Restaurants/Food

Consumer Stories

CSRA native launches casual restaurant, bar in familiar location

Maguire Welsh grew up in Augusta, graduated from the Academy of Richmond County, and worked as a server at local restaurants before moving away seven years ago. When Welsh moved back to town last year, he decided to open his own casual dining restaurant and bar. In late May, Welsh opened Midtown Tavern located at 1855 Central Ave. near Buona Caffe, which was most recently occupied by Soul City Pizza. The restaurant serves a variety of meals, including smash burgers, grilled salmon, and chicken tenders, as well as beer, wine,

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Consumer Stories

Local restaurant owners request community support to stay afloat

In June 2022, Georgia Alexander opened a vegan restaurant in Augusta, but just one year later, she and her mother and co-owner, Diane Francis are struggling to keep the business afloat, thanks to mounting debts and rising food costs. Alexander and Francis own Soca Vegan Kitchen, which serves a variety of Trinidad-inspired dishes and is located at 630 Crane Creek Drive, Suite 103, near Sprouts Farmers Market. Alexander recently started a GoFundMe with a goal of raising $500,000. As of Friday, she had received 10 donations totaling $735. “We are

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B2B Stories

Upscale restaurant serves made-from-scratch magic

He came from the land of “Leaf Peepers” aka Barrington, New Hampshire, and settled in the “Winter Colony” aka Aiken. The path to opening a restaurant was at the end of a long and winding road for Samuel O’Lone. “My degree is in theology. I worked for eight years at a food service company which taught me a lot about food, but not cooking, and then I worked in student housing in Athens, GA. My sisters were into riding and showing horses and they would come to Aiken during the

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Consumer Stories

BEST OF RESTAURANT REVIEW: Business Lunch Review: Mosh Pit Eats

Editor’s Note: Wes Hennings never met a meal he walked away from and is an opinionated eater! Each Thursday he shares the results of a business lunch he’s had with a colleague as a way to advise our business community on the good, bad, and tasty across the CSRA. He doesn’t let ABD or the restaurant know where he is going and his opinions are his own. He grades the restaurants he visits on a 1-5 scale with “5” being outstanding. We call this our “Real Business Lunch Review”. Food

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Consumer Stories

Takosushi founder starts another specialty restaurant

Kevin Goldsmith is at it again. He started Takosushi more than a decade ago and it’s become a local and regional success. The European native is celebrating 50 years in the food and beverage industry. Trattoria Polipo is an ode to his childhood, when he enjoyed the understated, affordable neighborhood restaurants that were gathering, eating and drinking spots for family and friends. Most meals are $18.50, plus a little more for meat or shrimp, which includes a house salad and freshly baked bread. The restaurant is open for dinners beginning

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B2B Stories

Local business owner creates edible works of art

Kim Holland thinks of herself as an artist, but instead of paint, her palette includes gourmet meats, cheeses, fruits, and crackers. Holland owns Van Goat Grazing Co., which specializes in creating and selling charcuterie boards, boxes, and grazing tables for weddings, parties, and other events. She currently creates her boards and boxes at OPP Kitchen, located on Furys Ferry Road in Martinez, but soon, Southern Willow Market, which is right around the corner from that business, will sell some of her items. Besides charcuterie, she also bakes miniature Bundt cakes

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Consumer Stories

BEST OF RESTAURANT REVIEW: Business Lunch Review: Hildebrandt’s

Editor’s Note: Wes Hennings never met a meal he walked away from and is an opinionated eater! Each Thursday, he shares the results of a business lunch he’s had with a colleague as a way to advise our business community on the good, bad, and the tasty across the CSRA. He doesn’t let ABD or the restaurant know where he is going and his opinions are his own. He grades the restaurants he visits on a 1-5 scale with “5” being outstanding. We call this our “Real Business Lunch Review.”

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B2B Stories

Military-themed restaurant opens in Evans

The O’Neil’s, a pair of military veterans, are the nation’s first franchisee of the Rally Point Grille concept, originally developed by another military family in Woodstock, Georgia. Yesterday, Fast Signs of Augusta put up the sign and the O’Neil’s and their staff got trained on food preparation. Rally Point is in the same shopping center as Shane’s Rib Shack and across from the Evans Wal-Mart. Their hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. this week to get everyone acclimated. Food is hearty, American fare including burgers, meatloaf, grilled cheese, braised

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Consumer Stories

Bakery opens today!

Got a sweet tooth? Sisters Irresistible Sweets, LLC, is reopening and expanding. They just made the short move from Morgan Road in Hephzibah to 2855 Tobacco Road Suite D. The grand opening is set for today at Noon and of course will feature sweets like banana pudding, German chocolate cake, key lime cake, sweet potato pound cake, and more— all with a homemade touch—and a lot of 5-star reviews! The veteran and disabled-owned sweets shop also makes their own ice cream and gourmet popcorn. For more information, follow Sisters Irresistible

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Consumer Stories

New eatery to replace long-time chicken restaurant

Bill and Melissa Hoard will soon open a new restaurant in a well-known Columbia County location, and countless people have already stopped by that location to find out when it will open. The couple has renovated the former Maryland Fried Chicken, located at 6008 Clarks Hill Road at Pollard’s Corner in Appling and are replacing it with Granddaddy’s Kitchen, an eatery that will specialize in Southern cuisine. “We’ve wanted to open a restaurant here forever,” Melissa said. “We are the talk of the community; everybody wants us to open.” But

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