Eat Like a Local: Tiffany Pack's Tasty Trio in Downtown Athens

Who would know better than Athens’ hometown girl and North Alabama real estate agent, Tiffany Pack, whose Dream Key Real Estate office sits in the heart of Athens’ downtown square. It is a heartbeat away from dozens of the city’s diverse restaurants.

“There are a couple of reasons why the popularity of restaurants downtown has resulted in financial success for our city,” Tiffany said. “The Athens City Council designated the downtown square an Arts & Entertainment District so with a designated plastic cup, visitors can stroll downtown with a drink and check out the selection of restaurants and pubs.

“Also, Athens Main Street created seasonal Fridays After Five once a month where they shut down the square and bring in bands to play music while people mingle or just sit and enjoy.”

Tiffany thought hard about her Top 3 and decided on The Southern Table, The Salty Cod and Village Pizza. All three bring something completely new to Athens’ dining. All three maintain a distinctly historic Athens ambiance. Two of them change their menus seasonally, offering a rotating selection of unique new dishes.

Stylishly integrated with the century-old UG White Mercantile hardware store, the Southern Table features an old rustic atmosphere and a popular bar that draws a daytime crowd, which is a new trend for downtown Athens.

“We go twice a week to the Southern Table,” Tiffany said. “My two favorite dishes are the Korean BBQ Wings and the Crispy Brussel Sprout Salad. I don’t like wings or care for Brussel sprouts, but I go there at least once a week for both, which are amazing!”

Smoked with an option for a dry rub or hot chicken spice, the wings offer a choice between Korean BBQ and buffalo sauce.

Dressed with a French sweet and sour apple cider sauce known as a gastrique, the Crispy Brussel Sprout Salad is served with pork belly lardons, blistered cranberries with smoked blue cheese, and cornbread croutons.

“I was raving to Chef Ryan Yokley about how wonderful the Brussel sprouts were when he suggested I try a new version with tenderloin and feta cheese. Made just for me, it had a very rich flavor. It may be a salad, but it is a full meal.”

Southern vittles are not all that is tasty. Tiffany finds their wood-fired venison with grilled garlicky onions known as ‘ramps’, morel mushrooms, crispy, red-skinned potatoes, a French bordelaise sauce, and ramp vinaigrette especially delicious.

“The crawfish jambalaya is also delightful!”

Chef Ryan recently opened a second location at the city’s only golf community, The Southern Table at Canebrake Club.

With a menu inspired by an English tavern, Fish & Chips is its trademark dish; but the Salty Cod is much celebrated for its wide variety of beers and its unmatched 52-foot bar, the longest in the state of Alabama.

Located in a remarkable 10,000 sq.ft. building, The Salty Cod features a gelato store and in-house butcher shop where Tiffany grocery shops for meat, including exclusives like bison, venison and rabbit.

Tiffany’s favorite dish on the appetizer menu is the bruschetta.

“I have a lot of Italian blood in my family, but I’ve never tasted bruschetta like the Salty Cod’s,” Tiffany said.

Made with chargrilled French loaf flavored black garlic and sundried tomato aioli, glazed with prosciutto, homemade cranberry jam and melted brie, Tiffany follows up the bruschetta appetizer with 1½ inch thick pork chops, cut like a steak.

A sister restaurant to downtown Huntsville’s Poppy & Parliament, The Salty Cod, like The Southern Table, offer seasonal specials so patrons are guaranteed an array of new dishes all the time.

Village Pizza holds a nostalgic place in Tiffany’s heart.

“It used to be a jewelry shop when I was growing up and I worked there as my first job,” she muses. “Every time I go in there, I still envision it as a jewelry store.”

Warm, cozy and friendly, the menu is diverse, catering as easily to a relaxed family dinner as to a quick affable lunch.

Pasta and meatball dishes, salads, toasted subs and wings are found on its menu, but their 8”, 12” and 16” gourmet pizzas are exquisite. They include favorites like Chicken Spinach Alfredo, the Aloha, Meat Lovers, and both the Sid and Benny with cactus sauce. They welcome you to Build-Your-Own Pizza as well.

Also rustic in atmosphere with hardwood floors and masonry brick walls, Village Pizza is Tiffany’s third pick for casual dining in downtown Athens.