Big Creek Tavern - Lunch, dinner and breakfast at 10 a.m. on Sundays. Open year around. Featuring the “Best” Angus Beef, a step up from old-fashioned American food. Billiards, video games, beer, wine & liquor. Buford. B-3, 678-482-1662.

Bull Frogs’ Bar & Grille – Southeastern cuisine offering brunch/breakfast, lunch, dinner. Live entertainment during the summer and Dive-In Theater on Saturdays. Full-service bar. Located inside Emerald Pointe Resort at Lake Lanier Islands, Buford. B-3, 770-945-8787.

Dockside Grill - Holiday Marina. Serving the same Docker burger that’s offered at Dockside Grill Café at Aqualand Marina. Featuring hand-cut, aged steaks, beer on tap. Seasonal. Buford. B-3, 770 945-2208.

Dockside Grill Café - Offering full lake views of Lanier in a casual outdoor cafe setting. Featuring the famous Docker burger, sandwiches including grouper, tuna and mahi. Aqualand Marina, Flowery Branch Seasonal. C-3, 770 363-2318.

Sandwich Market - Offers sandwiches, pita wraps, gyros & lahvosh. Baldridge Marina, Cumming. Seasonal. 770-889-2185.

Skogies - Specializing in barbecue, seafood and American fare. Lunch and dinner. Seasonal. Gainesville Marina, C-1, 678-450-1310.

Windows - Fine dining with gorgeous lake views. Specials available including a seafood buffet. Emerald Pointe Resort, Lake Lanier Islands. B-3, 770 945-8787.

37 Main - a food/entertainment establishment inspired by Spanish tradition
of tapas-small portions of appetizers-also featuring live music. Full bar.
Open Tuesday-Saturday. B-3, 770-614-7197.

Aqua Terra - European fusion cuisine served daily. Open for lunch, 11:30
a.m.-2:30 p.m., Mon.-Fri.; noon-2:30 p.m., Sat.; dinner hours are 5-10 p.m.,
Mon.-Sun. Located on Buford's historic Main Street. No reservations. B-3,
770-271-3000.

Blue Bicycle – a bistro touting “great food in a place not to feel rushed.” Open for lunch Thurs./Fri.; open for dinner Tues.-Sat. Reservations are suggested. Located at 671 Lumpkin Campground Road, behind the Outlet Mall on 400. Dawsonville. 706-265-2153.

Corkscrew Café - Fine dining featuring varied menu choices, open lunch and dinner. Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Tues.-Thurs.; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri./Sat.; noon-9 p.m., Sun. Reservations suggested. Located on 51 West Main St., Dahlonega. 706-867-8551.

Grapes and Hops - Fine dining offering wine and food pairings featuring 2-oz pours of three different wines with each entrée. Lunch and dinner. C-3, 770-965-9145.

Luna’s - Continental cuisine, romantic atmosphere. G’ville. C-2, 770-531-0848.

Rudolph’s On Green Street - Fine dining along Gainesville’s historic street. Soup/salad bar at lunch. Gainesville. C-2, 770-534-2226.

Scott's on the Square - Upscale casual ambience with specialty sandwiches for lunch and gourmet entrees for dinner. Gainesville square. C-2, 770-536-1111.

Sperata - Fine dining with a Mediterranean flare. Open for lunch and dinner. B-3, 678-546-9111.

Johnny’s BBQ - Real Pit BBQ pork, chicken & ribs. Brunswick stew. Minutes from Clark’s Bridge rowing venue. Gainesville. Casual. D-1, 770-536-2100

Leftys BBQ - 40 years of tradition features pulled pork BBQ, Ribs, fresh ground chuck burgers and wings and recipes prepared fresh in-house. Buford. B-4, 770-945-9131.

Longstreet Café - Southern buffet-style restaurant serves up home cooking. Gainesville. Casual. D-1, 770-287-0820

Old McDonald’s BBQ - Real Pit BBQ, Brunswick stew, ribs. Minutes from Lake Lanier. Casual. B-3, 770-945-8608.

Atlanta Bread Co. - Open daily for lunch and dinner. Specializing in sandwiches on thick-sliced bread, soup, pastries and sourdough bread. Gainesville. C-2, 770-297-9700.

Common Grounds Coffee Shoppe - Light breakfast, lunch and dinner and good homemade desserts followed by fresh roasted coffee. Flowery Branch. C-3, 770-967-4080.

Happy Pickle Deli – on Gainesville’s Square, located at 109 Bradford St. SE, offers grilled “panini” sandwiches, soups and salads for lunch and dinner, six days per week. Gainesville. C-2, 678-450-8912.  

Home Sweet Georgia - Light lunches with a southern flair. Locate in old Ralph Waldo's location at 110 Washington Street on the square. Gainesville, C-2

Panera Bread - Features baked goods, soups, salads and sandwiches. Gainesville. C-2, 770-535-6601.

Sweet Escapes Bakery Café - Soups, sandwiches, salads and bakery items such as its signature homemade chicken salad sandwich. Buford. B-3, 770-945-4383.

Turnstile Deli - Specialty, 'the best chicken salad ever'. Other features include barbecue, homemade soups, salads, potatoes, gourmet hotdogs. Catering available. Gainesville. C-2, 770-534-0102.

Bella Vita Italian Bistro – Upscale Italian restaurant featuring casual Italian dining located at 33 Buford Village Way, Suite 311. Open Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun. noon-9 p.m. Buford. B-3, 678-714-2784.

BiBa's Italian Restaurant - Featuring pasta, pizzas, salads, chicken, veal and seafood specialties. Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday. Gainesville. C-2. 678-450-1661.

Piazza - Features traditional Italian dishes, homemade raviolis, pizza, chicken, veal and seafood specialties, plus a low carb menu offering chicken breast, Italian sausage, crab cakes, tilapia, or shrimp served with salad and stuffed with Portabello mushrooms. Open seven days/week: 11am - 9pm, Sun-Thur; 11am - 10pm, Fri & Sat. Located on 24 East Main St., Dahlonega. 706-867-9881.

Tom's Pizza - Features pizza, calzones, appetizers like wings and cheese bread, and salads. Three locations: Rabbitown, Oakwood, Flowery Branch. Both Oakwood and Flowery Branch deliver to marinas on southeastern side of Lake Lanier. Rabbittown, 770-287-7444; Oakwood 770-531-0322; Flowery Branch 770-967-1074. Deliveries available from 5-9 p.m.

La Cazuela - An Atlanta area landmark that’s expanded to two locations around Lanier. La Cazuela became an award winning restaurant within five years. Features famous fajitas, big selection of combination platters and much more.
Cumming, 678-947-0718
Buford, 770-614-6871

Oriental

Little Tokyo – Japanese dining - hibachi grill, sushi. Din in, take out. Open Tues-Fri, 10:30 am-10:30 pm; Sat-Sun, 12 pm-10 pm; Closed on Monday. Buford. B-4, 770-945-3350

Sabor Latino Peruvian and Caribbean Restaurant - Features rotisserie chicken, ceviches, flan, Cuban sandwiches, lomo saltados, beef filled potatoes, steaks and pork chops. 5545 Atlanta Hwy., Flowery Branch. 770-965-2224.

Lakeside’s Dining Update