For Over A Century, This Georgia Restaurant Has Been Serving Meals And Making History

The pie recipes at this place have been used for more than five decades. That alone made me sit up.

Then I learned the restaurant itself is even older, by a lot.

It opened with just 26 seats and white marble tables. Today it holds formal dining rooms, a garden room, a patio, and six private rooms.

Some of those rooms can host up to 300 guests.

I like how the menu refuses to pick one lane. Greek chicken sits beside veal Marsala, prime rib, and hand-shucked oysters.

Somehow it all works together.

This spot carries a big title in Georgia, and it earned it the slow way. Year after year, plate after plate.

So how does a small counter grow into a downtown landmark that still packs a karaoke night?

The Oldest Continuously Running Restaurant In The State Started Small

Back in 1916, a tiny restaurant opened in downtown Thomasville. It would go on to become The Plaza Restaurant & Oyster Bar, now known as the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Georgia.

That is a serious title. Plenty of restaurants open with big dreams, but very few keep the lights on for over a century.

The original spot sat at 115 North Broad Street. It could seat only 26 people at white marble tables, which sounds more like a cozy diner than a future landmark.

For much of its long life, the restaurant passed through a series of owners with Greek heritage. Their influence still shows up on the menu today, and that is a pretty tasty legacy to leave behind.

I love that the story did not freeze in place. The Plaza changed owners, changed addresses, and grew its dining rooms, yet it never stopped serving.

That kind of staying power says a lot. Cities change, roads change, and tastes change too.

Still, this restaurant kept feeding its town through every chapter. When you sit down here, you join a line of diners that stretches back more than 100 years.

A Move Across Downtown Gave It Room To Grow

Moving a beloved restaurant is risky business. Yet in the late 1970s, The Plaza packed up and relocated to its current home on the corner of South Broad Street and Smith Avenue.

The gamble paid off. The new location gave the restaurant space to stretch out into the sprawling place it is today.

You’ll find it at 217 S Broad St, Thomasville, GA 31792. The address puts you right in the heart of historic downtown Thomasville, where strolling feels like part of the plan.

Getting here is easier than you might expect. Thomasville sits in the southwest corner of Georgia, about 45 minutes north of Tallahassee, Florida.

Coming from Atlanta takes more effort, since the drive is roughly 250 miles. Then again, a road trip ending at a century-old dining room sounds like a fine reason to fill the tank.

The corner setting makes the building easy to spot once you arrive. Downtown shops and historic streets surround it, so a meal can easily turn into an afternoon.

My advice? Give yourself time to wander before or after you eat.

A New York Chef Brought This Landmark Back To Life

Here’s a plot twist worth knowing. In 2007, a chef and restaurateur from Manhattan named Michael Regina bought The Plaza Restaurant & Oyster Bar.

He was no beginner. Regina had already spent about 14 years running Italian restaurants in Westchester County, New York.

By his own account, the property was in terrible shape when he took over. So he got to work on both the parts you see and the parts you don’t.

New carpeting went in. Behind the scenes, he added new walk-in refrigerators, stoves, ovens, and even new roofs.

None of that sounds glamorous, but it matters. A historic restaurant only survives if the kitchen can keep up and the roof stays put.

I believe that kind of care is why the place still runs today. Regina did not try to erase the old character, either.

Instead, he layered his own experience on top of a century of tradition. The result feels like a Southern landmark with a little New York energy mixed in.

Honestly, Thomasville got lucky with that handoff.

The Oysters Arrived Because The Town Needed Them

Oysters were hard to find in Thomasville when Michael Regina arrived. He fixed that problem by adding them to the menu and putting Oyster Bar right in the restaurant’s name.

That is one way to make a point. The oysters here are hand-shucked and brought in fresh daily.

You have plenty of ways to enjoy them. Order them raw or steamed on the half shell if you like keeping things simple.

Feeling fancier? Oysters Rockefeller come baked or broiled with a rich sauce and breadcrumbs.

There’s also a version topped with Parmesan and jalapeños. That one sounds like a good choice for anyone who wants a little kick with their shellfish.

The oyster bar area has a laid-back setting. Stools line the bar, and white tablecloths add a classic touch nearby.

It runs Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with happy hour specials during that time. That makes it an easy stop for an early dinner or a long, lazy lunch.

Good luck ordering just half a dozen.

Greek, Italian, And Southern Favorites Share One Big Menu

Sixty-plus menu items. Nearly all of them made from scratch, which is impressive for a kitchen juggling this many styles.

The menu blends Southern hospitality with Continental flair. Greek roots from earlier owners still shine through in classic Greek salads and Greek-style chicken broiled with Greek spices.

Then Michael Regina added his Italian side. Spaghetti and meatballs, fettuccine Alfredo, chicken Parmesan, penne alla vodka, and veal Marsala all made the cut.

Bigger appetites can look at Osso Bucco or Zuppa di Pesce. Both bring a little old-world flavor to a South Georgia table.

Starters cover a lot of ground too. Think bacon-wrapped shrimp, fried calamari, Buffalo-style wings, fresh mozzarella and tomato, and jumbo shrimp cocktail.

I can’t imagine a group that would struggle to find something here. One person wants Greek chicken, another wants pasta, and someone else just wants wings.

Everybody wins. That flexibility is a big reason this restaurant works for casual lunches and dressy dinners alike.

Steak Lovers Get A Kitchen That Does Its Own Butchering

Plenty of restaurants buy steaks already cut. The Plaza handles its own butchering, and that detail tells you how seriously it takes beef.

The menu features premium aged Angus cuts. Large rib-eyes, filet mignon, prime rib, and the Southern Cut Rib Eye all appear on the lineup.

Prime rib fans, take note. It’s one of those dishes that feels right at home in a dining room with this much history.

Then there’s calf’s liver. It has become harder and harder to find on menus, so its spot here feels like a small time capsule.

I like that the restaurant keeps old-school dishes around. Not every place needs to chase trends.

Lunch brings another option worth knowing about. A daily buffet runs until 2 p.m., while a separate dinner menu takes over at night.

So you can graze through midday favorites or come back later for a proper steak dinner. Either way, plan on loosening your belt a notch.

Or two. No judgment here.

Save Room, Because Those Pie Recipes Are Over 50 Years Old

Recipes that last five decades must be doing something right. At The Plaza Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Chef Andrew makes homemade pies using recipes that go back more than 50 years.

That’s a tradition spanning more than five decades, baked into a crust. Pretty wonderful, right?

The pies are not the only sweet stars. Crème brûlée has earned a loyal following, and so has the New York-style cheesecake.

That cheesecake makes sense given the owner’s Manhattan roots. It’s a nice little nod to where he came from, served deep in Georgia.

Desserts like these give a meal a proper ending. A crackly custard or a classic slice of pie feels right after a century-old dining room experience.

My tip is simple. Decide on dessert before the main course arrives, so you don’t fill up too early.

Better yet, split a few with your table. Sharing means you can try the pie and the cheesecake without picking favorites.

Some choices are just too hard to make alone.

Every Kind Of Celebration Has A Room Waiting

That original 26-seat restaurant would barely recognize its future self. Today the restaurant spreads across a café, formal dining rooms, a lounge, a Garden Room, and an outdoor patio.

The Garden Room offers elegant indoor dining. The patio is great for Georgia’s mild evenings when eating outside sounds better than anything.

Planning something bigger? Six private dining rooms can host groups from 30 to 300 guests.

That range covers a lot. Corporate events, birthdays, graduations, and family gatherings all fit comfortably.

The restaurant also offers on-site catering for business meetings, weddings, anniversaries, and class reunions. Picture fewer headaches and more time with your guests.

The interior carries an old, cozy charm. White tablecloths and a classic feel give even a regular lunch a slightly special mood.

I like that one building can handle a quiet meal for two and a giant party. Not many restaurants can switch gears so easily.

If you have a milestone coming up, this is a strong spot to keep in mind.

Weekend Nights Turn A Historic Dining Room Into A Party

A 100-plus-year-old restaurant with a DJ dance party? Yes, and it happens every Saturday night.

The Plaza keeps the fun going later in the week. Thursday brings karaoke, Friday brings live music, and Saturday brings the DJ.

Even better, there’s no cover charge for any of it. Your evening plans just got a lot simpler.

The restaurant also hosts evening entertainment, but guests should check the latest closing times before visiting. Monday through Wednesday, it closes earlier at 9 p.m.

Sundays are off, so plan accordingly. Showing up hungry to a locked door is nobody’s idea of a good time.

I love the mix here. You can enjoy dinner in a historic room, then stick around to sing your favorite song badly.

Or well. The microphone doesn’t judge.

This is what makes The Plaza Restaurant & Oyster Bar feel alive instead of stuck in the past. It honors more than a century of Georgia history while still giving people a reason to celebrate right now.

That’s a pretty great way to keep making history.