Food on Spring Road

If you head north on Cobb Parkway, duck under I-285, but turn left at the light, you'll be on Spring Road. Options include:

On the left:
Wendy's -- national burger chain
Applebee's -- national pub grub chain
Chin Chin Chinese -- local chain, cuisine and sushi
Panda Express -- national Chinese fast food

On the right:
Minato Japanese Restaurant -- local sushi and steak
Papa John's Pizza -- national pizza delivery chain

After the light at Cumberland Blvd:
On the right:
McDonald's -- international burger chain giant
Aldi -- grocery store
On the left:
Burger King -- other international burger chain giant
Further up on the right:
Wing Lab -- wings
Subway -- national sandwich chain giant

A couple more lights, past Argyle Elementary School and the fire station, on the left in the Plantation Pointe Shopping Center:
Smyrna Liquors -- alcohol
US Cafe Express -- burgers, wings, onion rings, fries, shakes
China Station -- local Chinese
Cobb International Farmers Market -- Asian grocery, hot wings and sushi available inside

You may have noticed by now that the street Cumberland Blvd seems to cross everything. There is both a Cumberland Blvd and a Cumberland Pkwy in the area. Cumberland Blvd crosses Cobb Pkwy north of I-285, then crosses Spring Rd, runs west of Cumberland Mall (behind it), and intersects Cobb Pkwy again but south, down by the Parkway Pointe shopping center. There is an HHGregg Crossing shopping center on Cumberland Blvd between Spring Rd and Cobb Pkwy. So if you turned left on Spring, and then right on Cumberland Blvd (just before McDonald's), up the hill on the left you would find:
Domino's pizza -- the other national pizza delivery chain
Juice and Java -- local coffee and juice drinks
Unique Indian Cuisine -- local Indian buffet
Bar-B-Q and Seafood -- local and just what it says

None of these several food posts takes you beyond exit 20. There is more food one exit West/South at Paces Ferry/Vinings, Exit 18. And there is some truly lovely upscale dining in Vinings. If you continue yet one more exit to Atlanta Rd, Exit 16, there are also some very good choices. I mention this because J. Christopher's is at the corner of Atlanta Rd and Cumberland Pkwy, just a right turn and half a mile from the exit. Sunday morning food may be a little hard to find, and local chain J. Christopher's is a good option, although crowded as it is well-known in the area. They are open at 7 AM.

For more food options check out:
The Blissful Glutton -- local blogger reviewing local restaurants
Access Atlanta -- web portal run by local newspaper
Creative Loafing -- web portal run by other newspaper
Urban Spoon -- reviews and more, try either Atlanta or if you don't want to drive too far, just Smyrna (north of I-285) and Vinings (south of I-285).

Food on Cobb Parkway North of Galleria

If you want to drive in the other direction through Smyrna 30080, here's what you'll find if you go north on Cobb Parkway.

Ducking underneath I-285, the first restaurant is Atlanta-based Waffle House, on the left, open 24 hours.

Past the light at Spring Rd. and heading up the hill you'll find on the right:
Indian Cuisine -- local Indian food
Dunkin' Donuts / Baskin Robbins -- donuts, coffee, and ice-cream
Jade Palace -- Chinese buffet and sushi
on the left:
Steak N Shake -- burgers and shakes
and in Cumberland Marketplace:
Starbucks Coffee -- coffee, pastries
blu Sushi -- local sushi, grill, seafood, bar, has a good Chrysanthemum roll
Continuing up the hill:
Taco Bell -- national chain Mexican fast food
Doc's Food & Spirits -- basic American, Sunday brunch begins at noon

At the top of the hill past the Cumberland Blvd/Windy Ridge Pkwy light, on the right:
Kentucky Fried Chicken -- national fried chicken chain
Red Lobster -- national seafood restaurant chain
The Border Mexican Restaurant -- local Mexican cuisine

And continuing down the hill on the right in Cumberland Square North shopping center:
Olive Garden -- national Italian restaurant, outparcel
Thompson Brother's Bar-B-Q -- local barbecue, worth a trip is you are unfamiliar with Southern barbecue
Yakitori Jinbei -- Japanese and sushi
Wise Ash Cigars -- tobacco
Quizno's Sub -- warm sandwiches

From the top of the hill on the left in Heritage Pavilion:
Cost Plus World Market -- chocolate and wine
Then headed down in the hill on the left in the Promenade shopping center:
Lee's Golden Buddha #7 -- local Chinese restaurant chain
Scalini's -- local Italian, location of Saturday Ravelry meet-up
and the outparcels:
Bruster's Real Ice Cream -- ice cream
IHOP -- pancakes, Sunday morning food, open 24 hours; their local link

Food on Cobb Parkway South of Galleria

If you don't mind getting in a car and driving a little, there are even more food options on Cobb Parkway / US 41. Most of these take you out of line of sight of Cobb Galleria Center, but as long as you can remember one turn to get back, you'll be fine. Going south, you are in postal code Atlanta 30339, also called Vinings.

On Akers Mill Road, south of Cumberland Mall and across from Sears is Quizno's Subs.
At the corner of Akers Mill Road and Cobb Parkway is a Barnes and Nobles. Inside is a Starbucks Coffee.
On the same side of the street but further south are:
Olde Mill Steakhouse -- red meat
Mykonos Grill -- local Greek cuisine, but be patient if you go

Then in the Cumberland Festival strip mall you will find:
Planet Smoothie -- Atlanta-based chain, smoothies,
Pizza Hut / Wing Street -- pizza, wings
Philly Connection -- cheesesteaks
Schlotzsky's Deli -- deli sandwiches
Haagen Dazs -- ice cream

If you continue south, past the AT&T tower on the left, you'll find Parkway Pointe shopping center with a Borders Bookstore and a movie theater. There are two outparcels:
Don Pablo's Mexican Kitchen -- Mexican restaurant
Copeland's Famous New Orlean's Restaurant and Bar -- Cajun cuisine, cheesecake, and Sunday brunch begins at 10 AM

Past the light at Cumberland Blvd and still on the left is the Cumberland Pointe shopping center. In there you'll find:
doc green's -- Atlanta-based chain, salads, grill, healthy fare
Shane's rib shack -- barbecue ribs
Moe's southwest grill -- southwest and Mexican food

A little farther south but now on your right will be:
China Moon -- local Chinese & sushi, well-reviewed in the newspaper
T. P. Cigars -- tobacco

And next to them in the Riverview Village shopping center:
Olive Bistro -- Mediterranean cafe, two Atlanta locations
Tomo Japanese Restaurant -- Japanese & sushi
Thai diner -- local Thai
Kroger -- grocery
And along the side that faces Paces Mill not Cobb Pkwy:
Vinings Bottle Shop -- alcohol
Taverna Florentina -- local Italian cuisine

Across the street back on the left side of Cobb Parkway in Vinings Junction shopping center:
Subway -- national sandwich chain
Laseter's Tavern -- nice pub grub
Pizza Construction Co. -- pizza

A little farther south puts you across the Chattahoochee River and into Fulton county.

Food at Akers Mill Square

(Stitched photo: from left to right Soup Garden, Honeybaked, Sprint, Subway, My Friends Place, & Wine Styles.)
South of Cobb Galleria Center is Akers Mill Square Shopping Center. There are several food options here:
Soup Garden -- soups and salads
Honeybaked -- the famous hams
Subway -- sandwiches
My Friends Place -- deli
Wine Styles -- wine & cigars

There are several outparcels in the shopping center. They include:
Hooters -- need I say more?
Chick-fil-A -- Atlanta-based chicken sandwich chain
Chipotle Mexican Grill -- Mexican restaurant
Longhorn Steakhouse -- red meat

Hidden at the far south end but worth finding, between the post office and Toys "R" Us, is Top Spice -- Thai & Malaysian cuisine, a local restaurant with only two locations.

Food at Cumberland Mall

One of the most obvious architectural landmarks on Cobb Parkway/US 41 is the pedestrian bridge connecting Cobb Galleria Centre with Cumberland Mall. If you don't mind walking a little, there are many, many food choices just across the street.

On the Cobb Parkway side of the mall are a number of well-known national restaurant chains.
You will see:
Jason's Deli -- sandwiches and box lunches, located between Sears and Maggiano's
Maggiano's Little Italy -- Italian, including carry out
Cheesecake Factory -- a wide assortment of foods, plus amazing desserts
Ted's Montana Grill -- red meat, founded by Atlantan Ted Turner, located between Cheesecake Factory and P. F. Chang's
P. F. Chang's China Bistro -- Chinese food
Stoney River Legendary Steaks -- more red meat, located at the end of the mall, towards Costco

Inside the mall on the downstairs level:
F2O (Fresh to Order) -- salads and sandwiches, an Atlanta-area chain, located just inside the Costco end of the mall
Planet Smoothie -- Atlanta-based chain offers smoothies, sandwiches, and soups, located in a kiosk toward the Costco end of the mall
Nestle Tollhouse Cafe -- cookies, ice cream, coffee drinks, located in a kiosk toward the Costco end of the mall
Starbucks Coffee -- coffee, pastries, and other nibbles, located in the center court, enter between Cheesecake Factory and P. F. Chang's
Haagen Dazs -- ice cream, located in the center court, enter between Cheesecake Factory and P. F. Chang's

Inside the mall upstairs in the food court, which is towards the Sears end of the mall:
Cinnabon -- cinnamon buns
Tokyo Express -- Japanese carry out
Farmers Basket -- chicken, vegetables, home-style meals
Mandarin Express -- Chinese carry out
A&D Buffalo's -- wings & cheesesteaks
Dairy Queen -- ice cream, burgers, hot dogs
Big Easy Cajun -- Cajun cooking
Taco Bell -- Mexican fast food
Chick-fil-A -- Atlanta-based chicken sandwich fast food, not open on Sundays
Sbarro -- pizza and Italian
Great Wraps -- wraps, sandwiches, pitas, and salads
Auntie Anne's Pretzels -- soft pretzels
Nestle Tollhouse Cafe -- cookies, ice cream, coffee drinks, in a free-standing kiosk

Additionally, there are a number of emphatically-not-Atlanta-based Pepsi vending machines and bubble gum/candy machines throughout the mall.

Food at Cobb Galleria Center

This will be the first of several posts about where to find food while you attend STITCHES South.

The convention is in the Cobb Galleria Centre and Renaissance Waverly Hotel. The Galleria does have a speciality shopping area and there are a few restaurants right there on site. You can also find more information at the official site for the Cobb County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Firstly, let's remember that there are several eating opportunities during the convention. If you are taking The Works or Almost the Works, you already have these. Other attendees can register for these as well:
Thursday lunch from noon to 1 PM, right after the spotlight with Elise Duvekot.
Friday fashion show at 6:30 PM followed by dinner at 8 PM.
Saturday student banquet at 6:30 PM and student fashion show.

Secondly, remember the basics for attending any convention -- bring a no-spill thermos/mug and pack a few granola bars. We don't want anyone surviving off Cheetos and diet Coke. If you don't keep your blood sugar at a good level, you'll be frogging your classwork. Nobody wants that.

Your choices on site:
Chow Baby -- a create your own stir fry restaurant near the main entrance to the Galleria
Jocks and Jills -- a sports bar, located near the entrance by the parking deck
Subway -- national sandwich chain, located in the mall center, near the escalator
China Sun Express -- Chinese & Thai carry out, and Asian ice cream, located in the mall center, near the escalator
Espresso Bar -- a coffee and snack stand, located in the mall center, near the escalator

There will also be concessions on site in the market and expo area.
And there is a Coca-cola machine in the downstairs hallway that leads back to the hotel.