Worldly Cuisine with Southern Hospitality

Photo of the Benefield family enjoying a meal at Mac’s Raw Bar

[This is the latest installment of “Cobb Cuisine, Culture and Community” by Brian Benefield. Photo above by Brian Benefield] 

We just returned from a fun-filled two-week trip to Amsterdam and Brussels. Traveling is always chock full of anticipation and excitement; the unknown is part of what makes it great.  We fully expected to dine on certain types of food while in these two very different cities, but what surprised us was the wide variety of cuisines available.  We had a spicy vegetable curry one evening, even more piquant Indian food the next, and also a huge spread of Indonesian food.  Seeing burger and fried chicken joints aplenty in each city was a funny paradox, so I guess we always crave what is not prevalent wherever you are in the world. 

Sure, we had the traditional double-fried, super-crispy frites galore, pickled herring, aged Gouda cheese, and more Bitterballen than we could count.  They are deep-fried crispy meat ragout balls of deliciousness, served with spicy mustard, and we ate a million of them.  And the beer and chocolates in Brussels are nothing short of spectacular! 

Now back at home, we are very fortunate to have such diverse food options at Marietta Square.  The old brick sidewalks hold onto the warmth of the Georgia sun while strings of patio lights flicker awake above crowded tables. Conversations drift through the air like music: laughter from a patio at Glover Park Brewery tipping back a cold one, the sharp hiss of fajitas from the kitchen at 7 Tequilas Mexican restaurant, the comforting clink of glasses raised after a long workday at Marietta Wine Market. Around the Square, cuisine becomes more than food; it becomes a map of cultures layered together in one Southern town.

In one corner, the scent of sticky, smoked ribs from Stockyard Burgers and Bones wafts from a well-known restaurant where families gather beneath ceiling fans that spin lazily overhead. The aroma carries hints of pepper, hickory, and sweet sauce, unmistakably Southern and deeply familiar. Just steps away, another doorway opens to something entirely different: the earthy perfume of a dish simmering with garlic, ginger, and curry sauce at Thaicoon. Inside, the sushi chefs are making edible art while a small crowd watches their masterful knife skills, and someone always asks for the universal language of extra wasabi.

The beauty of Marietta Square lies in this effortless contrast. A person can begin the evening with crispy, carne-filled empanadas at Silla Del Toro, move toward Korean hot pots bubbling with spice and tender meat at Spring 2nd Branch, and somehow still end the night with handcrafted gelato and espresso at Bottega Italian Market. The Square does not force cultures to compete; instead, it allows them to coexist like instruments in the same orchestra.

A businessman loosens his tie over teriyaki chicken tacos layered with pineapple pico and sriracha mayo at Taqueria Tsunami. An older couple (maybe us) shares a meat pie and crispy fish & chips at Australian Bakery, while listening to live bluegrass music on any given Tuesday evening as the players form a makeshift band on the sidewalk.

There is something deeply comforting about the way food connects strangers here. A diner who has never traveled farther than Georgia can taste the smoky complexity of BBQ seasoning or the delicate balance of Vietnamese pho at House of Lu without leaving Cobb County. In a single evening, the world feels both larger and smaller at once.

The restaurants around Marietta Square also reveal how cuisine evolves over time. Traditional Southern staples stand proudly beside modern fusion menus that blend flavors from multiple continents. Chefs experiment fearlessly, creating dishes where Nashville heat meets Korean spice. And where shrimp and grits at WR Social House share space with nextdoor neighbor Mac’s Raw Bar serving succulent, fresh oysters from around the US. The result is not confusion but creativity, a reflection of a community becoming increasingly diverse while still honoring its roots.

As night settles fully over the Square, the courthouse clock glows softly against the dark sky. The patios remain alive with conversation and the steady rhythm of forks against plates. Every restaurant window offers a different story, a different heritage, a different interpretation of comfort. Together, they form the heartbeat of Marietta Square itself: welcoming, flavorful, and endlessly alive.

In many towns, food is simply a meal. Around Marietta Square, it becomes an experience of diverse cultures, memories, and connections served one plate at a time.