Cooper Creek offers four home brews at any one time, changing with the seasons. Debating which one to try, the server suggested the sampler: four 4 oz. glasses of each type. Perfect. She brought a small wooden trivet to the table, holding the four small glasses. They ordered from the lightest pilsner to the darker stout. The light pilsner could be sipped on all day; however, my favorite was the third beer – nut brown. The slightly richer texture was not bitter or overpowering. The dark beer was not sufficiently cold for my taste otherwise I would have truly enjoyed the Oatmeal Stout.

The scotch bonnet and artichoke dip came recommended so we started our meal with this appetizer. The large bowl of locally made dip was surrounded by warm pie-shaped pieces of pita bread. We spread the cold dip on the bread and gobbled it down.

My wife ordered the vegetable pita pizza and the small size was perfect. Diced vegetables (zucchini, squash, tomatoes) topped the pita bread, which had been covered with a thin pizza sauce. The vegetables were fresh and the pizza lacked all signs of grease. She placed her arm protectively across the table blocking my efforts to take a slice from her.

I didn’t need to mooch off my wife’s meal as my dinner was fantastic. Initially, I could not decide between a salad or ribs for dinner. Our server asked if she could be of assistance with my decision and she enthusiastically suggested the honey vodka barbeque ribs with rice and beans. The meat literally fell from the ribs. The sauce was superb with the touch of sweetness from honey and a bite from vodka. I told my wife that the beans and rice were rather bland and she vehemently disagreed with me after taking a bite. She convinced me to take a drink of water and then try this side dish. They were spicy and flavorful, only losing taste when eating them after a mouthful of ribs. How could anything complete with the taste of the ribs and sauce?

We ate a leisurely meal, with excellent attention from our server. She stopped by with water refills on a frequent basis and once to visit. She wondered what brought us to Athens. She shared some information on the restaurant, stating that almost all the sauces are homemade in the restaurant, not purchased as ready-made. She suggested the bison burger with bleu cheese for our next visit and genuinely asked us to return again soon. The unhurried dinner and service was very satisfying. If the opportunity presents itself, we will return.