Guess which Middle Georgia restaurant is headed to the Shrimp and Grits Festival?

Milledgeville’s Aubri Lane’s restaurant is competing in the Jekyll Island Shrimp and Grits Festival, thanks to supporters.

Presented by Southern Living, the annual Shrimp and Grits Festival celebrates this classic southern dish with a three days of family-friendly entertainment, an artists market, live music and a host of other activities.

The festival is Sept. 15-17 in the Historic District. The cooking competition is Sept. 16.

“We got invited because we were recognized by the Georgia Eats, which ranks the top 100 restaurants in the state with different and interesting types of food,” Aubri Lane’s owner Jason Medders told the Union-Recorder. “After having the Georgia Eats people come by two years in a row and pick things off our menu for best food in the state, that qualified us to be picked up by the Jekyll Island Shrimp and Grits Festival committee.”

Restaurants qualified by the committee next competed online for a chance to join the festival competition, and Aubri Lane’s asked patrons for their support through Facebook.

“We will need your votes to make this happen ... The final 10 will be selected by vote to go and compete in Jekyll Island, so please vote for us as it would be very exciting to go compete and win this event for Milledgeville,” the restaurant posted on Facebook.

Patrons did not disappoint them.

The restaurant posted the good news, and thanked their patrons.

“You deserve to win,” patron Craig Wilson commented on the Facebook post. “Best shrimp and grits around.”

Milledgeville Moments commented, “With your shrimp and grits, you have this won already! Great dish at a great place. Best of luck! Shared!”

The restaurant is representing Middle Georgia in the competition to be named the best shrimp and grits in the state.

On a side note, five other Middle Georgia restaurants made the 2017 100 Plates Local’s Love. Those other five are: Fresh Air Bar-B-Que, Jackson; Mama’s Kitchen, Barnesville; Parish on Cherry St., Macon; Smith’s Coastal Grill, Eatonton; and The Swanson, Perry.

Aubri Lane’s made it for its Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna.

This story was originally published July 27, 2017 at 11:56 AM with the headline "Guess which Middle Georgia restaurant is headed to the Shrimp and Grits Festival?."