The White House

Right now, presidential politics is the big news. But at the White House restaurant in Buckhead, "presidential food service" is an everyday thing. That motto defines the quirky atmosphere and attitude of this Atlanta neighborhood classic — part Greek diner, part Southern plate lunch kind of place — that's been open in one form or another since 1948.

IN THE HOUSE: Located in a strip center on a busy stretch of Peachtree, the White House doesn't exactly resemble the presidential abode in D.C. The diner decor is bright and shiny, with Pepto Bismol-pink counter tops, black-and-white floors, and milk-glass globe lights. But the walls are covered with photos and drawings of the likes of Teddy Roosevelt, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. And the menu features a rendering of the presidential seal, cleverly retouched to include Greek symbols, and an eagle clutching a knife and a fork in its talons. Souvenir seekers can purchase the logo reproduced on presidential blue T-shirts and ball caps.

MEAT AND GREEK: Daily steam table lunch specials, including pork barbecue, meat loaf, and spaghetti with meat sauce, are served up in substantial portions with dense, buttery corn muffins. And Greek specialties like moussaka and pastitsio occasionally are featured. But you also can get everything from pancakes to a club sandwich to a filet mignon topped with blue cheese or sautéed mushrooms. During a recent afternoon visit, most regulars were ordering up sandwich plates with fries or meat-and-two specials. A fried grouper filet was surprisingly delicate, covered in a crispy, golden panko crust and scented with Greek spices. Tasty mustard greens are flecked with bits of garlic. And mushy black-eyed peas might come cooked with some pole beans. The gyro platter with fries is always on the menu under "house specialties." More than a sandwich, it's a mound of garlicky gyro meat, tomatoes, onions and feta cheese, with cool-as-a-cucumber tzaziki sauce, on a fluffy disc of pita bread. All-American desserts include apple pie, chocolate cake and banana pudding.