Feast 26
2625 Mall of Georgia Blvd
Buford, GA 30519
12 pm – 7 pm
https://www.instagram.com/feast26buford/
https://www.facebook.com/feast26
Ever wonder about that little restaurant attached to the ONE gas station on the backside of the Mall of Georgia?? (We have a thing for gas station restaurants) We waited an entire year to check it out!! Feast 26 opened September of 2019 and had a whirlwind of a year as they just celebrated their first birthday, made a mark as a community partner to so many organizations and are getting ready to open their second location in Winder, GA. Whew…Congratulations!!
Southern Cajan is their “thing” and they do it right! This little spot is family owned and family run (dad, daughter and son all running around the eatery doing what each of them do best!). The unassuming spot was bustling with activity as they were shipping out meals to serve a nonprofit on behalf of the Atlanta Falcons Team when we arrived. The restaurant has a few cozy farmhouse tables inside and on the front sidewalk, along with a small counter bar for seating. The restaurant is counter service and offers a cajan “grab and go” freezer section with an abundance of creole options like gater and boudin sausage. They also offer family meals to go, which has been a huge hit during Covid season.
The menu was divided into two categories Southern staples and Cajan creations. The comforting options made it really hard to choose which direction to go, and the kitchen encouraged mixing it up (make your own option) which is unheard of from most chefs! After talking with the staff and some local regulars, we decided to try something from both sides of the menu that were sure to be a crowd pleaser, Sweet Tea Brined Fried Chicken Sandwich topped with pimento cheese and Shrimp and Gouda Grits; paired with sides of gooey mac-n-cheese, saute squash vegetables and fried okra.
The chicken sandwich beats anything that any other chicken sandwich place tries to brag as theirs is the biggest…our sandwich was literally 8” in diameter served on grilled bread and truly homemade pimento cheese that will put grandma’s recipe to shame. The smoked gouda grits are good enough to stand on their own but paired with the sweet grilled shrimp and not too spicy creole sauce they made an impressive IG picture, but an even better calorie rich taste test.
We were too full to enjoy a sweet treat on location, so we got a dessert to go…the staff suggested beignets (Where else can you find beignets in Gwinnett?), but we decided to try the bread pudding with bourbon caramel sauce, which was still amazing that evening when we came out of our food coma. The custard-binded bread is semi-sweet, but paired with the bourbon caramel sauce it was utter southern (but a little naughty) perfection!
We can’t wait to go back, grab something to go on our way home from work, or just sneak in for a plate of “just sides” to satisfy your Sunday lunch cravings. We also eyed their southern and Cajan burritos from a neighboring table, which is a must go back in to try. You don’t always experience personalized service like this gem and we hope you try them out so they stay busy and keep doing what they do best! Feeding you and your soul!