Lake Martin Voice Realty
4 Great Lunch Meals Around Lake Martin
It’s lunchtime on Lake Martin – where should we eat? When I was growing up on Lake Martin, there weren’t many restaurants around the Lake, much less on the water. Families had to pack their on provisions and make do. You drove to the cabin, unpacked everything, and lived on ribbon sandwiches, chicken salad, hamburgers, and BBQ.
Today we have many places to eat, with more on the horizon. I eat a lot of lunches around Lake Martin, so let me suggest four great lunch orders, in no particular order:
1. Cotton’s BBQ – a couple of miles south of Kowaliga Bridge on highway 63. In my humble opinion they have the best Q the closest to Lake Martin. When I am really hungry I go for a double cheese with a BBQ sandwich and polish it off with a slice of egg custard pie. Otherwise I go for the sandwich with fries. I absolutely love good BBQ, but I detest bad BBQ. Cotton’s passes every time.
2. Oskar’s – when in Lake Martin’s Blue Creek area, it’s a great spot. I have tried almost everything on the menu, it’s hard to go wrong here. If I’m in a big hurry I do the lunch veggie special. Also I love the catfish fillet sandwich – but I get it blackened – not fried, with no sauce and no onions. Oskar’s is a rare find in that they actually know how to cook fish correctly – juicy and hot yet not overdone. Lots of restaurants, most of which charge quadruple their prices, could learn from Oskar’s.
3. Kowaliga – You can call it Sinclair’s on the Lake or Cecil’s at Kowaliga or whatever, but it will always be Kowaliga 
to me. The name has changed over the years, but the best lunch order has not. Order the same thing we have been getting since they were in that old building with the carpet hanging from the rafters. Forgo the fancy stuff and order a plate of onion rings. Wash it down with a cold beverage and soak in the ambiance. If you’re really hungry get a burger. The rings and the view are the best on Lake Martin. You won’t be disappointed. In the springtime they are only open for lunch Friday through Sunday, so you may want to call to make sure they are open.
4. Chuck’s – another Blue Creek gem. Your order? What else? Pizza. It’s very good, even by city folks’ standards. Great atmosphere, too. They sometimes have a band there, and it’s perfect for people watching. Tip - call ahead from your boat to place your order if you want to grab and go.
Bonus meal – it’s a couple of miles north of highway 280 in Alex City, but Sho’ Nuff BBQ is worth a look if you are in the area. Order the Sho’ Nuff Baked Potato. It sounds weird but trust me, it will hit the spot.
Can you think of a great lunch meal that I have left out? Leave a reply, and share it with everyone else, too!
how about frankies on the water by the hwy 280 bridge?
any good?
just moved here from atlanta and i am always looking for somthing on or near the lake.
Hey Mike – first of all, welcome to Lake Martin! It’s always great to meet new folks. Enter your email on the top right and click “subscribe” – you can stay on top of all of the news. It emails you when I have a new article. And I promise – no spam!
Secondly – great question. I have never eaten at Frankie’s. I do know that you can ride up in the boat to eat and drink. Last I heard you had to pay a $50 annual membership fee to partake. Maybe they have their license changed by now and that is different. From what I hear the fare is burgers, pizza, etc., and is pretty good. I will try to get by there for a taste test.
Can anyone who has eaten there help us out? Leave a reply below.
Tried it last year shortley after it opened and the $50 fee was waived for the first 30 days. Ate twice, food was good, service was slow but we enjoyed the A/C during the middle of August heat.
Dennis – Thanks for the info. I was wondering about the 50 bucks.
[...] 3. It’s Searchable – let’s say you were in the Blue Creek area, riding around highway 50 by Martin Dam and were looking for somewhere to eat lunch. You can find your location and then search for “restaurant” – here’s what you would see: [...]
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.