3 Best Restaurants in Clayton, Central and North Georgia

Fortify Kitchen & Bar

$$$

At one of Clayton's designated "farm-to-table" restaurants, chef Jamie Allred's updated Southern cuisine highlights the region's best produce, meats, and spirits in a relaxed, down-to-earth environment. With exposed brick walls and a small wooden bar you'll want to huddle around, Fortify is simply about good food, fun cocktails, and a wine list that includes a few local selections. Menu favorites include the Grit Bowl with local grits, shrimp, sausage, and fried chicken; the Georgia pecan-crusted Carolina mountain rainbow trout; fried green tomatoes; and the Fortified Salad with local roasted beets.

Reservations are a must in the fall when the mountains are packed with leaf lookers.

69 N. Main St., Clayton, Georgia, 30525, USA
706-782–0050
Known For
  • focus on local, seasonal ingredients
  • craft cocktails
  • Georgia pecan-crusted Carolina mountain rainbow trout
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.

The Clayton Market

$
With its retro neon sign, this charming “meat-and-three” café has been a fixture in downtown Clayton since 1931. Now completely renovated and decorated in an industrial-farmhouse style, the restaurant serves a new generation of patrons hearty homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches, and the very best of homestyle Southern cooking. Check out the daily specials board for the latest fresh veggies and seasonal offerings. The fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, and homemade desserts are crowd favorites. It recently expanded into a market space next door offering gourmet coffee, fresh baked goods, deli items, and grab-and-go meals.

White Birch Provisions

$
On the square in downtown Clayton, this European-inspired market located next to the White Birch Inn offers a coffee bar, fresh fruit smoothies, house-made baked goods, gourmet cheeses, and a wine cave filled with a wide selection of vino---including a few local choices.

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