Soul Delicious

The Anaheim Packing House just opened Georgia’s Restaurant, a mouth-watering, Creole-inspired eatery featuring family recipes from Nika Shoemaker-Machado and her husband Marlon, and inspired by her mother’s Gretchen Shoemaker’s lifelong dream to open a restaurant of her own.

Georgia’s Restaurant serves traditional soul food favorites such as fried chicken, black eyed-peas, pulled pork and collard greens (made with smoked turkey). Other house specialties include potato salad, baked beans, mac n’ cheese, signature salads and delicious desserts like rustic peach cobbler, pound cake and lemon cake.

“Making good food for family and friends is how my mom shows her love,” says Nika. “Now at 75-years old, she gets to see her dream of owning a restaurant come true. She’ll be in the dining room, greeting our guests, making everyone feel like they aren’t in a restaurant at all, but really in her kitchen enjoying some good ole’ fashioned hospitality.”

From main dishes to cakes, the key ingredient for everything on the menu will be a mother’s love for friends and family.  “My love of food is what brings people together by nourishing the body and the soul,” says Gretchen. “Georgia’s Restaurant is my legacy to my children and grandchildren. And I’m so proud.”

They serve tap and bottled beer, wine, sweet tea and Kool-Aid in their 26-person dining room with an outside patio coming soon.

Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Georgia’s Restaurant is at Anaheim Packing House at 440 S. Anaheim Blvd. in Anaheim. 714.906.1900.