When visiting Blue Ridge, Georgia, make sure to bring a healthy appetite. To complement the fully-equipped kitchen that comes with your rental cabin, you won’t want to miss out on the tantalizing variety of offerings from our top local restaurants. After all, a big part of vacationing is sampling the local fare.

Whether you want to go out to eat or order takeout for a relaxing night in, it’s not hard to find something to satisfy everyone’s taste in Blue Ridge. You can look forward to the best Southern delights like BBQ and grits, but you’ll also find everything from Italian to pick-your-own farms to fresh seafood.

Don’t hesitate: book your cabin rental today, then dive into our favorite Blue Ridge restaurants below.

 

1. Black Sheep Restaurant

The Black Sheep serves up new American dishes in the historic Butt House (ca. 1914) in downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia. You’ll enjoy locally-sourced, chef-inspired menus, an award-winning wine list, and exceptional hospitality in a fine dining environment.

The restaurant offers a distinct upscale dining experience where great food and Southern hospitality take center stage. Creative comfort foods are available for dinner Tuesday through Sunday, and brunch on the weekends.

The Black Sheep Restaurant is also home to Blue Ridge’s largest outdoor bar and covered patio. For an incredible dining experience from start to finish, you won’t want to miss a meal here.

 

2. Blue Jeans Pizza & Pasta

Blue Jeans Pizza & Pasta is a lively restaurant and pub dishing up Italian-American entrees for both dine-in and takeout.

You can choose to eat a sit-down meal in their dining room, or cozy up in their lounge for adult beverages, sports on the big screen, and live music on select days.

 

3. Blue Ridge Mountain Bar-B-Q

Blue Ridge Mountain Bar-B-Q

Photo Credit: amenic181

  • Budget: $
  • Cuisine: Barbecue
  • Location: 3870 East 1st Street
  • Top recommendations: Smoked chicken salad, Brunswick stew, corn nuggets

Blue Ridge Mountain Bar-B-Q is home of Blue Ridge’s finest slow-cooked, hickory-smoked barbecue. Nothing says Southern getaway quite like chowing down on a plate of piping hot BBQ in Georgia.

This spot is a relaxed, family-friendly eatery serving authentic Southern comfort favorites with all the fixins’. If you’re not from the South, you’ll certainly want to order your fair share of sides to get a true taste of what Georgia cooking is all about.

 

4. Boat Dock Bar & Grill

The self-proclaimed “sunny spot for shady people,” The Boat Dock offers everything from specialty cocktails to ice cream, and every tasty treat in between. No matter what you order, you’re guaranteed to love the prime location and waterfront views.

Located right on Lake Blue Ridge, this restaurant might just be steps away from your rental if you book one of our waterfront cabins. If you aren’t staying on the waterfront, make sure to come and see the area before your vacation ends.

 

5. Cantaberry Restaurant

  • Budget: $$
  • Cuisine: Cafe
  • Location: 524 East Main Street
  • Top recommendations: Soups, chicken salad, Reuben

Cantaberry claims to be simple and good. For a quick lunch out, what more do you need? This is the local go-to secret spot for delicious, quick bites, including convenient soup and sandwich combos.

The Blue Ridge location is open for lunch only, but its second location in Ellijay serves dinner as well.

 

6. Chester Brunnenmeyer’s Bar & Grill

Seasonal American dishes and regional craft beers are served here in a rustic, contemporary setting. At Chester’s, you’ll have plenty of menu options to choose from to please even the pickiest eater; vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are also available.

This diverse hot spot is open for lunch, dinner, drinks, and takeout. Note that the restaurant doesn’t take reservations. If you’re visiting with a large group, you might want to arrive early to ensure you can quickly get a table.

 

7. Cucina Rustica

Cucina Rustica, meaning “rustic kitchen” in Italian, is the best place to get homestyle Italian food in North Georgia. This fine dining eatery offers Italian country-style favorites in an old-world atmosphere, paired with a wide selection of wine and beer.

For a more casual dining experience (and delicious pizza), you can head to La Pizzeria next door.

 

8. Fightingtown Tavern

Fan of whisky and filling food? You’ll love Fightingtown Tavern. This rock-themed tavern is known for farm-to-table comfort food, hearty appetizers, and small-batch whiskeys complemented by live music and games you can take part in.

This tavern is a favorite hangout for locals and visitors alike. Apart from the great ambiance and satisfying food, the tavern supports the local community through its commitment to regionally-sourced ingredients.

 

9. Harvest on Main

Harvest on Main is a creative farm-to-table, Southern-inspired restaurant in a family-owned, homey space. For a great meal that won’t break the bank, it’s a must.

Located in historic downtown Blue Ridge, Harvest on Main has a commitment to using the freshest ingredients and local items when available, including grass-fed local beef, seasonal veggies, Bramlett Farms trout, local craft beers, and an extensive wine list.

 

10. Mercier Orchards

Mercier Orchards is a beloved tradition nestled in the North Georgia Mountains. The apple orchard offers seasonal U-Pick for guests looking to take fresh produce home.

You can pick berries in June and July, and apples from August through October as fall kicks into gear. If you’re visiting during March, you’ll be able to see the orchards in full blossom.

There’s also an on-site bakery for homemade favorites using seasonal produce. Don’t forget to visit the tasting room to check out hard ciders and wines, and watch for live music performances and community events on their events list.

 

11. Rum Cake Lady

Have you ever eaten authentic Cuban food before? If not, you’re in for a treat. And if so, you know the deliciousness that awaits you.

Award-winning rum cakes are just the start of the tantalizing treasures at this popular, family-owned Cuban cafe. Here, you can enjoy authentic Cuban sandwiches, bowls, sides, and coffees in a casual atmosphere.

 

12. Southern Charm

As the name suggests, at Southern Charm, you’ll get traditional Southern-style family dining in a quaint, casual setting. They offer homestyle cooking in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

If you have an event on your Blue Ridge itinerary, they also offer catering services.

 

13. Toccoa Riverside Restaurant

Toccoa Riverside Restaurant

Photo Credit: Spencer Xu

Overlooking the famed Toccoa River in the Aska Adventure Area, this local favorite is known for its array of tasty dishes, from sizzling steaks to fresh local trout.

Boasting authentic Blue Ridge Mountain ambiance, Toccoa Riverside Restaurant is located on the Benton MacKaye Trail in the middle of the national forest. You’ll get to savor beautiful views from the dining room, outside deck, or the lounge as you dine.

 

14. The Sweet Shoppe of the South

The Sweet Shoppe of the South

Photo Credit: Marie C Fields

This bakery is not exactly where you’ll want to eat dinner, but it’s definitely where you’ll want to grab dessert. The owners of this spot are the winners of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars Season 6, so you know what you’re getting is truly the best of the best.

The Sweet Shoppe specializes in made-from-scratch, gourmet desserts. Grab something to munch on right then and there, or pick up an assortment of treats to bring back to your rental cabin.

 

The Best Blue Ridge Restaurants

Despite being a small mountain town, Blue Ridge knows good food. Take your pick from any of the restaurants on this list, and you’re sure to have a great meal as soon as you land in the North Georgia mountains.

With so much variety, we highly recommend you book a cabin in Blue Ridge for a few days so you have enough time to try out as many of these fantastic local restaurants as you can.

About the author

Nicole

Nicole

Born and raised in the North Georgia mountains, I've always been proud to call this beautiful area home. With over 15 years of experience in the vacation rental industry and as part of the leadership team at Blue Sky Cabin Rentals, I love sharing my local knowledge and helping visitors experience everything that makes Ellijay, Blue Ridge, and the surrounding mountain communities so special. When I'm not working, I enjoy spending time with my husband and son and exploring the same mountain towns I've called home my entire life.

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