Lake Blackshear Resort & Golf Club, located in Cordele, GA, is a local dining favorite for a reason. I learned that firsthand during a recent visit to the lovely lakeside getaway in Middle Georgia. Its restaurants feature the freshest regional cuisine and innovative menus that attract people from all over Middle Georgia. I met folks who live in Cordele and come regularly to dine on a fine meal while watching the sunset paint the sky over Lake Blackshear. When you come to Lake Blackshear Resort, you won’t have to leave to find a secret local hotspot since they offer two of Cordele’s best restaurants within the resort.

Cordelia’s is the restaurant named for the daughter of Samuel Hawkins, the founder of nearby Cordele, Georgia, is the perfect place for a casual and relaxing country breakfast or an elegant dinner to celebrate a special occasion. I started with steel-cut Irish oatmeal and avocado toast, but you can also enjoy a yogurt parfait or a classic continental breakfast. I needed the energy for the day on the golf course and started the next day with a power bowl and the perfect breakfast sandwich. Omelets, chicken and waffles, and pancakes are also waiting to fuel your day. Since I made this a vacation weekend, I added what every good vacation morning needs – a bloody mary before hitting the links.

After I finished my round on the magnificent Georgia Veterans Memorial Golf Course at Lake Blackshear Resort, my friends and I headed back to Cordelia’s for lunch. I started with black bean hummus, which was a tough choice when faced with options like Georgia peach and bourbon wings, fried green tomato caprese or a classic, Southern charcuterie board with country ham, pickled okra and more. The restaurant’s menu also featured soups and salads for lighter meal options. I was hungry after once again proving to my friends how much I need to practice my golf game, so I ordered the gouda burger, a Cordele favorite piled high with gouda cheese, crispy onions, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, and onions, all topped with an unexpected dollop of blueberry ketchup on a brioche bun. Around the table, my friends chowed down on a chicken salad croissant, a crab cake sandwich, and the club tower, a classic club sandwich piled high with ham, turkey, cheese, Duke’s mayo and lettuce, tomato, and bacon. We decided we would need to return to have flatbreads topped with local figs and goat cheese from Sweet Grass Dairy, or with pesto, sliced Roma tomatoes and basil with fresh mozzarella. Burgers and club towers fill you up quickly.

At dinner, it was time to feast. Large plates of crab cakes, shrimp and grits, and blackened salmon with fresh mango chutney were more than satisfying. We also enjoyed decadent seafood linguine with mussels and crawfish, half a roasted chicken with oven roasted potatoes and vegetables, and the house ribeye steak during our stay. The steaks are cooked to your preference and served with roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus and a side of magnificent garden and lake views.

The next day, after a morning of fishing on Lake Blackshear, it was time to watch the game and enjoy a cold beer, finely crafted cocktails, and a meal with friends. Cypress Grill, their casual dining restaurant located on the shoreline of Lake Blackshear, was the perfect place. It’s the ideal mix of sharable plates for the party and heaping portions of classic American pub fare to fill your belly. Like at Cordelia’s, everything at Cypress Grill is prepared with fresh, local ingredients that make eating out an experience worth coming back for. Apps for the table got us going with “Now Watch Me Dip” – pimento cheese whipped with bacon and jalapenos – “Fixin to Get my Squid On” – hand-breaded calamari fried to golden-brown perfection – and crab fritters. We finished the meal with pizzas and flatbreads complete with plenty of topping options to please everyone. By the end of the game, we threw in a few extra bites with a couple walking fish BLT sliders and their special Highfalutin sliders with braised beef short rib, caramelized Vidalia onions with mozzarella and horseradish cream. You can also get The Beast Burger, a blackened mahi sandwich, street tacos with your choice of filling, or grilled chicken skewers, honey garlic shrimp, or the triple threat – a combo plate of chicken skewers, honey garlic shrimp and alligator sausage. An assortment of classic Southern sides is available with all dishes, making Cypress Grill a great restaurant not just for the game and friends, but for the whole family.

When the game was over, we headed to 88’s Lakeside Bar, the resort’s lodge bar located next to Cordelia’s, for legendary cocktails to cap the night. It was a vacation, after all. 88’s, as the locals call it, features Bacardi Silver rum, RumHaven coconut rum, apple schnapps, blue curacao and Sprite for a light and sweet treat that brings a Caribbean flavor to Lake Blackshear. Or try my favorite, the Midnight Lemonade, which is New Amsterdam gin, rum, tequila, triple sec, sour mix, blackberry liqueur, blue curacao, and Sprite, putting an adult twist on a childhood classic. 88’s also features a great selection of red and white wines and craft beers.

It’s easy to see after a weekend visit to this Middle Georgia resort why people are flocking to Lake Blackshear Resort & Golf Club. The food alone at these excellent restaurants is worth the trip, but with golf, the lake and marina, the SAM Shortline railroad, the military museum, and more, there is more than enough to keep the whole family entertained for days. Plus, the accommodations were second to none. I’m making plans already to return to Cordele for the Smokin’ on Blackshear BBQ & Music Festival later this year. It attracts some of the best pit masters in the region to celebrate the Southern staple.

Regardless of how you wish to dine, Lake Blackshear Resort & Golf Club has you covered with two fantastic Cordele restaurants and one spectacular bar. Learn more about the dining options here and make plans today to stay by clicking here, or by calling 800-459-1230.