Marietta Diner
306 Cobb Pkwy SMarietta, GA 30060
(770) 423-9390
Pros: Food Network-approved! wide variety
Cons: Sometimes crowded, mediocre breakfast menu.
As you probably guessed, we are fans of the Food Network show Diners, Drive-in, and Dives. We were thrilled with a recent episode in which they finally decided to visit the Atlanta area. And when they mentioned the Marietta Diner, we knew that we just had to visit the diner as well. As you can probably guess, the show provided some great publicity, and the place was packed.
Don't let the name fool you. Although they call this place a diner, the range of food expand well beyond your typical diner fare. On the menu, you will find dishes spanning American, Mediterranean, Spanish, Cajun, Italian cuisines, and more! After seeing the Paella showcased on the show, we could not pass this up. This was filled with just about every seafood imaginable over Spanish rice. The spices and flavor were amazing! We also tasted one of the daily specials: Pierogi. Think ravioli stuffed with potato and served with a rich alfredo sauce with some sauteed chicken, mushroom, and spinach. If your mouth isn't yet watering, then there's something wrong with you.
As indicated, our main complaint is that this place is now ultra popular, and you will likely find it pretty crowded. Luckily, we got in before the real dinner rush, so we did not have to wait for our table. Also, the different vegetables in the side salad seemed to have a varying level of freshness; some vegetables were fresher than others, but I guess that is to be expected. Also, we tried visiting here for breakfast. We have to admit that the breakfast menu wasn't nearly as impressive as the lunch/dinner menu. If you want more innovative breakfast items, we would recommend Cafe Intermezzo or La Madeleine.
All in all, you can be sure that we will be visiting this one again. With the huge variety in the menu, we've yet to even dent it with our sampling.
