Summer in Athens is a special time. With the mass exodus of college students, the city settles into the Georgia heat. Waking slows -- no rush to get through the 8am traffic -- and the nights take on a hazy quality, laden with the fading day's heat as cicadas call into the moonlit streets.
Breakfast
You wake up on one of these slow mornings, pulled from sleep by the birds. Outside, the sun hasn’t yet made the asphalt shimmer with heat; the morning is still cool. Dew lingers on the grass and a breeze flutters a towering oak’s leaves. You decide it’s far too nice of a morning to stay in. But where should you go?
Your phone dings with a calendar notification -- today is the final day of Athens Restaurant Week! For weeks, you had been looking forward to making trips to your favorite restaurants and digging into the deals they were going to offer. Images of tables laden with food and drinks flood your mind, and you jump out of bed to get dressed. There are deals to be dealt with!
You had been craving brunch for weeks, but what kind of food were you craving…
1. Something savory sounds perfect! Stomach grumbling, you open AthensRestaurantWeek.com on your computer and begin to browse. You go through a couple different options, and end up torn between finding Cafe Racer’s My Pleasure Biscuit, which has a picture of a fluffy biscuit stuffed full with jam, fried chicken, and cheesy eggs.
Your mind made up, you head out to Cafe Racer and order their My Pleasure Biscuit. Though Cafe Racer has a drive through option, you decide to enjoy the pleasant morning on their outdoor patio while you eat your food. The biscuit is fluffy, the chicken crispy, the eggs perfectly cooked. When you’re done, you find yourself tempted to lick your fingers just to get every last morsel. Before you go, you decide to get one of their lattes for the road, and the iced coffee is fresh and delicious. You head back home, full and ready to start your day.
Scroll down to lunch now!
2. You feel this beautiful summer morning calls for something sweet. Stomach grumbling, you open AthensRestaurantWeek.com on your computer and begin to browse. You go through a couple different options, and find Mama’s Boy is offering a peach cobbler that sounds delectable -- not only that, but you could indulge and get a three course breakfast for just $25.99. The peach caprese salad and roasted pork shoulder and grits do sound like lovely additions, if you’re craving something savory by then.
At this point, you’re hungry enough for more than a three course meal, and you waste no time heading out to Mama’s Boy. When you arrive, Mama’s Boy is buzzing as usual with families and college students hungry for the right start to their day. Still, it doesn’t take long for you to get a table. One by one, the courses arrive, each better than the last. The salad is fresh and the peaches and apple cider reduction bring a spike of summer. You eagerly anticipate the entree, and it does not disappoint. The peach theme is carried into the pork shoulder through a peach bbq sauce, and the biscuit and grits that come with it provide the perfect balance to the richness of the entree. Finally, the peach cobbler comes, topped with a sweet pecan brittle and fluffy whipped cream. You barely manage the last bite, but the cobbler is so good that you can’t resist finishing it. Afterwards, you head back home, content and ready to get started on your day.
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Lunch
Before you know it, it’s 2:00 and you haven’t had lunch. The breakfast you had seems like ages ago after hours of work -- no matter how delicious it was.
When you were browsing this morning, you had seen several restaurants that looked like the perfect place to grab lunch. It had been a while since you had ventured out for lunch, but today you were feeling spontaneous. Why not try something new?
Excited, you grab your computer and head to AthensRestaurantWeek.com. There are a flood of places that are open for lunch, but what cuisine are you craving?
1. With the summer heat emanating from your windows, a fresh sandwich sounds perfect. There are a couple different options to choose from…
Marti’s At Midday is offering a sandwich special for just $14 with two sides, dessert, and a drink.
By now, you’re positively ravenous. You waste no time getting to Marti’s At Midday, which is full of other excited diners getting in on the same deal you are. There are so many delicious sandwiches to choose from, but you decide on Jay’s Favorite -- a simple yet rich buffalo chicken salad sandwich with fresh fruit and pita chips. Paired with a fresh mint tea and a cookie for dessert, the combination is energy boosting and delightful to eat. You leave feeling refreshed and head back home to finish up your day.
OR
Big City Bread is offering a deal: a choice of sandwich and side for just $12.
Big City Bread is still bustling even an hour before closing. You choose a seat on their shaded outdoor patio to enjoy the summer air, and the fans they run provide a lovely breeze. There are so many delicious sandwiches on the menu that it’s difficult to pick just one, but the server is happy to provide a recommendation for you. You end up ordering the French Ham & Cheese with a side of fruit. Though simple, the flavors of the fresh bread, smoked ham, Swiss, and mixture of sauces give the sandwich a beautiful palette that is balanced by the freshness of the fruit. After the hefty breakfast you had, this simple lunch gives you the boost of energy you need to finish your day.
Scroll to afternoon snack!
2. The hot sun and clean skies make you long for a backyard cookout, surrounded by neighbors and friends. Luckily, there are a couple barbeque places offering lunch specials…
Saucehouse Barbeque is offering a BOGO deal on boneless wings Wednesday through Saturday. You can also get a free dessert with any plate.
Saucehouse Barbeque is a local Athens favorite, well known for their love of community, and of course, serving the best barbeque. Because of the beautiful weather, there’s already a good amount of people sitting on the outdoor patio when you arrive, their tables heavy with food and drinks. You head inside to the counter and order a piling plate of wings and turn it into a plate so that you can add on a free dessert. There’s a variety of sauces to choose from, and the staff is happy to let you take your time deciding exactly what you would like. Once you have your food, you go and sit by the fountain. As always, the atmosphere is energetic and friendly, and you talk and laugh with other diners as you eat. When it’s time to leave, you feel full -- not just in body, but in spirit.
OR
The Butt Hutt is offering a $20 special, where you can get an appetizer of fries, a drink, and a regular barbeque sandwich.
The Butt Hutt always has a crowd of regulars when you visit, and this time is no exception. You choose a seat in one of their many booths with a good view of the TV so you can watch the game (Go Braves!). You enjoy your appetizer of fries as you wait for your entree, watching the game and relaxing in the rhythm of other diners’ conversations. In no time, your plate arrives. The barbeque sandwich is heaped with meat, which is smoked to perfection, tender, and juicy with just the right amount of sauce. The side of mac and cheese you ordered is similarly delicious, and you spend a good five minutes cleaning your plate of every last bite. You leave feeling refreshed and head back home to finish up your day.
Scroll to afternoon snack!
3. Asian food sounds like the perfect refresher to get your energy back after the work you’ve done. Two places are offering lunch specials that look enticing…
Puma Yu’s has a menu for a beverage, salad, and choice of Beef Shank Noodle Soup, Pad See Ewe with Marinated Pork, Stir Fry Tofu with Vegetables, or Thai Basil Beef for just $25.
Puma Yu’s has a relaxing, mid-century modern aesthetic that immediately puts you at ease. To start, you order a Green Cooler, which soothes the summer heat from your body. The salad that follows is light and refreshing; the turmeric dressing, when paired with the tomatoes, red onions, and pepitas, makes a bright combination. The entree is a difficult choice, but in the end you decide to keep your lunch on the lighter side and choose the tofu stir fry with vegetables. When it arrives, you’re immediately impressed by the careful plating, and the flavor of the food reflects its meticulous positioning. Everything has been cooked to perfection; the tofu has just the right amount of softness, and the vegetables are flavorful and fresh. It’s no trouble to clean your plate, and you head home to finish up your day.
OR
Taichi Bubble Tea has a deal where you can get your choice of entree and a drink for 30% off your order total.
Since they opened, Taichi Bubble Tea has been one of your favorite spots to work. Their soft wood interior and comfortable seating make it the perfect place to focus. They have a variety of entree options -- many of which are customizable through filling out an order card. Their house-made ramen is also delicious, but today you decide you want something quick and go with a poke bowl. One of your favorite things about Taichi is their variety of options for their bowls; there are dozens of combinations of fresh rice, vegetables, fruits, and sauces. For your drink, there are also a variety of choices. You could get fruit or milk tea, a smoothie, or boba. You decide to get a strawberry mango smoothie with boba. You enjoy your lunch sitting in a corner booth, relaxing in the soothing ambience as other diners talk quietly.
Scroll to afternoon snack!
Afternoon Snack
Now that you’ve had lunch, you decide you want a final boost of energy to carry you through the rest of your day. You decide to text a friend and ask them to meet you at a coffee shop. On AthensRestaurantWeek.com, you had seen a variety of coffee shops offering deals and discounts. Where should you go?
1. Jittery Joes has a deal for a 16oz coldbrew and muffin for just $5.
It seems that there’s always a Jittery Joes nearby in Athens. Once you arrive, you order you and your friend cold brews and choose a blueberry muffin for both of you. The cold brew is cool and refreshing, bitter without being too bitter. The muffin provides just the right balance of sweetness, and is light and fluffy. You and your friend laugh and chat for hours, catching up over delicious coffee.
Scroll down to dinner!
2. 1000 Faces has a 10% discount when you buy one of their drink specials.
You immediately want to try 1000 Faces’ special drinks, so you text your friend to meet you there. The open floor plan, hanging plants, and soft music makes a natural, inviting aesthetic that immediately makes you relax. Once your friend arrives, you each order a special drink to get the 10% discount. You switch the drinks back and forth as you talk so that you can both try each other’s in depth. The Fountain of Youth’s flavors are bright and summery, while the Lucky Cat offers a soothing counterbalance of matcha and tea. The hours pass easily as you talk and enjoy your drinks.
Scroll down to dinner!
3. Sips Espresso Cafe has a 10% discount when you buy a special summer drink and a pastry.
Your friend says they’re dying to try the summer drink specials at Sips, so you head over to Normaltown. Despite it being mid-afternoon, Sips has a healthy crowd indoors and on their outdoor patio. Everyone is talking and laughing, enjoying the special summer offers. You meet your friend and both of you excitedly pour over Sips’ special summer drink menu. Your friend decides to get the Japanese Tea Garden, enticed by the flavors of lavender and rose matcha. You end up choosing the Darjeeling Tiger -- the cold foam and coconut chai seemed the perfect balance to the warmth of the sun. You both enjoy your drinks on Sips’ shaded outdoor patio, and the hours pass by pleasantly.
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Dinner
In no time at all, it’s time for dinner! You and your friend decide to text some other people and get a group together to go out for dinner. Where do you want to meet first?
1. You decide it would be best to gather the group for some drinks, so you and your friend look over the options on the Athens Restaurant Week Website. Where should you go?
Creature Comforts is offering a $12 flight deal, which would be great to do with friends.
You and your friend head over to Creature Comforts. As always, there’s a buzzing group of people on the outdoor patio, enjoying the music and food from that day’s food truck. You meet the rest of your friends and head inside, where you order the flight deal three times over so that everyone can taste the variety of beers offered. You have fun making a tasting game of it by hiding the labels on the flight and having the taster guess which is which. It’s a great time, with lots of laughter and cheers, and soon you’re ready for dinner.
OR
Terrapin is offering a deal where for $12, you get a souvenir glass and six 6 ounce pours of beer. This would also be great to do with friends.
You and your friend head over to Terrapin Brewing Company. Outside, there’s people chatting with their dogs and playing patio games, and the same lively atmosphere greets you inside. There, you meet your friends and order Terrapin’s deal three times over so that everyone can try the samples offered. You have fun making a tasting game of it by hiding the labels on the flight and having the taster guess which is which. It’s a great time, with lots of laughter and cheers, and soon you’re ready for dinner.
2. Dinner Time!
But where should you eat? You ask your friends what type of cuisine they’re craving, and they vote on:
There are multiple Italian places offering fantastic menus. You could go to…
The Expat, where for $40 you can get a small plate, entree, and dessert.
Your friends decide they want to dine somewhere upscale, so you head over to Five Points. When you walk into the Expat, you’re immediately greeted by a smiling host and shown to a table. The Expat’s Athens Restaurant Week Menu offers a host of delicacies. For your appetizer, you choose the Roman-Style Artichokes, which are soft and bursting with flavor from the lemon-garlic aioli. The entree that follows only raises your expectations; the Creste Di Gallo Ai Funghi boasts perfectly cooked oyster mushrooms, swimming in pistachio cream and balanced with arugula. For dessert, you choose the tiramisu, which dances with rich flavors of bourbon and coffee on your tongue. Your friends all share bits of their dishes, and you talk and enjoy the beautiful ambiance.
OR
Ted’s Most Best, where for $17.95 you can get half a dozen garlic knots, one 2 topping pizza, and one mini cheesecake.
Your friends overwhelmingly vote for pizza, so you go to Ted’s Most Best. You’re immediately greeted by a bustling outdoors patio full of people of all ages enjoying their food outdoors. Once you go inside, it’s simple to place your order at the counter and grab a prime table on the patio. You and your friends enjoy the soft and flavorful garlic knots as you talk and laugh, and it’s no time at all before your pizzas arrive, filling the air with the aromas of spices and fresh bread. You finish it off with a perfect slice of cheesecake, the flavors melting on your tongue in the summer air.
There are some great options for Latin American or Mexican food. You could go to…
Poquitos, where for $15.99 you can get chips with salsa, queso or guac, an entree of two tacos of your choice, and the choice of tres leches cake or flan for dessert.
You and your friends have many fond memories of Poquito’s, so you go to Normaltown. The outdoor patio is full of groups of friends and families enjoying the fresh summer air. Shortly after you sit down, plates of chips with queso, guac, and salsa arrive; you and your friends each ordered something different so you could share. The salsa has a sweet spice, the guac is fresh, and the queso is rich and creamy. Not long after, your tacos arrive. You had ordered one with chicken and one with steak, and both are perfectly cooked and seasoned. Finally, you finish your meal with a slice of tres leches cake. The cake is decadent and not too heavy, leaving you full and happy.
OR
El Barrio, where on Sundays you can get $1 off all tacos and a $6 signature cocktail.
By the time you get to Five Points, everyone in Athens seems to be there trying to get dinner. El Barrio has its own healthy crowd of diners. People spill out from the patio to the lawn area, where kids and adults alike play games of cornhole. Because today is Sunday, you and your friends know you have to make use of the $1 off all tacos deal. You order enough to share between you all in great variety: birria, grilled steak, pork pastor, fried chicken, crispy fish -- and still there were more tacos to choose from! The table could break under the weight of them all, and you and your friends talk and laugh as you share the tacos on this beautiful summer evening.
There are multiple American and Southern places offering dining deals. You could go to…
Farm Burger, where for $25 you can get any two Black Board burgers, fries, and a drink.
You and your friends are craving a good, juicy burger, so you go to Normaltown. Farm Burger lights up the street with their inviting outdoor patio, and you can hear people laughing and chatting. There’s so many burgers to choose from, but you decide to order the Farm Burger and the Housemade Vegan. You and your friends grab a table outside to eat your food. The beef on the Farm Burger is perfectly tender, and the juiciness of the meat, caramelized onions, and sharp cheddar cheese melt in your mouth. The Housemade Vegan is just as good; the vegetable mixture that makes up the patty is a wonderful texture and full of flavor. Your friends rave similarly about their food, and you all talk and laugh, enjoying good food on a lovely summer evening.
OR
Five & Ten, where for $49 per person you can get a deluxe three course meal.
After looking at their menu, you and your friends decide that you have to try Five and Ten’s special offerings for restaurant week. When you walk inside, you’re struck by how much it looks and feels like a home. The decor is warm and inviting, and the rooms are full of neatly set tables. You begin your dining experience with the southern risotto. Shortly after, your second course comes out: pork schnitzel with sauce choron. The pork is cooked to be perfectly crispy and tender, and the sauce adds a rich, tangy depth to the dish. Finally, you finish your meal with the strawberry white chocolate cheesecake.
You say a long goodbye to your friends after raving about the fantastic dinner you just had. Summer evening slips into night around you; the moon bathes the streets, crickets call out, and the nightlife of Athens slowly comes to life. You feel happy and at peace as you go home -- the special kind of peace that only comes after long hours of good food and good company.