CAMMIE BAGLEY
Athens/ Living Editor
Piedmont College’s Athens campus is in the heart of one of the South’s best college towns, according to southernliving.com. Though the classic city is usually recognized for housing University of Georgia students, Piedmont students in Athens can take advantage of some of the same amenities that the students of UGA have available to them, including restaurants in the Athens area.
Since the Athens campus primarily caters to non-traditional, commuting students, it’s a good idea to be familiar with a few decent restaurants near campus for those times when one is feeling hungry in between classes. Below are a few restaurants to keep in mind while looking for a bite to eat:
Siri Thai Cuisine: This traditional Thai restaurant is located .2 miles from Piedmont’s campus. It is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and then for dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. It was declared “Best Thai Food” by OnlineAthens readers and received many good reviews on yelp.com, earning four out of five stars. The menu includes curry and noodle dishes, soups and salads, along with other menu options that all reflect authentic Thai cuisine. Prices range from $7 to $9.95.
Big City Bread Café: For those who are interested in American style cooking, this café is perfect. It is located .3 miles from the Piedmont Athens campus and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The description of the menu, according to bigcitybreadcafe.com, is, “The cafe proudly serves home baked breads, pastries and cakes, organic and locally grown produce, meats and cheeses, fine beer and wine, and locally roasted 1,000 Faces and Jittery Joes coffee and espresso drinks.”
On yelp.com, many reviewers confirmed it to be one of their favorite spots in Athens. The restaurant’s prices are dependent upon what one is looking for. For a meal, the prices range from $7 to $10, but for coffee, the prices are lower.
The Grit: This vegetarian restaurant is a local favorite for many, according to yelp.com.
One review referred to it as the “shining jewel of Athens, regardless of whether or not you’re a vegetarian.”
It offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the restaurant is located .3 miles from the Athens campus. The menu is all vegetarian, but on the website, thegrit.com, the restaurant claims that omnivores are dedicated customers as well. The cuisine includes soups, sandwiches, wraps, burgers and salads. The atmosphere is small and rugged, but it provides a homey and comforting atmosphere for those seeking a delicious meal, not to mention fairly cheap prices.
Each of these restaurants is within walking distance of the Piedmont College Athens campus. If not able to walk, the driving distance would only be a minute or two. Each place has it’s own signature style, which just goes to show that Athens is a college town that provides an eclectic array of food for all kinds of students to enjoy.
