If you could have perfect weather and the promise of no pesky insects interfering, everyone loves a picnic. The Picnic Basket, located at 303 Kelly Dr. Suite 1 in Peachtree City, provides a warm and cozy park-like atmosphere that can be enjoyed year round, whether it’s a swelteringly hot summer day or a cold and rainy winter afternoon.
Owned by Debbie Sanders, The Picnic Basket, which opened in May of this year, offers a large menu full of delicious homemade dishes. The granddaughter of former bakery owners, Sanders learned what it takes to operate a successful food service business. The Picnic Basket is staffed by friendly people, the atmosphere is relaxed and charming and, most importantly, the food is top notch.
From the minute one enters the restaurant, the smell of fresh baked bread enchants and draws customers closer to the kitchen and the counter. Once there, it is hard to look at the menu and settle on just one item. If you are there in the morning for breakfast, you can choose from freshly baked scones, croissants, biscuits, breakfast burritos, muffins and more. One of the more popular items in the morning is the cinnamon roll, a large and sticky treat with caramel icing.
The Picnic Basket also serves Lavazza coffee and can function as a bit of a coffee house with lattes, mochas and cappucinos offered along side a regular cup of joe. For the non-coffee drinker there are all the usual suspects in soft drinks offered as well as smoothies.
Sanders has found that some of the customers that drop in for a quick breakfast, either to eat in or take on the road, also pick up their lunch for the day.
“Our full menu is available all day,” said Sanders, who added that they welcome orders in advance and even offer delivery to area businesses for orders of $30 or more. “We’ve seen quite a few companies call or fax in a lunch order in the morning and arrange a time for drop off.”
Part of the reason The Picnic Basket has received such good word of mouth is because it can serve multiple purposes, being everything to everyone. Some people are looking for a breakfast spot that stays away from fast food trappings or a place to meet up for coffee and a snack in the morning or afternoon and The Picnic Basket is just that. It also is a popular lunch destination with lots of different sandwich, soup and salad options that satisfy, while also offering items like hot dogs, hot subs and more. The restaurant also has hours that keep them open just long enough for the commuters to pop in at the end of the day and pick up something for dinner.
One thing Sanders didn’t necessarily anticipate but certainly enjoys is the reputation The Picnic Basket has garnered as a go to place for meetings or parties. The restaurant has hosted baby and wedding showers, along with business and social meetings, and has even been the site of a pizza-making birthday party for a group of elementary school aged girls. People have undoubtedly been charmed by the decor, all lovingly created by Sanders’ husband, Rob. From the tables that are adorned with umbrellas to the park-like scene painted on the wall and the man-made tree in the corner, The Picnic Basket is one of the more unique destinations in Peachtree City. The fact that the food is so remarkably fresh and tasty only adds to the allure.
The most popular item on the menu is the Walnut Cranberry Chicken Salad, which is also the most popular with Sanders. The recipe has been in her family for a long time and once the restaurant opened, Sanders finally convinced her aunt to share the secret and teach her to make the salad. It is easily one of the biggest sellers and is often cited as one of the main reasons people keep coming back. Sanders stated she eats it almost every day for lunch.
Of course, others swear by the desserts, particularly the Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, which along with many of the other desserts, is baked by Rob. The butter cake was a popular attraction at all of the family gatherings on the holidays and it is easy to see why. Each square of the soft treat is packed with a flavor that just has to be savored again and again. Meanwhile, the presence of cookies, brownies and the popular kids treats, the Dirt and Worms (chocolate pudding with gummy worms and crushed Oreo cookie) and Surf and Sand cups (vanilla and cheesecake pudding topped with crushed vanilla wafers and gummy sharks) have the customer thinking about what they will order for dessert the next time they come in or even ordering a second dessert for that night or the next.
Many people first discovered The Picnic Basket, which is admittedly a little off the beaten path, because of the picnic packs they put together for people enjoying concerts in the area this past summer. Guests received a reusable grocery tote filled with two half subs, two side salads or chips and two specialty desserts for under $19.99. Even though the concert season is over, there are plenty of packages that The Picnic Basket can put together. They also offer sheet cakes and decorated cakes and can even put any picture on top of a cake.
Whether you are looking for a place to host or cater a party or you just want to add a new restaurant to your regular rotation for breakfast, lunch or the occasional snack, The Picnic Basket should be at the top of your list of restaurants to visit. After all, who doesn’t like picnics?
For more information, phone 770-487-3624.
