Shearer: Some of the South's best places to eat are right here in Athens.

Andrew Shearer, Athens Banner-Herald
·3 min read
The National in downtown Athens, offers up Mediterranean dishes created with seasonal ingredients and Southern influences.
The National in downtown Athens, offers up Mediterranean dishes created with seasonal ingredients and Southern influences.

Last week, USA Today published their picks for 2024 Restaurants of the Year and followed it up with an article that detailed the 15 best places to eat across the South. Of the two, only one Georgia restaurant made the list: Savannah's Cotton & Rye, located at 1801 Habersham St.

Though I'm sure Cotton & Rye and all of the others are fantastic, I couldn't help but notice that Athens was somehow left out of the running. Food is completely subjective, and I'm far from qualified to be a critic, but Athens is home to some of my absolute favorite places to eat. It's also a destination city, meaning that folks travel here to dine at specific local spots.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to list a few of the Classic City's most well-renowned and award-winning eateries. We all have our favorites, and I admit to being somewhat biased as I factor in the personalities behind the counter when I choose where to eat. For the purpose of this article, I'm just going to deal in cold, hard facts: These are some of the restaurants that put Athens on the map.

Food news: 15 best places to eat across the South — from fancy to just-plain good restaurants

Big City Bread in downtown in a local favorite.
Big City Bread in downtown in a local favorite.

Big City Bread Cafe (393 N. Finley St., Studio C)

With a certificate of excellence from TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site, Big City is a cozy neighborhood favorite that serves breakfast and lunch during the week, brunch on the weekends, and late lunch and dinner on Fridays. Best of all, you can order a dinner portion of French Toast like the responsible adult that you are.

The Expat in Five Points, Athens, Ga.
The Expat in Five Points, Athens, Ga.

The Expat (1680 S. Lumpkin St.)

Set to appear in the upcoming season of Bravo's Top Chef cable series, Expat executive chef Kenny Nguyen is one of the stars at this Italian bistro that offers unique menu options such as Strawberry Bruschetta and Saffron Mafalde (shrimp and lobster with veggies). If you're looking for a fancy dinner in Five Points, don't miss this place.

Five and Ten on Milledge Avenue is chief Hugh Acheson's flagship restaurant.
Five and Ten on Milledge Avenue is chief Hugh Acheson's flagship restaurant.

Five & Ten (1073 S. Milledge Ave.)

As the owner of what is arguably the most famous restaurant in town, Five & Ten chef Hugh Acheson has won Food & Wine’s Best New Chef, the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Restaurant of the Year, James Beard's Best Chef Southeast, a Rising Star award, and a Mentor Chef award from StarChefs.com. Even their ice cream is awesome.

The National (232 W. Hancock Ave.)

When people who have won awards come to town and seek out your restaurant, that speaks louder than any accolade one can be bestowed. Case in point: Grammy and Emmy Award-winning comedian Patton Oswalt was so stoked about The National during a recent visit, he had his picture taken in the kitchen with the staff.

Puma Yu's is a newer Athens restaurant that is wine and cocktail forward with amazing small plate Thai Food. Its operated by Ally Smith behind the bar and Pete Amadhanirundr in the kitchen.
Puma Yu's is a newer Athens restaurant that is wine and cocktail forward with amazing small plate Thai Food. Its operated by Ally Smith behind the bar and Pete Amadhanirundr in the kitchen.

Puma Yu's (355 Oneta St., Suite D 400 A)

When the 2024 James Beard Award semifinalists were announced earlier this year, the only chef from outside of Atlanta to make the cut was Puma Yu's co-founder Pete Amadhanirundr. Since opening in September 2022, Amadhanirundr and co-founder/mixologist Ally Smith's hybrid cocktail bar and Thai restaurant has been a hit.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Shearer: Athens has some of the South's best restaurants