Photograph by Caleb Jones
If you haven’t been to Woodstock recently, you would be pleasantly surprised by the transformation of this once-sleepy train town. Few Atlantans expect to encounter such a diverse restaurant scene in vibrant shopping areas like Downtown Woodstock or The Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta. The following eight dishes are masterfully prepared with the best-quality ingredients by highly skilled chefs.
Grilled Beeler’s Pure Pork Chop at Century House
125 East Main Street, 770-693-4552
The chef at Century House Tavern prepares the cuisine with the finest ingredients, including Beeler’s Pure Pork, a crate-free, heritage-breed pork. These delectable chops are served with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, fried okra, and a caramel apple sauce.
Roasted Octopus with Farro Salad at Rootstock & Vine
8558 Main Street, 770-544-9009
Rootstock & Vine is a wine and bourbon bar located in the center of Downtown Woodstock in an iconic building that housed the first post office in the early 1900s. Hot and cold small plates, charcuterie, and desserts pair perfectly with vintages from family-owned vineyards. The Roasted Octopus with Farro Salad is one of the most flavorful dishes on the menu and is served with teardrop peppers and a cilantro-lime vinaigrette.
Hamburguesa Sedgwick at Pure Taqueria
405 Chambers Street, 770-952-7873
Pure Taqueria is hip, loud, sophisticated, and fun. While enchiladas and tacos are mainstays on the menu, the Hamburguesa Sedgwick is a burger that embodies the spirit of the restaurant. All-natural beef is topped with guacamole, jalapeño, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, chipotle mayo, pickle, poblano pepper, caramelized onions, pepper jack cheese, and bacon, served on a brioche bun with a side of papas fritas.
Dominic’s Wood-Fired Truck’s Neapolitan Pizza at Truck & Tap
8640 Main Street, 770-702-1670
Truck & Tap is a Woodstock original. The graffiti-clad, open-air tap room serves the best craft beers and wine from around the globe while the beer garden behind the restaurant features a daily rotating selection of Atlanta food trucks. One such truck is Dominic’s Wood-Fired. Dom’s Neapolitan Pizza is sublime, with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, and garlic on a hand-tossed crust cooked to crispy perfection in a wood-fired oven on wheels.
Reina Pepiada at Cylantro’s Venezuelan Cuisine
9595 Main Street, 404-343-5819
What’s more unexpected than traditional Venezuelan cuisine prepared from the heart in a small restaurant attached to a popular gas station? Cylantro’s Reina Pepiada is a maize dough arepa filled with creamy, savory chicken breast, topped with cilantro and sliced avocado.
Spaghetti Alla Bolognese at Vingenzo’s
105 East Main Street, 770-924-9133
Chef Michael Bologna is a James Beard awardee who has perfected the art of simple, humble dishes that take a lot of time, hard work, and skilled technique to produce. The classical preparation of the Spaghetti Alla Bolognese marries Black Angus Beef with vine-ripe heirloom tomatoes (often from the chef’s own garden) and made-from-scratch pasta.
Nopal Tacos at De Allende Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar
915 Ridgewalk Parkway, 770-635-8707
De Allende Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar is inspired by the magic pueblo of San Miguel De Allende located in the colorful state of Guanajuato, Mexico. The restaurant’s vibrant artwork and authentic Mexican cuisine brings a small portion of the town’s magic to Woodstock. The Nopal Tacos are indeed a magical mix of flavors, with grilled cactus, roasted tomato salsa, and queso fresco on black corn tortillas.
Prince Edward Island Mussels at Salt Factory Gastropub
8690 Main Street, 678-903-6225
Salt Factory Gastropub features globally-inspired fare in a beautiful brick and wood warehouse space on Main Street. Their rope-grown Canadian mussels swim in a delicious broth of roasted garlic, chipotle, tomato, and cilantro.
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In addition to a fantastic restaurant scene, Woodstock has charming independent retailers, name brand outlet shopping, miles of trails, a constant variety of live music, and great places to stay. Plan your trip at visitwoodstockga.com.
