(I got this question idea reading this great little book, “The Table Comes First“, which observes that food lovers like nothing more than recounting meals at restaurants that no longer exist.)
That observation got me wondering what are the ranking Atlanta ghost eating establishments.
Macarolina
Nicole Kaplan
brianc
brianc
brianc
DocG
Decatur Metro
Irene
brianc
Upatoi Boy
sansho1
Chris Billingsley
Herren’s downtown, which is now The Balzar Theater, home of The Theatrical Outfit, where Harabel is now being performed. Highly recommended then and highly recommended now. They even serve Herren’s famous cinnamon rolls.
It isn’t even close. Tortillas!!
Indeed. There’s been a burrito-shaped hole in my heart for so long . . .
Oh, yes!
I’ve heard more about this place since moving to Atlanta than restaurants that actually exist.
Agreed! Tortillas! I also miss Mick’s and the Pleasant Peasant.
Wondering if you have tried Tomatillos in East Atlanta village? I have not eaten there but have heard it is in the style of and similar to Tortillas. I used to eat at Tortillas often and loved it like so many others.
yup, Tortillas was my go to during my happiest burrito filled years when i lived on St. Charles in VaHi and it was only a 5 minute walk away.
for those who don’t know, about 4 years ago a Tortillas freak named Matt Hinton decided to recreate their menu from memory, began preparing items at his home and delivering them to homes . . . developed a following, and has now opened a couple of restaurants named Bell Street Burritos where you can relive your glorious flatulent past.
I’m grateful for his efforts, and Bell Street is very good, but it ain’t the same. Also, there’s no cooler of full of icy-cold Red Stripes at Bell Street.
Try Bell St. Burritos for a Tortillas-like experience 🙂
Ding ding ding, we have a winner!
Baker’s Cafe (or was it Bakers) in Little Five Points. I regularly ate breakfast there from 1997-2000 or so. Still my favorite grits, by far.
Frank Ma’s last restaurant on Briarcliff (across from the Whole Foods) was great. The closest thing to Gu’s or Tasty China on our side of town.
My wife and I have fond memories of weekend breakfast at Bakers Cafe – loved their Eggs Benedict… great vibe in there – wonderful place to eat and relieve a hangover
that thing they served in the skillet… i see one of the guys (former owner?) in oakhurst now and again.
agreed — best muffaletta EVER!
Tee hee…you said muffaletta.
Was that the one on Beaver Ruin?
I loved it there too – grillades and grits were to die for.
The Hungarian restaurant that was in Buckhead and moved to Northlake before disappearing.
Every now and then I get a hankering for a Hamdog from Mulligan’s… Or maybe it’s just a hankering to SAY that I have a hankering for a Hamdog. Like it or not, it makes for a story…
The Rich’s Tea Room. Or just anything Rich’s really.
Their coconut cake reminds me of my grandmother. She cooked everything else from scratch, but she’d go downtown to buy that.
I’ve seen recipes for it online, but it wouldn’t be the same.
The 5th Earl in Decatur that sadly disappeared after the Trackside fire.
+1
+2
Heaping Bowl and Brew
Oh yeah. We used to eat there all the time when we lived in Grant Park in the mid-90’s.
yes!! miss the one they used to have in oakhurst when we first moved here…
My wife and I had our first date dinner here – we just celebrated our 12th year anniversary! We then bought our first house in East Atlanta village –
Beans and greens! Miss that place.
Las Palmeras
Oh, yes. Great place.
Completely agree. Great outdoor patio and the best masitas de puerco I’ve ever had!
Brasserie le Coze/F.A.B. I’ve heard they’ve opened in a third incarnation but without the Onion Soup. Best. Soup. Ever.
Loved their skate wing in butter caper sauce. And spinach salad with fried chicken livers.
Tortillas
Nickiemotos.
And in Decatur, Corky Deans.
I second Nickiemoto’s.
I second Corky Dean’s.
Everybody’s!!! (And of those mentioned so far, I also miss FAB and Heaping Bowl & Brew.)
And that includes the short-lived but deeply loved Heaping Bowl Oakhurst location.
Jim White’s & Country Place.
Crossroads, Rio Vista, Pilgreens.
Now ya talking!
Seegers. Everybody’s monster salads. And yes, the Heaping Bowl.
Burrito Art. I constantly crave the pollo verde or the chicken vindaloo. Thankfully I can still get their red cabbage slaw at Napoleon’s since I believe the former BA owner owns Napoleons (or they’re related somehow) but I do miss those giant and unique burritos.
I second Burrito Art! The thai chicken burrito and asian meatloaf were the bomb!! But the guy who started BA is no longer associated with Napoleons…which is good, becuz they are jerks.
Margie’s Pantry in Oakhurst – awesome home-cooked meals
and
that Jamaican place in Little 5 points, was it called Jamaican Grill?
I was going to say Bridgetown Grill also (the Jamaican in L5P.)
I miss their jerk chicken, beans and rice with a side of maduros so much.
Then they went all Flying Biscuit – i.e. tried to expand and lost what made them special…good food.
We need a new incarnation of Jamaican food in-town.
Son’s.
Son’s Place FTW!
If I must pick only one : Dynamic Dish
Others I miss :
Camille’s – with original owner – Va Highlands
Cha Gio – midtown
cakes from Rich’s bakery downtown
PTown – ice cream shop on Clairemont in downtown Decatur
Quite a trip down memory lane with these now closed restaurants… The original location for Cha Gio was amazing, dinner there was like being transported to Saigon, I can still picture it, and how Peachtree St. has changed since!
am i correctly remembering a refrigerated beer chest where you could fetch your own beer?
their spring rolls (cha gio) were wonderfully crispy and i recall a fish with 5 spices dish that i couldn’t get enough of.
this was back in the 80s when ethnic restaurants we few and far between in Atlanta—they helped build a market for it that has since thrived as the city has become more sophisticated.
Agnes & Muriel’s in Midtown, Tortillas and 5th Earl. Still haven’t found a sandwich that I like since 5th Early burned down. Bell St. Burritos is helping with the loss of Tortillas although I wish they’d quit moving!! Now they’re on Peachtree.
French Quarter Food Shop (was next to Stein Club)
The supper club in Decatur – for the food and the great date night atmosphere.
MF sushibar in Midtown for the really good sushi and the friendly chef at the sushi bar.
Burrito Art was so good! And Cha Gio. I also miss Eat Your Vegetables in L5P. They would kill it nowadays, I think.
Eat Your Vegetables was great!
I was going to say Eat Your Vegetables, too! I still think about it any time I drive through L5P.
Jake’s Ice Cream, the Decatur location in the wonderful old house, handpainted and decorated with love by Maura and ??? good old what’s-his-name. Jeff?
I used to really enjot Benedetti’s, despite the surly waiter who always brought us crusty bread instead of the far superior garlic rolls.
Coohill’s at 12th and Peachtree where Oceanaire is now. Tom Coohill’s place after his time at The Abbey, City Grill and Ciboulette. I just followed his cooking around the city.
In Decatur, Viet Chateau and Eurasia Bistro. Coconut prawns with vermicelli and the best mint sweet tea.
Another vote for Heaping Bowl (east Atl.). And for a more recent close, The King and I in Ansley Park, one of the first Thai places in Atlanta.
The King and I is closed?! That is really tragic. I love that place. They got a new owner recently and I thought things didn’t seem to be going well. That’s really sad!
A friend told me she tried to go there and it was closed. Maybe it was temporary, because I don’t recall reading anything about it closing.
King and I is closed. There is a Thai/ Chinese/ Vegetarian restaurant in the Ansley location. Unfortunately, the food was not very good. I was always a King and I devotee. Any opinions on Bangkok? I thought Garlic, here is Decatur was Great! Native is a nice addition, but I was very sad to see Garlic leave.
I believe Native has already closed.
food ease/ponko chicken
On US 78 in Stone Mountain? That place was a regular stop on the way home when we lived in Gwinnett.
yep. good times.
I still miss the old Cafe Diem on Highland Avenue. Both subsequent iterations (Carpe and Apres) were great in their own way, but not like the original. I can’t say the food was outstanding, but it was always good, in my experience.
But I probably miss it most because it was such a big part of my lifestyle in my mid-20s, getting off work and going with friends. We’d hang out on the patio, drinking coffee or wine and chain smoking. Sometimes we’d share a cheese plate and order dinner. That kind of place.
+1
Mick’s, the Decatur location.
Bucks in Underground, too.
Partners and Indigo in Morningside, Sierra Grill and later Ciboulette in the same space. What a long, long time ago…
Yes, several fond memories of both Partners and Indigo Grill – my go to date restaurants back in the day!
This is making me hungry. Is it lunch time yet? in no particular order. ++ for Tortillas, 5th Earl, Everybody’s. And how about Feast? And these will date me, but Gene & Gabe’s near Ansley Mall; the great little soup-only place in downtown Atlanta; and way, way back to the late 70s there was a little Greek restaurant in Midtown at 14th St. where highrises exist now. It was BYOB, and the owner cooked and his wife greeted you and played Greek music on a turntable in the corner.
+1 for feast
+2 Feast
The Tiburon Grill
In Decatur, the wife and I still miss Jin Jin. Such good Americanized Chinese food!
Pleasant Peasant downtown by the Fox
Also the Abby since the atmosphere was really cool
The PEasant group was great in the ’90’s.
I also miss Dailey’s on International (or whatever it’s called now.)
The original Havana Sandwich Shop at N. Druid Hills and Buford Highway. The subsequent warring incarnations weren’t the same IMHO.
I was going to say Del Taco, but they’ve started opening back up. Sooooo….
Bennigan’s!
Also HOLA!
CocoLoco
Harry Barron’s
Rocky’s Pizza
the seafood restaurant that was on the east side of N. Highland in the mid-late ’90s
Evelyn’s Cafe, a tiny Greek place in Tucker–don’t know whether they closed altogether or just moved (I worked in Tucker in the ’90s, it was our other fave lunch spot besides Matthew’s)
the Greek/Middle EAstern place on Peachtree near Huey’s
If it was the same as the Evelyn’s Cafe on Lawrenceville Hwy near Beaver Ruin in Lilburn, I sorely miss it as well. Her pasta sauce was amazing.
This one was on L’ville Hwy in Tucker, in one of those little shopping plazas between Brockett Rd and Hugh Howell. But that was early ’90s and they’ve been gone from that location for many years, so they might’ve moved out to Lilburn. She made fantastic avgolemono soup.
Yep, same person. I had heard she moved back to Greece. Wish I’d gotten her sauce recipe before she left.
My last conversation with Harry Barron was ~ 1974:
Barron: Hurry back! My wife needs to take another cruise.
Me: Stunned silence.
I loved Rocky’s, particularly their pizza with hot sausage, bell peppers and chimichurri. Also loved Harry Barron’s.
Kool Korners near GA Tech. Best cubans in town (even better than Havana’s).
Kool Korner was the best Cuban sandwich in Atlanta. Odd little old store but fun to wait in line and watch the talkative owner make the sandwiches one at a time and joke with the customers. Now I’m really hungry.
+1
Decatur Diner
-1
There was a susi place, I think it was called Soto, that had the freshest sushi I’ve had in Atlanta.
Yes, he closed down for a year or so and opened back up for a couple of months before moving to NYC. Now he gets nationally reviewed. Soto was the best suchi joint in town.
Going way back…Conversations in downtown Decatur. Does anyone remember it?
Very fond memories of Conversations from the early 80s!
Chef’s Cafe and Chef’s Grill… One was at the Quality Inn on Piedmont at I-85, the other was at Woodruff Arts Center, both extremely good.
I miss ANY New Orleans food in Atlanta.
Is there any place to get a good etoufee or jambalaya??
There was one on Ponce that was a walk-up place, but really good.
Then there was one in Buckhead on Pharr that was better than expected.
The last one I knew about was an expensive version on Piedmont. It was good, but spending that much on Nawlins food felt wrong.
Try The Big Easy Bar and Grille on Collier Rd. All Cajun food, all the time. Great Bloody Mary and specials every day. Also a big supply of Abita. But the Gumbo, Crawfish Etoufee and Jamblaya are all great- and big portions.
Thanks for the suggestion Nittany – I’ll give it a try.
I’m not sure how authentic it was, but I did like the Depeaux.
Gumbo A-Go-Go!
For poor boys and/or any variety of prepared seafood (especially shrimp, crawfish and oysters), Crawfish Shack on BuHi should be your destination. They spike their shrimp and crawfish boil liquid with a little bit of lemongrass (and a good bit of heat — careful when sucking the heads) and it is fabulous. None fresher. None better. Their boudin balls and gumbo are tasty as well.
For other cajun/creole classics, the only place I’ve found that passes muster for me is Gumbeaux’s, which is, alas, way out in Douglasville. It’s worth the drive. Thankfully, my inlaws live in Carrolton, so we have an excuse to swing by there every so often.
Sweet Devil Moon in Oakhurst.
+1 – but definitely the Oakhurst experience (vs the Midtown version)
SO memorable after decades – the original Joe Dale’s on Maple Street and the Chili Tree on Highland.
Chili Tree …….. that place was ahead of its time. Wonderful authentic Mexican food.
I miss Maddy’s. It was literally behind my backyard. Hard to beat live blues and BBQ 7 nights a week. A little luster was lost when they lost their liquor license (no ice cold pitchers of beer).
Maddy’s had the most amazing potato salad. A friend of mine made me try it when they had a booth at the Decatur festival… I said really, I don’t care for potato salad and she said no, you have to try this. And it was delicious! We made a special trip there to have a pan of it at our wedding.
I always start to share your posts with you because they sound like you and then I realize they’re you.
agreed! We also had friends who insisted we try it, and it was instantly added to our party rotation.
Bundos — we had our wedding reception there in 2000!
Kingfisher in Pine Lake
Heaping Bowl and Brew
El Tesaro in Decatur
Benedetti’s
Everybody’s
The New Orleans restaurant that was in the Marlay’s space many years ago.
I think that New Orleans restaurant was called Ya-Ya’s
Thanks!
I had quite possibly the worst ever restaurant service experience of my life at Ya Ya’s. (Wrong) Entrees before appetizers, over an hour between courses, you name it. The owner was so mortified he comped the entire meal for our party of nine.The place closed a couple of months later.
+7 for Bundos (accounting for me, my parents and my wife and her parents and brother). From what I have been told, the whole Bundo’s crew left Decatur to go to Mexico, then resurfaced in Stone Mountain, but that location has clolsed as well. Best lasagna ever!
Re Bundos: I missed the Mexico part, but Carmen and Tony moved to Stone Mountain and, as you mentioned reopened there for a couple of years.
I run into them occasionally and beg them to get back into business, but no luck.
Ya Ya’s
Frijoleros on Peachtree
5th Earl!
sylvia’s atomic cafe… sui generis!
& susie’s across the street
Doby’s fine foods with the jukeboxes on the tables
Plus one on Doby’s. Three eggs and a “steak” for like, $3.99.
Good call on Doby’s +1
Gringos which became Fox Bros BBQ on Dekalb Ave.
+1. Cannot believe I forgot Gringos!
Im sure the margaritas aided the forgetting.
Gringos made me the discriminating margarita connoisseur I am today. Seriously- don’t get near me with that neon sour mix.
Brother Junipers on Peachtree. great vibe and sammiches
I worked at Brother Juniper’s for a few years, and it was great. Run by very cool people (though I don’t think that religious order exists anymore). I still use their recipe for tuna salad.
Carver’s Grocery and the Dolly Parton breast.
Trio, the Peasant restaurant in Buckhead, late 80’s.
Good Old Days at the Emory Village. Flower pot sandwiches and deep-fried batter-dipped mushrooms. Yum.
Feast. And Coco Loco for sure!
Feast
James Joyce
Benedetti’s
Aioli (Sp?) by the Target across from Phipps
Inman Park Patio
Bridgetown Grill (L5 Pts and midtown)
PieBar
Calavino’s
My mouth is watering from the memories!!!!
Oh yeah, The Patio was terrific.
Victoria Station in the old train cars/caboose on Piedmont.
Arigato – the tiny Japanese restaurant that used to be across from Krispy Kreme on Ponce. Best ginger dressing and Japanese home style dishes.
Taste of New Orleans – midtown Atlanta
Country Place at Colony Square
Rocky’s Pizza
Indigo
Tierra on Piedmont. Was one of the first places I went with my now husband. Ticha and Dan were fabulous taking turns in the kitchen and cooking. I still dream about the creamy shrimp and polenta bake and the beef wrapped plantains. Oh and the tres leches cake.
Tierra is on my list too (also the Tres Leches cake!).
For Decatur, Food Business and Metro Market- both ahead of their time.
The original Jaggers! I cannot believe I forgot that. Grad student happy hours. Those were the days!
Nothin’ like a $1 well drink! Except maybe another…..
Virginia’s.
Still not over the loss of 5th Earl.
Virginia’s! Good one. I even remember when it was on Virginia, and they allowed BYOB from the bodega across the street.
Then they moved to Krog, and it was still good, but not the same.
Kool Korner on 14th was amazing. Not only the best Cuban sandwich in town, but you could literally buy one for $3.25. I loved walking in there and belting out my order.
He is in Hoover outside of Birmingham now and just as great!
I’m very sorry to hear that Carver’s is closed. When I moved to Decatur I loved the Southernaire which was located where the current Calle Latina is. I’m surprised it hasn’t been mentioned by someone else though it was a loooong time ago.
Gringo’s
The James Joyce
Pleasant Peasant
Burrito Art. Sooo miss them.
Can’t believe no Rockin Rob’s fans out there. It was damn good BBQ and Maddy’s was a subpar replacement. Pulled pork with field peas and snaps
Maybe everybody was just mad about Big Greg’s closing.
For a date with your best girl, the only place to go in the 70’s-early 80’s was The Coach and 6 on Peachtree. The best steak in town. And you really made it if your caricature was painted on the bar wall!
Rocky’s Pizza
Gringos
Oz Pizza on College– not because it was the best but because it was the closest to my house.
Crescent Moon
Benedetti’s
Oz had an amazing veggie pizza. I’ve never found one as good. (That’s where we had our rehearsal dinner.
119 (and counting) comments on **closed** restaurants.
oh, if only there were a small town where restauranteurs who served great food and service could tap a nearly rabid foodie crowd for their patronage.
one can dream . . .
Tortillas … it was like heroin, only healthier for you. I miss Jaggers for some strange reason too.
Mid-upscale: Harvest (one of Shaun Doty’s early chef-ing gigs here)
Up-upscale: Ciboulette (in Ansley Park) – wonderful French food & vibe
Everyday: Count me as the dozenteenth person to miss Tortillas
Harvest was excellent. The sous chef (the one that does the actual work in the kitchen while the executive chef drinks lattes in the office) runs Home Grown in Reynoldstown now.
Thanks for the tip on Harvest/Home Grown connection. I really liked that place as well- and had no idea that was early Shawn Doty. I just remember Mumbo Jumbo for his earliest- that was great too.
+1 on Harvest and Mumbo Jumbo. Those used to be my go-to restaurants on payday in the late 90s/early 2000s. Didn’t realize the Homegrown connection, either.
I was trying to remember the name of Ciboulette the other day when I was over that way. Thanks for joggin’ my noggin. Great restaurant.
And speaking of Doty, Shawn’s is worth missing too, I think.
You guys please elaborate on Benedetti’s. I know I ate there and I know I loved it buy I can’t remember where it was. I need a refresher.
I believe it was at the corner of North Decatur and Clairmont between Willy’s burrito restaurant and Kyoto Joe’s. There’s a pizza place there now.
Oh yeah! I did love that place. Best veal parmesan ever!
Walter is correct. Originally Benedetti’s was a single storefront and did great business. Eventually they expanded into a second storefront and added a full bar, but for some reason that never took off and they closed soon after expanding.
The owner of Benedetti’s died suddenly. I seem to recall the planning for the expansion was underway at that time. One or more of his family members took over the business but things were never quite the same .
Happy Herman’s on Cheshire Bridge Rd. They had the best Cuban sandwich!
Ed Greene’s in Emory Village. Burned down in the fire of ’76(?) that took out the Emory Movie Theater.
I thought I was the only one that remembers that fire in the village. I saw Star Wars thirteen times at the theater.
Another favorite of mine was Café Des Amis, in the old Pershing Point Hotel.
Oh, and Horton’s Grill (since Emory Village is in the discussion), where we went for breakfast and to cash a check.
I haven’t known anyone in so long who remembers Cafe des Ami. I miss the beautiful building that was at Pershing Point and I miss sitting on the terrace and eating what? For the life of me, I can’t remember the food.
I’m surprised Virginia’s has only been mentioned once! The original in the old house in the Highlands was like an urban utopia! I loved Tortillas and Heaping Bowl too 🙁
Deacon Burton’s – best fried chicken ever
And Walnut Cake.
Country Place
Camille’s (also at Colony Square)
Buck’s/Mick’s
The Magnolia Room for Easter and Christmas meals with my family, The Shipfeifer Gyro Wrap on Peachtree in Midtown as well as Feast. There was an Italian place i used to eat at with my parents all the time growing up that was in the area of Clairmont and Buford Highway but i cannot recall the name. Also, i miss Chi Chi’s!
Thank you!!! I’ve been trying all afternoon to remember the name of Shipfeifer’s.
You mean Torinos. Run by a Cuban family. My all time favoritnItalian restaurant.
Rudy Santa Maria. We just called it Rudy’s. They actually started out in the Avondale Mall. We have some of the original artwork of one of the son’s here in the office. I had my first ever real date there. Drove all the way from Stone Mountain in my Fiat when I was 17. They made us a giant pitcher of Sangria. How times have changed.
Lindy’s
Tortillas
Nancy’s Soul Food
The tiny french place with grumpy chef in the Healey Building downtown as a spot of differentness that I really miss for weekday lunches.
I’m very sorry to hear that Carver’s is closed. When I moved to Decatur I loved
the Southernaire which was located where the current Calle Latina is. I’m
surprised it hasn’t been mentioned by someone else though it was a loooong time
ago.
St. Agnes Tea Garden
Zac’s Cafe (where Big Tex is now)
The Food Business
Roman Lily Cafe
Five Sisters Cafe (Oak Grove Center)
Aleck’s BBQ Heaven, on MLK across from Atlanta University Center. They had a granite brick pit to the left as you walked in. The booths had been “updated” to Burger King-style hard booths except for the Martin Luther King Memorial booth in the back that had been preserved as it was in the 60’s (presumably where Dr. King sat). The mens’ room oddly had a shower stall. Great ribs and chicken, occasionally someone would have gotten a little heavy-handed with the hot sauce in the barbecue sauce, but that just let you know real people were making it–no chain sameness at Aleck’s.
Great rib sandwich at Aleck’s
Tortillas, the Freight Room (1980s), Mick’s/Buck’s, the original Thumbs Up / Crescent Moon.
Torinos on Clairmont near Buford Highway….Hensler’s Barbecue in Avondale Estates. Conversations in Decatur in the old Belk Bldg. Ship Ahoy in downtown ATLANTA. Crossroads.
Hensler’s had the best sweet tea. And the butter fries are something I can not believe I have to explain to people.
New Century. No contest.
Wait, I’ve got it. I think we all miss Ruby Tuesday most of all. Oh, just the memory of the salad bar cucumbers softening up in water for 10 hours makes me want to run right over to Jason’s Deli.
Ichiban downtown. Also, Cross Roads seafood that was at P’tree and W. P’tree.
Lots of good ones on the list, but I wanted to mention Gumbo-a-Go-Go: 2 locations – Emory Village and on Ponce, around the corner from MJQ. I think I ate their gumbo once a week in the late 90’s and I still think of it often.
I miss Kitsch’n 155 on Clairmont…the burgers, the roasted asparagus, the milkshakes, Lisa’s lemon vinaigrette salad dressing…..sigh.
Ah, the milkshakes. …and the ever changing daily specials. I seldom had the burger because the specials always sounded so good!
New Century Buffet
Dusty’s Barbecue
The Food Business (good chicken salad)
Sonny’s BBQ on Cheshire Bridge
Baskin & Robbins on N Decatur Rd
What else?
Oh – and the Picadillys are closing.
The Square Table. Politics and meat and three. Operated by Spiros and Ruala.
Susies Hard Time Cafe.
Yea I can’t think of anything they were particularly good at either…I just wanted to throw it out there.
Austin Avenue Buffet. The jar of pickled eggs on the bar looked like it had been there since the 1800’s. That neighborhood has really gone down hill what with Sotto Sotto and Barcelona and places like that.
“We close at 10:00. If your husband’s not home it ain’t our fault.”
Claudette’s in the Old First National Bank of Atlanta bldg at 315 W. Ponce in Decatur; Papa Leoni’s at North Decatur Rd. and Clairmont (later it became Benedettis); Pizza by Candlelight at College and Candler; Stan’s Sandwich Shop at Clairemont and W. Ponce in Decatur; Granny’s Kitchen in Lithonia.
Dante’s Down the hatch – for the quirkiness
The Pleasant Peasant was a special place to go in the 70’s and 80’s. Good food, friendly service and a genuine historic atmosphere due to the old building with the original tile floor.
I still put cinammon in my morning coffee because I first tasted cinnamon coffee there.
Also it was a place where a gay couple could hold hands and still feel safe. There weren’t many of those around then.
Thread highjack!
Also it was a place where a gay couple could hold hands and still feel safe. There weren’t many of those around then.
The world has changed for the better so much since those bad old days. Sometimes I think we just don’t appreciate the massive shifts in attitudes towards a more enlightened way of living.
And back to thread… I miss Picadilly at Suburban Plaza. They had wonderful fried chicken. I wonder where the old folks eat now…
Good point about improved world. I remember when a two-Mom family didn’t come to a preschool party at our house and later explained that they knew my mother-in-law would be there and they were afraid of offending older folks. (She would have been fine but oh well.)
My parents loved Picadilly. And the similar chain that was at Freeway Park on N. Druid Hills. I mostly liked that the clientele and staff seemed tolerant of young children.
Across the street from Burton’s Grill was The Hull House. Mama Hull ran this boarding house on the edge of Inman Park. Mostly railroad workers lived there. She could put on the best family-style meals! And if you brought Tupper-Ware on Sunday evening she would send you home with leftovers. God bless Mama Hull.
Not sure if this counts as a thread hijack or not, but I’ll go ahead and say Eddie’s Attic when Eddie was still there. It’s still there, it still serves roughly the same purpose, but it’s not the same.
1. Purple Cactus Cafe. It occupied the Brick Store space for a few years just prior to the Olympics.
2. Son’s Place. I liked it better than Deacon Burton’s because the friend chicken was just as good, but you did not coming out smelling like the fried chicken.
Wow, Purple Cactus! Really enjoyed it but had forgotten it. Thanks Tom.
wow, that was fun, anyone remember eats n’ sweets? also Chef’s Cafe on Piedmont run my Michael Tuohy before Woodfire?
I haven’t read through this whole list so this may be a repeat, but I miss Chef’s Café over on Piedmont. Exceptional food, excellent service, lousy location.
Walter Mitty’s in VaHi. Really miss the live jazz and intimate atmosphere.
Capo’s in VaHi
My husband & I used to go to Benedetti’s every year for our anniversary dinner out.
We thought that the Fettucine Alfredo was heartstoppingly good.
This place served spaghetti, before it became more popularly termed “pasta”.
The salads were big, the booths were cozy, the lighting was dim, the patrons were sedate, and the service was anonymous.The scent of cigarettes ( I think there was even a cigarette machine in the entry?) lingered on in the well tread carpet and service area drapes.
We were sorry to see the place close, but knew it was just a matter of time.
Gianni’s at Peachtree Battle
There’s a bunch, some of which have already been mentioned, but four additions
we miss too that aren’t mentioned:
San Generoes (sp?) on Cheshire Bridge (best spinach lasagna EVER)
Sun Down Cafe ( I know it’s little bro is here, but it ain’t the real deal)
The Dessert Place ( Va Highlands – Blonde Brownie with Cafe Latte on back patio ROCKED)
Misto (Howell Mill, best homemade pasta, from a renovated gas station)
Agree with all four, especially Sundown Cafe and The Dessert Place.
US Bar y Grill
The Coach & Six