Mediterranean style salads steal the show at Adrianna’s Cafe in downtown Macon
Adrianna’s Cafe has been a mainstay of the downtown restaurant scene since the days of Cherry Corner. With Italian specialties along a cafeteria-style line, they offer a quick, healthy meal loaded with authentic Mediterranean flavor.
When you enter, go to the back counter and choose either one, two or three items from the serving line. It’s all in front of you, so it’s easy to see what you’ll be getting. At the end, you pay, take your tray, get your drink and have a seat.
If it’s cool enough outside, it’s a lovely spot to people-watch.
The combo is their best deal with any two items from the line for $8.50 or any three for $10.95. I had the perfectly cooked salmon with a cream sauce over bow tie pasta, plus Greek salad and Adriatic salad.
The Adriatic salad -- with artichokes, onions and cucumbers -- was beyond delicious; I could have eaten three times as much as I was given. The Greek salad, full of feta, olives, tomatoes and red onion, was perfection as well.
Any of the salads can be purchased alone for about $7.50. In addition to the ones I ordered, there is their famous pasta salad, chicken salad, spinach salad and the wonderful mozzarella and tomato combination of Caprese salad. We had the Greek salad on a bed of mixed greens with chicken added for an extra dollar, and we ate every last bite.
The sandwiches are fresh as well, from Virginia cured ham or Adriana’s veggie for $7.25 to a classic Italian sub or grilled chicken for $8.50. You can get a half size of the smoked turkey or chicken salad sandwiches for just $5.25, or the full size for $7.50 and $8.50, respectively.
Adrianna’s is known for their tomato basil bisque, but it was just too hot for soup during our visit. In the fall, a nice bowl of bisque with bread and a salad would be just about perfect al fresco. For folks with children, their bowl of fruit for $4 is always a hit.
We were too stuffed for coffee or dessert, but a little espresso after your lunch with tiramisu for dessert might spoil you. There’s also a black and white mocha, a Ghirardelli mocha, and a cafe brava with steamed half and half. Espresso drinks are about $4.25 with a single shot for $2.50 or a double for $3.25.
We all miss Fillipo, the charming Sicilian who once ran Adriana’s, but his lovely wife is still there every day. This is one of those places where you can come often and they will call you by name, treating you like family.
Adrianna’s Cafe
Address: 359 Third St., Macon
Phone: 478-742-2255
Website: www.facebook.com/pages/Adrianas-Cafe
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday
Payment: Cash, credit
Smoking: No
Alcohol: Yes
Kids Menu: No
Noise Level: Low
Health Rating: 82
Price range: $5.25-$10.95
Rating: 3 stars
This story was originally published July 24, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Mediterranean style salads steal the show at Adrianna’s Cafe in downtown Macon."