Great Farm-To-Table Food At The Sawmill Place Restaurant (2024)

You can’t spend the afternoon carving up the North Georgia Mountain roads in your Corvette on an empty stomach.

We recommend filling up your internal tank atThe Sawmill Place Restaurant, 1150 Pat Haralson Drive, Blairsville, Georgia. Granted, we aren’t food critics, but we know good food when we have it.

But don’t just take our word for it. The locals keep this culinary corner of Blairsville busy.

How busy? The restaurant has about 20 pagers on hand to keep everyone queued up during peak seasons.

Those “in the know” call this place home because they consistently get fresh farm-to-table food served with mountain hospitality. Did we mention it’s on the way to the Tail of the Dragon?

So, did we enjoy our breakfast? Absolutely, but you know us, we can’t recommend something without digging a little deeper.

A Family Business

Rod Worley – Editor –What prompted you to start a restaurant in the North Georgia Mountains?

Shawn Kight – The Sawmill Place Restaurant Owner –About 20 years ago, Amy and I wanted to move from Roanoke, Virginia, to the Georgia, North Florida area to be closer to our families.

My Dad, who owned a seafood restaurant in North Florida, knew the original owner of the Sawmill restaurant. She had built the restaurant about two years earlier and was now looking to retire.

We were already familiar with the North Georgia mountains because both of our families had cabins in the area. So we struck a deal and took over the business.

Family-wise, my brother handles the kitchen, and my sister-in-law runs the dining room. Amy develops recipes and handles decor while I focus on the business side.

We consider everyone on our 23-member team part of our extended family. Combining fresh, farm-to-table local food with mountain hospitality gives you the dining experience we want.

Farm-To-Table

Rod Worley – Editor –Why is farm-to-table a cornerstone of your business?

Shawn Kight – The Sawmill Place Restaurant Owner –We want to support the local farming community and all things local. You can see that in the menu and the various products we offer on the Market side of our business.

During the growing season, the mountain soil is often still on the vegetables when we get them in; that’s how fresh they are. We’ve worked closely with the Union County Farmer’s Market for years to get the freshest products.

Not only does it support the local economy, but it also ensures the best ingredients possible. That freshness makes a difference that you can taste each time you come in.

For example, our grits come fromLogan Turnpike Mill, a grist mill in Blairsville. These kinds of touches make The Sawmill Place Restaurant unique.

At the end of the day, we’re nota gourmetor white tablecloth, but we offer nostalgically Southern food carefully prepared with the freshest ingredients.

Southern With Flavor

Food is subjective, but if we had to describe our breakfast experience, it would be “Southern with flavor.” We can also say with certainty that the portions were generous, the staff was attentive and sincere, and the price put a smile on our faces.

Let’s also mention that the food came quickly and was good to the last bite. Now, depending on when you roll in, a few people might be in front of you, though not to worry.

It will give you an excellent excuse to meander over to the Market side of the restaurant. The Market features all things local, whether locally produced in Union County, Georgia-grown purveyors, or artisan goods from the tri-state area.

Some locally produced items include honey, syrups, jams, ice cream, produce, goat’s milk soap, beeswax products, specialty coffee, and more.

So, if you’re headed north to tame the “Tail of the Dragon,” make a quick stop at The Sawmill Place Restaurant to satisfy your hunger with great farm-to-table food.

The Sawmill Place Restaurant

Website: The Sawmill Place Restaurant

Address: 1150 Pat Haralson Drive, Blairsville, Georgia 30512
Telephone: (706) 745-1250. Email: [emailprotected]

Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, breakfast is served from 6:30 am to 11:00 am. Lunch runs from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm

On Saturday, breakfast goes from 6:30 am to 11:30 am.

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