11 Best Restaurants in Southwest Georgia, Georgia

Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop

$ Fodor's choice

This award-winning cheese maker makes its home in Thomasville and operates this shop and café, where you can try the farm-fresh cheese, wines, cocktails, and craft beers, as well as peruse the collection of locally crafted jams, honey, and regional food items. You can purchase individual cheeses to go or select an artfully prepared cheese or charcuterie board for a sit-down sampling of the day's offerings. The shop also offers a selection of gourmet sandwiches, salads, and decadent desserts.

Buffalo Cafe at the Old Bank

$

Housed in an old bank in downtown Plains, this café offers soup, salads, burgers, and sandwiches in a cozy hometown setting. Be sure to try the creamy peanut ice cream.

118 E. Main St., Plains, Georgia, 31780, USA
229-824–4520
Known For
  • quick and casual meals
  • chicken salad
  • down-to-earth and friendly staff
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.

Bulloch House Restaurant

$

This longtime local favorite is the place to go for down-home Southern cooking in the area. The restaurant serves meals buffet style, with such Southern classics as buttermilk biscuits, golden fried chicken, and baked ham. Call ahead to get the specifics, as the dishes change daily, and be sure to save room for dessert. It's no longer located in the historic Bulloch House, but the restaurant continues to be a popular stop for tour groups, and there's a gift shop on-site.

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Carriage and Horses

$$$$

You'll need a reservation at this longtime eatery housed in a quaint Victorian farmhouse, where the emphasis is on high-quality international fare and outstanding service. The menu features classics like escargots, lamb shank, grilled trout (a house specialty), and filet mignon served with garlicky mashed potatoes.

607 Butts Mill Rd., Pine Mountain, Georgia, 31822, USA
706-663–4777
Known For
  • traditional fine dining
  • pastoral setting overlooking horse pastures
  • gregarious chef and owner
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential

Chop House on the Bricks

$$$$

This upscale steak house is celebrated for its romantic ambience and masterfully prepared meat and seafood dishes. Menu favorites include coffee-rubbed filet mignon, cane syrup--glazed New York strip, and pan-seared gulf snapper with a crawfish cream sauce.

123 N. Broad St., Thomasville, Georgia, 31792, USA
229-236–2467
Known For
  • high-quality, locally sourced ingredients
  • outstanding wine list
  • date-night hot spot
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Tues.–Sat. Dinner only

Country's Barbecue

$

In a land where barbecue reigns supreme, Country's cooks with taste and style. You can eat inside the restaurant, a converted bus terminal decorated with '50s flair, or sit at a table in the 1946 bus turned diner. The barbecue, cooked over hickory and oak, includes not only pork but also chicken, beef, turkey, ribs, and brisket; buttermilk fried chicken is also on the menu.

1329 Broadway, Columbus, Georgia, 31901, USA
706-596–8910
Known For
  • outstanding barbecue cooked over hickory and oak
  • unique bus station–turned-diner setting
  • '50s decor
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted

George and Louie's

$

The fresh gulf seafood served at this longtime family-owned restaurant is as good as you can find anywhere. Try the broiled shrimp, cooked in olive oil with a smattering of fresh garlic; fresh mullet dinner; or combination platter with homemade deviled crab, shrimp, oysters, scallops, and flounder for one, two, or three people. The fried green tomatoes sprinkled with feta are cooked to perfection, and the burgers are a local favorite. Vintage music from the '40s plays on the sound system, and there's outdoor dining under umbrellas.

217 Remington Ave., Thomasville, Georgia, 31792, USA
229-226–1218
Known For
  • creatively delicious seafood platters
  • locally beloved burgers
  • outdoor dining
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.

Iron Bank Coffee Co.

$
Housed in a historic bank building, this fun little café offers gourmet coffee drinks, pastries, sandwiches, desserts, and other quick bites for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—or anytime in between. Grab a seat in one of the original bank vaults inside or a street-side table outside to enjoy your treat. In addition to coffee, there's also wine and beer.

Jonah's Fish & Grits

$$

Locals line up for a table at this extremely popular locally owned eatery where seafood is the specialty, of course. Jonah's signature rich and creamy white cheddar grits, Parmesan-crusted rainbow trout, and deep-fried catfish with hush puppies are customer favorites. There are plenty of options for landlubbers, and a kids' menu, too. Wash it all down with a glass of sweet tea---wine or beer is not on the menu. The service is prompt and welcoming to all.

109 E. Jackson St., Thomasville, Georgia, 31757, USA
229-226–0508
Known For
  • seafood specialties
  • family-friendly environment
  • no alcohol
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.

Liam's

$$$$

With a flair for the unexpected, this bistro turns out a rotating seasonal menu with such updated Southern dishes as pork tenderloin with mashed root vegetable, duck rillette, and prime beef tenderloin, as well as decadent small dishes for sharing. Liam's also serves a full cheese cart of various artisanal cheeses from Europe along with local selections. It's open kitchen, garden dining, and paintings by local artists create a cozy dining room.

113 E. Jackson St., Thomasville, Georgia, 31792, USA
229-226–9944
Known For
  • eclectic and always changing seasonal menu
  • fun, laid-back atmosphere
  • outstanding cheese and wine selections
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Closed Sun. and Mon.

Lightnin' Bugs Bakery & Café

$
Part shop and part café, this locally owned spot is a great place to grab a coffee, sandwich, or a big ol' slice of homemade red velvet cake or pecan pie. Check out the daily soup and sandwich specials for a variety of options.