Although you probably wouldn’t run out of places to fill your stomach in Athens even if you stuck to the traditional brick-and-mortar establishments this guide details, there are some other options, too:
Athens Farmers Market: Spring through fall, Saturdays from 8 a.m.–noon at Bishop Park and Tuesdays from 4–7 p.m. at Little Kings downtown, you can pick up not only fresh produce, but meat, coffee, cheese, bread, fresh pasta and more. www.athensfarmersmarket.net
Oconee Farmers Market: Open on Saturday mornings from approximately 8 a.m.–1 p.m. on the back lawn of the Eagle Tavern Museum in downtown Watkinsville, this market offers fresh produce items from regional farmers within a 100-mile radius of Oconee County. www.oconeefarmersmarket.org
Juan’s Empanadas and Other Favorite Things: Occasionally out in the day at the corner of College Avenue and Washington Street but mostly found at night outside New Earth Music Hall, this empanada stand sells meat and veggie versions, plus plantain chips and other snacks. www.villaveces.us
Farm Cart: Open for weekday lunch on the patio of Farm 255 on Washington Street and at the Athens Farmers Market, the Farm Cart is perfect street food, selling healthy, seriously delicious Spanish tortillas, breakfast burritos, salads, soups, sandwiches, cookies and more. www.farm255.com/farmcart
King of Pops: This mobile stand hawks gourmet popsicles, downtown on the corner of Clayton and Lumpkin streets, in flavors like chocolate-sea salt and grapefruit-mint. Open afternoon and evening, $2.50 a pop. www.kingofpops.net
Produce Boxes: If you like to cook and you’re not afraid of kale, your options here include Viking Produce (a subscription-based delivery service that brings you bins of organic fruit and veggies: www.vikingproduce.com); Athens Locally Grown (a membership fee lets you check the website and purchase what you want for weekly pickup: www.athens.locallygrown.net); Nature’s Garden Delivered (www.ga.naturesgardendelivered.com) and Full Moon Farm Coop (www.fullmooncoop.org), Roots Farm (www.rootsfarm.org) and Woodland Gardens (www.localharvest.org/woodland-gardens-4), all of which operate CSAs (community-supported agriculture) where you subscribe for a weekly box of whatever’s in season.
Righteous Juice: Late afternoons at Washington and College downtown, early evenings by the UGA Main Library and at the Athens Farmers Market, Righteous Juice sells tasty fresh-squeezed juices. www.facebook.com/pages/Righteous-Juice/44538373981
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