Satterfields

If it's a cold wintry day, make a lunch stop at Satterfield's at 120 New St in downtown Macon. This friendly, relaxed, homey BBQ restaurant features a menu with plenty of choices. Be sure to grab a bowl of boiled peanuts as an appetizer while you ponder your selection. The Hobbit recently enjoyed some toasted pimento cheese sandwiches and a bowl of Brunswick stew, all sent south with a generous bowl of peach cobbler and ice cream. They know how to brew a good jug of ice tea too! Don't overlook this Macon gem!

Jeneane's Cafe

Eating lunch at Jeneane's Cafe, located at 524 Mulberry Street, Macon, is a step back in time and out of the fast pace of the work week. This causal homey cafe serves up good ole' country food in a really relaxed environment. Friendly staff and local people make lunch at Jeneane's a pleasant experience. One of the Hobbit's favorites is baked chicken with turnip greens, corn bread, and whatever other vegetable takes his fancy. They bake some tasty pies too! Swing by Jeneane's for some country soul food!

Ingleside Village Pizza

Mercer University faculty, staff, and students rejoiced when Ingleside Village Pizza (IVP) graced their neck of the woods with its second location (1635 Montpelier Avenue, Macon). Just a stone's throw away from the heart of Mercer's Macon campus, IVP's concise menu hits the spot when it's time to fuel up at lunch. Specializing in pizza (obviously), IVP also offers salads and subs at reasonable prices. They must have consulted a hobbit before designing the menu because a grand selection of domestic and international bottled beers is available to help wash the pizza down to its destination.

IVP's uncomplicated pizza menu is a fine example of less is more. Three diverse pizza compilations are listed, but a long list of toppings allow pizza lovers to create their own edible artistry according to their whims and desires. I wasn't feeling artistic today, so I went for one of the ready-designed pizzas. The White Pizza boasts a topping of Ricotta cheese, spinach, mushrooms, garlic, and extra cheese. This concoction is a delicious medley of robust flavors that work together beautifully.

The IVP experience is relaxed and uncomplicated. Yep, we need more of that in life. When the semester is in full swing, be prepared for lines or get there early. IVP is the place to be!

Sticky Fingers

Macon increased in stature last week, when Sticky Fingers opened a restaurant in the new mall at 5080 Riverside Drive. I'd never been to Sticky Fingers before but I knew I was in for a treat when the cutlery arrived wrapped in a hand towel! The menu offers ample variety and I decided to try the ribs and pulled pork sandwich combo. The meal comes with two sides and I chose the slaw and seasoned fries. Sticky Fingers features several types of barbecue sauce. I road-tested the Tennessee Whiskey sauce.

The food was delicious, from the fall-off-the-bone ribs to the richly-flavored pulled pork. The seasoned fries were the best I'd tasted in a while. I was particularly impressed with the Tennessee Whiskey sauce. I've tried several whiskey-flavored barbecue sauces before and they all fell way short in comparison to that offered at Sticky Fingers.

This was a fun place to eat. The service was reasonably good - the new team at this newly-opened restaurant was still in the process of coordinating itself. Fair play, it was their first few days. I'm really looking forward to going back to Sticky Fingers again soon.

Between the Bread Cafe

Between the Bread Cafe, located at 588 Mulberry St., Macon, is an intimate downtown dining location in an historic building. Good service and atmosphere make the experience enjoyable before the food even hits the table. The menu offers a nice variety of light to medium lunches to suit many tastes. Pastas, salads, sandwiches, hobbit-worthy loaded potatoes, and interesting specials are sure to delight.

This Friday lunch I eventually managed to decide on a slice of quiche from the Specials board with a side of fresh fruit salad. Wow, it's been a while since I had quiche, but this was one of the best I ever remember eating. The fruit salad was so fresh, I could smell it as it arrived at the table. The loaded potatoes looked really good too. I would have eaten one of those as well, but I had to go back to work and remain awake and productive for the afternoon, so I refrained.

An interesting concept, Between the Bread Cafe becomes Michaels on Mulberry for the dinner service. I'll check it out one evening before a show at The Grand Opera House.