Like all Southern states, Georgia is known for its delicious food. This region’s cuisine is rich, generous, and explosively flavorful. It combines recipes and ingredients used by the Indigenous tribes, Europeans, and Africans who have inhabited the area throughout the centuries. The complex gastronomy that results from this mix of cultures is so good that I always have a difficult time choosing what to eat. More often than not, I want to get a little bit of everything. And I’m probably not alone in this.
For people like me, a buffet is a great way to savor the nuance of Southern food, and the best place to do so in Georgia might be the Historic Green Manor Restaurant at Union Station. The large house was built in 1910, although sources differ over who first inhabited it. Whoever it was had to have been wealthy, as the house is grandiose. In 1990, it became a restaurant, turning its former first-floor rooms into different dining rooms, each of which sports its own style.
Part of this restaurant’s charm is the dedication with which its historic architecture and decor have been beautifully preserved. At the same time, the establishment has managed to clear away the painful history of segregation and discrimination that historic Southern buildings often embody by providing a friendly and welcoming atmosphere to all.
The house and the friendliness of the staff certainly bring people into the restaurant. But the food is what really keeps people coming back. A buffet lunch is served every day of the week except Saturdays, which are open only for special events. While the menu changes daily, you can expect iconic Georgian foods like crispy fried chicken, collard greens, cornbread, and pecan pie. Besides the mains and sides, the buffet always offers a salad bar and a soup of the day to balance out the deep-fried goodness of some of the main dishes.
Regardless of when you come in, the food will be homemade and fresh. Everything is meant to taste as if you were having lunch at your grandmother’s house. And just like at grandma’s, you can always go back for seconds or thirds. As the cherry on top, the lunches are affordable, ranging between $21.95 and $27, depending on the day…