6 Georgia Restaurants That Disappoint With Pot Pie And 6 That Taste Just Like Home
Nothing soothes the soul quite like a perfectly baked pot pie—flaky golden crust on the outside, rich, savory filling on the inside, evoking memories of cozy meals in grandma’s kitchen.
Determined to find the best of the best, I set off on a pot pie pilgrimage across Georgia, tasting my way through diners, bakeries, and bistros from Atlanta to Savannah.
Along the way, I discovered some absolute gems that nailed the balance of crust and comfort, and a few that left me wondering what went wrong. Here’s my honest, fork-in-hand breakdown of Georgia’s most memorable pot pies—both hits and misses.
1. Southern Comfort Gone Wrong at Peachtree Diner
My excitement fizzled faster than flat soda when the server placed Peachtree Diner’s infamous pot pie before me. The crust looked promising—golden and flaky—but that’s where the magic ended.
Beneath that deceiving top layer lurked a watery filling that had about as much flavor as cardboard. The chicken chunks were sparse and chewy, like they’d been reheated one too many times.
What really broke my heart was the canned vegetables swimming in the bland gravy. For a place that boasts ‘Southern comfort food,’ this pot pie felt more like Southern discomfort. Save your money and your taste buds for somewhere that respects this classic dish!
2. Granny’s Kitchen: Pot Pie Paradise Found
Heaven exists in Macon, and it’s shaped like Granny’s Kitchen’s chicken pot pie! The moment they bring it to your table, steam curling up from perfectly scored pastry, you know you’re in for something special.
The crust shatters beautifully under your fork, revealing chunks of roasted chicken that must have been seasoned by angels. Fresh peas, carrots, and potatoes swim in a gravy so rich and velvety it could make a grown person weep with joy.
Last Tuesday, I drove two hours just for this pot pie, and I’d do it again tomorrow. The owner, Ms. Patty, uses her grandmother’s recipe from 1923, and you can taste the generations of love in every bite.
3. Uptown Bistro’s Pretentious Pot Pie Flop
Fancy doesn’t always mean better—a lesson Uptown Bistro in Buckhead needs to learn pronto. Their ‘deconstructed’ pot pie (red flag number one) arrived looking like a science experiment gone wrong.
The chef apparently thought replacing traditional crust with puff pastry ‘croutons’ was revolutionary. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. The filling contained truffle oil so overpowering it made my eyes water, completely masking the flavor of the organic free-range chicken they wouldn’t stop bragging about.
My wallet felt $24 lighter for what amounted to pretentious soup with floating pastry islands. Sometimes classics become classics for a reason—they don’t need reinventing!
4. Mary’s Farmhouse: Pot Pie Perfection
Tucked away on a country road outside Athens sits Mary’s Farmhouse, where pot pies are prepared with the kind of loving care usually reserved for newborn babies. My first bite transported me straight to childhood—when comfort food could fix anything.
Mary uses vegetables harvested that morning from her garden out back, giving the filling a freshness that supermarket ingredients just can’t match. The chicken comes from her neighbor’s farm, and the difference is immediately noticeable in both texture and flavor.
The real showstopper, though, is her butter-laden crust that somehow manages to stay intact until your fork breaks through, releasing an aromatic steam that’s better than any fancy perfume.
5. Sweet Auburn BBQ’s Smoky Twist on Tradition
Barbecue meets pot pie? Count me in! Sweet Auburn BBQ’s smoked brisket pot pie had me doing a happy dance right at the table, embarrassing my lunch date completely.
The genius behind this creation substitutes traditional chicken with their 12-hour smoked brisket, which adds a depth of flavor that’s downright revolutionary. Their cornbread crust—yes, cornbread!—provides the perfect sweet counterpoint to the savory, smoky filling.
Last month during a rainstorm, this pot pie warmed me from the inside out. The vegetables still have a slight crunch, the gravy has hints of their house BBQ sauce, and somehow they’ve managed to honor both pot pie tradition and barbecue heritage in one magnificent dish.
6. The Fancy Fork’s Flavorless Fiasco
Appearances can be deceiving, as proven by The Fancy Fork’s Instagram-worthy but taste-bud-disappointing pot pie. Their version arrived looking like it belonged in a food magazine—perfectly browned, expertly crimped edges, even a cute little pastry leaf on top.
My excitement vanished with the first bite. Despite the beautiful presentation, the filling tasted like someone forgot to season it entirely. Salt? Pepper? Herbs? All missing in action.
The vegetables were clearly frozen, with that characteristic mushy texture that no amount of fancy presentation can disguise. Even the menu’s promise of ‘buttery, flaky crust’ fell flat—more like dry and tough. Proof that not everything pretty tastes good!
7. Nana’s Kitchen: Time-Capsule Taste
Walking into Nana’s Kitchen feels like stepping into your grandmother’s house—if your grandmother was the world’s best pot pie maker. This Savannah gem has been serving the same recipe since 1962, and not a thing about it needs changing.
The owner, Betty (who is indeed someone’s Nana), still rolls out each crust by hand every morning. You can watch her through the kitchen window, flour dusting her cheeks as she works the dough with experienced hands.
My favorite part? The perfect ratio of crust to filling. Each bite delivers both flaky pastry and creamy chicken goodness without one overwhelming the other.
8. Modern Plate’s Microwave Disappointment
Modern Plate advertises ‘homemade comfort food,’ but their pot pie would make any self-respecting grandma stage an intervention. My suspicions began when it arrived at the table just three minutes after ordering—impossibly fast unless it was pre-made.
The crust had that distinctive rubbery texture that only comes from microwave reheating. Biting into it revealed a filling that was nuclear-hot on the edges but still frozen in the center—the telltale sign of hasty microwave work.
Adding insult to injury was the unmistakable taste of preservatives that lingered long after I’d paid the bill. My guess? This ‘homemade’ pot pie came straight from a freezer box to my plate with minimal human intervention.
9. Farmhouse Table: Garden-to-Crust Excellence
Seasonal eating reaches its pinnacle with Farmhouse Table’s ever-changing pot pie menu. My spring visit featured a chicken pot pie bursting with fresh asparagus, peas, and early carrots that tasted like they’d been pulled from the ground that morning.
The chef works exclusively with local farmers, meaning the ingredients in your pot pie traveled fewer miles than you did to get there. This dedication to freshness isn’t just good ethics—it’s good eating.
During my last visit, I watched the owner’s children collecting herbs from the restaurant’s garden window boxes. Those same herbs perfumed my pot pie’s gravy, creating a farm-fresh experience that chain restaurants can only dream of replicating. Worth every penny of the $16 price tag!
10. Truck Stop Tragedy at Highway Diner
Road trips sometimes lead to culinary discoveries—and sometimes to regrettable food choices like Highway Diner’s infamous pot pie. Located just off I-75, this truck stop adjacent eatery serves what they generously call a ‘homestyle pot pie’ that’s anything but homey.
The gravy had that distinctive metallic taste that only comes from industrial-sized cans. Mystery meat lurked within—allegedly chicken, but I had my doubts. The vegetables maintained perfect cubic shapes that nature never intended, clearly processed and frozen long ago.
Most offensive was the crust—not made in-house but clearly a pre-formed shell that had seen better days. Even the hungry truckers at neighboring tables seemed to be forcing it down rather than enjoying it.
11. Grandma’s Table: Worth the Reservation Wait
Getting a table at Grandma’s might require booking weeks in advance, but their legendary chicken pot pie justifies the wait and then some. My first visit came after hearing a friend rave about it for months—expectations were sky-high, and somehow, they were exceeded.
What makes this pot pie special? For starters, they roast whole chickens in-house, pulling the meat by hand for maximum tenderness. The vegetables maintain perfect texture—soft but not mushy—and the gravy achieves that elusive silky consistency without being too thick or too thin.
The crust deserves its own fan club, with layers that would make a French pastry chef weep with joy. Pro tip: Ask for a corner piece to maximize your crust-to-filling ratio!
12. Corner Cafe’s Confused Culinary Identity
Corner Cafe can’t seem to decide what it wants to be—part sports bar, part family restaurant, part wannabe fine dining. This identity crisis extends to their pot pie, which suffers from the same confusion.
The menu describes it as ‘fusion pot pie with Asian influences,’ but what arrived was a traditional pot pie with a random drizzle of sriracha and a few sad sesame seeds scattered on top. The filling remained stubbornly Western, with no hint of the promised lemongrass or ginger.
Even ignoring the failed fusion attempt, the basics weren’t executed well—tough chicken, undercooked carrots, and a crust that tasted suspiciously like refrigerated biscuit dough. Some traditions shouldn’t be messed with unless you’re truly committed to the concept!