Fried Green Tomatoes bringing homestyle favorites to Milledgeville

Published 2:56 pm Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Fans of Southern comfort food have something to look forward to this fall. The Georgia-based restaurant chain Fried Green Tomatoes will soon join the dining options along North Columbia Street in Milledgeville. 

Preparations are underway at the former Judy’s Country Kitchen location next to Chick-fil-A, with a projected opening set for November.

The origins of the chain go back to the establishment of 478 Country Buffet in Byron. With the success of that restaurant, the owners decided to expand their concept to a cafeteria-style restaurant serving traditional Southern favorites. The first Fried Green Tomatoes opened in Centerville, Ga. in 2018. Since then, the chain has expanded to include locations in Dublin, Macon and Fort Valley, making the upcoming Milledgeville location the chain’s fifth.

Tanya Phillips has been with the company from the start, and she said she is excited to serve as the manager of the Milledgeville Fried Green Tomatoes.

“I’ve lived in Warner Robins for a few years now with my son,” said Phillips. “My family is from Wilkinson County, and I wanted to get closer to my mom and the rest of my family.”

Phillips said work is coming along at turning the former Judy’s Country Kitchen into what she calls “the FGT style.”

“Just a quaint, rustic, homey atmosphere where you are greeted by your friendly smiling servers,” said Phillips. “We love what we do, and once you visit us, that becomes very apparent.” 

Fried Green Tomatoes offers a rotating menu of popular comfort foods such as fried catfish, meatloaf, squash casserole and hush puppies. Menus are posted daily by 10:30 a.m. on the restaurant’s Facebook page so customers can prepare their tastebuds for the day’s offerings. 

Meals are sold with combo pricing, starting at $5.61 for a choice of three veggies, bread and a drink all the way up to the “All Star Combo” of two meats, two veggies, a choice of salad or dessert, bread and a drink for $9.35. Meat choices can include such choices as barbecue ribs, Salisbury steak, fried chicken gizzards and the restaurant’s popular beef tips. Fried chicken is offered daily. Veggie options vary among selections such as collard greens, candied yams, green beans, cabbage and mac and cheese. As the name of the restaurant suggests, fried green tomatoes are on the menu every day. 

“We offer home-cooking for fast food pricing,” said Phillips.

Salads and desserts are made fresh each day. Salads vary from greens salads to potato salad, broccoli salad or cucumber and tomato salad. Peach and pineapple cobbler are regular dessert options, and cornbread is a menu staple as well.

Phillips said that the broad range of the rotating menu is part of Fried Green Tomatoes’ appeal.

“We have many, many choices, and you can’t go wrong with anything you choose,” said Phillips.

Food is served cafeteria-style at Fried Green Tomatoes. All food is served in takeout containers, so customers have the option to dine in or take their food to go if they prefer. Social distancing requirements are enforced for dine-in customers, and all employees are currently required to wear face masks to ensure safety.

Fried Green Tomatoes is open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Milledgeville customers can visit the company’s website at www.friedgreentomatoesga.com to learn more about the menu options set to arrive in town later this fall.

Phillips is thrilled to bring Fried Green Tomatoes to a new set of customers in Milledgeville. The move is meaningful to her on a personal level as well. As a single mother to a child with special needs, she is grateful for the support the company has given her in the last few years. 

“They are extremely family oriented and really worked around my needs, as well as my son’s,” said Phillips.  “I am beyond proud to not only call them my bosses, but my family as well.”