It seems to me that a lot of time and energy is thrown at trying to find the hippest and coolest restaurant in town - from celebrity chefs to celebrity drinks, many diners seek out the 'be seen' scene to dine. And quite frankly, I'm a fan of fancy table linen and foie gras myself.
But sometimes, the simplest things are the best. I've decided to share a few of my favorite soul/country food spots in Atlanta.
Many people insist on making a distinction between soul food and country food. From collard greens to fried chicken and peach pie, different cultures and even different races claim dishes as their own. But in my experience, the difference between soul food and country cooking is just this: the color of the person cooking it. And we all know that color isn't important at all to anyone - that is, unless we're talking about steaming vegetables and then color is of paramount importance!
But as I was saying, soul food and country food are really one in the same. I'm as pink skinned as they come and I grew up in a world of collards, cobblers and cornbread. As a matter of fact, my Grandma makes the worlds best fried chicken - her secret is that she skins it first and then ... fries the skin separately! Ok so maybe that's not really the secret reason why her chicken is so good but it serves to prove the point that I know what country food should be.
In Atlanta we are beset by the fancy vs. southern 'thang' - either we're shopping at Phipps for something fabulous to wear to the club, or we're down at the speedway watching Dale Jr. race. We're a combination of fancy and simple, and one of the best attributes that brings is in our tastes in dining. We've got our hot spots and upscale dining, but we also have some of the best simple, southern soul food around.
Only a handful of places come to mind when I get the hankerin for something fried or something cooked with pork fat. Give 'em all a try - I certainly have!
The Collard Green Cafe - 2955 N. Druid Hills Rd - 404-634-3440
Son's Place - 160 Hurt St, Atlanta - 404-581-0530
Matthew's Cafeteria - 2299 Main St, Tucker - 770-491-9577
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