By BROWN’S GUIDES RESTAURANT EDITOR

I’m looking for Brown’s Guides readers’ favorite restaurants in Northwest Georgia’s Cartersville and Bartow County, places you’d visit again and recommend to friends. On the list so far: Barnsley Gardens’ three restaurants - the Beer Garden, Woodlands Grill and The Rice House; Johnny Mitchell’s Smoke House; Fruit Jar Café; Antonino’s Italian Grotto, and five others.

Check the list of all Cartersville and Bartow County restaurants. Are your favorites included? I’d like to hear from you if they’re not. If you frequent a chain that you think does a particularly good job, include that too.

I’ll see that your recommendations are included in the Cartersville and Bartow County restaurants on the BG list and credit you with the suggestion.

Links:

• See the list of Cartersville and Bartow County restaurants currently on the Brown’s Guides site.
• Find over 1,200 Georgia restaurants in all parts of the state.

By BROWN’S GUIDES RESTAURANT EDITOR

All this first week of February, I’m smoking out the best restaurants in the University of West Georgia town of Carrollton. Included so far, Plates on the Square, Jerry’s Country Kitchen, Vogelsberg Bakery and nine more. Check the list of Carrollton, Georgia restaurants on the Brown’s Guides site or find over 1,200 other restaurants in all regions of Georgia in the Georgia Restaurants category.

P.S. Is your favorite Carrollton restaurant on the list? If not, tell me about it and add a comment. I’ll see that it’s included and credit you with the suggestion.

Links:

• View a list of Carrollton Georgia restaurants
• Find over 1,200 Georgia restaurants in all travel regions of the state.
• Plates on the Square was featured in a blog post. Read the feature.

Georgia > Northwest Region > Fannin County > Blue Ridge

By MARK E. JOHNSON, Restaurant Editor

This week I’m clicking on websites, reading reviews and quizzing friends to find the best of Blue Ridge, Georgia restaurants, restaurants like Angelina’s Italian Market and Deli, and Toccoa Riverside Restaurant and General Store. What are your favorite Blue Ridge restaurants, places you’d enthusiastically recommend to others? Click on the link below to see the current Brown’s Guides list of Blue Ridge restaurants, then use the Comments Box to tell me about any we’re missing. Any personal experience with Angelina’s or Toccoa Riverside Restaurant? Tell other website visitors about your experiences.

I’ll add you recommendations and reviews to the list and give you a heads-up when they’re published.

Links

• Blue Ridge Restaurants
• All Georgia Restaurants
• Read my blog post about Angelina’s Italian Market and Deli

Georgia> Northwest Region > Cherokee County > Woodstock

Read What Magnolia Thomas Is Saying About Itself…
Experience the best in new southern cuisine, fabulous wines and local craft beers, all in a comfortable, classic setting. Located in the heart of historic Olde Towne Woodstock, conveniently located in the northwest Atlanta area.

Read What Others Are Saying About Magnolia Thomas…

• Since all meals are prepared from scratch, you need to accept that this is a minimum of one-hour long dining experience, and you could easily languish here for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Plan for it, and enjoy it. It’s not slow service, it’s taking the time to make your meal right, and it’s worth the wait. Darin Drevik on Urban Spoon 9/2009
• This is THE best restaurant in Woodstock, hands down. Kemmers on CityScape 12/2007
• The atmosphere is easily one of the most relaxing and enjoyable experiences in Woodstock. Awesome staff/ownership and a special atmosphere for Woodstock dining. Brad N on Yelp! 6/2009.

What Do YOU Say about the Magnolia Thomas Restaurant…?
Click on “Comments” below to tell Brown’s Guides readers what you think about Magnolia Thomas or recommend other Woodstock, Georgia restaurants.

Georgia Restaurants with MARK JOHNSON, Brown’s Guides Restaurant Editor

Australian Bakery Café on the Square in Marietta bakes authentic Aussie meat pies in its Marietta ovens and ships them all over the country.

Expatriates from Australia and New Zealand living all over the US are loyal, regular customers.

Brown’s Guides is looking for other Georgia restaurants that prepare an AUTHENTIC signature “national” dish and ship it to loyal fans living elsewhere.

Send me your recommendations and I’ll pass them along to Brown’s Guides website visitors and give you a credit line.

Read more about Australian Bakery Cafe on the Square in Marietta in the post below.

Georgia > Northwest Region > Dade County > Rising Fawn

What Canyon Grill Is Saying About Itself…
We are not about exotic ingredients and creative fusion. What we do is buy great products, give them a lot of care, and do our best not to mess them up in preparation. Canyon Grill’s location is remote - so remote that most guests drive at least a half-hour along a scenic road on the back side of Lookout Mountain.

What Others Are Saying About Canyon Grill…

• Rated #1 out of 5 restaurants in Rising Fawn by Trip Advisor
• We spent the weekend in a cabin in Mentone, AL. and found the Canyon Grill. It was a great experience and the food was outstanding. The wife got a steak and I got the pork tenderloin. Both were outstanding. I cannot express how good the food was and for a restaurant that is out in the middle of nowhere it was packed with customers. craigboggan, Birmingham in Trip Advisor, 8/09
• Canyon Grill is my favorite place to eat in or around Chattanooga.  It’s a bit of a hike up Lookout Mountain, but it’s worth it.  Most of the food is grilled, including a lot of the vegetables and side dishes.  I have an ongoing obsession with the grilled okra.  The slash and burn catfish is great.  The filets are pretty phenomenal and be sure to save room for dessert.  I highly recommend a slice of coconut cake.  You’ll also need to bring your own wine–Canyon Grill is in a dry county. Byron W., Atlanta, Georgia 7/08

What Do You Say About Canyon Grill…?
Click on “Comment,” below, to tell Brown’s Guides readers what you think about Canyon Grill or recommend another Lookout Mountain Georgia restaurants.

Georgia > Northwest Region > Floyd County > Rome

What La Scala Says About Itself…
By serving Regional Italian and Continental Cuisine La Scala has earned a reputation as one of the best restaurants in the entire Northwest Georgia area. Our large and diverse menu can satisfy any palate and includes the freshest seafood, prime beef, veal and pasta dishes as well as delicious, original, daily specials. All of the bread and desserts are also made fresh daily in our kitchen.

What Others Say About La Scala Ristorante Italiano…

• Rated #5 of 12 Rome restaurants included on Trip Advisor. Trip Advisor
• This is the most authentic Italian food I have had since moving from Italy. My wife and I tried it out on the advice of a friend and we were not disappointed. The food is extraordinary and is a great place to have a nice, quiet dinner. IlPirata8, Chattahooga, in Trip Advisor 11/08
• Taking a cue from its namesake, this restaurant serves terrific Italian cuisine and is a delicious choice for a pleasant meal or a casual business dinner. The upscale establishment offers a cozy lounge area and a candlelit dining room, not to mention traditional dishes with local flair, including seafood entrees, pastas, gourmet salads and desserts. Reviewed in 10 Best. 10 Best.com

What Do You Say About Rome’s La Scala…?
Click on “Comment,” below, to tell Brown’s Guides readers what you think about Rome’s La Scala Ristorante Italiano  or recommend other Rome Georgia restaurants.

In the June issue of Georgia Electric Membership Corporation’s  Georgia Magazine, food critic Jane Garvey selected 10 Georgia restaurants as “Must Try Places.” Here are her selections, organized by city, along with brief comments excerpted from her reviews. All the restaurants are included on the BG site, and you can read more by clicking on their links. Some of the restaurants have been reviewed more extensively in the 1st Person: Georgia Restaurants Blog, and if that is the case, there is a link to that too.

Atlanta (Atlanta Metro)
AU PIED DE COCHON Fine dining 24 hours a day in the InterContinental Buckhead Hotel. The restaurant’s name means “pig’s foot.” The preparation is a signature dish for the restaurant, where it’s roasted and served with béarnaise sauce or stuffed with foie gras, a delicacy that is the fatted liver of a goose or duck. But there’s plenty more to eat at this iconic fine dining establishment. Classical French offers such lovely dishes as escargots, foie gras and Dover sole deftly deboned tableside. The ambience is stunning, with soaring ceilings, Venetian glass light fixtures and tables that can be curtained off for additional privacy. Read more about Atlanta’s Au Pied de Cochon.

Cartersville (Northwest)
D. MORGAN’S University of Georgia graduate Chef Derek Morgan knows how to turn out simple, flavorful food that’s absolutely brilliant. Read more about Cartersville’s D. Morgan’s.

Macon (Central)
MARCO RISTORANTE ITALIANO You can dine Italian-style as if you were in Italy. Chef Dario Leo and proprietors Nazario and Giordani Filliponi, father and son, make no compromises in their presentation of the real deal. Read more about Macon’s Marco Ristorante Italiano.

Thomasville (Southwest)
LIAM’S From the foie gras to the delectable cassoulet – a legume-based French classic – the cooking is at the top of the charts. Read more about Thomasville’s Liam’s.

Sea Island (Coast)
THE GEORGIA ROOM The apotheosis of luxury. The menu is as apt to resent something exotic – white truffle dumplings – as it is something very local, such as pickled ramps (a wild Appalachian leek/garlic/onion) with lobster. One of Georgia’s two Mobile 5-Star Restaurants. Read more about Sea Island’s Georgian Room.

Savannah (Coast)
ELIZABETH’S ON 37th Executive Chef Kelly Yambor continues founder Elizabeth Terry’s focus on local seafood and produce, and the house garden produces herbs and edible flowers among other foods. They have crafted a wine list that is the talk of the wine world. International wine experts have been known to dine here. Read more about Elizabeth’s on 37th.
LOCAL 11 TEN A contemporary jewel crafted within an old bank seeks out local products and uses them imaginatively on a menu that blends Southern with French and Italian influences and even Spanish.
NOBLE FARE Patrick and Jenny McNamara have taken a simple building and crafted within it a black-and-white décor enfolding an intimate romantic dining environment. The couple is devoted to fresh ingredients locally sources where possible, and with it, a wine list designed to enhance the food. Read more about Savannah’s Noble Fare.
SAPPHIRE GRILL Chef-owner Chris Nason has structured a well-deserved reputation for fine regional fare. The best way to take advantage of his talents may be the tasting menu, and the small portions it presents are great if dining late, as one may do here.

St. Simons Island (Coast)
HALYARDS One of the best dishes we’ve seen in a long time was his pairing of grilled dry-packed scallops with a succotash made of boiled peanuts. Brilliant. Owner-chef Dave Snyder refuses to use the word “fresh” on his menu, as he says that’s a given in his kitchen. Read more about St. Simons Island’s Halyard’s.

Other Links:

• Read more about Georgia Electric Membership’s Georgia Magazine

Georgia > Northwest >Cherokee County > Woodstock

What Magnolia Thomas Says About Itself…
“Southern Dining with a Silver Spoon Treatment.” Located in the heart of historic Olde Towne Woodstock only 30 minutes from Atlanta and 15 minutes from Marietta.

Magnolia Thomas Restaurant has a “Facebook Fan Page” and lists its weekly specials regularly, along with comments and reviews from customers. For example, this July post: “This week’s special (in keeping with Downtown Woodstock’s Friday Night Live “Carolina Beach Party theme) is Carolina Crawfish Stuffed Flounder! MmmmmMMM! The Facebook posts are fun and informative (and appetizing)! to read.

What Others Are Saying About Magnolia Thomas…

• I have my own theory about that familiar, easy feeling you get from a dining experience at Magnolia Thomas: it’s a feeling greatly akin to coming home, a home where you know you’ll always be well taken care of. Jennifer Carter in Maxsell Real Estate News 06/09
• Food was superb, prices were reasonable, and entertainment was top-notch. Can’t wait to visit again to try the eggplant! Connie Gilbride, Fish Facebook comment 05/09
• Food is prepared fresh, sometimes takes time, but is worth it. Thank you for being in Woodstock. mrtburg in Urban Spoon 04/09

What Do You Say About Woodstock’s Magnolia Thomas Restaurant…?
Click on “Comment,” below, to tell Brown’s Guides readers what you think about Woodstock’s Magnolia Thomas or recommend other Woodstock Georgia restaurants.

Georgia > Northwest > Bartow > Cartersville

What D. Morgan’s Says About Itself…
D. Morgan’s Restaurant & Wine Bar occupy a Historic building in downtown Cartersville built in the late 1800’s. Chef Morgan and his family chose the location because it is centrally located on the square in downtown Cartersville.

We are proud to be a part of the rejuvenation of Cartersville, and we truly believe that Cartersville is becoming a destination for the metropolitan area of Atlanta.” Cartersville has everything to offer from fine dining, Theatre, Museums, and upscale clothing boutiques for residents and tourists. Keep in mind that all this is only 30 miles north of the perimeter….

…and Chef Derek Morgan
Chef Morgan graduated with honors from the Art Institute of Atlanta in 1995 and first worked at Villa Christina in Dunwoody, Ga. He was promoted to Sous Chef while working at Villa Christina and soon moved out west to Los Angeles. It was in L.A., where Derek met Chef Dean James Max at Woodside restaurant in Brentwood. Derek worked at Woodside with Chef Max for one year. He left the hustle and bustle in the “City of Angels” for Paradise Valley, Arizona. Chef Morgan then began working as Executive Sous Chef at The Ranch on Camelback Mountain (now known as The Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain). Derek soon moved to the Royal Palms Resort & Spa as Executive Sous Chef. Within six months Derek was promoted to Executive Chef..

What Others Are Saying About D. Morgan’s…

• Morgan knows how to turn out simple, flavorful food that’s absolutely brilliant. His food reflects respect for first-quality ingredients, and the fact that he never over-exercises his influence. Reviewed by Jane Garvey in Georgia GMC Magazine, 06/09
• Rated #1 of 68 restaurants listed I Cartersville by Trip Advisor.
• My wife and I travel a tremendous amount and we entertain clients and dine out a lot while on the road and it is always a pleasure to come home and be able to get the same…NO! Better Quality Food, Service and Wine than we can find on the road!! This AAA 4-Diamond award winning restaurant in our little home town!!! WOW, Cannot believe it!!! Derek is a extraordinary Chef! taylorGASC, Georgia, in Trip Advisor, 5/09

What Do You Say About D. Morgan’s…?
Click on “Comment, below, to tell Brown’s Guides readers what you think about D. Morgan’s or recommend other Cartersville Georgia restaurants.