Everyday Guide to the North Georgia MountainsYour Subtitle text
Mountainfreak Eat & Shop
Jordano's Pizza in Helen
Jordano's Deck Overlooking the River in Helen
Jordano's is a fixture in downtown Helen...serving New York style pizza, sandwiches, salads and beer daily to both visitors and residents alike. It sits in a prime location alongside the Chattahoochee River with a nice, covered outdoor dining deck- a great spot to grab a bite or a brew and enjoy the sights and sounds of Helen.
We stopped in for lunch on a recent Saturday prior to tubing down the river. I had eaten Jordano's pizza in the past and considered it fairly average, so we went with the Caesar Salads and Chicken Parmesan sandwiches this go around. The salad was excellent with a very authentic tasting Caesar dressing and some kitchen-made croutons. The sandwiches were good as well..tasty, yet not overwhelmed with the sauce and cheese as I've found elsewhere. Also available on the menu are Calzones and Stromboli, chicken wings, burgers and an assortment of appetizers.
A lot of folks were sitting outside watching the stream of tubers that we would soon join floating down the river and the deck was comfortable even in the mid day sun of July. Prices at Jordano's are reasonable..a rarity in Helen where "tourist" prices seem to dominate the restaurants. Service is efficient and friendly....major credit cards are accepted. I think Jordano's is one of the better places in downtown Helen to grab lunch and enjoy a comfortable and scenic setting.
Jordano's Pizza
11 River Street
Helen, GA 706.878.7732
Jordano's Deck Overlooking the River in Helen
Jordano's is a fixture in downtown Helen...serving New York style pizza, sandwiches, salads and beer daily to both visitors and residents alike. It sits in a prime location alongside the Chattahoochee River with a nice, covered outdoor dining deck- a great spot to grab a bite or a brew and enjoy the sights and sounds of Helen.
We stopped in for lunch on a recent Saturday prior to tubing down the river. I had eaten Jordano's pizza in the past and considered it fairly average, so we went with the Caesar Salads and Chicken Parmesan sandwiches this go around. The salad was excellent with a very authentic tasting Caesar dressing and some kitchen-made croutons. The sandwiches were good as well..tasty, yet not overwhelmed with the sauce and cheese as I've found elsewhere. Also available on the menu are Calzones and Stromboli, chicken wings, burgers and an assortment of appetizers.
A lot of folks were sitting outside watching the stream of tubers that we would soon join floating down the river and the deck was comfortable even in the mid day sun of July. Prices at Jordano's are reasonable..a rarity in Helen where "tourist" prices seem to dominate the restaurants. Service is efficient and friendly....major credit cards are accepted. I think Jordano's is one of the better places in downtown Helen to grab lunch and enjoy a comfortable and scenic setting.
Jordano's Pizza
11 River Street
Helen, GA 706.878.7732
The Jasper Flea Market
I love Flea Markets. I've dabbled in antiques and "junk" a bit over the years and have been to quite a few. I couldn't resist when I saw the sign on Hwy 515 approaching Jasper..had to stop. Like most flea markets these days, you have to wade through a lot of cheap imported Chinese stuff and used baby strollers..but there are a few prizes for the determined.
Jasper Flea Market
Jasper Flea Market
I found some nice pottery jugs at good prices, but they were mostly of northern origin and I am a little more interested in local southern pieces. One fellow had a huge selection of LP albums that seemed to be in good shape-he even had needles for those obsolete machines we used to play them on. There were some good deals on some primitive furniture and old barn cabinets along with tons of old bottles that looked to have been recently dug.
There is little consistency among the vendors...one booth could look like a truck just dumped everything in the floor, while the next booth might be set up like a nice antique store (see below). But, that's the way flea markets are and part of their charm-if you are willing to dig through the trashy booth you might find a great piece at a great price.
There is little consistency among the vendors...one booth could look like a truck just dumped everything in the floor, while the next booth might be set up like a nice antique store (see below). But, that's the way flea markets are and part of their charm-if you are willing to dig through the trashy booth you might find a great piece at a great price.
The one thing you won't find at the Jasper Flea Market is air conditioning, and it's mostly indoors. Keep that in mind and go early in the day-which is the best time anyway-gives you a better shot at finding that special thing you really didn't need;-). I left with a bag of tomatoes and a Snickers bar (25 cents), but I did make a serious offer on a 1959 drug store calendar..he wanted it more than I did.
