The annual Cobb Life magazine Best of Cobb awards received thousands of votes this year. Here are some of the winners for Best Breakfast, Best Boutique, Best Home Decor, Best Burger and Best Fine Dining:
Best Breakfast
Café 33
2520 East Piedmont Rd., Marietta
770.977.6915
How do we love the Café 33 waffle sandwich? Let us count the ways. But, it’s not just the waffle sandwich that won this East Cobb eatery the top spot for Best Breakfast 2016. From the fluffy build your own omelet and decadent breakfast bowl, to the Captain Morgan french toast and lick-the-plate mom’s doughnuts, you really can’t go wrong with breakfast (or anything else for that matter) at Café 33. They even have a build your own bloody mary bar (the perfect accompaniment to any brunch) on Saturdays and Sundays.
Chef-owner Shane Clements and his team work tirelessly to bring mouthwatering breakfast and lunch (both served all day) to the people of Cobb, and he said the Best Of honor (their second in five years) means a lot and makes all the hard work worth it. “I’m at a loss for words,” he said. “This is a team deal. Without my team, I’m just another guy chasing a dream. We won this because of them — not me.”
The Café 33 team has seen a lot of milestones lately. First, they began full bar service in October, then they were featured in the December issue of Cobb Life. What’s next? This month marks the beginning of dinner service several nights a week, and get ready for an expanded patio section this spring. With all these new happenings, they may take more than Best Breakfast next year!
Best Boutique
Glitzy Chiks
Acworth: 3344 Cobb Pkwy. NW
770.529.6620
Marietta: 2932 Canton Rd.
678.275.2387
Where do you go when you need a last-minute gift for one of the ladies in your life or just want to indulge in a bit of retail therapy for yourself? Glitzy Chiks boutique, with two locations in Cobb, has a little something for everyone from ages 9 to 90 and a wide variety of items you won’t find anywhere else. From boots, purses and jewelry, to clothes, gifts and even embroidery services, Glitzy Chiks has just about everything you could possibly want in a boutique experience— and it’s all color-coded.
Rustic chic, country cool and eclectic, Glitzy Chiks focuses on good quality apparel at reasonable prices. Although they do carry some big name brands (like Grace in LA Jeans, Piko Tops, Lokai bracelets and Paparte personalized gifts), the store’s bend toward value means your dollar stretches further than at the big retail stores. What’s more, you certainly won’t be skimping on style or customer service.
For first timers, be sure to set aside some time to peruse the truly abundant inventory, and don’t forget to enlist the help of staff. They operate more like personal shoppers than retail clerks and are more than happy to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
Best Home Decor
Fabric & Fringe Warehouse
2440 Canton Road, Marietta
770.794.8106
We’re beginning to see a pattern at Fabric & Fringe Warehouse— and it’s not just in their constantly revolving inventory of stylish fabrics. This three-time Best Home Decor winner has quite a following, and it’s easy to see why.
In a time where most competitors have gone to a cut yardage special order model, Fabric & Fringe still stocks full bolts of premium fabric in its 17,000-square-foot space. They also, as the name might suggest, have quite an impressive selection of fringe and other accoutrements.
There really is no other home decor store quite like it, which is why fans come from miles around. Owners Marty Williamson and Marla Garrett work hard to ensure customers never are disappointed.
“We always have a flow of new goods,” Williamson said. “We have merchandise for everybody.”
In keeping with his vision, a new outdoor line arrives this spring. The cutting-edge fabric boasts more light hours, enhanced durability and easier cleaning but it’s the great new patterns and leading edge woven options that make it a standout addition. It will be accompanied by a new indoor-outdoor trim.
Already in stock, is the made in the USA Revolution line, which is chemical free and uses innovative fiber technology for stain and sun resistance and easy cleaning. Find out today what interior design professionals (and major film studios) already know — there’s no place better for home decor than Fabric & Fringe.
Best Burger
Moxie Burger
Papermill: 255 Village Pkwy. NE, Suite 120, Marietta
Shallowford: 2421 Shallowford Road, Suite 158, Marietta
Phone:
770.627.3201
678.398.9819
If Moxie Burger had been around during the great Atlanta burger wars, they would have won hands down— if OTPers had a vote. Launched in 2012 out of a small storefront in Paper Mill Village (where the East Cobb location still resides), Moxie is the brainchild of Pope High School graduate and East Cobb native Chas D’Huyvetter.
Today, Moxie is a popular locally-owned neighborhood gathering place with three locations (two in Cobb) and a flood of community support.
Although the locations are different, all boast a family-friendly atmosphere, great ambiance, good vibes and a hand-selected craft beer and wine list to accompany their made in house fresh daily fare. Choose from signature creations or build your own burgers and sandwiches with protein selections, including certified Black Angus beef, house-seasoned ground turkey or lamb, chicken breast and veggie-friendly portobello cap or black bean patty. Regardless what you decide, everything is made to order.
And, just because Moxie won Best Burger doesn’t mean there aren’t other menu items worth checking out. Their entree salads are huge and tasty. The Hebrew National hot dogs are stellar, and we bet you can’t eat just one of the sides (especially the pickle chips). Plus, where else in Cobb can you regularly get King of Pops gourmet popsicles for dessert?! Color us hooked on Cobb’s Best Burger.
Best Fine Dining
Seed Kitchen & Bar
1311 Johnson Ferry Rd., Marietta
678.214.6888
When chef-owner Doug Turbush first conceptualized Seed Kitchen & Bar, his vision was of a quaint little bistro in his own backyard. But, since opening the doors to rave reviews back in 2011, this East Cobb staple has evolved into a high-volume behemoth. One thing, however, hasn’t changed with the restaurant’s popularity: its focus on local, seasonal and artisanal ingredients in the kitchen and at the bar.
Although the menu rotates seasonally, with upcoming winter tweaks adjusting for heartier dishes and more comfort food, there is some standard fare that never changes and keeps patrons coming back for more.
Items like the super shareable white corn grit fritters with jalapeño pepper jelly and Thomasville tomme will start your meal off right, while the ever-fashionable and delicious pan roasted blue cod with caramelized Brussel sprouts, cauliflower and Thai herb vinaigrette is a consummate crowd favorite.
Turbush already was well known for his creative, award-winning approach to cuisine before opening Seed, so it should come as no surprise that his first solo venture has garnered numerous accolades, including this year’s Best Fine Dining honors. Stop into this neighborhood eatery for high quality fare served up with a smile, and don’t miss Stem Wine Bar next door or Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar down the street for more of Turbush’s signature culinary style.
*Originally published in the January 2017 issue of Cobb Life magazine.