The Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Tourism Division announced the release of the 2017 state culinary guide, Georgia Eats. Georgia Tourism’s third annual culinary guide features the wildly popular “100 Plates Locals Love,” 10 flavor tours, inspiring feature stories, exclusive recipes from local chefs, popular food festivals and much more.

Travelers are constantly looking for fresh, authentic dining and culinary experiences and Georgia Eats is a great resource for visitors to access some of what Georgia has to offer. Georgia is home to diverse and flavorful crops, and it’s the unique culinary experiences that make the “Peach State” a leading culinary destination for visitors. From farm-to-table dining, food festivals, cooking schools, award-winning wineries, agritourism trails, talented local chefs, u-pick farms, and much more, Georgia is home to many noteworthy and distinctive flavors.

“Culinary experiences continue to be one of the top drivers of visitor interest when planning a vacation,” said Kevin Langston, deputy commissioner for tourism at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Georgia offers visitors unique food and beverage experiences in every corner of the state, and the Georgia Eats guide makes it easy for visitors and locals to discover the many flavors of Georgia.”

Three years ago Georgia Tourism created “100 Plates Locals Love” as a way to provide visitors with locally sourced suggestions, the same way we would recommend restaurants to our family and friends. The list has received rave reviews from visitors as well as restaurant owners. This year, more than 750 “plates” were nominated via ExploreGeorgia.org and evaluated by a panel of judges. The third annual list of “100 Plates Locals Love” features favorite dishes from across the state. The Georgia Eats culinary guide is available at the state’s 12 Visitor Information Centers across the state and on the state’s consumer tourism website ExploreGeorgia.org.

Chefs and restaurants across the state have access to Georgia’s rich and flavorful bounty, enticing them to create unique dishes that showcase local produce and products. Georgia’s official Culinary Explorer Jennifer Booker also shares regular blog posts via ExploreGeorgia.org/dining. Here you will find videos, tours and more.

As part of the state’s culinary initiative, the third annual Georgia Restaurant Week will take place July 17-23, 2017, at participating restaurants throughout Georgia. During this week-long event, patrons will be able to explore the numerous dining options throughout Georgia for a special price and sample locally grown products that are available in Georgia’s restaurants.