Still looking for Athens Eats--Help,Ort!

Will be visiting through Athens just before Easter and would appreciate some good Athens info.Thanks. Anyone heard from Ort?

Ort always seems pretty happy with a place called the NormalTown Cafe....

My husband and I honeymooned in Athens,GA almost 10 years ago and we still talk about the meals we had at The Grit and Weaver D's! I checked up on them in the online yellow pages and both are still open. The Grit is a vegetarian restaurant that is absolutely delicious whether you are a veggie lover or not (I am not but still really enjoyed my meal). My husband had one of their specialties "The Golden Bowl" and says if you go there you must try it. Weaver D's is a barbeque place that is famous for the owner's saying "Automatic" when an order is placed and therefore inspiring the REM album title "Automatic for the People". This is the first place I ever had real barbeque (I am from the north where barbeque is just whatever you put on a grill like a hot dog or a hamburger not a dish like this.) and I still have not had one as good. What could be better than a plate of barbeque, greenbeans and cornbread with sweet tea (also a first for me). And not just any cornbread but Weaver D cornbread so moist you don't even need butter (but you use it anyway, right?). We really hope you enjoy your trip and while you're there check out the tree that owns it's self, an Athens classic.

Weaver D's - 1016 East Broad Street
The Grit - 199 Prince Ave.

I don’t think Ort ever saw this thread. I am bumping it up so maybe he will see it.

Lamertz, All Y'all,
Ort. here. This'll have to do as a reply for now, because my e-mail sender doesn't seem to be working.
Weaver D's on East Broad and The Grit on Prince are very much still in business. The Normaltown Cafe' is now at 175B Tallassee Road, off the North Bypass at the Tallassee Road exit, then north about 250 feet, through the Mitchell Bridge Road traffic light and on the left. I am oofing right now from eating up the tuna casserole and broccoli casserole... no room for a pint tonight!
On Tuesdays, a good bet is Plantation Buffet on M. L. K. Blvd. (Commerce Road), where they have barbecued pork and goat. The other four days are perfectly fine, but that's their only BBQ day.
On Thursdays, The Gateway Cafe on North Avenue has chicken mull, which is a stewish-sort of dish - on the bland side, but put a dollop of hot sauce in it and it perks right up.
I've heard great things about a place named Mama Shug's in Winterville, east of Athens about 6 miles, but the car doesn't run well enough at the moment for me to get out there.
There are a skillion places downtown. The standout for meat-and-three is Five Star Day on East Broad Street. They're open for breakfast now, too.
Pick up a copy of The Flagpole when you get here. There's a periodic restaurant column therein (also occasional ramblings by me).
The Tree That Owns Itself lives, as always, off West Broad Street and up the only cobblestoned hill in town (South Newton Street) at the corner of Dearing Street. The current tree is actually Tree That Owns Itself, Jr., as Sr. fell down into the street one calm evening in 1946. For years, the Athens Ladies' Garden Club (America's first!) had been gathering acorns from its base and potting them, feeding them eggshell water, encouraging them to grow up big and strong. The biggest, strongest one was selected to take Mama/Papa's place (oaks are ambisexual) and resides there now. (I need to go conduct an interview sometime, don't I?) Feel free to drop by and give it a hug.
And, if you like good beer, I highly recommend Copper Creek Brewing Co. on East Washington Street downtown. Right now, Matt has brewed a Kolsch, an India Pale Ale, a Nut Brown Ale, and an Oatmeal Stout was added yesterday. Those won't be still on line when you arrive, but whatever is there will be exemplary... believe me.
If you need more information, either post here or e-mail me. As I said, I wasn't ignoring you; the sender wasn't working tonight, for some strange reason.
Overstuffedly, Ort. Carlton, Content As A 16-Pound Purring Orange-And-White Gentleman Tomcat In Athens, Georgia.

quote:

Originally posted by Ashley Wilkes

I don’t think Ort ever saw this thread. I am bumping it up so maybe he will see it.

Ashley,
Thanks indeed! No, I didn't see it until right now.
Best, Ort.

I went to the Athens Visitors and Convention Bureau to get a tourist brochure. I was hoping to go to Athens over Thanksgiving weekend, but was called into work for most of the weekend. The marberthenad clan is hoping to get to Athens sometime again .... maybe during the spring ....

Mainly for Ort: Wilson's or Weaver D's?