10 restaurants we wish we had back in Macon
Macon is a city filled with great restaurants and interesting takes on all kinds of food. While we love what we have, there will always be a few places that we miss. Here is a list of 10 places we’re longing to taste again.
1. Del Taco: While Taco Bell is comparable, it is just not the same as Del Taco. Its 69 cent tacos are magical things, and Macon residents have to drive an hour or so away to enjoy the greatness. One of the striking things about Del Taco is that it offers hamburgers and fries as well. That’s a normal concept for fast food establishments but not taco joints.
2. The Shrimp Boat: It was a Macon hot spot serving up shrimp and chicken plates that patrons devoured. The restaurant was shaped to look like a boat. It had fish specials for under a dollar, so it was cheap and filling.
3. ShowBiz Pizza: Everyone knows the dancing animals at Chuck E. Cheese and the pizza it serves. Now imagine a similar set of dancing animals with better pizza, and you have ShowBiz. While there is still a Chuck E. Cheese in town, ShowBiz Pizza shuttered its doors for good in 1992, including the one in Macon. A younger generation missed out on good pizza and fun times with Billy Bob, Fatz, Mitzi and the rest of the gang.
4. Grand Central Station: This restaurant was located inside the Macon Mall. Like the Shrimp Boat, the architects of this restaurant really liked a theme, and diners would sit in train cars for their meals. It was a little pricey compared to some of the other places on this list. It was also a convenient option for shoppers inside the mall to grab a bite to eat.
5. Shoney’s: While Shoney’s food is consistently good, the real reason Maconites miss this establishment can be summed up in two words: strawberry pie. The pie had loads of strawberries soaked in a glaze inside a crust. It tasted like a slice of heaven.
6. Pig’n Whistle: Macon is known for its great BBQ places. With so many to choose from, how can someone possibly miss one? Well Pig’n Whistle was said to be the cream of the crop at one time. The ability to get a two-for-one special or a whole plate of barbecue for under $1 was hard to pass up. While the prices would certainly not be the same today, the food would bring back those fond memories of the “simpler days.”
7. T.K Tripps: Over the years I have heard this talked about like an upscale Cheddars. A lot of the same type of food with steaks and pasta but a tad bit more expensive.
8. Green Jacket: Now some people in the South view salad as their food’s food. Stories say the Green Jacket could turn the biggest carnivore into a salad lover with its signature dressing. This is something that Macon is desperately missing as most places aren’t geared to non-meat eaters. Of course if you are a steadfast carnivore, the Green Jacket also served prime rib.
9. Champs Deli Sandwich Shop: It offered a variety of sandwiches and stayed packed out the door with people trying to grab lunch. While Macon has a multitude of sandwich places, Champs is one we miss having around.
10. Burger Chef: This is another chain restaurant that had its entire operation closed down back in the late ‘90s after Hardee’s bought them out. The Burger Chef offered cheap burgers and fries. One the fun things about this place were its kids meals. They came in a box shaped like a car that kids could decorate — after the meal of course.
This story was originally published September 26, 2016 at 2:12 PM with the headline "10 restaurants we wish we had back in Macon."