Here's a list of places that make me happy to live in Atlanta :) 1. The Sundial Restaurant
I LOVE the Sundial! It's located at the top of the Westin in downtown Atlanta, and I've been going there since I was a child. You can see all the way to Stone Mountain, which is such a treat for a little kid!
Recently I introduced Jimmy to the Sundial, and he loved it too. There's something about sipping a White Russian while taking a 360° spin around the skyline that just says "Welcome to Atlanta!"
To be 100% honest, I've never eaten there... so perhaps this deserves the title of my favorite bar in Atlanta...
Ever since 6th grade I've had a fairly fanatical obsession with The Indigo Girls. Galileo had me at first listen, and the CDs have been staples in my car ever since. When they opened Watershed here in Atlanta, I was desperate to go. While I loved the Decatur location, I have to say that the new Peachtree location is much better. It's closer to my house, and I love the design. I've heard the fried chicken is out of this world, but I was delighted with my gluten free veggie plate as well. The servers are wonderfully knowledgeable about which items are gluten free and which can be made gluten free, which is so refreshing. Jimmy's taking me there for dinner tonight... lucky me!
Sophie's is a cute little cafe/bakery on Pharr Road. They publish a gluten free menu every day that includes quiches, soups and even sandwiches. I whole heartedly recommend the tomato soup (ask for an extra pack of Saltines). The sandwich was good, but I'm not a huge fan of gluten free bread. I have to say though, sometimes you just need a sandwich. They also donate to homeless pets, which makes me feel good about eating there.
4. Houston's
If you don't like Houston's you don't like Atlanta. I'm serious. Every time you go to Houston's you know what you're going to get. Here's a list of the absolute best things at Houston's in case you live in a hole: Spinach dip, French Dip, chicken fingers + fries + colesalw, salad with the chicken fingers on it (forget the name), crab cakes, vegetable plate, Hickory Burger, tortilla soup, grilled artichoke, bbq chicken. FYI, I just asked Lindley (my bff) what her favorite things were at Houston's. She launched into a list that included the grilled chicken salad subbing in chicken fingers and the sleeper favorite smoked salmon, which nobody ever gets because you'd be a fool not to order the the spinach dip or artichoke heart. Kids who were raised in Atlanta and went to Westminster love Houston's as much UGA grads like the Bulldogs. It's a thing. By the way... if you go there and tell them you are gluten free they will make you almost anything on the menu gluten free.... except the chicken fingers, which crushed a little piece of my soul.
Lindley and I love Mexican food more than anything. When we lived together at UGA we would go to the La Parilla on Prince at least 5 times a week (sometimes twice a day if we just had to). We would go to the drug store next door and buy gossip magazines. Then we would go in to La Parilla and order two giant mugs of beer in the frostiest glasses you've ever seen. We'd spend at least 45 minutes drinking our beers and eating bean dip before we ordered our taco salads (her's with no cheese... we were on weight watchers, of course). The whole experience would take at least two hours, but the servers never said anything to us because we were probably their best customers. Though we left Athens at least 15 lbs heavier, we also left with holes in our hearts that no frosty beer or taco salad could ever fill... not to say we haven't tried. We've probably tried every mexican restaurant in the city, and we rate them all... though that's a different blog post for a different day. Suffice it to say we like Nuevo Loreado the best. They have the best salsa and the best taco salads. I know some of you are jumping out of your chair because I didn't say Jalisco's, but give me a break... I like what I like. The salsa at Jalisco's is a touch too hot, and I can't go in there wearing pajama pants and a sweat shirt because I'll run into like 30 people I know. Last night Lindley and I went over to Nuevo Loreado, and I carried a little plastic bag of gluten free chips. My Bud Light bottle was cold, but it was no frosty mug. At the end of the day I say if you can't drive to Athens, you're best option is to hit up Nuevo Loreado. As a side note, be careful wearing you're pajamas because you'll most likely see someone you know ;)
Tomorrow I'll work on finishing the list. Have a great night everybody!
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