Probably my favorite restaurant in the North Georgia Mountains is Cantaberry's. Located at 51 River Street in Ellijay, Cantaberry's is open only for lunch--or as the sign on the front door says: 11 to 3-ish. The tiny cafe, which only seats about 30, offers up the most delicious soups, sandwiches and salads around.

They are probably best known for their tomato-basil soup, which, like all their other fare, is made fresh on the premises. Rich, savory, with small chunks of tomato, basil, and infused with a touch of cream, the soup is bursting with flavor. Team the soup up with half of a sandwich--my favorite is the chicken salad--and a glass of homemade sweet tea, and you have the perfect lunch!

With the thought in mind that too much of a good thing is a good thing, save room for a slice of one of Cantaberry's famous cakes, pies or cobblers--made from fresh fruit of the season. Their applesauce cake--super moist and divinely delicious--is the stuff of local legend.

I admit to being more than a little apprehensive when I heard that the restaurant was being sold to new owners. All too often, that signals the start of a favorite eatery's decline.  

Thankfully, new owners Jessica and Case Bruner are not planning on doing too much tinkering with the menu. Case, the chef of the operation and a graduate of Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Arts, says that they will integrate new dishes, but that, for the time being at least, they will be "specials of the day."

The Bruners have plans for hosting special invitation-only dinners. Case said that they don't want to have any set dates for the events, but will have them when he "feels inspired." 

Case's love of cooking is obvious. "I'm passionate about food. I love thinking about it and coming up with new ideas."

Jessica tends to the "front" of the restaurant: seating customers, waiting tables, keeping an eye on everything to make sure no glass goes empty or dirty plate sits too long on the table. She even brought glasses of sweet tea outside to our party of four as we waited outside for a table to open up.  Couple her natural people skills with a veteran wait staff, and you have fine service on par with the fine food. A winning--if seldom realized--combination.

I am pleased to report that even under new ownership, Cantaberry Restaurant remains my favorite restaurant in the mountains.

 Jessica & Case Bruner