If the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, as the saying goes, the South undoubtedly has scores of admirers. In the Atlanta area alone, planners will find a celebrated culinary scene featuring new restaurants, classes, tours, farmers markets and more to delight attendees’ taste buds.
Fun-filled foodie festivals are also found here year-round and serve as built-in entertainment for groups that hold a meeting at the same time.
The options include the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, held annually at the end of May for four days, the Atlanta Street Food Festival, showcasing top Atlanta-area food trucks during the summer, and Taste of Atlanta, held in October and featuring food samples from some of Atlanta’s best restaurants.
Atlanta’s new group-friendly restaurants include The Optimist, which was named among the best new restaurants in America for 2013 by Bon Appetit magazine, and White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails, located in Atlanta’s downtown convention corridor.
At The Optimist, which serves high-quality, sustainable seafood, attendees will enjoy sharing fresh appetizers like shrimp a la plancha and Maine mussels. And at White Oak, where the menu is Southern-inspired, specialty cocktails include the bourbon-based Atlantan and the rye-based Ryeders on the Storm.
According to Kristin Delahunt, manager of convention services at the Atlanta CVB, there are several other standout options for groups interested in incorporating the area’s cuisine scene into an itinerary.
SweetWater Brewing Company is the South’s second-largest craft brewery and a memorable venue choice for gatherings and tours.
“The space is very cool and lends itself to a fun event,” Delahunt says. “Additionally, local caterers like Bold American and Proof of the Pudding can create menus featuring local foods that pair really well with the beers.”
Another popular option is Third Space, where groups can participate in cooking classes and team-building exercises, and have meal functions, meetings and other events.
Livingston Restaurant and Bar, housed in the glamorous Georgian Terrace Hotel, which hosted Gone with the Wind’s premiere party, “gives groups a sense of Atlanta’s rich history while maintaining a modern and elegant feel,” Delahunt says.
“Livingston is housed in the historic Georgian Terrace hotel, where Clark Gable has hung his hat, among others,” she says. “The space is very flexible, with plenty of room on the outdoor terrace to do cocktails on a nice day.”
And at the World of Coca-Cola, which celebrates the soft drink that was formulated in Atlanta in 1886, is the Taste It! beverage lounge.
In this fun event venue, groups can sample 64 different Coca-Cola brands from around the world and arrange for Proof of the Pudding hors d’oeuvres that pair perfectly with a cold rum and Coke, including small beef burgers and grit cakes. PageBreak
Outlying Areas
The Marietta Square Farmers Market, which gathers area vendors on Saturdays and Sundays, is a great representation of Cobb County’s culinary offerings, according to Lindsey Burruss, spokeswoman for Cobb Travel & Tourism.
In addition to seasonal produce, attendees who stroll through will also find garden products, flowers, local honey, herbal soaps, salsas, whole grain breads, pies and more.
At Red Hare Brewing Company, also in Marietta, tours and tastings are available, and the tap room is well-suited for private events. The brewery also features outdoor seating with a stage and bar, as well as a bocce ball court.
And for wine lovers in the group, the Marietta-based Stem Wine Bar opened last year with a list featuring vintages from North America, Spain, Italy and France. The chefs have developed a menu of snacks and sweets that pair well with the wine, and the sommelier will eventually host wine classes.
A food and wine tour of DeKalb County, according to Barry Stepe, spokesman for the DeKalb CVB, wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Your DeKalb Farmers Market, one of the largest indoor farmers markets in the world.
For a hands-on event, planners will find cooking classes and team-building events in the DeKalb area via Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Cook’s Warehouse, Sweet Dreams Bakery School and Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort, where the executive chef offers culinary team-bonding events.
Groups can toast after a day of meetings at Decatur-based Three Taverns Craft Brewery or Blue Tarp Brewing Co., and a number of foodie festivals also descend on the area throughout the year, including the Decatur Wine Festival and the DeKalb International Food & Music Festival.
Gwinnett County also hosts several popular food and beverage-inspired events during the year.
“Gwinnett’s culinary events offer visitors the chance to experience Gwinnett’s diverse and expansive dining scene in a nutshell,” says Victoria Hawkins, spokeswoman for Explore Gwinnett. “Foodie events offer our meeting attendees something outside the box to do in their downtime.” PageBreak
Held annually in July is Gwinnett Restaurant Week, during which diners can enjoy a prix-fixe menu of three courses at popular local restaurants.
At the annual Suwanee American Craft Beer Fest, held in March, visitors can sample over 250 beers, listen to live music from local artists and eat great food at Town Center Park in the heart of Suwanee.
The Suwanee Wine Fest, which takes place in October and is also held in Town Center Park, invites attendees to taste over 250 different varieties of wines from all over the world. Complimentary appetizers, cheese, crackers and fruit that pairs perfectly with the wines are provided.
Meeting planners should note that VIP tickets are available in advance and include catered food, premium wine samples, a Suwanee Wine Fest T-shirt, a gift bag, sommeliers to answer any wine-related questions and exclusive seating.
Gwinnett County is also home to the Viking Culinary Studio at Chateau Elan Winery & Resort in Braselton.
According to Hawkins, the studio boasts an international team of chefs for demos, team building and classes. Each event includes a chef’s hat, wine service, a full serving of each prepared dish and a recipe booklet.
In Peachtree City, an eclectic mix of restaurants awaits groups.
“On the whole, I think that the variety of restaurants—upscale Southern, seafood, authentic Mexican, etc.—make Peachtree City a foodie destination,” says Nikki Sheets, spokeswoman for the Peachtree City CVB.
One is Grazing Here, which began as a food truck and because the demand was so great, a physical location opened.
Known for grass-fed burgers, this restaurant also has a whiskey bar and features live local music.
“Another option is Due South, a unique and upscale eatery offering contemporary Southern cuisine, a farm-to-table experience and a beautiful banquet space,” Sheets says, adding that attendees should order local favorites, including the fried green tomato BLT, chicken and waffles, and potato-wrapped smoked salmon filet.
Azul Tequila, new to Peachtree City, serves authentic Mexican cuisine with fresh ingredients, and Pascal’s Bistro is a longtime favorite featuring a patio that is a top hangout spot during warm weather.
Regular contributor Carolyn Blackburn thinks Atlanta has an undeniably great vibe, and that its delicious food is, well, icing on the cake.
