Check out these new restaurants in Macon and Warner Robins. Have you tried any yet?

Becky Purser
·7 min read

From chef-driven fine dining to walk-up eats, several new restaurants are now open in Macon, Warner Robins and Byron.

Most are family-owned and operated. All are independently owned.

Four serve up authentic food from the native countries of their owners. Three offer carefully selected and prepared steaks and other choice dishes. One is a chicken joint. Two are pizza places. The newest in downtown Macon offers sharables, salads, dips and a couple of flatbeds.

Here’s thumbnail sketch of each these new stops that opened over the last couple of months.

Cast iron ribeye steak at 3rd & Cherry in downtown Macon.
Cast iron ribeye steak at 3rd & Cherry in downtown Macon.

Sophia’s on Second

This new restaurant and cocktail bar can be found at at 428 Second St. in downtown Macon. The new spot offers shareables, including classic and spicy charcuterie boards, ahi tuna and Hawaiian skewers, as well as salads, including a summer salad and a caprese salad. Also on the menu are dips such as beer cheese and chorizo sausage and two flatbreads, Mexican and margherita.

The new venture is brought to you by Ron Whidby and his business partners in the former spot of Lazy Susan’s Tapas Bar. The restaurant and cocktail bar is named after Whidby’s daughter. He also co-owns Cashman’s Pub at 370 Cherry St. in downtown Macon and The Library Tap House and Kitchen at 1530 Mercer University Drive. Sophia’s on Second is open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, 4 pm. to 10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.

3rd & Cherry

This steak and seafood restaurant with a touch of Caribbean flair is nestled in downtown Macon at 379 Cherry St. Named after the corner where it’s located, 3rd & Cherry is the first restaurant for 45-year-old Heriberto “Eddy” Lopez, who’s been working in restaurants since he was a teenager.

Entrees include a 14 ounce ribeye, salmon with white wine sauce, lamb chops with mint jelly, Eidson shrimp, Liam’s chicken breasts and sesame crusted ahi tuna. Edison shrimp and Liam’s chicken are named after his two boys. For a taste of the Caribbean, try Caribbean Shrimp Mofongo.

The restaurant currently is open only for dinner but is expected to add lunch hours in August. Hours now are 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. The number is 478-216-5200.

Liam’s chicken breast at 3rd & Cherry in downtown Macon.
Liam’s chicken breast at 3rd & Cherry in downtown Macon.

ZAAP Thai Street Food

True to its name, which means delicious or spicy in Thai, ZAAP can be found at 670 Lake Joy Road, Suite 400, in Warner Robins. The restaurant is owned and operated by sisters Kai Patacharee Sintuwong and Kook Supranee Sritan and their cousin Annie Porntip Ngernngok. Among the variety of appetizers are crispy pork belly, garlic chives dumpling and bang bang shrimp. The six noodle dishes include Pad Thai, Pad Ma Ma Tom Yum Noodle Soup. Among the main course offerings are Pad Kana Moo Krop, barbecue duck and Thai fried rice with choice of protein. Hours are 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. The number is 478-287-2080.

Pad Thai with jumbo shrimp at ZAAP Thai Street Food in Warner Robins.
Pad Thai with jumbo shrimp at ZAAP Thai Street Food in Warner Robins.

Prominent Bar & Restaurant

Owned by Mondrika and Thomas Tomlin, this bar and restaurant is just off Interstate 75 at 315 Ga. 49, Suite B, in Byron. The restaurant offers a weekly menu and rotates the Sunday menu to offer either a breakfast brunch or Southern dinner options.

Some choices from the weekly menu include Prominent wings, Key house dip, batter fried conch, chef loaded potato, Prominent savory chicken and seasoned Sazon rice. Among the bar offers are signature cocktails and daiquiris. Hours are noon to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 12:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The number is 478-654-5000.

Royaltee seafood rice at Prominent Bar and Restaurant in Byron. The entree is described on the menu as seasoned Sazon rice with a combination of shrimp and crabmeat served with one snow crab cluster.
Royaltee seafood rice at Prominent Bar and Restaurant in Byron. The entree is described on the menu as seasoned Sazon rice with a combination of shrimp and crabmeat served with one snow crab cluster.

Chevo’s Mexican Restaurant

A family-owned restaurant, this Mexican spot is among a string of restaurants in a small plaza at 4921 Riverside Drive, Suite 2, in Macon. The Alaniz family — a mother, father and their daughters — serve up authentic Mexican food. Their restaurant offers an extensive menu featuring appetizers, nachos, soups and salads, specialties of the house, meatless options, fajitas, quesadillas, steaks and seafood.

They recommend trying the Molcajete Mexicano, Mojarra Frita a la Diabla, the Alaniz steak and the Birria nachos. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. The number is 478-254-3476.

Alaniz steak at Chevo’s Mexican Restaurant at 4921 Riverside Drive, Suite 2, in Macon. This dish is a 12 ounce grilled steak marinated with spices and soy sauce with steamed broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and half-dozen shrimp.
Alaniz steak at Chevo’s Mexican Restaurant at 4921 Riverside Drive, Suite 2, in Macon. This dish is a 12 ounce grilled steak marinated with spices and soy sauce with steamed broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and half-dozen shrimp.

Pig on a Pie

While not new to Macon, this pizza and BBQ spot relocated next to Chevo’s. The restaurant offers a variety of pies from a classic cheese to various specialties such as a taco pizza to build your own.

Also on the menu are fresh salads, breadsticks, pecan smoked wings, pizza sandwiches, pork by the pound and ribs.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and closed Saturday and Sunday. The number is 478-781-3430.

The barbecue chicken pizza and chicken bacon ranch pizza at Pig on a Pie in Macon.
The barbecue chicken pizza and chicken bacon ranch pizza at Pig on a Pie in Macon.

Delicias Salvadorenas

Mercedes Martinez Perez, and her daughter, Christina Estrada Martinez, natives of El Salvador, own and operate this walk-up restaurant in a yellow and orange building with red trim at 415 Green St. in Warner Robins.

The spot also lives up to its name, which translates to “Salvadoran Delights.” Offering authentic Salvadoran street food, the simple menu includes a variety of tacos, pupusas and tortas.

Hours are now 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Stop by to place and pick up an order. Everything is made fresh on site.

Asada tacos at Delicias Salvadorenas, a new walk-up restaurant at 415 Green St. in Warner Robins.
Asada tacos at Delicias Salvadorenas, a new walk-up restaurant at 415 Green St. in Warner Robins.

The Cotton Ranch

This new high-end steak restaurant in downtown Macon is open only for dinner at 347 Cotton Ave. in downtown Macon. Executive chef Michael Galloway, of the former Tic Toc Room, oversees the back of the house, while his wife, Eve Wise, the head bartender, runs the front of the house.

Entrees include rack of lamb, bone-in ribeye, blackened New York strip, an 8-ounce filet, Wagyu pot roast and bourbon glazed salmon. Hours are 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The number is 478-216-5011.

An 8 ounce filet topped with mushroom red wine sauce and served with choice of baked or sweet potato and collard greens or vegetable of the day.
An 8 ounce filet topped with mushroom red wine sauce and served with choice of baked or sweet potato and collard greens or vegetable of the day.

No Name Chicken

This popular chicken joint now has a second location in Warner Robins at 2706 Watson Blvd., Suite 1, with plans to expand into Macon. The first No Name Chicken is at 778 Ga. 96 in the Kroger shopping plaza. With a catchphrase of “our food is so good we couldn’t name it,” No Name Chicken is known for crispy wings with homemade sauces, sliders with chicken tenderloins on a Hawaiian bun, also with sauce choices, and street fried rice.

The same people behind the popular Fried Green Tomatoes restaurants in Middle Georgia are also behind No Name Chicken. Watson Blvd. store hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily and the number is 478-333-1335. The Ga. 96 store is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and the number is 478-313-5422.

A No. 2 wings combo at No Name Chicken with Honey BBQ and Louis Louis sauces, crinkle fries and “corn slaw.”
A No. 2 wings combo at No Name Chicken with Honey BBQ and Louis Louis sauces, crinkle fries and “corn slaw.”

CowPies Pizza Co.

Known for its clever name and specialty pies, this popular pizza joint can be found in a shopping strip at 3955 Arkwright Road in Macon. Co-owners Josh Walsh, John Wright and J.P. Williams opened their first CowPies Pizza Co. late last year at 6001 Watson Blvd. in Warner Robins. Specialty pizzas include the cowboy and cheeseburger pizza.

Hours at both locations are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Contact the Macon store at 478-259-1855 and the Warner Robins store at 478-333-5030.

A “CowPie Deluxe” small pizza with pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushroom, green peppers, onions, black olives from CowPies Pizza Co.
A “CowPie Deluxe” small pizza with pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushroom, green peppers, onions, black olives from CowPies Pizza Co.

KJK Jamaican Kitchen

Owner and Chef Kirk Henry, a native of Jamaica, offers authentic island cuisine with “a flair of Southern soul” at 3348 Vineville Ave. in Macon. Henry offers traditional Jamaican food such as oxtails, curry goat and ackee and salt fish. He also weaves in a little Southern comfort with his jerk pork ribs, cornbread, mac-n-cheese and potato salad.

His Jamaican specialties include red snapper, rum fire shrimp, brown-stew chicken, chicken curry and roti. Other offerings include curry chicken, veggie patties, festival bread, conch soup (based on the availability of the conch meat), plantains and potato pudding. Hours are 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The number is 478- 259-2398.

Jerk shrimp at KJK Jamaican Kitchen at 3348 Vineville Ave. in Macon.
Jerk shrimp at KJK Jamaican Kitchen at 3348 Vineville Ave. in Macon.