The leaves aren't the only thing changing in Athens this fall, some of our favorite Athens restaurants are switching up their menus to give you a taste of the season. Here are some of our favorite fall flavors you've got to try: 

Food:

 

The Pine

The Pine serves southern-inspired cuisine influenced by global flavors and created with seasonal and local flavors. They're known for daily house-made pasta, burger specials, Sunday biscuit brunch, special Monday night dinners and third Wednesday wine tastings. 

Chicken Biscuit with Pimento Cheese & Bacon

A biscuit is stacked high with chicken, bacon, and pimento cheese.

Pulled Pork Sliders with Southern Slaw

Three small buns topped with pulled pork and cole slaw sit on a white plate. Each has a pickle on a toothpick in the top.

 

Heirloom 

Heirloom is a local cafe that works to source its produce and meat locally, bringing you produce that was sewn, tended and harvested with care by people in the Athens community. That means their food is always fresh and seasonally changing. 

Pulled Pork Hash with baked eggs, smoked Comfort Farms pork shoulder, crispy collards and root vegetables

Photo shows a food hash in a white bowl with a pair of sunny-side-up eggs on top.

 

The National

The National is a casual neighborhood spot with Mediterranean-inspired foods and drinks. Their menu is driven by the changing seasons of Northeast Georgia. 

Fall Salad with radicchio, frisee, lettuce, salami, smoked provolone, butternut squash, chickpeas and castelvetrano olives

The National Fall Salad

Seared Okra with chickpeas, spiced ground lamb, yogurt, harissa and Marcona almonds

A plate of okra and chickpeas with seasonings and accent flavors on a white plate sits on a blue and white table cloth. A can and glass of Creature Comforts beer sits beside it.

 

Puma Yu's 

A small Southeast Asian restaurant at the historic Southern Mill complex with a cozy bar and spacious patio focusing on small seasonal plates, creative cocktails and natural wines. The food program will be led by Chef Pete Amadhanirundr and the bar program is led by Ally Smith. Puma Yu's is the culmination of a fiercely loyal following of the chef-owner's pop-up "The Side Hustle." The menu at Puma Yu’s is hyper-seasonal, so the specials are always changing as new ingredients become available and come into season, inspiring its owners. Some previous specials include: 

Shrimp and pork dumplings with seafood broth & scallion

A bowl of dumplings in broth on a blue speckled background.

Braised beans with Bartram trail pole beans, Blits mushrooms, caramelized onions and fava beans

A dish with green garnish sits on a teal background.

 

Drinks:

 

Sidecar

Sidecar is Chef Mimi Maumus's new project, in the small room off of home.made that has always housed the bar. Sidecar is the space that has been created for laidback evenings over small plates & craft cocktails (including alcohol-free options). The menu is separate from home.made's but retains the inventiveness and attention to flavorful experiences you'd expect from their kitchen.

Blood Orange Whiskey Sour

Redemption bourbon, lemon juice, blood orange juice, simple syrup, fee foam

A deep red cocktail in a cocktail glass sits on a bar.

October Sky

Spiced rum, house-made spiced honey syrup, pear juice, mint, apple cider float

A bartender squeezes a lime into a golden cocktail in a tall glass with green garnish.

Corduroy Dreams

Cazador tequila, pomegranate juice, Grand Marnier, rhubarb bitters, house-made plum syrup, salt rim

A deep purple cocktail with a salt rim sits on a bar. A bartender puts herbs in it.

 

The Root Basement Bar

The Root Basement Bar offers handcrafted seasonal cocktails, craft beer, and whiskey along with sublime snacks, pub games and big-screen TVs. It is downstairs from The Pine. 

Blackberry Mezcal Margarita

A purple drink in a coup glass sits on a wooden bar.

Spin on a Negroni

A light pink cocktail in a short glass sits with a blackberry and an orange twist for garnish.

 

The National 

The National is a casual neighborhood spot with Mediterranean-inspired foods and drinks. Their menu is driven by the changing seasons of Northeast Georgia. 

Ambrosia

Cognac, spiced pear, amaro, sparkling wine

A golden cocktail sits on a wooden table.

Holy Thursday

Bourbon, calvados, amaro, amontillado sherry, orange peel

A deep purple cocktail sits on a bar.

 

 

Check out our Restaurants page for more places to dine in Athens this fall.