Ellijay is small, and most of its sit-down restaurants are within a few blocks of the courthouse square. The hard part is timing, not choice: several favorites close early in the week, and on October weekends downtown fills up as soon as the orchards close.

This list sticks to places whose hours and addresses we could check on their own websites in late October 2026. For early biscuits, bakeries and coffee, see breakfast in Ellijay. Hours change with the seasons, so check before you drive in.

Dinner downtown

The Roof Ellijay, 16 River Street, (706) 635-7663 A rooftop Southern kitchen and bar with indoor and outdoor seating, an elevator, and outdoor heaters and shades. It is the downtown pick with a view.

  • Hours: Wednesday–Thursday 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m., Sunday noon–9 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
  • No reservations. It is walk-in only, so on a fall Saturday arrive before the dinner rush or expect to wait.
  • The outdoor dining area is pet friendly.

Buckley Downtown Table & Vine, 29 North Avenue, 706-851-2221 The downtown restaurant of Buckley Vineyards. Entrées, sandwiches and shareable plates with the vineyard’s own wine and hard cider.

  • Hours: Thursday–Monday 11:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m., with the wine bar open until 9. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
  • Reservations are available, and walk-ins are welcome. This is the best bet if you want to book ahead for a festival weekend.

Ellijay Wood Fired Pizza, 2 River Street (corner of River and Main), 706-707-4992 Wood-fired pizza and pasta.

  • Hours: Monday–Thursday 11:30 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m. The restaurant notes it may close early if it runs out of dough.
  • Online ordering is available, which helps on busy nights.

Burgers and beer

River Street Tavern, 40 River Street, Suite B, 706-635-6166 A locally owned downtown bar open since New Year’s Eve 2014. Burgers, wings and 21 taps with a focus on Georgia craft beer.

  • Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.
  • It keeps the latest hours on this list, so it is the fallback when kitchens elsewhere have closed.

Cartecay River Brewing Co., 26 River Terrace, #1A, East Ellijay, (706) 273-2728 A 10-barrel brewery with a kitchen and cocktails, a short drive from the square. The brewery describes itself as pet friendly and posts live music on its events calendar.

  • Hours: the brewery’s own site listed two different sets of hours when we checked, with opening times between noon and 2 p.m. on weekdays. Call before you go.

Barbecue

Col. Poole’s Bar-B-Q, 164 Craig Street, East Ellijay, (706) 635-4100 Ellijay’s best-known barbecue, founded in 1989 as a roadside stand by Edna and Oscar Poole. Look for the wooden pigs on the hill beside it. The restaurant says you can still buy a pig and a spot on the hill for $10. The menu now includes brisket, ribs, smoked turkey and sausage alongside the original pulled pork.

  • Hours: not posted on the website. Call ahead.

The Pink Pig, 824 Cherry Log Street, Cherry Log, 706-276-3311 North of Ellijay in Cherry Log, on the way to Blue Ridge. Built around 1950 as a country store and grist mill, it has been in the Holloway family since 1967. It is known for pit-cooked barbecue, Bud’s Original sauce and Brunswick stew slow-cooked in a cast-iron pot.

  • Hours: Thursday–Saturday 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Closed Sunday through Wednesday.

Lunch near the orchards on Highway 52

Most apple houses sit east of town on GA-52, and options thin out once you leave downtown.

R&A Orchards, 5505 Highway 52 East, 706-273-3821 The farm market, bakery and cafe are open all year, and the Chamber listing highlights its homemade fried pies.

Farther out, Cartecay River Pizza Company, at 2400 Highway 52 East, serves wood-fired pizza for dine-in or to go, according to its Chamber listing. Its website was down when we checked, so call 706-972-7791 for hours.

Tips for festival weekends

  • Eat early or late. On busy fall weekends, plan to eat before or after the usual dinner hour.
  • Book where you can. Of the downtown restaurants above, Buckley Downtown takes reservations. The Roof does not.
  • Check the day. Monday through Wednesday is the thin part of the week. River Street Tavern, Ellijay Wood Fired Pizza and R&A Orchards are open all seven days on their posted hours.
  • Bring the dog to a patio. The Roof’s outdoor dining and Cartecay River Brewing are listed as pet friendly. See our North Georgia with dogs guide for more.

Plan the rest of the day

Walk the square after dinner with our downtown Ellijay guide, add a tasting room from our wineries and cider guide, or build the whole trip from our fall weekend itinerary.

Sources and further reading

Facts in this article were checked against these sources on October 30, 2026. Hours, fees and seasons change, so confirm before you go.