OUR HUMBLY SUGGESTED ADDITIONS
TO THE AJC'S FALL DINING GUIDE
Saturday, Sep. 29, 2012
This week, the fine folks over at the AJC
catalogued some of the best Atlanta eats
that aren't in a restaurant: the local
producers like H&F Bread
Co. and Spotted Trotter that make you
do a little detour on your way home from
work after you've been thinking about a
good crusty baguette for a little too long.
The list included some of our favorite
indulgences (ah, Cacao Love Bar, we meet again), and some to check off the
to-indulge-in list (Orobianco mozzerella, I'm coming for you). And now, we'd
like to humbly suggest a few of our favorite local folks who keep us well-fed:
SWEET BAKED GOODS:
The AJC hit the nail on the head with some of ATL's classic bakeries, but for
those looking to carboload on something a little new, we're digging the goods
at Revolution Doughnuts, who set up shop in Oakhurst after doing the
farmers' market thing (and had a line out the door within minutes of their
opening day). The sweet, slightly tart glazed blueberry hits the spot. Another
newcomer to the baked-goods scene isn't doling out croissants or muffins—
more like Hokkaido cupcakes and bubble tea. Sweet Hut on Buford Highway
packs their display cases with delicacies from Korea to Taiwan, and makes the
perfect addendum to a night spent at Gu's Bistro. And for those hell-bent on
getting their sugar fix, head straight to Cabbagetown: Sweet Cheats, right on
the Cabbagetown Park, has been quietly cultivating a cult following with their
cruffles that make a diet "cheat" seem well worth it.
BEER:
Walking into a craft beer shop is like turning 21 all over again—the means by
which to consume alcohol suddenly seem limitless. For people whose thirst for
good beer can't exactly be slaked by chugging a Coors Lite, local beer markets
like Ale Yeah (in Decatur and Roswell) and Alpharetta'sBlind Murphy aren't
just destinations to pick up a six-pack—they're where you discover your new
favorite local brewer from the growler station, perhaps develop a taste for milk
stouts, maybe even learn how to make your own brews at home.
ICE CREAM:
High Road Craft made the AJC's list, and if the sheer speed with which I can
finish a pint of their bourbon burnt sugar is any indicator, they're at the top of
mine, too. And they're in good company. Giving Southern taste to an Italian
tradition, Honeysuckle Gelato is rich, smooth, and chock-full of indulgent
flavors like honey fig, bourbon pecan, and banana with peanut butter caramel
(also known as "the Kang"). Call us boozehounds, but we also love us some
beer with our ice cream, and that's why we continue to swoon over the new
kids on the block at a Frozen Pints. Malted milk chocolate stout ice cream,
anyone?
SPECIALTY GROCERS
Cheers to the AJC for giving the Buford Highway Farmers Market a shout—I
always seem to black out when I'm walking inside that place, only to wake up
in my car next to a jackfruit and three pounds of tripe. Similarly,Super H
Mart is the kind of grocery you can lose hours in, perusing aisle after aisle of
Korean goods (and a very impressive seafood market). Just try to remain calm
when you finally snap out of your grocery-daze on 285 with a bag of live eels in
your passenger seat.