The Market

I had to take morning PTO from work after a crazy night out. The opportunity also arose to eat at the Market, as they are only open on weekdays for lunch.
A quaint little shop located on the edge of historic downtown Norcross, parking is easy along the street. I wanted to walk a little so I parked closer to the square. The restaurant looks like a small homey cabin. Everything about the Market feels familiar and homey.
We ordered our entrees at the register before taking a seat at a nearby empty table. I was pretty excited for my order. Don’t forget to use the 50% off (up to $ 10 off) Scoutmob!
I got the pulled pork with sides of Mediterranean couscous and Brussels sprouts. For $ 10, the portion sizes were huge! The Brussels sprouts were ok. The couscous I couldn’t stop eating. The flavors were strong and addicting. The pulled pork was smoky and tender. I didn’t even need the house BBQ sauce that they have at the front — it was that good. In the end, I did decide to bring some to go with me. There are self-​serve to go boxes and sauce cups available, which made it easy for me to get what I needed without being ashamed of bringing some BBQ sauce to go… The biscuit I took to go and it was so fluffy and buttery! Perfection.
A great meal! I wish I could come here more often — it’s so far to go for lunch on a work day. If The Market was ever open on a weekend, I would be here every week.

Don’t just stop by when you’re close, go OUT OF YOUR WAY to eat here. Honestly the food is soooooo good. I had the salmon with hoisin sauce and sesame seeds, Israeli couscous and cucumber salad plus a homemade biscuit for an unbelievable $ 11. The BBQ plates were huge and they offered such variety! Can’t wait to eat there again. YUM.

Their daily special of Stuffed Portobella Mushroom cap with cheese, artichoke, spinach and two sides. Two sides: okra and brisket chili is definitely a new favorite Check out the pictures for additional details!

This historic Norcross lunch spot is absolutely adorable. Located across the street from the big park and all the new townhouses being built, I can understand how it gets so very busy every day at lunch! A small group of us came for lunch on a random Tuesday, and though it was early (1130), the place was already bustling! By the time we got our order in, there was a line to the door!
There are quite a few enticing lunch options, and your main dish come with two sides. Be forewarned, the portion sizes are quite large! (FYI the Springer Mountain Chicken comes with a half chicken!). You’ll likely have leftovers, even if you have a huge appetite. The food is flavorful, with rich spices and hearty flavors. I ordered the meat loaf (covered in bacon no less!) with a side of mac and cheese and brunswick stew. Everything was delicious and I only wished I had more room in my stomach to finish my lunch.
The restaurant itself is pretty small, with an eclectic collection of mostly mismatched seating. There is a large patio with plenty of outdoor seating (including bigger tables for groups) complete with umbrellas to shield you on the sunnier days. There is a huge smoker out back, with additional parking if you can’t find street parking.
There is both the paper menu and a chalkboard with daily specials — make sure to check that out in addition to the regular menu. If you want your food to go, you can always call ahead to avoid the wait.
PS — make sure you try the biscuits with the champagne strawberry jam — YUM

Last year, I had a great experience at The Market for a Unilocal event, also my first Elite event ever.
At time, I took my hubby with me. He raved about it and wanted to come. Main problem is it’s ONLY open weekdays, Monday — Friday during lunchtime. Not even on weekends. Not even for dinner at all. Ever. I took it as hey, this place is that awesome for it to be only open during that time.
So finally we were able to go back and try it out. Thanks to Scout Mob for reminding us to go back. We were able to use this deal. We went around 11:15 am on July 3^rd. No cars there. First one. I was a bit disappointed walking in and everyone just stared at us. No one greeted us. No one asked for help. Someone was at the cashier. Two people was behind him just talking, not even acknowledging our presense. How was this going to work? I had to ask what to do. So then I was given a paper menu that was at the front to order and pay for it.
After doing so, we sat down so our food will come to us. I ordered the pork naanwich with grill asparagas. Hubby ordered the chicken & daughter ordered the salmon. Both had same side dishes — mac & cheese, mashed potatoes. We did like our food. However, I felt that the side dishes could be better. They were missing something.
Despite the non welcome earlier, now the cashier and even other workers came back to check up on us. After much consideration and thought, I felt that overall experience is just A-​Okay. I am disappointed that I only had good customer service when I was at a Unilocal Event but coming back as a normal customer, I didn’t get that VIP treatment. Okay, it does not have to be VIP but at least greet us. The main dish was good but side items were okay. Customer service was not consistent. I rather go to another bbq joint (Cue!) and get better side dishes and customer service. Sad cause I really initially loved them a lot and was looking forward to this visit.

As disappointed as I was by their sister restaurant, Bleu House. I lowered my expectations for Market a bit, however, I was pleasantly surprised by the difference in overall quality and preparation of the food.
The cashier was pleasant, and I arrived just before the lunch rush, the place is pretty small inside but a good amount of outdoor seating. I ordered a brisket platter with green beans and mashed potatoes. My sister got the turkey platter with macaroni and cheese and broccoli salad.
The food came out quickly, and the portions are quite large. There was a mixup with the sides for each order, which wasn’t a huge deal, but a bit annoying transferring them to their proper plates.
I tried the brisket first, it was very, very tender. Quite salty which I actually liked, with a tasty peppery bark. The green beans were quite tasty as well, not overcooked but having a nice slightly charred smoky flavor without being stringy, well seasoned and garlicky as well. The mashed potatoes were good, creamy and cheesy, nothing next level but solid. My sister’s turkey was just alright, and her mac and cheese bland. The broccoli salad was fresh with a nice sweetness to the seemingly mayo based dressing.
Overall, some above average, fresh dishes with large portions and decent prices considering the food quality. They had a scoutmob offer going for 7 dollars off, we both ate for under 15 dollars which was nice.
Good lunch spot worth checking out if you’re in the area.

I ordered the meatloaf, brisket chili and brussels sprouts. I was really surprised how tasty and amazing for each item. The meatloaf was moist and wrapped in bacon. Brisket in chili, enough said. Wow. just wow. The brussels sprout was seasoned and cooked really well. They also have a frequent customer card where if you spend 10 dollars or more 10 times, next meal is free! Now, I look forward to going to work every day.

I officially have a new favorite restaurant in Norcross. Seriously. I’m not kidding. I visited The Market because I had a Scout Mob deal for it. I went during the peak of lunch and stood in line with the other customers as I gazed at the menu. Everything seemed so good as I read about what they had to offer, and as the servers passed by, I can honestly say that EVERYTHING looked like the most beautiful and delicious food I had ever seen. Portion sizes were large, too! The food looked fresh, and when I tell you that they have the presentation down to an art, they really do!
I went with the smoked brisket, broccoli salad, and rosemary green beans, and I ordered it to go. They forgot my biscuit in the bag, but I forgive them, because the food was so DARN GOOD! I have never seen a restaurant so generous with their portions of meat! In fact, they gave me so much brisket that I told my hubby I was going to save half, because to eat the whole thing would be gluttonous. About 10 minutes later, it was all gone. All the meat, all the veggies, having a party in my tummy. A big, happy one. The rosemary green beans were the ringleaders, because they were to DIE for! They made me forget that I was on a carb-​restricted diet (forgetting my biscuit was most likely an act of God more-​so than their oversight!) and made me relish every one of them and their perfectly seasoned deliciousness!
I will definitely return again! Be warned that the place is pretty small inside, and it gets quickly packed at lunch. It is really cute and cozy. However, they have a good amount of patio seating for you to enjoy, if the weather permits. Next time, I will try to go just before or just after peak lunchtime so I can cozy up in one of the corners and enjoy my food as a dine-​in. Even without a Scout Mob discount, I will SO be back at this place over, and over, and over again!

The food is AMAZING!!! I had to post a review as soon as I got back home. First off, found this place through scoutmob (50% off, up to $ 10 discount max). It’s located in Downtown Norcross district. They have a small gravel parking lot behind the restaurant and there is also street parking, which isn’t too difficult.
The restaurant itself is really cute, a little small, but perfect for a brunch place (hours are Monday through Friday 11am — 3pm). The weather was actually super nice so we decided to sit outdoors. Some of the tables outdoors have large umbrellas so you don’t have to worry about the sun.
I ordered the portobello stack that comes with two sides — I got the side of the day which was the sweet potato soufflé and I also ordered the pesto green beans. Ohmygosh, the food was sooo amazing. I wanted to cry because it was that good. The green beans was flavored so well, the portobello stack was huge! And the sweet potato soufflé was sweet enough that I didn’t have to order dessert. I would probably order two pounds of that sweet potato soufflé and put it in my freezer if that was an option…
My boyfriend ordered the pork tenderloin meal that came with two sides also — he ordered the sweet potato soufflé and the mac & cheese. He also raved about his meal. He said the pork tenderloin was just right, the biscuit was fluffy, and of course the sweet potato soufflé was the best he has ever had. The mac and cheese was just okay — it was plain compared to the other friggin amazing food. I think they are better for their veggies since they know how to cook it so well.
Their menu also says they make everything «fresh, in-​house, and with the love we hope you enjoy.» Yup, definitely could taste that. Oh, customer service was great, too. The cashier helped make recommendations and was super friendly. She took our scoutmob right away. I would definitely come back, even without scoutmob.

Love this place.
Cozy, Chill nice spot. Very nice to me.
Food delicious. Sweets awesome.
Lovely place Atmosphere…

Best brisket in town. Best I’ve ever had. It’s do crispy and soft and just melts in your mouth. The nanwhich (what a cool name) is thee best way to try the brisket. With coleslaw and beacon… yummm… As a side, I always get the broccoli salad or the green beans. Hands down the best.

On a whim, we tried this jewel of an establishment for lunch. To say that I was blown away is an understatement. As a generally hard to please diner, I was so surprised by the quality and preparation of the meal. The brisket was as good as I’ve ever had in my life… Brussels sprouts, broccoli salad, and green beans were all expertly prepared.
The proteins seem to be smoked and rubbed with simple salt and pepper. The salt crust is intense for those who are sensitive to strong salt flavors; however, the other flavors provided by the sides helped to dull the overwhelming salinity.
My only criticism… It is only open 11 AM to 3 PM Monday through Friday. It would be the perfect Sunday brunch spot or evening meal…

It was a good while since I last had a meal at the Market, I’m talking about a year. The other time was good and I thought it was a quaint spot with good food. When I went for lunch yesterday it was like fine wine, with time, just a WHOLE darn lot better!
First off, the reno that they’ve done is awesome. It”s just got a charming vibe and for the small space, is functional too.
And then for the food — I LOVE the little baskets on each table with the four sauces to choose from. I had the one that looked like bbq sauce — it had a tangy flavor to it, and was delish! For the vegetarians reading, they offer a number of great choices. The portobello NAAN-​WICH was spot on and left me, if it were not for being in public!, practically licking the plate for every last crumb. The guys/​gals in the kitchen know what they’re doing.
Lastly, prices totally reasonable for what you get. The atmosphere and quality of food make this a five star worthy place in my book.
Unilocalers, run to the Market, and enjoy yourselves!!!

What a darling little spot in Norcross for a meal. We came in for lunch and I was really surprised at the appearance of this little spot as it kind of blended into the rest of its surroundings. Ha! I honestly thought it was someone’s house! Happily, not at all. You could smell the smoke and coals still smoking from the smoker out back and as we hit the threshold of the front door, I knew there was something on the menu that would involve smoked meat. Score.
The little dining room is so tiny. There’s a small cooler with some drinks, a few tables, jugs of water and tea, and a counter where you walk up to order. I didn’t realize the menu was chalked on one of the rafters and it’s actually pretty large. There are tons of sandwiches, entrees, soups, and killer side items.
I went with the half Springer Mountain chicken and a side of broccoli casserole. The chicken… ohhhhh, that chicken. SO incredibly smoky and incredibly delicious. The flavor was so deep and embedded throughout the entire half of the bird I had on my plate. Wow. I paired a few bites with the BBQ sauce on the table and it was divine. I decided to go at it with a fork and knife to avoid having the smoky scent on my hands all day, but I was tempted to dive in like it was a Sunday barbecue in my back yard. Next time. Oh, and the broccoli casserole was fantastic as well. Super cheesy.
It really feels like your dining in your grandma’s dining room. Lots of hustle and bustle from the kitchen and the food has plenty of that famed ingredient — Love. I hope I get to come back soon. This place rules.

The Market was in my bookmarks for long time, but somehow either I didn’t have anything else to do around there or when I did, I couldn’t get anyone to go with me. Finally last Tuesday I managed to go there with my friend and fellow Unilocaler, Ravi.
The market is located at the Historic Norcross downtown in a relatively quiet street than other restaurants. The same owners also have ‘Bleu house Café’ right across the street. The building looks like a house converted into a restaurant but still very nice and elegant. I also like how clean and bit rustic the inside is. And they bill themselves specializing in Southern and barbecue food with a twist.
We got there very early around 11.15 am (they open at 11 am), so we were the first ones. When we entered we were greeted by the staff in the counter. Understanding that it was our first time there, he told us about some of his favorites and we actually ordered based on that.
Overall I have tasted,
1) Dip plate from the Snack section
2) Bacon-​wrapped, cheese filled meatloaf
3) Pimiento cheese Naan-​wich
4) Chocolate Macaron (not what we ordered, but I will get to it later)
First of all, if you ever go to this eatery, get the dip plate! It’s so huge, that you can eat it as your lunch. They give a small bowl of pimiento cheese, toasted bread and lots of veggies including pickled onions. The pimiento cheese wasn’t exactly in dip consistency by any means, but I liked it. I do think, it would be easier to eat if they give it in a wider bowl. The bowl it came with had narrow mouth, so once you are done half way through, it was harder to scoop the thick pimiento cheese out of it. Having said that, I think it’s a very good value for money at just $ 4.95.
I got the Bacon-​wrapped, cheese filled meatloaf plate, that comes with two sides. I chose daily specials sides — Parmesan Mashed potatoes and roasted veggies. So anything Bacon-​wrapped and cheese filled must be good, right? Apparently not and they proved it too. It was one of the flavorless meatloaves I have ever tasted and it was even dry. The bacon, cheese and the barbecue sauce on top did nothing to that meatloaf. But I thoroughly enjoyed the Parmesan mashed potatoes and roasted veggies. In fact, without that the mashed potatoes I couldn’t have even eaten a bit of that meatloaf.
And then there is Pimiento meat naan-​wich ordered by Ravi. It was the same Pimiento cheese from our dip and same veggies, just loosely wrapped inside a bread they call Naan. The bread was just ok. He had ordered water melon salad as his side and we both liked it.
So about that macaroon — we saw that pistachio macarons on todays special and had ordered one for each. But the waiter brought two chocolate macarons and said that it was much better one than a pistachio macrons. That was fine by us and to be honest it was a very good macaron for just $ 1.50.
I really wanted to like ‘The Market’ more but with two disappointing entrees, I don’t know if I want to go back again anytime soon.
3 stars.

Summary — Start with the dipping plate, get a side of amazing parmesean mashed potatoes, maybe try an entrée that is not the naanwich or meat loaf, and then get some macarons.
Service — 3 stars
Food — 3 stars
Atmosphere — 5 stars
Praveen, fellow Unilocaler and good friend, and I checked this spot for a random lunch meet-​up today! I recently discovered downtown norcross so it was great to come back and walk around and explore some more. I walked into the restaurant and immediately fell into a time portal to a couple hundred years ago Georgia. The house-​feel was cozy and was reminiscent of old Georgia homes with lots of wisdom. There were antebellum-​looking spoons on the wall, an antique-​looking couch mixed with modern tables. The environment is great for summer, super colorful.
Praveen and I, like a good Unilocaler should, shared a bunch of different items to sample different things. The dishes we got were: dipping plate, meat-​loaf, pimento cheese naan-​wich, sides of watermelon salad, roasted vegetables, and Parmesan mashed potatoes, and chocolate macarons.
We started out with some chocolate macarons which I give 5 stars! One of the best I have had. Not that I have had many, but one of the best few I’ve had. The outside was perfectly sweet without having a burnt taste and the inside was chocoately-​goodness without being overbearing.
Next we started picking at our dishes. I started out trying the watermelon side dish. The watermelon was really sweet, but it came with goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette, which I found to be a weird mix. Next I tried Praveen’s mashed potatoes. YUM! Amazing parmesean goodness melting warmly in your mouth! The roasted vegetables were next. They seemed to be lacking flavor. Tasted healthy at least!
Next we tried the «dipping» plate which was their pimento cheese with an assortment of vegetables. Don’t get me wrong, the pimento cheese tasted great. My main concern was: you can’t really dip the vegetables in the cheese. The appetizer came with really amazing cheese-​topped bread that I loved, but even then I couldn’t really «dip» that. However, it would have been a much better deal not to get the naan-​wich and just this, because the «dipping» plate was my «pimento cheese» naan-​wich deconstructed for half-​the-​price.
I did not enjoy the naan-​wich. The naan bread was stale and lacked flavor. The vegetables were fine, but they were the same ones on the dipping plate as I was saying earlier with the addition of some roasted red peppers. The bread from the dipping plate would make an amazing sandwich with the pimento cheese :)
Lastly, I tried Praveen’s pork-​wrapped meat-​loaf. It was good with the excessive bbq sauce they put, but the inside lacked flavor also.

Thanks to Richard R for recommending that we try this place for a lunch UYE. It’s easy enough to find, and there appears to be a decent amount of free street parking, particularly if you don’t mind a little walk to the square nearby. The inside was packed! People were taking their time reading the menu (written on boards above the counter and case), so it wasn’t clear who was in line. I was tempted to eat on the porch, but it was cold and starting to drizzle, so we waited it out. We ended up asking a group of 2 to switch to a smaller table so the 4 of us (plus baby in car seat) could sit together, and then took the larger farm table along the banquette in the corner by the door once that 3 person group left.
Once we’d secured our seats, we ordered. Richard raved about the Kickin’ Chicken, but since he ordered it and agreed to share a bite with me, I opted for The Southern Cuban (cuban sandwich with smoked turkey) with pesto green beans (no nuts, no gluten!). I was going to get the BarbeCubano (essentially the same sandwich but with different bread and smoked pulled pork instead of smoked turkey), but the last one of those sold as I stepped up to the counter.
The food was pretty good, though not as expected. The turkey in my sandwich had a nice smokey flavor, but was a little firmer than I would have liked. Richard’s came as a wrap, not a sandwich. It had a nice kick to it and was full of messy sauce, but I couldn’t taste the prosciutto (or bacon for that matter). You could taste the smoke in the bite of Lindy’s pork that she shared with me, but it was dry and not terribly tender.
Richard graciously shared macarons with us. The coconut flavor in the cookie was good, though the texture was a little too chewy and the filling was a little too sweet. It was still a nice little bite to end the meal.
I’d definitely suggest it as a spot for lunch if you’re in the area, but I’m not sure that I would make a special trip.

«I can’t even eat. The food keeps touching. I like military plates, I’m a military man, I want a military meal. I want my string beans to be quarantined!» — Toys (1992)
This has been on my to-​do list for some time and we finally hit this place up for lunch. The place is smaller than I expected, but somehow they pack in a lot of tables. This makes it a little tough to move around inside and you find yourself camping or stalking people for then they finish eating — just to grab a table. There were 4 of us (plus a baby in a carrier, and we had to do some musical tables to end up in a good table situation — but ultimately it worked out well.
Taking a look at the menu, I was convinced I would be getting a sandwich or a wrap. Then the chef told us about a smoked pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon — SOLD! He also recommended the mac and cheese and the pesto green beans. I was curious about what nuts he put in the pesto and was pleasantly surprised to learn that the chef does not use any nuts in his pesto. SOLD AGAIN!
We did have to wait entirely too long for our food — so long I lost track of time. I was famished by the time the food got to the table. My plate looked delicious and I could not wait to dive in. There was plasticware on the table — but several of the forks we pulled out were broken. Luckily, we found functional forks and we dug in!
Wowza — the food was amazing! The pork was succulent with that crisp saltiness from the bacon and a spicy kick from the dry rub. The 3 thick slices were plenty for a lunch portion. The mac and cheese was pretty good — not the best I have ever had, but possibly the issue was that it wasn’t hot enough. The ooey-​gooeiness is lost when the pasta and sauce isn’t piping hot from the oven. Don’t get me wrong — it was tasty, but I bet it would have packed more punch had it been hotter.
The winner on the plate were the green beans. Still packing a crunch, with a slather of pesto and a topping of melted Parmesan, I was a happy girl — and the portion was pretty huge. I think I could have made a meal of these. A nice wedge of homemade focaccia and I was in heaven, for sure.
Unfortunately, this is not a speedy lunch. You have to allow more than an hour — we were there for an hour and 40 minutes. Between finding a table, maneuvering the line, and waiting for food — albeit delicious food — this is a solid 3.5 stars. Sorry it had to be rounded down.
I’ll give it another shot and try to show up prior to noon — maybe I will have more luck?

They’re family and they’re cooking, bleu houses oh so pretty
They’re all together dreamy, the Adams Family.
Their houses are now restaurants, where people come to dine-​in
They really are self taught the Adams Family
So get your butt on over, a short drive out the Perimeter
We’re going to go a noshing with the Adams Family.
The second of the Bleu Houses in Norcross, this one comes to us from Nicole Adams, daughter of John and Maureen who founded the original Bleu House Café. The Market is a step up from the Café and has a certain Provisions style eatery to it. From the smoked meats, delectable sides, or themed sandwiches, everything here will excite the tastebuds.
Location is easy to find, parking available at the restaurant or on streets around. Lunch business is BOOMING and with very good reason.
The interior is very comfortable and both Bleu Houses were originally family homes belonging to the Adams, the market being Nicole’s grandfather’s home. A mix of two tops and four tops, it really has a small town feel with big city tastes.
Had a chance to chat with Nicole and her chef when we were there, sampling our way through some of the daily specials and delicacies. I’m a macaron freak, and loved the keylime Nicole was dishing out that day.
Love to see the revival Norcross is experiencing similar to other OTP cities full of charm like Roswell and Alpharetta.

Woooooeeeee, this place does lunch right, and I’ll give you three good reasons why:
1. Portion
2. Price
3. BREAD
Bleu House Market (the sister restaurant to Blue House Café, right across the street) offers a respectable number of hot sandwich, salad and plate meal options with about 15 sides to choose from, all displayed in their glass case so you know what you’re gettin’. A sandwich comes with one side and the entrees come with two and you sure won’t leave hungry!
I ordered a turkey bacon sandwich with pesto mayo and a side cup of soup for $ 7.59. My soup was brought to the table in a bowl the size of my car tire with a chunk of the BEST BREAD I’VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. The sandwich that came out shortly after was a work of art.
I WISH I had had room for something out out of their bakery cabinet!
Highly recommended for a lunch spot.