Bagels, hookah and more: These restaurants and businesses open in Middle GA

Several Middle Georgia restaurants and businesses have recently opened their doors or are getting close to welcoming customers.

These new businesses include a bagel shop and restaurants offering a range of flavors from Southern home cooking to Greek and Mediterranean fare to a mix of Mexican, American and Indian.

They also include a women’s clothing boutique, a shaved ice truck, a national discount chain store geared toward young shoppers and more.

Here’s a look at what’s recently opened and what’s coming soon:

• Macon Bagels — Lauren Bone and Patrick Rademaker had a soft opening for their bagel shop Saturday at 470 3rd St. in downtown Macon. The couple relocated from Florida to live their dream of owning their own business together after falling in love with the downtown area during a stopover on the way to the north Georgia mountains. In addition to freshly made bagels, customers can expect several flavors of cream cheese made in-house as well as a variety of freshly baked pastries. The couple had hoped to open in early July. In the meantime, they’ve had two successful pre-order and on-the-spot sales at pop-up events — selling out each time. Saturday, they sold out within an hour of their soft opening and expect to operate on regular hours starting Wednesday, Rademaker said. Those hours will be from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Check their Facebook page for updates.
• Fried Green Tomatoes - This popular restaurant known for its Southern home cooking served up cafeteria style is planning to open its Warner Robins location at 747 Russell Parkway on Wednesday, said managing partner Candice Miller. Watch the restaurant’s Facebook page for updates. The restaurant previously announced an Aug. 11 grand opening but hit a snafu the day before. “We had all permits and licenses but the fire department has requested one more change for the safety of our staff and customers,” Miller posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page. The restaurant has multiple locations in Middle Georgia, including in Macon and Centerville.
• Daemarii’s Unique Boutique — This popular women’s clothing store at 2384 Ingleside Avenue in Macon expected to have its soft opening Saturday of a second location in Cochran, the hometown of owner Virginia Sharp. The new store, at 127 North 2nd St., is in honor of her mom, Ruby Lawson, who died in February 2020. “She worked hard as a nurse in this community for over 40 years,” Sharp texted. “I’m a nurse as well that decided to follow my dreams.” The same quality of women’s clothing and jewelry accessories customers are accustomed to at the Macon location can be found at the new location, Sharp said. Also, at the Cochran location, Sharp said she plans to add home decor items within the next couple of months. The new store will celebrate its grand opening Oct. 3. The next day the Macon store turns 7 years old.
• Mexican Taco — Dipak Patel plans to open his new restaurant alongside his grocery store, Amigo Delbarrio. In addition to Mexican fare, the restaurant at 2300 Moody Road will offer American and Indian dishes. Customers can expect a host of menu options from samosa, a pastry filled with a mixture of meat or vegetables that’s been fried, to breakfast omelets, tacos and burritos to wings and pizza. He also expects to set up a barbecue grill out front and may add patio seating in the back. The restaurant is expected to open sometime in September.
• Frog’s Greatest Sno — Jamie and Kris Carr now have a mobile shaved ice truck in addition to their two children’s clothing stores in Warner Robins. The mobile business, which also serves up fresh-squeezed lemonade, iced coffees, popcorn, ice cream and candy, is available for fundraisers and private events, Jamie Carr said. The couple, who have five children, started with Baby Country, a children’s consignment shop carrying girl’s and boy’s sizes of preemie to 10-12. The couple also own Silly Frilly Frog, a children’s boutique that also carries toys. Down the road, they plan to open a storefront for Frog’s Greatest Sno.
• The Taco Shed — Derrick Baas plans to open a second Warner Robins location of his popular gourmet taco restaurant “as soon as possible.” The new location is at 670 Lake Joy Road, Suite 400, in the Kathleen community. The restaurant features 23 tasty taco options. Some protein options include hand-cut, marinated steak or chicken, ahi tuna, mahi-mahi, shrimp, brisket, fried green tomatoes and pork. “The build out is pretty much done,” Baas said. Like others, Baas has faced unexpected delays and staffing issues. He had planned to open in mid-July. The new location will be open only for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. to start with, he said.
• Greek Village Express — Andreea Ivanus has opened an express version of a popular Warner Robins restaurant, the Greek Village. The new restaurant at 6001 Watson Blvd. is geared toward takeout but also has several small tables for dine-in. The restaurant offers hummus, dolmades, which are grape leaves stuffed with rice, and spinach pie for starters. Other menu options include Greek sandwiches, salads, wraps and gourmet burgers for meal options. Daily lunch specials also are offered. Hours are 10:30 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday.
• Five Below — This national discount store geared to young buyers opened a Warner Robins location Aug. 13 at 2620 Watson Blvd., Suite 22, in the City Crossing shopping center. The website bills the store as “a place with unlimited possibilities where tweens, teens and beyond are free to let go and have fun in a color-popping, music pumping, super-fun shopping experience.Most items in the store are $5 and below
• Wrap & Kebab — A Mediterranean restaurant and grocery store has opened its hookah cafe. The restaurant, store and cafe are all in the same building at 103 Gunn Road in Centerville. Turkish coffee, hot teas and hot chocolate are served in the hookah cafe. A hookah is a water pipe used to smoke tobacco and to which a variety of flavors may be added such as apple, mint and cherry. Customers can expect a variety of Jordian flavor food at the restaurant from beef and chicken shawarma to falafel and humus to kufta kebabs.
• Waffle House — A new Macon location of this well-known restaurant chain is expected to open soon at 4065 Forsyth Road. The new restaurant was built on the site of the former Breezy Hill Fire Station.
• Camp Bow Wow — A new doggy day care, boarding and grooming business is “coming soon” to Warner Robins at 925 Lake Joy Road, according to the Camp Bow Wow website. A banner across the front of the business says they’re now hiring.
• Acres & Oaks — Formerly known as The Casserole Shop, Acres & Oak Kitchen opened a new location in Tifton in July. The business started out as a catering business in a Macon garage before moving to its first storefront on Forsyth Road in Macon. A second location opened in Perry in early 2020. The business is known for its casseroles and baked goods.

These join multiple new restaurants and other businesses that have opened this year or are expected to open later this year in Warner Robins, in Macon, in Perry and other parts of Middle Georgia.

Additionally, there some recent business closures, including Per Diem Market in downtown Macon, Chen’s Wok on Northside Drive in Macon and a Shane’s Ribshack in Warner Robins. The second location of The Taco Shed is going into the former Shane’s Ribshack space.

This story was originally published August 22, 2021 at 8:00 AM.