Flavor abounds at Dari Dip

Double cheeseburger at Dari Dip. (Photo by Mark Gilliland)
Double cheeseburger at Dari Dip. (Photo by Mark Gilliland)

Dari Dip's website proudly decrees, "Lafayette's favorite place for seafood, rib-eyes and ice cream."

Indeed, the diner's menu offers all the frills, from mini potato pancakes to Reuben sandwiches to blackened grouper and more. But at the heart of its varied victuals is old-fashioned country cuisine - down-home dishes that remain best-sellers no matter the season.

One of the most popular is its double-burger, said Don Benton, who co-owns Dari Dip with his son Donald. The double-burger features two hand-patted beef burgers, served on a 4-inch bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mustard, mayo and pickle.

Or, for those in the mood for a meal that is even more substantial, Dari Dip's plate lunches are always a big hit. Plate lunch options include barbecue pork and chicken livers. But the two top contenders, according to Don, are the country-fried steak, topped with white gravy; and the open-faced roast beef, served over sliced bread and smothered with brown gravy. All the plate lunches are served with diner's choice of two vegetables from dozens of options, including macaroni and cheese, pickled beets, tomato salad, fried okra, peaches, and cottage cheese.

Of course, any North Georgia resident knows that no trip to Dari Dip is complete without an after-meal confection - the most popular of which, said Don, is its chocolate-nut sundae. In contrast to most other ice cream spots, which use chopped peanuts, Dari Dip uses wet walnuts, which are walnuts soaked in sugary syrup. The walnuts may be small, but their flavor is big - much like Dari Dip's fondness for down-home dining. Its overall menu may be diverse, but you can always depend on the classic, core recipes to satisfy your comfort food cravings.

DARI DIP

Address: 302 West Villanow St. in Lafayette, Ga.Hours: Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed SundayPhone: 706-638-3274

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