Five and Ten Athens GA

I have wanted to dine at Five and Ten, Chef Hugh Acheson’s restaurant in Athens GA, ever since Steve and I met him, about ten years ago.

Five and Ten Athens GA dining room with sage green walls, shelves and table with wine.

Our cozy dining room at Five and Ten Athens GA

There have been a couple of times that we have been in the general area, but never quite close enough to Athens to go to Five and Ten for dinner. But this time we had to practically go right through Athens on our way to New Orleans. And just as soon as we booked our stay at an RV park there, I made dinner reservations.

Five and Ten was started from scratch and opened in 2000. The restaurant represents Hugh and his team’s constant quest to provide a community restaurant in their town. This is not a fancy place with pomp and circumstance. But it is beautiful, warm and welcoming to the diverse crowd of people it serves. It’s just as perfect for special occasions as it is for an every night meal. We loved the open interpretation of Southern food that blends Georgia cookery with French and Italian influences that Chef Acheson learned while growing up.

Chef Hugh Acheson

Me in a pale yellow top with male chef in navy. the chef is the owner of Five and Ten Athens GA

Me with Chef Hugh Acheson at the Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival

Hugh Acheson was born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, where he started cooking at a young age. He knew that he wanted to make cooking his career. This decision took a very long time to make. It wasn’t made until after he realized that academics just weren’t his thing.

Hugh began working in restaurants after school at the age of 15. Working in restaurants gave him the opportunity to learn as much as possible. Working under Chef Rob MacDonald he learned stylized French cuisine, wine and etiquette at the renowned Henri Burger restaurant in Ottawa, Then he came to the states where, in San Francisco, he became the chef de cuisine with Chef Mike Fennelly at Mecca. After that he did a stint as opening sous chef with famed Chef Gary Danko at his namesake restaurant. That’s where he found his love of the simple, pure and disciplined.

It was all of these experiences, that help Hugh develop a style of his own merging together the beauty of the South with the flavors of Europe. Chef Hugh Acheson opened the critically acclaimed Five and Ten in March of 2000.

Ambiance

Five and Ten Athens GA dining room with sage green walls and wood tables

Our intimate dining room had only about 4 or 5 tables

When we arrived at Five and Ten we immediately loved the charm of a southern restaurant in what was once someone’s home. We were seated in an intimate dining room that only had 4 or 5 four tops. That made us feel like we were guests at a dinner party.

Steve and I had decided that we wanted to taste as much of the menu as possible. That meant ordering several share plates for dinner. There were so many dishes that piqued our interest, which made it difficult to narrow it down to only four. But I do believe we chose the right four!

Our meal

Beige plate with small round cornbread cut in 1/4s with butter at Five and Ten Athens GA

Cast Iron Cornbread served with Honey Butter and Fennel Pollen

We started off with a serving of the Cast Iron Cornbread which came hot from the oven, accompanied by honey butter and fennel pollen. It was sweet and salty and loaded with corn flavor.

Oval plate with condiments next to round plate with sausage on a toasted bun and pickles at Five and Ten Athens GA

Duck Liverwurst on Toasted Luna Roll with Coleslaw, Ballpark Mustard, Mustard Seeds and Pickles

Next we shared the Duck Liverwurst. I know. Liverwurst sounds YUCK. Trust me, it was anything but. The sausage was amazing. The bold flavor and pop of the casing were everything you would want in a sausage. And the accoutrements of pickled snow peas, mustard seed, ballpark mustard and coleslaw gave texture and tang to every bite. It was so good that we toyed with ordering a second one.

Grilled head on shrimp on a white plate with lime half, herbs and sauce at Five and Ten Athens GA

Grilled Shrimp with Salsa Macha, Shallot, Cilantro and Lime

Next up was the Grilled Shrimp. These huge, head on shrimp were sweet and succulent. The salsa macha, shallots and cilantro combined with the smoky shrimp to create a festival in your mouth.

Mushroom risotto in a white shallow bowl on a wood table at Five and Ten Athens GA

Mushroom Risotto with Grana Padano Cheese and Crispy Mushrooms

We finished off our savory selections with a bowl of Mushroom Risotto. It was amazing. The risotto was creamy, as risottos should be. But it was also rich with Grana Padano cheese and the addition of lots of crispy mushrooms was the perfect textural contrast. It was definitely one of the best risottos that I’ve ever had.

Dessert extraordinaire

At that point we were glad we stuck with only one duck liverwurst because we needed room for dessert. Our fabulous server Patrick guided us to ordering the Apple Tart. We were a bit disappointed when he informed us that there was no more dark chocolate ice cream.

Individual apple tart on plate with streusel and a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert at Five and Ten Athens GA

Apple Tart with Bourbon Caramel Streusel and Vanilla Ice Cream

Small red rimmed bowl with a scoop of chocolate ice cream at Five and Ten Athens GA

The very last scoop of Five and Ten’s housemade Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

First Patrick delivered our beautiful tart. And then, as if by magic, a small dish of the very last of that Dark Chocolate Ice Cream. We were elated. The chocolate ice cream was bittersweet and oh so creamy. The Apple Tart was beyond words. A flaky tart shell filled with lots of apples and bourbon caramel. Next to the tart was a puddle of streusel topped with vanilla ice cream, which was just as creamy as the chocolate and had deep vanilla flavor.

We waddled to the car, content with the knowledge that this would not be our only visit to Five and Ten in Athens GA!!!