New dining spots in Macon, Warner Robins, Perry plus opening dates for more

October was a busy month for new restaurants opening in Macon, Warner Robins and Perry, with more expected to open soon across Middle Georgia.

From a beautifully-designed restaurant that brings a taste of the Big Easy to downtown Perry to an intimate, upscale wine and charcuterie bar in downtown Macon to a well known, fast casual seafood restaurant in Warner Robins, The Telegraph rounded them all up.

The list includes restaurants that have recently opened and others that are expected to open soon — including a Capt. D’s that opens Monday in Warner Robins and a Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux in Warner Robins, the first in Georgia, that’s expected to celebrate its grand opening on Nov. 21.

New restaurants

‘Orleans on Carroll Street — This long-anticipated casual fine dining restaurant at 807 Carroll Street bills itself to bring “the spirit and flavors inspired by the Crescent City to the heart of downtown Perry.” Now open daily by reservation from 11-2 for lunch and from 4-9 for dinner, this elegant restaurant with nods to the Big Easy woven throughout offers appetizers like crawfish dip and fried green tomatoes, entrees from a blackened salmon BLT to jambalaya to Cajun pasta with blackened chicken or blackened shrimp over dirty rice, and specialty cocktails. Walk-ins are welcome in the restaurant’s main bar that also has table seating.

Z Beans Coffee — The first franchise of this coffee shop at 102 South Armed Forces Blvd. in Warner Robins has its roots in a Mercer on Mission trip to Ecuador to determine if growing coffee beans would be an economical alternative for mining communities in the El Oro region to support themselves. Offering coffees from all across Ecuador, the Warner Robins coffee shop is unique in that it offers Ecuadorian breakfast and lunch dishes in addition to the regular Z Beans Coffee menu. One of the owners of this family-run business is an Ecuadorian native. Hours are 6-6 Monday-Friday and 8-4 Saturday.

Philosophie — This upscale wine and charcuterie bar at 616 Poplar Street in downtown Macon offers unique, premium wines and quality meats, cheese and accompaniments for build-your-own charcuterie boards. Light jazz or other low-key music, white drapes, turquoise chairs at tables with white tops and light pink chars aligned along the bar help create an intimate setting for good food and conversation in this small space able to seat up to 45 people. The establishment offers a unique curated selection of more than 70 wines and boasts a temperature-controlled wine cellar. Hours are 2-9 Tuesday to Thursday and 2-10 Friday and Saturday.

Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs — This beloved franchise restaurant for many Maconites that’s returned to downtown Macon at 596 Cherry St. offers about 30 sub choices, salad plates, sides and small subs for kids. Boar’s Head meat is sliced in view to order and the bread is baked daily on site. Subs may be ordered “the Baldinos way” with lettuce, onion, tomatoes, vinegar and oil and seasoning. Mayor, mustard, hot and sweet peppers may be added upon request at no extra charge. The return of this restaurant is a labor of love for a Macon couple, who both have fond memories of Baldinos when it was located in the building that now houses 3 Countries Restaurant at 195 Spring St. Hours are 11-8 Monday-Saturday and 11-6 Sunday.

Essential Bowls — This new acai bowl restaurant at 115 Margie Drive, Suite A, in Warner Robins where Cake ‘n Shake was located, is a new concept for Cake ‘n Shake owners Vincent and Lakeisha Clayton. The new spot also offers oatmeal bowls, 100% natural smoothies, avocado toast, chicken salad sandwiches and more. An example of an acai bowl on the menu is the Blue Lagoon that’s layered with blue majik, mango and coconut, then topped with granola, strawberry, coconut flakes and honey. Hours are 8-7 M-F, 8-6 Saturday and 9-6 Sunday. The Claytons are gearing up to open a Cake ‘n Shake in Macon.

La’Vino Wine Bar — This new spot to gather, relax and unwind at 106 South Kimberly Road in Warner Robins offers boutique-style wines and weekly, rotating charcuterie boards. The space includes a small bar and dining area, a back patio with live music on Friday and Saturdays and patio seating in front of the building. It also offers weekly specials, wine tasting and other events. The main entrance is on the south side of the building via a privacy fence. The establishment is owned and operated by a couple with military backgrounds. Hours are 4-9 Tuesday through Thursday, 3-10:30 Friday and noon-9 Saturday.

Big D’s Bar-B-Q — This new barbecue joint can be found in the corner of a convenience store at 280 Carl Vinson Parkway where meats are grilled daily on a smoker in the parking lot and loaded baked potatoes and nachos are cooked up in a full-sized kitchen inside. The menu ranges from ribs and pulled pork to large potatoes stuffed with steak, chicken and shrimp to specials like fried shrimp, salmon, and shrimp salad. Current hours are 11-7 Monday through Saturday.

478 Wings — This new wing spot at 5540 Thomaston Road, Suite G, in Macon serves up wings from 6 pieces to 100 pieces, wing combos, wings and fried rice, chicken tenders, butterfly shrimp, fried fish, lo mein, double cheeseburgers, Philly and other sandwiches. Sides include cheese sticks, pork egg roll, french fries, fried okra and onion rings. Hours are 11-9 Sunday-Thursday and 11-9:30 Friday and Saturday. The wing joint can be found in the Northwest Commons Business Center in the former Wok N Roll location.

Roots Plant Based Cafe — This vegan, plant-based restaurant at 100 Hamilton Pointe Drive, Suite 155, in Byron, offers healthy, whole-grain natural foods. Dishes such as curry “chicken” with cashews are made with a soy-based substitute or with tofu and has the consistency of and tastes like chicken. The owner, a Jamaican native, serves the entrees with rice and peas, rice and beans or plain rice, and with plantains. Other dishes include brown stew, sweet and sour chicken, Jamaican Jerk chicken, chicken Alfredo, beef or chicken burgers and more — all made with meat substitutes. Hours are 11-7 Monday-Thursday.

Opening soon

Captain D’s —This well-known, fast-casual seafood restaurant at 3004 Russell Parkway is set to open Monday. In addition to the restaurant’s signature dish of hand-battered fish fillet, the menu includes grilled fish, shrimp and chicken. Meals include protein, two sides and hush puppies such as spicy blackened fish with broccoli and green beans and hush puppies. Also served are Southern-style flounder, Cajun catfish and other sandwiches as well as gumbo. The new restaurant is between a McDonald’s and a Waffle House on Russell Parkway near its intersection at Lake Joy Road. Hours are 10:30-10 Sunday-Thursday and 10:30-11 Friday-Saturday.

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux — The first Georgia location of this Baton Rouge-based restaurant is expected to open in November at Rigby’s, a 90-acre entertainment development that includes Rigby’s Entertainment Complex, Rigby’s Water World and the Best Western Plus Executive Residency. The restaurant is known for its made-from-scratch Louisiana-inspired cuisine such as crawfish etouffee, duck and andouille gumbo and doughnut bread pudding made with Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The restaurant was founded in 2003 by former walk-on LSU basketball player Brandon Landry. The grand opening is set for Nov. 21.

Cake ‘n Shake — This family-owned dessert shop known for extreme milkshakes with lavish toppings such as a slice of cheesecake and a whole cupcake is close to opening in Suite 100 at Tobesofkee Crossing, 5577 Thomaston Road, in Macon. The new 1,500 square foot Cake ‘n Shake is now targeted to open mid to late November. The dessert shop also offers hot dogs, nachos and more.

Sonny’s BBQ — This barbecue restaurant known for its pulled pork, sweet tea and unique appetizers such as BBQ Pork Egg Rolls is expected to open in early November at 5811 Zebulon Road in Macon. The new 4,800-square-foot restaurant offers 156 seats inside with a full bar, a covered patio, and a drive-thru, pick-up window. This is the third Sonny’s BBQ in Middle Georgia for Brad Fink, owner of Prime Hospitality, a franchisee of Sonny’s BBQ, with locations in Warner Robins and Perry.

Arby’s — The new location of this Atlanta-based restaurant chain at 709 Lake Joy Road in Warner Robins is expected to open in early November. The fast casual restaurant is known for its roast beef, turkey and Angus beef sandwiches. The restaurant also offers a deli-style line of sandwiches and salads.

Chick’nCone —This fast casual restaurant known for crispy fried chicken bites inside a slightly sweet, hand-rolled waffle cone is expected to open in early November at 860 Forsyth St., Suite 102, near Macon’s Atrium Health Navicent. The chicken bites are first-coated with a choice of signature sauces before stuffed into a portable ice-cream-like cone.

Huey Magoo’s — This fast casual restaurant known for its chicken tenders is targeted to open in early December at 711 Lake Joy Road next to the new Arby’s. The restaurant will offer fried and grilled chicken tender meals, sandwiches, salads, wraps and dipping sauces. According to the company website, “each tender is always made fresh, all natural, with no antibiotics ever, no hormones, no steroids and no preservatives.”

Jersey Mike’s Subs — This popular sandwich shop is expected to open in mid-to-late December at 1506 Sam Nunn Blvd. in Perry that also houses a new Dunkin’. The coffee and doughnut shop opened in early September. The restaurants are located west of Interstate 75 next to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.

Another Broken Egg Cafe — This upscale breakfast, brunch and lunch spot at the Century Market Plaza Phase II at 810 Ga. 96 in Warner Robins is expected to open in February. The large dining space is expected to include the addition of an outdoor patio. This chain of Florida-based franchise restaurants is known for chef-driven, Southern inspired dishes.

Bojangles — The building is up for this fast-casual restaurant at 4010 Watson Blvd. in Warner Robins between an AT&T retail store and the Goo-Goo car wash. No word yet on a targeted opening date. This Charlotte-based restaurant chain is known for its spicy fried chicken and made from scratch biscuits.

In addition to these new establishments, more restaurants, small business and major industrial developments are in the works across Middle Georgia.

New restaurants coming range from a Macon Water Ice at 490 Cherry Street to a Fuzzy’s Taco Shop to be built at 4030 Watson Blvd. to an Amici Italian Cafe & Brewery to be constructed near Perry Parkway and Washington Place Drive in Perry.

This story was originally published October 30, 2022 at 7:00 AM.