after the film debuted in 1991.
443 McCrackin St., Juliette. 478-992-8886, thewhistlestopcafe.com.
Pine Mountain: The Bakery and Cafe at Rose Cottage
This locally sourced restaurant specializes in dishes made with sustainable and artisanal seasonal ingredients from community farms. Coffee, tea and chocolate are all fair-trade. Friday and Saturday dinners, Sunday brunch and lunch come with organic breads made on-site and sold in the bakery.
111 Broad St., Pine Mountain. 706-663-7877, facebook.com/RoseCottageCafe, @rosecottagecafe.
Savannah: Olde Pink House
Splurge at one of the city’s top restaurants, noted for the ambiance of its 18th century mansion with gleaming hardwood floors and crystal chandeliers. Adjacent to the Planters Inn, it serves a menu strong on local seafood (oysters, shrimp, scallops, crab), chicken and meats paired with such Southern-inspired dishes as bacon and buttermilk potatoes, pecan and vanilla butter sweet potatoes, grits and collards.
23 Abercorn St., Savannah. 912-232-4286, plantersinnsavannah.com/the-olde-pink-house, @plantersinn.
Savannah: Sandfly Bar-B-Q
Seating is limited in this old Streamliner train car and former diner, but it’s worth the wait to dig into its popular pulled pork, ribs, sausages, beef brisket and chicken — or all of the above in the “hog wild platter.” It all comes with classic barbecue sides and a choice of sweet, spicy vinegar or mustard-based sauces.
1220 Barnard St., Savannah. 912-335-8058, sandflybbq.com.
About the Author
