Athens Spirit

Dining and Entertainment

No surprises with Weaver D’s. This neon green-painted, cinder block soul food joint gained popularity long before hometown heroes R.E.M. illuminated its slogan “Automatic for the People” with their album. Dexter Weaver is still piling homemade macaroni and cheese, collards, and sweet potato soufflé on plates with fried chicken as fast as he can. Automatic.

Peek at the Five and Ten menu--bronzed Gulf redfish with lemon emulsion or shiitake risotto with grilled scallions, for example--and you may think stuffy. The dining is fine, for sure, but the atmosphere stays casual in one of the city’s most popular restaurants. Editor’s tip: Make reservations, because it gets crowded quickly.

You’ve probably seen Farm 255 featured in this magazine, and there’s a reason. We return every time we’re in town for the low-key vibe and delicious organic fare. Bonus: The staff pulls double-duty on the farm where the veggies are grown.

When dinner is done, grab a drink or catch a late-night indie movie or documentary at Ciné, a bar and theater occupying a former post office extension built in the 1930s.