Picnic Cafe and Dessertery — Restaurant in Dahlonega

This is an adorable little spot to cop a squat if you've got the munchies. I definitely recommend it if you're in the Dahlonega Square. I'm going to list a few pros and cons to make your decision easier. 😋💕💚

PROS:

They live up to their name and have a ton of desserts (cakes) to choose from. If you have a sweet tooth, this is your place!

They open early and serve breakfast, which is a nice treat if you're in the Square at that time.

The people who work there are super nice. I asked them to explain the different cakes (there were a couple exotic ones), etc. They were very happy to do that.

The Brunswick stew and cornbread are realllly good! The cornbread has little pieces of corn kernels in it. Yummm!!! 🌽😋

They have a nice, clean bathroom. To me, the way a place maintains their bathroom gives you a peek into how they maintain the back of the restaurant (where you can't see).

CONS:

It's small inside so the best option is to get one of the 3 little tables outside. In order to do that, you have to get there before 10:30am. If you can snag one of those tables, it's really nice (perfect for people-watching). 👀

Before we got up to leave, there were a few people loitering around us waiting for our table. 😂 Those outdoor tables are in high demand on pretty days!

Once it gets busy inside, the servers kinda forget about the people outside. That was no problem for us. I just got off my butt and walked inside. Some people might not like that though.

As always (this is just a general "con") --- parking in the square can be a challenge. Just get there early. If you want to stop by this place on a whim at lunchtime, you will likely have to park far away and walk.

My picture is of the "BBQ Plate." It didn't look like I expected, but it was very tasty! See the little container? I don't know what that was. I wasn't brave enough to try it. Maybe pickles or peppers? Even without that, it was...

EDIT: Changing from 3 stars to 1 because I don't know how to give zero stars! Even though I said I would not go back, I did. I should not have. There are so many tables crammed into the small dining room that it is awkward and uncomfortable for guests to even get to a table. The manager or owner stopped to chat at a table and there was no other way to get to a table until he moved. The BBQ sandwich served on very fresh bread doesn't even make sense- it's a mess to eat and there isn't even BBQ sauce on it. This place is a nightmare.

PREVIOUS REVIEW: I was visiting in town recently and had lunch here with my daughter and her roommate. Overall, everything was pretty....adequate. The price, the service, the food was all adequate. We had a table, our order was taken, our food was delivered and we ate it and it wasn't a horrible experience. I'm not mad about it, but I probably won't return. I had the chicken salad - it wasn't horrible but it reminded me of how my grandmother used to make it when she lost track of how much mayo she put in. The Turkey sandwich and the Barbeque sandwich were ok but honestly there are a couple of places with a drive thru window that do it better - in presentation and taste. In this location, a restaurant with this theme, could make some minor adjustments that would really put them over the top. If menu adjustments can't be made then service needs to really be top notch..... but maybe adequate is ok. If I'm going to recommend a place to someone it's going to be because either the food was great, the theme/atmosphere was great, the service was great - something has...

We discovered Dahlonega a couple of years ago and that first day we discovered the Picnic Café while walking around the square about 10am scoping everything out. We settled in for a great breakfast. My wife picked up some muffins and pastries for later. We went for a hike to a waterfall and returned for lunch. Soup, sandwich. Wow! top of the line chicken salad sandwich. Returned the next day for breakfast again and got sandwiches to go for our exploring that day. That was the day I discovered the BLT with pimento cheese. We've made about 5 trips back to the area because it is easy to reach, beautiful fun and much cooler place than coastal GA in the summer and not bone chilling cold in the winter. And every trip includes several visits to the Picnic Café to have breakfast, get a take out lunch and stock up for goodies for later. All food is made fresh from local ingredients, where possible, made with care and the staff is super attentive and get it right every time. The place is small and kind of confusing, so don't go here if you are in a hurry. You're on vacation! We like sitting inside, so you might have to wait for a seat a little while. Outdoor sidewalk dining too. Or you can just go sit somewhere in the square. We've tried a lot of other places to eat in Dahlonega ranging for OK to alright. Keep coming back to this place every time and haven't had a...