There’s no shortage of restaurants on Buford Highway, spanning numerous cuisines and cultures from across the globe. Even the stretch of the road outside the Perimeter (including Buford and Duluth) is gaining culinary momentum. Check out some of these OTP eateries on Buford Highway the next time you’re in the area.
Check out the AJC Fall Dining Guide 2018: Dining Along Buford Highway on ajc.com Oct. 18
Masterpiece
At the helm of Masterpiece, a Sichuan restaurant in Duluth, is the talented chef Rui Liu — a semi-finalist for the James Beard 2018 Best Chef: Southeast award. The no-frills restaurant serves authentic Chinese fare with a focus on spicy Sichuan dishes — the majority of the menu is from a ranked list of top 100 popular Sichuan dishes, plus some Hunan cuisine classics. It's categorized into appetizers, soup, fish, chicken, beef and pork, and vegetarian — with spiciness classified into six different levels. First-time visitors on the less adventurous side of the foodie spectrum might want to try one of the following offerings: dan dan noodles, Zhong-style wonton, Zhong-style dumplings, salt and pepper shrimp, chicken with dry red pepper or stir-fried string beans. The more curious diner might want to opt for one of these chef favorites: dry pot shrimp, eggplant with chili powder and ash powder, or chicken with dry red pepper.
3940 Buford Highway, Duluth. 770-622-1191, masterpiece-chinese.com.
Praise the Lard BBQ
Touting itself with the slogan, "Proudly Serving the Kind of Food Yer Momma Fed Ya," this place in Buford cooks barbecue — like pulled pork, spare ribs, turkey, chicken, brisket and burnt ends — with an emphasis on quality meat with sauces served on the side. You can choose from multiple styles of sauces — tangy mustard to North Carolina hot vinegar to their signature Praise the Lard sauce — plus a variety of classic side dishes, such as carrot soufflé, Brunswick stew, mac and cheese, coleslaw, collard greens, cucumber salad, potato salad, chips, oven-roasted potatoes, baked beans and grit cakes. The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
1350 Buford Highway, Buford. 770-402-0626, praisethelardbbq.com.
Credit: Courtesy of Antoinette's Cafe
Credit: Courtesy of Antoinette's Cafe
Antoinette's Cafe
Antoinette's Cafe is a relatively new shop in Buford, with a changing menu featuring local organic ingredients and suppliers, comfy seating and cozy décor (it makes a good spot to bring your laptop to grab lunch and get some work in). The cafe's offerings include breakfast/brunch all day items; lunch options like sandwiches, salads and a vegan burger; pressed juices; blended juice drinks; smoothies; and coffee and tea. For a healthy meal, try an order of the refreshing Coolcumber pressed juice — made from cucumber, apple, pineapple, lemon, mint, kale and spinach — alongside some avocado toast or a turkey club. Closed on Sundays.
1630 Buford Highway, Buford. 678-765-6446, antoinettescafe.com.
Pueblo Maya
If you're craving Mexican fare, consider visiting this spot in Buford, where you can stop by for lunch and go the combo route to sample a few dishes at an uber-affordable price. Select one of their existing combos (the reliable Speedy Gonzalez offers a crispy taco, enchilada and rice and beans), or create your own by mixing and matching. The restaurant offers a decent drinks menu (margaritas, cocktails, beer, etc.) and a massive food selection, spanning lots of Mexican favorites — quesadillas, tacos, nachos, fajitas, enchiladas, burritos and more. There's also a host of salads to choose from, plus vegetarian dishes and specialty entrees. Kick off the meal with some chunky guac or queso, or try the Mexican loaded fries — crispy potatoes topped with ground beef or shredded chicken, jalapeno cheese dip, guacamole dip, sour cream, pico de gallo and jalapenos. Good luck saving room for the rest of your meal!
33 Buford Village Way, Buford. 678-714-6915, pueblomaya.com.
Pimenton Parrilla & Bar
Located in a strip mall in Buford, Pimenton Parrilla & Bar sports a super-cute patio out back, where you can dine al fresco and enjoy some bandeja paisa or empanadas. Spanish is the predominant language at this small, casual spot offering authentic Colombian food. Check out their Facebook page for menu specials, upcoming events (think live music, family parties, karaoke) and additional information.
1570 Buford Highway, Buford. 678-926-3193, Facebook: Pimenta Parrilla Grill.
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