Restaurants/Food

Consumer Stories

Authentic Italian Eatery Opens in Augusta

You could say a piece of Italy moved into Augusta’s thriving medical district. Aroma’s Italian Grill opened in late summer and one of the partners tells ABD the restaurant is far different from others in the CSRA. “All of our products are imported from Italy. Our entire menu was built by Performance Company Food Groups in their test kitchen.” So far, the favorite dish has been Beef Lasagna, (even though they admit the sausage they use enhances the flavor)! Another point of difference is that they bake their fettuccine and

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Consumer Stories

Recovering from Helene: Latin Flavor

Hurricane Helene may have knocked the roof off Maria Singh’s outside seating area, but it didn’t deter her from doing what she’s done since age 9 in her native Dominican Republic – cooking Caribbean style! “I’ve been blessed. We have to help each other,” said the owner of Latin Flavor on the Riverwatch Parkway. After cleaning up the restaurant, Maria began cooking for the Grovetown Police Department and those in need at Fort Eisenhower. Ms. Singh made more than 100 meals, including some Caribbean specialties like Caribbean Chicken, beans, and

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Consumer Stories

CSRA businesses create opportunities for support after Helene

As if Helene wasn’t scary enough on so many levels, now it’s time to flip the script and provide some frightening fun and support for small businesses. The Aiken Downtown Development Association (ADDA) is sponsoring two events in advance of Halloween. First up is the #DowntownAiken Scarecrow Contest where you can walk the streets of Downtown Aiken and vote on your favorite Scarecrow up until October 26th. Voting Instructions: Find your favorite Scarecrow(s) from these pictures and give it a LIKE to cast your vote. Walk the streets of downtown

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Consumer Stories

Healthy cafe/store closing soon in Augusta

ABD has learned that both the New Life Natural Foods Store and DiChicko’s Cafe inside the store will be closing by year’s end. The cafe will stay open until the end of September and the store will shutter at the end of 2024 as the lease will expire. The self-contained vitamin, supplement, and healthy grocery store has been open in the Fairway Square Shopping Center for decades. DiChicko’s Cafe was added 17 years ago. The co-owner, who longtime customers know as simply “Heather” with her positive outlook, shared her reflections

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B2B Stories

Agriculture commissioner highlights CSRA food facility

Members of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce learned agriculture still ranks as Georgia’s number one economic driver. Tyler Harper, Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, was the keynote speaker for the Chamber’s Member Economic Luncheon on Thursday. The topic was “Harvesting Prosperity, Agricultural Innovations and Impact.” He said even into the 21st century, the agriculture industry tops all others, calling it the backbone of Georgia’s economy. “It is an almost $84 billion economic driver. It is almost 17% of the state’s economy,” he said. “One in seven jobs, 330,000

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Consumer Stories

Beacon Bluff development getting closer to full

Saturday marked the grand opening for the latest business to set up shop in the Beacon Bluff development underway on Georgia Avenue in North Augusta. Bowl Boss offers health and food allergy-conscious acai bowls and smoothies. Many of the items are vegan. Coffees, teas, espressos, and lattes are also on the menu. The restaurant joins Fleet Feet as one of the first businesses in the project. Owner, Vicky Mattson told ABD it is the perfect location for her business. “The connection to the Greeneway in North Augusta and with Fleet

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B2B Podcasting

Biz Bits: Bagels and Bundt Cakes

In the week that was, ABD’s Mike Petchenik looked at a few food and beverage operations. He says both have new owners who are trying to grow niche parts of the café business in the CSRA!

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Consumer Stories

New North Augusta eatery opens today

Beacon Bluff continues to grow, this time with a so-called healthy, but delicious option. Bowl Boss will hold a soft opening today at 2:00 p.m. at 210 Georgia Avenue, Suite 101. Their official Grand Opening will be held on Saturday, September 7. What is a Boss Bowl? It’s a little bit of everything minus the guilt.  The bowls look like sweet desserts, but they are packed with a combination of healthy fats, slow-burn carbs, satiating protein, fiber, and micronutrients. Boss Bowls started at a farmer’s market booth in Upstate New

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Consumer Stories

Bagel shop set to open in CSRA

Elemy’s Bagels is filling a need and filling bagels with shmear with the launch of their new shop in Walton’s Corner. Owner, Steven Boyd is a veteran, who’s had success in the downtown Augusta market with his fresh hand-rolled New York Bagels. Owner Steven Boyd said, “After moving here for the U.S. Army, we could not find a good bagel sandwich. So, we learned to make one! After spending hours studying the craft, we perfected the New York bagel,” said Boyd. Jordan Trotter Commercial Real Estate found Boyd a centrally located storefront

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B2B Stories

Successful franchise owner sells two CSRA bakeries

After six years in business in Evans and two years in Aiken, Susan and James See sold their Nothing Bundt Cakes franchises last Thursday, August 22. It was a sweet ride for their family, employees, and customers, but they felt the time was right. “We’ve been blessed, and we worked hard to be good stewards of the brand and to bring joy to our community by giving back, but we wanted to retire, travel, and see where God leads us next,” See explained. The See’s had already put in hard

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