Stop 1: Maple Street Biscuit Co. – Breakfast
Duluth
It’s the first meal of the day, and arguably the most important. Where else would you go to start off a day’s binge of the finest comfort foods Gwinnett has to offer than the just-opened Maple Street Biscuit Co. in downtown Duluth?
Channel your favorite memories of mornings at Grandma’s kitchen table and spoil yourself as she would with one of Maple Street’s mmm-so-good biscuits. Go traditional with classic biscuits and gravy, or shake things up with one of their specials like the “Squawking Goat”— all natural fried chicken served with fried goat cheese and house-made pepper jelly, of course on one of their signature flaky, ginormous biscuits. Still in need of some extra fuel for your day? You can’t go wrong with a side of Bluegrass Grits!
Stop 2: 1910 Public House – Lunch
Lilburn
Next up on our comfort crawl is lunch at 1910 Public House. Savor the nostalgia of childhood days gone by with a Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich. Served hot, of course, it comes with additional fillings of applewood smoked bacon and fried green tomatoes, creating the perfect blend of three Southern comforts in one dish.
If pimento is not to your taste, you can always try the BBQ Brisket Sandwich or Shrimp Po Boy. Both are delicious, splurge-worthy and, of course, Southern classics! Go ahead and substitute your side for sweet potato fries—you won’t be sorry!
Stop 3: Marlow’s Tavern – afternoon cocktails
Duluth & Buford
Bourbon. Bitters. Peach Nectar. Sounds like the makings of a comforting Southern cocktail to us! At Marlow’s Tavern (in any of their locations), you’ll find a cozy, hip social scene with “the best craft cocktails”. There are some amazing original creations (such as the Blueberry Buck), but it’s the new spin on the recipes of ‘olde’ that we encourage you to relish today.
There’s the Southern Charmer which, in addition to the previously listed ingredients (where peach is substituted for orange), includes Domaine de Canton, a ginger-flavored liqueur, and lavender bitters for just a hint of charm and grace. Also be sure to check out the New Fashioned, made traditionally but with Giffard Banana Liqueur that oh-so-complements the expressed orange peel and Belle Meade Bourbon. Our favorite, though, is the ‘Pom’ Collins: Tito’s Vodka, Pama Liquor, House Made Sour Mix and simple sryup. Refreshing with a mix of tart and sweet, just like a true Southern lady! And, because we can (moderation doesn’t exist in our vocabulary today), make sure to order a batch of heavenly “everything’s-better-when-fried” asparagus fries!
Stop 4: Aqua Terra Bistro – Dinner
Buford
By the time the dinner bell sounds, you’ve had some fun and experienced a delicious sampling of Gwinnett’s Southern comfort scene – why not end the day strong and reward yourself at Aqua Terra, an upscale bistro in the heart of historic Buford?
You have two options here:
Circle back to Southern tradition where you began this morning, and try the Shrimp & Grits. Don’t be surprised if it’s better than you remember growing up! With andouille sausage, shallots, celery, red peppers and spicy brandy cream as additions to the star ingredients of cheddar grits and shrimp, this is certainly “not-your-mother’s” recipe.
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Embrace the Cajun influence on Southern fare with the Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya. Here shallots, sweet red peppers, celery, andouille sausage, creole sauce, crushed red pepper and white rice come together to form a hearty and scrumptious dish that will send you off to sleep tonight with contented dreams and no regrets from your full, satiating day of unrestrained comfort-dining!