Preserve

This little gem on Broad Street is a delight! The food is delicious and well-​priced. My husband had the steak and I had a shrimp and grits special. Both were very tasty. I would love to come back for brunch. They have beer and wine, with nice selections of bottles/​cans and draught. They also have a menu of wine and champagne cocktails that looks very fun.

Awesome little place, small drink and beer menu but what they have is great. Food was great as well. Everyone should try this place out.

I should have just left. Ordered a crustacean… they were out of shrimp. So I ordered a falafel sammie… they were out of falafel. Ordered the gouda burger and was beyond disappointed. I convinced 2 friends to go with and have been apologizing ever since.

Such an odd little eatery in an odd spot. You’d think they were a bland diner, and you’d be wrong. They have a tiny menu to match their tiny edifice, but the food is actually high quality and tasty, and the prices are reasonable. We had a hummus appetizer, shrimp and grits, curry, and a poundcake and berry dessert. We liked all of it.
I am docking them a little because they had some tasty sounding snacks that were available only with the purchase of alcohol. As a nondrinker, this was most annoying.

Just had dinner here. Cool atmosphere. Great food.
I am not a person who gives 5 Star reviews willy nilly. But this place had a great setting (mind you its really small but has outdoor area in warmer months). I was amazed at the special I got, some shrimp and grits thing that gave me killer heart burn (but was completely worth it!).
I would definitely go again. Great find if you are heading into Athens. Order the lime soda thing but have them quadruple the sweet syrup. :)

Great place! I’ve had the burger and the chicken and waffles and I was not disappointed. I wish it did have more seating area.

Fun food combinations. Great vegetarian choices. I had the kimchi sandwich and it was super good! Good drinks, too.

Great food (sandwiches) and a cool place to enjoy the cozy atmosphere. The staff was great when we got there, they welcomed us right in. The sandwiches were excellent. Pass on the fries next time. They were soggy shoe string fries. I mean soggy… like they are oil sponges. I don’t know. Maybe that was intentional. But we just didn’t care for it. We will defiantly return for sandwiches. So many wonderful ones on the menu that it will take a while to try them all.

High quality ingredients, creative dishes, generous portions, and a fun atmosphere. The menu changes regularly and I haven’t been disappointed by anything yet (except the BBQ tofu, which was a sad attempt at a vegetarian option).

I’ve been twice for lunch and have enjoyed it both times. I’ve had the kimchi sandwich and the falafel. The kimchi was my fave but both delicious. Also tried the mac cheese because of all the reviews and it was yummy, but very rich! Last time I went they mentioned they were updating the menus, so excited to find out what they are adding!

After months of coming here on the regular I will not, unfortunately, be returning again.
The menu changed since my last review as has seating (there’s a lot more outside including a kind of junky area) and the overall quality of the food has declined. Here’s what went down:
Husband: Hey, while we’re in Athens this afternoon let’s go to Preserve! We haven’t been in a bit and I want to try their burger because IT LOOKS AMAZING.
Me: Heck yeah! Let’s go. But wait, I better call to make sure they’re open because that’s a a bit out of the way on our drive. *picks up phone & makes the call… ring*
Them: Preserve!
Me: Hi! Just checking to see if y’all are open!
Them: *big dramatic sigh* Yep. Same as always *dramatic pause* Wednesday thru Sunday.
Me: Ok. We will soon you soon!
Them: *moment of silence then a ‘click’ as the phone hangs up*
Me: Sh*t. This doesn’t bode well.
I should’ve heeded the negative phone vibe omen!
We walk into the place and are greeted by an extremely friendly and expedient waitstaff (obviously not the rude dude from the phone) in the form of a petite blonde. She was energetic, patient with describing food to the guy at the table next to us and full of genuine suggestions. So the extra star is for her!
A few beer beers on tap on the board, 1 special (a catfish sandwich, I believe, at $ 11 without sides), 1 dessert available and a few brunchy drinks still on the list. Paper menu had a few sandwiches, a few salads, a variety plate, sides at $ 3.50 a pop and a few dinner options around $ 18 that were not described anywhere. Maybe use up some of that space on the chalkboard wall to try to sell the steak, fish and pasta dinner entrees with kicky descriptions? Some beers and wines, a few non-​alcoholic drinks and some coffee drinks round out the menu.
Husband wanted that burger. No question for him! I went with a few sides since I wasn’t starving. It was all pretty gross.
The burger was a towering concoction comprised of a huge chunk of meat, iceberg lettuce, red tomato, a sesame seed bun that tasted stale and a drowning of sauce that left everything a soggy mess in 2 seconds. My husband said it was hard to eat and wasn’t anything special which disappointed him immensely as he almost never ever eats red meat. His fries were limp shoe strings that were not hot and way too greasy. He must’ve used up about 20 napkins in the end.
My cornbread was dry, weirdly sweetish and cool in the middle despite a very warm exterior. I don’t know how their kitchen runs but I assumed there was a flattop that didn’t take care of things correctly. For $ 3.50 that wedge of cornbread was a MEGA fail. Mac & cheese was great but served in a tiny cup (maybe 3oz?) and not worth $ 3.50 either but closer to being the appropriate price.
Sparkling limeade was undrinkable because it was flat and not sweet in the slightest.
Dessert was a soggy waffle topped with a berry compote as well ice cream and whipped cream. The ice cream tasted like grocery store brand and the whipped cream was definitely from a can. Y’all, it’s so easy to make whipped cream. It takes 2 minutes and they had all the integral components — cream & powdered sugar — there on premise. And the dessert was $ 9!
By the end of the meal I was bummed but when I got my check I was almost irate. Over $ 40? I’m not a cheapo by any means but I do like the price and product to match. It didn’t do that here and it’s a righteous shame.
While others might find their meals to be good or acceptable, I’ll pass on this spot in the future. A continual decline in the quality and care of the food has been presented to me every time I walk in the door. On the visit in question I finally saw the writing on the (chalkboard) wall. It’s just not the place for me to part with my hard earned money. For the same amount I’ll be visiting The National or similar ilk.

My hubby and I just moved to Athens, and we were looking for a yummy place to eat for brunch. We decided to eat our very first meal at Preserve, and we weren’t disappointed.
The restaurant is small and intimate with only a few tables inside, but the turnover rate is pretty quick. The service was great and the waitress was friendly.
I ended up ordering a strawberry hibiscus lemonade with a chicken kimchi sandwich. The strawberry hibiscus lemonade was deliciously sweet with just the right amount of tang from the hibiscus. The Kimchi sandwich was out of this world. The combination of the spicy/​sweet Mayo, kimchi, and fresh cilantro were amazing!
We had read reviews about the shells and cheese too, so we decided to order a side as well. The reviews did not disappoint. I’m not generally a fan of mac and cheese, but Preserve’s shells and cheese have definitely made me a believer.
We will definitely be coming back to try other items on the menu!

Excellent! Super friendly owner and delicious food. Chocolate peanut butter pie was yummy too! I ordered the fried chicken sandwich but with no bun so they put the Gouda in a cute little jar with blueberry compote.

Go here. It’s tiny, and it looks kind of sketchy from the outside, but it was delicious. We had the burger, shells with cheese, and butter chicken. While the burger was underdone when we got it, they apologized profusely and fixed it right away. They also gave us an appetizer on the house and didn’t charge us for the burger. They were also incredibly friendly, and it has a great atmosphere.
Did I mention it was all delicious? I don’t know what those shells and cheese have in them, but it’s amazing, and the butter chicken was great, too.

Probably one of my top three favorite restaurants in Athens. It doesn’t look like much on the outside but the service was excellent and the food was out of this world. I’m sure the menu changes a lot but I got the special and it was incredible. The peach-​butter dessert waffle was simple and inspired!

Excuse me while I wax poetic about this place… but really, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten somewhere with such a particular taste and style. I overheard a convo about how the place is named because they specialize in preserving vegetables and stuff, so I immediately changed my order from the French toast to the grilled cheese and pickles. Good call. My boyfriend ordered pancakes, and we both had HUGE portions (and these pancakes are somethin’ special, I am telling you). The pickles weren’t what I thought they would be, and I loved it. The cook just really knows how to pair flavors and textures and everything was so good. I got two sides because I couldn’t pick, and the potato wedges with the herb mayo was good but OH MAN THE SHELLS & CHEESE. I’m weirdly picky about mac and cheese, and this is the third place I’ve actually enjoyed it. If I could order just a huge bowl of this, I would. And then I’d take a second order home.
The portion size matches what you’re paying for, and I like the feel in the restaurant. Friendly service– we did wait longer than we expected for the food, but it was so worth it.

I happened by this spot while driving through Athens and thought it looked charming. When I saw the high Unilocal reviews, I decided I had to give it a shot for dinner. And now I’m sad because I live in Atlanta, but want to eat here every day.
I had the fresh limeade to drink– which is literally fresh, as in, the guy squeezed limes to make it. My boyfriend got a pasta dish, and I had the butter chicken. Both were extraordinary. The butter chicken was especially phenomenal. The space itself is so lovely– cleverly designed, especially given how tiny it is (only six or seven tables). The staff was attentive and friendly.
It’s a very, very small spot, and has a small staff– but they work very, very hard. It wasn’t the fastest meal I’ve had, but it was so spectacular– and the place is so charming and fun– that I didn’t care.

I am not sure what I was expecting, but what we got exceeded all my expectations from the friendly service to the delicious food. I came with a group of three friends. I ordered the bolognese, which was made with pork. I am not sure how I did it as the portion was generous, but I ate every bite. My friends ordered the pork sandwich, the butter chicken, side salad, and shells and cheese. Everything looked amazing and considering I heard no complaints from my friends, it’s safe to say that I will want to be coming back to try out more dishes. We ordered the fresh squeezed limeade and lemonade to drink, which was delicious and not too sweet. We were too stuffed to try the espresso or desserts, but I am looking forward to it next time.
The building that the Preserve is in looked like it once was a drivein/​carhop where waiters would bring take your order and bring you food on roller skates. This location has gone through a round of different restaurants because of the strange location just west of downtown. Inside there’s enough seating for maybe about a dozen people (about ten among the tables and a couple at the bar). It’s a cozy atmosphere and the chef is in the kitchen making the dishes to order. I found it amazing that he was able to whip out the four dishes to be served around the same time. Plus, he came out later to ask us how our food was. Our server was also friendly, informative, and great. I hope this place stays in business so that I can keep coming back!

This place was a quick favorite. As soon as we walked in, I immediately could tell I’d love it. It is cozy and feels like a small diner.
I ordered the handmade lemonade and my husband got the handmade limeade. They were made right then — nice and fresh and delicious. Despite the menu being small, I had a hard time deciding what to get. After some assistance, I chose the tilapia sandwich — it was incredible. The tilapia was pan-​seared, with a couple of different types of flavorful sauces, red cabbage slaw, lettuce and tomato, and served on a crispy torta bun. It was huge and delicious!
My husband ordered the grilled cheese — it was hot, crispy, and oh so yummy! The cheese was oozing out the sides. We also got a side of the roasted potatoes — it came with a side of lemony creamy sauce. I can’t remember what it’s called but it is perfect. The shells & cheese was also really yummy!
Everything was made fresh to order and came out really hot! If you want real food served with love, this is the place to go. I can’t wait to go again.

My girlfriend and I saw this place open up and knew we wanted to try it out of sheer curiosity. After having a coffee there and speaking with the owners, I knew I had to try their food. This man is someone who stands behind his work and brings a level of quality and understanding that you rarely see in a restaurant at this price. We later ate the lamb burger with mint lapne as well as the butter chicken with cilantro, beets, and fried chicken skins. The food tasted great and you could really experience the differences in flavor that each dish had. They both were amazing. Price, presentation, and thoughtfulness of every dish was a complete treat. Highly recommended.