Columbus bacon pimento cheeseburger among ‘100 Plates Locals Love’
A bacon pimento cheeseburger served up at The Black Cow in downtown Columbus is among this year’s “100 Plates Locals Love” in Georgia.
The local eatery owned by Columbus restaurateur Mark Jones is featured on the list in Georgia Eats, the official state culinary guide published by the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Tourism Division.
This is the third year for the tasty “100 Plates” feature, which spotlights restaurants and their popular dishes across the state in various regions that include the Presidential Pathways, in which Columbus is located because of the area’s historic connection to Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Jimmy Carter.
(Dinglewood Pharmacy’s scrambled dog among guide’s ‘100 Plates Locals Love’ in 2016)
“Culinary experiences continue to be one of the top drivers of visitor interest when planning a vacation,” Kevin Langston, deputy commissioner for tourism at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, said in a statement. “Georgia offers visitors unique food and beverage experiences in every corner of the state, and the Georgia Eats guide makes it easy for visitors and locals to discover the many flavors of Georgia.”
The department said more than 750 plates or dishes were evaluated by a panel of judges to determine the ultimate 100 best this year. The honors will be followed up with the third annual Georgia Restaurant Week July 17-23, the state agency said, with participating eateries offering dishes, including locally grown products, at a special price.
Aside from bacon and pimento cheese prepared in house, The Black Cow’s cheeseburger is served with jalapeno jelly on a toasted bun. That and an order of French fries will set you back $9.49 plus tax, according to the restaurant’s online menu. The 115 12th St. establishment’s menu also includes meatloaf, chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin and steak tips.
“The Black Cow brings a laid back rustic southern charm to Uptown Columbus,” says a restaurant synopsis in Georgia Eats. “Just steps away from the whitewater rapids, enjoy Uptown's only oyster bar. From “The Best Burgers in the South,” according to Garden & Gun Readers, and tasty po' boys to our famous meatloaf and succulent steaks, Mark Jones continues to serve high-quality, mouth-watering Southern comfort dishes from the area’s best suppliers.”
A year ago, Dinglewood Pharmacy on Wynnton Road made the “100 Plates Locals Love” list with its popular scrambled dog. The dish is a thin hot dog typically cut into pieces on a dish, then smothered with slow-cooked chili and — depending on your personal taste — topped with pickles, oyster crackers and coleslaw. Some customers adorn it with a little mustard and onions, while others top it with a bit of relish or cheese.
Other Presidential Pathways dishes recognized last year included fried lobster tail at Hunter’s Pub and Steakhouse in Hamilton (also owned by Jones), braised beef ribs at 153 Main Bistro in Pine Mountain and the chicken salad plate at Sweet Georgia Baking Co. in Americus.
For those who missed the guide’s first year in 2015, included in that roundup of “100 Plates Locals Love” were the mac and cheese at Minnie’s Uptown in Columbus, the Ranger Burger at Four Winds in Cusseta, the classic hot dog at Charlie Joseph’s in LaGrange, meatloaf at Yoder’s Deitsch in Montezuma, high tea at Rose Cottage Cafe in Pine Mountain, and the fried chicken at Annie D’s in Buena Vista.
Other than the Presidential Pathways, other regions in the “100 Plates” feature are Atlanta Metro, Classic South, The Coast, Historic Heartland, Historic High Country, Magnolia Midlands, Northeast Georgia Mountains and Plantation Trace.
Here are other popular Presidential Pathways dishes (and comments from customers) recognized in this year’s Georgia Eats guide in the area outside of Columbus:
▪ Fried green tomatoes at The Cellar in Newnan — “Great spin on a classic Southern dish. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu.”
▪ Breakfast bowl at Concord Cafe in Concord — “Good breakfast, especially the country ham! Cooked just right.”
▪ Grilled salmon salad at Cordelia’s at Lake Blackshear Resort — “We were surprised at the variety offered by this menu. The salmon was grilled just right. Key lime pie? Terrific. Fabulous view of the lake.”
▪ USDA ribeye with baked potato at Corner Cafe in Griffin — “The food is awesome, and the service is even better. The potato soup is great, too.”
▪ Turkey Reuben sandwich at Court Square Cafe in Greenville — “Fresh cooked turkey, marbled rye bread. Wonderful flavor combination of sauerkraut and turkey.”
▪ Fried catfish taco at Pokey’s 8th St. Grill in West Point — The fish tacos are so delicious! Great people, great food!”
▪ Chicken pie at Mom’s Kitchen in Preston — It's made by with love. People from surrounding towns come in on Saturdays just to enjoy the Southern cooking and wonderful hospitality.”
▪ Vegetable plate at Taste of Lemon in LaGrange — It contains a taste of all the South's favorite veggies starting with fried okra and ending with rutabagas! They are so tasty you will think your grandmother is in the kitchen heaping your plate!”
▪ Strawberry ice cream at Taylor Orchards in Reynolds — The strawberries are fresh picked from the farm, and the ice cream is so refreshing. You can also try peach.”
This story was originally published June 6, 2017 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Columbus bacon pimento cheeseburger among ‘100 Plates Locals Love’."