Atlanta Culinary Tours (ACT) is a tour company that offers walking tours of Atlanta neighborhoods with a food focus. Their treks allow residents to explore a different part of the city they may not have ever been to, all while sampling bites and getting a bit of history.
Starting closer to downtown Atlanta, ACT has expanded tour offerings to include several cities outside the city proper. One of the most interesting is the downtown Norcross tour. If you aren't too familiar with Norcross, that's okay, as this walking tour will blow away any misconceptions you may have about it.
Most tours are on weekends and start around 2 pm, lasting approximately three hours. In Norcross, get off to a proper start with British tea at Taste of Britain. Proprietor Edna Berkshire has owned the store for most of its existence, carrying lots of British goodies, snacks and gifts. You'll love the creamy tea and scones.
Photo courtesy of Atlanta Restaurant Blog
Next up is Bleu House Market. Besides sandwiches and homemade side dishes, like pasta and other vegetables, visitors can get lots of other prepared foods to go. Their homemade brownies are extra sweet – topped with a brown sugar crust. Two quick stops allow you to quench your thirst. The first at Mojito’s with – you guessed it – mojitos. You will definitely want to make plans to come back and sample some Cuban cuisine. Then stroll over to 45 South for a cup of coffee.
Photo courtesy of Atlanta Restaurant Blog
Italian is next on this walking tour, and Paizanos will hook you up with some fresh and tasty Margherita pizza. Zapata an authentic Mexican restaurant, which doesn't serve tacos or burritos. A dish called molcajetes, served piping hot with strips of meat hanging off the side, is quite tasty.
Photo courtesy of Atlanta Restaurant Blog
One of the most memorable stops is the Norcross Station Cafe. The cafe used to be an old train station, and on the walls are pictures and memorabilia from when it was still operating as such. Every town needs a good tavern and Norcross has got it in the Iron Horse Tavern. Try some delicious smoked salmon from the Tavern. Dog owners will be happy to know their patio is pooch-friendly. A final stop on the tour is Dominick’s Italian restaurant, serving some of the best garlic rolls and calamari you can expect to find in Atlanta.
These tours are a terrific way to sample several restaurants in an area. Even if the drive is lengthy, you can still make an afternoon of it. Priced extremely reasonably, attendees get so much value with these tours, and they make a fantastic idea for a date as well.