Top Restaurants to Eat Near UGA’s Campus

Written by  Jessica Pierson

About an hour east of Atlanta is Athens, GA, home of the Dawgs and some pretty amazing restaurants. Whether you’re travelling there for a UGA football game or just to walk around downtown, I can promise you won’t be leaving hungry if you stop by any of these amazing spots! From Downtown to Five Points, you can find an amazing dish for whatever you’re craving!

For Breakfast…

Two words: Mama’s Boy. This iconic Athens restaurant almost always has a line outside the door, but boy is it worth it. You really can’t go wrong with any kind of biscuit from here, whether it has fried chicken or raspberry jam, it is definitely a winner. For a healthier option that is still tasty, get the veggie scrambler filled with eggs and yummy veggies. If you’re looking for a cinnamon roll the size of your head, this is the place to go!

J Christophers is the best place to go if you’re looking for a nice home-cooked breakfast. Get the pantry feast for a little bit of everything and more. Everyone needs to try the blueberry crunch cakes, seriously. They are pancakes with blueberries and granola so they’re healthy, right?! Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on this!

You can’t come to Athens without visiting Athens Bagel Company. If you’re looking for something quick, this is the place to go! You get to build your own bagel just the way you want it. With so many options of bagels and meats and spreads, there really is no wrong combination here. If you want sweet, they have a snickerdoodle spread. And if you want savory, get sausage with pimento cheese spread on your bagel. YUM.

For Lunch…

Taqueria Del Sol is the place to be in Athens! There is a very intimidating line that forms outside, but I promise they move super fast. Start off with chips and queso and guacamole to get a taste of how great taq is (and yes, taq is what all of the cool kids call it). The fried chicken tacos and the shrimp and corn chowder are classics and they are amazing! I would also definitely recommend the chicken enchiladas with lemon cream sauce. Seriously everything is delicious here so order whatever makes your mouth water. Do you like queso? Go here. Do you like margaritas? Go here. Do you like chicken fingers in your tacos? Uh yes, go here.

ADD Drug is a hidden gem of Athens located in Five Points. It’s a pharmacy with a little diner inside of it that serves the food of your dreams. The pimento cheeseburger is something special here and will make you want to eat one every day. Pair that with tater tots and you have one tasty lunch! Oh, and we can’t forget about the chocolate milkshake! Please get one, or two, you will not regret it. This place is definitely worth the calories.

For a healthier lunch, Big City Bread offers tons of yummy salads and sandwiches. The mozzarella, tomato, and basil sandwich is super tasty and fresh. If you are wanting something light but still amazing, get the crisp apple and blue cheese salad. Oh and did I mention you can do a half sandwich half salad situation? So you don’t have to choose, you can get both! Big City Bread, go there now!

For Dinner…

Go to Trapeze, please! This place is good, like really good. They have all the sandwiches and burgers you could possibly want. I mean a peanut butter and jelly burger? Sounds weird, but taste SO GOOD. The quinoa salad is a great option for a lighter dinner. But okay we need to talk about their fries. Do not come here without eating their fries with raspberry ketchup. These are a game changer! Everything here is good but my goodness those fries, need some now!

This place is called The Place. If you’re confused then I guess you will have to come to Athens to see it for yourself! For an appetizer get the southern fried veggies. Pickles, okra, and tomatoes all breaded and fried and served with ranch dressing. A great start to a great meal! For your meal you have to order the bourbon glazed salmon. It comes laying on top of two grit cakes (yum) and is cooked so well with the perfect sauce. This salmon is a dream. The Place is the place to be! Ha!

The Last Resort is probably the most popular restaurant in Athens, which means you need to come here. The beef short rib is served with sour cream mashed potatoes. Yeah, I’ll let that sink in for a second. Or the fried green tomato sandwich that’s beer-battered & dusted with cornmeal… Seriously guys, I can’t make this stuff up. And guess what, it tastes even better than it sounds! And to top it off, they also sell some of the best desserts in Athens. From white chocolate cheesecake to red velvet cake, I can promise you won’t be leaving here hungry.

So are you already planning your trip to Athens? Because you should be. Athens has a little something for everyone to enjoy. Whatever you’re craving, Athens has it and is waiting for you to come check it out! Trust me, this food is definitely worth the drive!