"King of Pops started with a couple thousand bucks, a used ice cream pushcart, and a whole lot of luck. Our success is due to amazing community support (which we’ve received since day one). We do our best to respond to that support with love, gratitude, and some laughs," reads the website.



This popsicle spot has made more than 500 different flavors that are all between 3-5 ingredients. Blueberry lemonade, strawberries & cream, thai iced tea, peach, key lime pie and so much more.



I had a super refreshing banana pudding pop. I know it's the south, but this is the first one I've ever seen. So, this was delish. Indulgent, but fresh.



Grade: A

Here's my latest newspaper column:

It’s a small, round berry that comes in shades of purple and black. It’s sweet and has notes of vanilla and cherry.

And, most importantly, they hit the peak of freshness right now - in June.

Juneberries can be found across Appalachia on rocky hillsides, edges of forests and well-draining soils.

The shrubs are known for their white blossoms in early spring, which later give way to clusters of juneberries. They’re also referred to as Saskatoon, shadbush, serviceberries or sarvis berries.

The name “serviceberry” is believed to have originated from the Appalachian tradition of conducting burial services in early spring once the ground has thawed, coinciding with the bloom of the serviceberry, or juneberry.

Indigenous peoples of the Appalachians, such as the Cherokee and Iroquois, valued juneberries for their nutritional benefits and versatility. They used the berries not only as a food source but also in traditional medicine, recognizing their high vitamin and antioxidant content.

Early European settlers learned from Native Americans how to incorporate these berries into their diets, especially during the lean months when other food sources were scarce.

Juneberries became a staple in pies, jams, and as a natural sweetener.

Juneberries continue to hold a special place in the hearts and traditions of local communities in Appalachia.

The berries are an ingredient in many traditional recipes used today. Pies, cobblers, jams, and jellies are among the most popular ways to enjoy juneberries. They can also be dried and used in baking or as a snack, much like raisins.

The berries, though, are often difficult to grow commercially. So, if you endeavor to forage for your own juneberries, be sure to do so safely and consult multiple sources of information to identify them correctly before enjoying.

Juneberries are more than just a beloved fruit in Appalachia; they are a symbol of the region’s rich history and food traditions. Using these foraged treasures help tell the story of bounty of the mountains — while providing a delicious berry bite. 

H&F Burger in Ponce City Market comes to us from James Beard Award-Winning Chef Linton Hopkins. The shop highlights Hopkins’s famous burger as well as a collection of sandwiches and shakes alongside a diverse selection of beer, wine and spirits.



"The Original" H&F CHEESEBURGER comes with double beef patty, b&b pickles, shaved red onion and Kraft American Cheese.



I got mine to go, so it's not much of a looker. But, man, was it good. Many folks will poo-poo American cheese, but that pasteurized cheese product melts so perfectly over the burger. Some sweetness and acid from the pickles and onion. I wouldn't hate an aioli here, but solid nonetheless.



Grade: A

Named after the Spanish word for “miner,” Minero represents the storied history of the taco, which supposes that Mexican silver miners named the dish in the 18th century. The word “taco” referred to the dynamite miners used to excavate the ore in the mines, which was made of pieces of paper wrapped around gunpowder and inserted into the holes carved in the rock face, reads the website.



Chef Sean Brock (Husk, McCrady's) brought his take on Mexican fare to the Ponce City Market in Atlanta. It's a spin-off of his Charleston original location, though he's no longer involved with the restaurant.



Minero serves street food-style tacos on house-made tortillas.

The Minero team tasted over 40 varieties of corn from different producers before choosing their favorite: Masienda. Using a traditional nixtamalization process to make fresh masa every day, Minero grinds the corn in house, which results in a truly authentic corn tortilla. The corn Minero uses comes from Masienda, a company operated by Jorge Gaviria. Masienda’s goal is to connect with small independent farmers in Mexico who are growing single origin landrace varieties of corn to import to the United States. Minero uses a Yellow Olotillo corn grown in Oaxaca. By utilizing this amazing company and their unique products, we are able to create an incredibly delicious tortilla.



"Chef Bill Hogan embraces traditional Mexican cuisine utilizing time-honored techniques, including nixtamalization of masa for house made corn tortillas. Fresh, high-quality ingredients are used as the foundation for each dish, exploring many styles of cooking and featuring live fire preparations from our custom charcoal grill," reads the website.



I ordered "The Minero Burrito (or Burrito Bowl) - white rice, beans, oaxaca cheese, crema, poblano, cabbage, cilantro, salsa verde, avocado" with veggies, charcoal chicken, grilled steak or al pastor pork.



This boy was filled to the brim, though it wasn't always spread evenly. Still, good flavors and a nice variety of filling ingredients.



Grade: B

Root Baking Co., the Ponce City Market bakery, was founded by former James Beard Award semifinalist Chris Wilkins and has closed since my visit.



The bakery made a name for itself by creating southern breads with heirloom grains. They offered freshly baked breads, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches.



I ordered one of their specialty toasts. Radish toast with preserved lemon ricotta, French radish, arugula and roasted watermelon radish on garlic sourdough. I fully support ricotta toast over avocado toast. Add some fresh veggies - and I am all in.



Grade: A

J.Q. DICKINSON SALT-WORKS
Applewood Smoked Salt
Solar evaporated and hand harvested in the mountains of WV this salt is perfect when you want to add a hint of smokiness

ASHEVILLE TEA COMPANY
Cold Brew Tea
Made with a blend of local botanicals this easy to make tea is thirst quenching all summer.

WE MADE
Hummingbird Cake Mix
Hummingbird Cake is a delicious Southern Staple. WeMade is a social impact company providing workforce development for people with disabilities.

WILL ROWSEY
Wild Flower Print
West Virginia artist Will Rowsey hand painted these images. His delicate work portrays the wild flowers of the Appalachians

SUNSET BERRY FARM
Freeze-dried strawberries
This family owned farm in Monroe County, WV grows the sweetest strawberries in the state. Freeze-dried for a great snack Covid may be in the rearview mirror but we all have the habit.

REDWOOD & CO
Hand Sanitizer
This Staunton, VA company make the process very pleasant.

Founded by husband and wife team Heather and Mathieu Jourdan-Gassin, Saint Germain French Cafe & Bakery opened in Old Fourth Ward’s historic Ponce City Market in 2016. Both Southerners at heart - Mathieu from the French Riviera and Heather from Decatur, GA - this duo shares a passion for bringing a little slice of Paris (with a dash of Southern hospitality!) to Atlanta, reads their website.



Croissants, eclairs, macarons, tarts, quiche and sandwiches grace the elegant menu. There's truly something special about a dessert case full of beautiful creations that are delicate and colorful.



I was immediately drawn to the bright yellow "lemon drop." Fresh flavors, soft mousse.



I would love to try every one of their fruit desserts - the cherry, the peach - because I'm sure they are amazing, too.



Grade: A

"Honest, clean" deep fried chicken from James Beard Award-winning Chef Linton Hopkins is served with biscuits and sides in the Central Food Hall at Ponce City Market.



"We serve 100% all-natural Georgia chicken, fried in peanut oil, and biscuits made from scratch daily," according to the website. I ordered a chicken biscuit, which features a house-made scratch buttermilk biscuit, 2 ounce fried chicken - which was all great. But really could've benefitted from a sauce for extra flavor and moisture.



Grade: B

Spiller Park Coffee is a Ponce City Market staple that features freshly brewed artisan coffee, espresso, tea, baked goods, and packaged ground coffee to enjoy at home.



James Beard Award–winning chef Hugh Acheson and coffee expert Dale Donchey joined forces to offer classics like espresso, Americanos, cappuccinos, etc. They also have a variety of toasts: avocado toast, butter toast, cinnamon sugar toast and jam toast.



I ordered a hot chocolate, which was darker, but a lovely silky chocolate. Still fairly heavy on bitterness, if that's your jam.



Grade: B

Atlanta's Buford Highway is known for having restaurants featuring cuisines from every corner of the globe.



With everything from Vietnamese and Korean to Colombian and Peruvian, the Buford Highway restaurant that stuck out to me was El Taco Veloz. Apparently Anthony Bourdain had said: "Best tacos in town. We love to stick with the barbacoa and the lengua. You’ll get two corn tortillas stuffed with slow roasted meat, white onions and cilantro."



So, I ordered the lengua. That is beef tongue for those keeping track. Tongue is a tough cut of meat so it has to be cooked for quite some time to make it tender. it is kind of rich and fairly fatty, but it does have a bit of gamey flavor. not my favorite, but not the worst.



Grade: B

"Today, Mary Mac’s is the last of sixteen tea rooms that once dotted intown Atlanta in the 1940s. The food is undeniably comforting, the atmosphere feels as familiar as your grandmother’s kitchen, and our staff treats every customer as if they were serving their long-lost cousin a holiday meal. We welcome you to come enjoy Atlanta’s Dining Room, where we have proudly served classic Southern cooking and hospitality since 1945! If it’s your first visit to Mary Mac’s, be sure to ask for your complimentary cup of pot likker and cornbread!" reads the website.



Back in 1945, Mary MacKenzie opened Mary Mac’s Tea Room near Peachtree Street on Ponce de Leon Avenue. In those tough days right after the end of World War II, enterprising women in search of a living, some of them mothers widowed by the war, were establishing restaurants all over Atlanta. At the time, a woman couldn’t just open up a restaurant, so many female proprietors used the more refined Southern name of “Tea Room.” Mary Mac’s Tea Room was one of 16 tearooms in Atlanta and seated 75 guests. Today, Mary Mac’s is the only original tearoom that remains.



Mary Mac’s originally opened with one dining room; today, we have 6 bustling dining rooms and a full service bar. The restaurant has expanded to 13,000 square feet, occupying several storefronts, and is one of the city’s five-largest restaurants. Though our restaurant has grown over the years, it’s still 1945 in the kitchen. We still do things the way Mary MacKenzie and her successor, renowned owner, Margaret Lupo (1962-1994), did things. Every morning, we shuck bushels of corn, hand wash our carefully selected greens, and snap fresh green beans by hand. We bake our own scrumptious breads and desserts, like old fashioned banana pudding, coconut cake, and fresh Georgia peach cobbler, and brew up the best sweet tea - “Table Wine of the South”.



I was served homemade cinmamon rolls to start. These were small and thin - and actually gave it some texture, which is usually my chief complaint with cinnamon rolls.



Then, it was potlikker and cornbread, which is complimentary for first-timers. Potlikker is the rich, flavorful liquid that's left over from slowly cooking greens or beans in a pot. It's a staple of Southern cuisine and is often seasoned with salt and pepper, smoked pork, or smoked turkey. Potlikker can be eaten as a meal on its own, or used as a base for soups, stews, and gravies.



Then, some of my favorite dishes: shrimp & cheese grits, macaroni & cheese, and sweet potato souffle. Hot, comforting and flavorful. It doesn't get much better.



Grade: A

Honeybee Coffee & Donut House is one of the sweetest spots I've visited in recent memory. Decked out in honeybee decor, this bakery takes the theme seriously - from food to drinks.



The shop is small, but there is some limited seating inside. The coffee drink menu is displayed on a chalkboard, and a mini donut conveyor belt churns out fresh donuts on the spot.



I ordered a frozen s'more drink and a blueberry-lemon donut. If these flavors don't scream summer, I don't know what does.



Refreshing and light, yet still a treat. This spot is a little gem.



Grade: A