12 Georgia Soul Food Spots Even Grandma Can’t Beat
It’s a bold statement, we know. To suggest any kitchen could rival the sacred, generational magic of Grandma’s soul food is practically blasphemy. But we dared.
We crisscrossed Georgia, fork in hand, to unearth 12 unassuming eateries where the fried chicken is crispier, the collards sing louder, and the mac & cheese redefines comfort – spots that might just give even the most legendary family recipes a run for their money
1. The Busy Bee Cafe
Since 1947, The Busy Bee Cafe has reigned supreme in Atlanta’s soul food kingdom. Their fried chicken recipe remains unchanged for over 70 years, creating a perfectly seasoned crust that shatters with each bite.
Locals swear by their candied yams and cornbread, often joining the line that forms before doors even open. The walls display photos of celebrity visitors, but everyone receives the same royal treatment here.
2. Mary Mac’s Tea Room
Mary Mac’s pencil system feels charmingly old-school – you mark your own order on paper, just like they’ve done since 1945. First-timers receive a complimentary cup of pot likker (seasoned turnip green broth) with cornbread, a tradition that instantly makes you family.
The tomato pie steals hearts with its flaky crust and tangy filling. Six dining rooms buzz with conversation while servers deliver heaping plates of comfort classics that haven’t changed in generations.
3. Mama’s Boy
College students and locals pack this Athens hotspot for soul breakfast that soothes hangovers and hungry hearts alike. Their Georgia peach french toast arrives golden-brown and topped with fresh peaches, whipped cream, and a drizzle of peach syrup that pools deliciously on the plate.
The salmon cake benedict puts a Southern spin on the classic, using crispy cornmeal-crusted salmon patties instead of Canadian bacon. With mason jar mimosas and biscuits bigger than your palm, Mama’s Boy feels like the morning hug you didn’t know you needed.
4. Sisters Of The New South
Red rice reveals Gullah-Geechee influences at this Savannah treasure, where three generations of women work side by side in the kitchen. The smothered pork chops fall apart without a knife, swimming in gravy that deserves to be sopped up with their feather-light biscuits.
Despite expanding to multiple locations, each restaurant maintains that made-with-love quality. The banana pudding comes warm with vanilla wafers that maintain their perfect balance between soft and crisp – a technical achievement that would impress any Southern grandmother.
5. Paschal’s
Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders regularly gathered at Paschal’s, planning movements over plates of their famous fried chicken. That same recipe continues today, producing chicken with a distinctive peppery crust that keeps fans coming back decades later.
The restaurant’s walls tell stories of Atlanta’s history through photographs and memorabilia. Their mac and cheese arrives bubbling hot with a golden crown of cheddar, while the peach cobbler provides the perfect sweet finale to a meal steeped in both flavor and historical significance.
6. H&H Soul Food
The Allman Brothers Band once played for their meals at H&H when they were unknown musicians, beginning a beautiful friendship with owner Mama Louise Hudson. Her cheese grits achieve that perfect creamy consistency while maintaining distinct corn flavor – a technical balance many home cooks never master.
Photographs of music legends cover the walls, but the food creates its own harmony. The salmon croquettes arrive crispy outside and flaky inside, while the tomato gravy for biscuits delivers a tangy-sweet punch that makes you want to bottle it and take it home.
7. Weaver D’s
R.E.M. borrowed Dexter Weaver’s slogan “Automatic for the People” for their album title, putting this Athens soul joint on the musical map. The squash casserole achieves that perfect balance of creamy interior and crispy cheese topping that makes you scrape the edges of the pan.
Mr. Weaver still calls out “Automatic!” when taking orders, a reminder of his commitment to fast, friendly service. The lemonade gets squeezed fresh daily, tart enough to make you pucker slightly before the sweetness kicks in – just like the perfect Southern summer day distilled into a glass.
8. The Beautiful Restaurant
Operating from a converted church building, The Beautiful Restaurant serves food worthy of Sunday celebration any day of the week. Their oxtails fall off the bone after hours of slow braising, swimming in a rich gravy that’s practically drinkable.
The sweet potato soufflé rises high with a marshmallow-pecan crust that balances the earthiness below. No alcohol is served in keeping with its church roots, but their fruit punch packs enough sugar to lift your spirits. Regulars know to save room for the pound cake – dense, buttery, and kissed with vanilla.
9. Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room
Former President Obama once waited in line like everyone else at this Savannah institution where strangers become family around communal tables. Twenty-plus dishes arrive simultaneously – from fried chicken to butter beans, collards to black-eyed peas – creating a dizzying array of Southern classics.
The boarding house tradition lives on as you pass dishes left and right, striking up conversations with tablemates. Their cornbread dressing achieves that perfect moisture level – never dry, never soggy. Just remember to bus your own dishes when finished, a humble tradition that keeps this century-old establishment grounded.
10. Bertha’s Kitchen
Three sisters continue their mother Bertha’s legacy in this James Beard Award-winning Brunswick treasure, where the line forms early for their legendary lima beans. The okra soup, thick with tomatoes and bearing a slight sliminess that okra lovers crave, tastes like summer in coastal Georgia.
The building’s bright blue exterior matches the no-frills cafeteria-style service inside. Their red rice gets its distinctive color and flavor from bacon and tomatoes cooked down until they melt into the grains. The fried pork chops, thin-cut and seasoned aggressively, curl slightly at the edges with perfect crispiness.
11. The Grey
Chef Mashama Bailey transforms a formerly segregated Greyhound station into a celebration of African-American foodways with modern techniques. Her Country Captain chicken revives a historic Savannah dish, featuring curry-spiced tomato gravy that speaks to the port city’s international influences.
The oyster service pays homage to Georgia’s coastline with mignonettes infused with local fruits. While fancier than traditional soul spots, The Grey never forgets its roots. The fish and grits elevates the humble classic with locally-caught seafood and stone-ground grits cooked slowly to release their full corn flavor.
12. Sandfly’s Southern Soul
In Savannah’s Sandfly neighborhood, this soul food spot wins locals over with its homestyle cooking and warm atmosphere. Their slow-braised oxtails arrive in a rich gravy that clings lovingly to each bite, while the cornbread offers just the right balance of crumbly edges and buttery softness.
Shrimp and grits, made with freshly caught coastal shrimp, bring a Lowcountry twist to the menu without straying from soul food tradition. Regulars rave about the generous portions and unfussy presentation, reminding diners that the best food doesn’t need frills-just love and time.
