Everything I Ate on my Homecoming Road Trip Part 2
Saturday morning was met with excitement because it was finally the day of Homecoming. My friends and I opted for a liquid breakfast of bloody mary’s and mimosas from The Pub. After attending the parade and bouncing around a few more bars, it was time for lunch. Elyse and I went to our favorite sandwich place in Athens, Brenen’s Coffee Café.
After much deliberation between my two favorite sandwiches—the Cookie’s Chicken and Chicken Caesar—I realized I couldn’t pass up on the Cookie’s Chicken. This sandwich features Brenen’s slightly sweet chicken salad, topped with melted muenster cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.
From the crunch of the toasted sourdough bread, to the warm chicken salad, the sandwich was just as amazing as when I was a student.
Saturday afternoon and evening were one big reunion. What makes Athens so special is that no matter how long you’re away, as soon as you’re back with your favorite Bobcats, it will feel like no time has passed.
At midnight, the hours of day-drinking had finally caught up to us. We were ready to head back to the hotel, but not before one final stop. If you come within 10 miles of Athens and don’t stop at O’Betty’s Red Hot, you’ve made a HUGE mistake.
O’Betty’s is the go-to spot for hotdogs and cheese fries. Any time after 11 p.m., expect a line. I promise, it’s well worth the wait. I ordered my favorite hotdog, the Varla, and an order of cheese and bacon fries topped with sour cream. The Varla is the Reuben of hotdogs. It packs a flavor punch with sauerkraut, crispy bacon bits, homemade horseradish and Thousand Island dressing. Your breath will not be pleasing to those around you, but you will be happy.
As expected, we were all moving pretty slow on Sunday morning. We checked out of our hotel room and moseyed to Court Street one last time. My friends and I never leave Athens without a trip to Bagel Street Deli.
Bagel Street is quintessential Athens. It’s a narrow restaurant with a huge chalk board filled with menu options. On a special weekend or hungover Sunday, the line is sure to be out the door. The staff works quickly, yelling out order numbers, to keep all the Bobcats happy.
I ordered the Kim’s Kraving. While BSD does have a ton of creative menu options, I always go for something simple that will fill me up. The Kim’s Kraving is stacked with turkey, cheese (I get cheddar), lettuce, tomato, bacon and mayo. Since it was so crowded, we took our bagel sandwiches to Baker, the student center.
As we munched on our bagels, we sat for a long time chatting and reminiscing on our time as students. Even writing this a month later, I can’t wait to be back next year—sipping on my favorite cocktails and eating my favorite Athens delicacies.