Calling all French Toast lovers! We’ve found the best French Toast ever!!
Even if you consider yourself a ramblin’ man (or woman), there’s no need to get in the backseat of a Greyhound bus, rollin’ down highway 41, to find Dovetail, the 7th stop in the Hidden Gem Restaurant Challenge. This downtown Macon, Georgia eatery has only been open since 2012 but it has received an impressive list of accolades in its short life. It has been featured in Southern Living magazine, and has received opentable.com “Diners Choice Awards” for Most Booked in Macon.
Find a parking spot on Cherry Street and look for the sign. If you have trouble spotting it, look for the sign for The Rookery. Both restaurants share an entrance. Dovetail is up the stairs just inside the door. In other words, the entrances are dovetailed together. Pardon the pun but we thought it was clever. Note: The sidewalk tables are for The Rookery, which has been serving the best burgers in Macon since 1976. Dovetail’s sister restaurants are the Rookery, H&H Soulfood, and the classically restored Cox Capitol Theatre.
As you go up the stairs and enter the beautifully restored dining room, notice the tools on the wall. Many are woodworking tools which pay homage to the dovetail joint used in carpentry.
A large bar is the centerpiece of the space and rightly so, since Dovetail has a reputation for its finely crafted cocktails. They had a specialty cocktail menu in honor of The Cherry Blossom Festival, which was in full swing when we visited. It was called The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and featured cocktails with whimsical names like Croquet With the Queen and The Cheshire’s Advice. The drinks were every bit as whimsical as the names with ingredients such as vanilla bean, nutmeg, chai, Earl Grey, lavender and hibiscus to name a few. If your taste buds run more toward the traditional, no worries, mimosas are also available.
One thing we really like about Dovetail is that they source most of the food from local and regional farmers and use the highest quality ingredients available. Food suppliers include: Benton’s Country Ham, Carolina Plantation Rice, Georgia Olive Farms, Southern Swiss Dairy, Bobby Steele Honey, Blue Moon Creamery, North Carolina River Trout, Plantation Quail, Sapelo Island Peas, Sweet Grass Dairy and many others. They put all these ingredients together to make a delectable dining experience.
Dovetail is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday. They also serve brunch on Saturday and Sunday. The Picky Peaches have had the pleasure of dining there for brunch twice and we noticed that the menu changes with seasonal availability of ingredients. To give you a more comprehensive idea of the wide variety of foods they serve, we’ve included photos of food from both visits, but only descriptions of the foods from our most recent visit. No matter what they’re serving when you go, it’s bound to be delicious.
Here are some things we highly recommend:
The biscuits are a must no matter what else you order. The biscuits themselves are pretty basic but get kudos for being crispy on the outside and not doughy inside. It’s the mouthwatering condiments that really set them apart. They are served with a trio of maple bacon bourbon compound butter, local honey and strawberry preserves. You’ll want to try them all and you’ll want to lick the plate.
We felt like we hit the jackpot when the French Toast of the Day was Maple Candied Bacon French Toast. Topped with real whipped cream and served with crispy bacon, this is the ultimate brunch dish. French Toast is always a favorite, but we must admit that sometimes it’s just ho-hum without much flavor. Dovetail has kicked their French Toast up several notches to make it the kind of meal you’ll remember for a long time. They get extra points for serving it with real maple syrup. This may be what they serve for brunch in heaven. We sure hope so.
For those with more of a manly breakfast palate, the Dovetail Spring Standard fits the bill. It’s got two eggs, Fatback Pig Project sausage patty or bacon, Red Mule cheese grits, spring veggie hash and a biscuit (see above). It is sure to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites.
Corn and Boudin Hash is one of their signature entrees. Roasted potatoes, maque choux, grain mustard and poached egg complete this Cajun-inspired meal.
For those with dietary restrictions, the dinner menu has several gluten-free options.
Both brunch and dinner have vegetarian selections.
Psst! The restroom is a single, so you can’t all go at the same time. It’s basic and clean.
Dovetail, 543 Cherry Street, Macon, Georgia 31201.
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m. – 9:30; Friday 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.; Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.; Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
dovetailmacon.com
Join us next week for a musical trip to “The Big House.” No, we have not spent time in jail.
Until next time, Love and Peaches!