restaurant

This is the interior of the larger space that is under construction to become Lexington Public House in Lexington. The building is made up of two different spaces that owner Ben Pitts said will become a pub and a room for overflow, and more seating once the restaurant is complete.

This is the interior of the larger space that is under construction to become Lexington Public House in Lexington. The building is made up of two different spaces that owner Ben Pitts said will become a pub and a room for overflow, and more seating once the restaurant is complete.

Pitts would like to open restaurant in six months

Emily Adams
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
The transformation of the former Lexington Antique Mall into a Southern-style restaurant called the Lexington Public House is underway at 102 E. Main St.  The building has already received a new roof and plumbing. The next step for owner Ben Pitts is securing the necessary permits and applications.
Willie Torres stands in front of the counter of his restaurant, Town and Country Kafe, that he co-owns with his wife, Amy Delfin-Torres. The couple decided to put the restaurant on the market after three years to pursue other personal opportunities like traveling. (photo/Emily Adams)

Willie Torres stands in front of the counter of his restaurant, Town and Country Kafe, that he co-owns with his wife, Amy Delfin-Torres. The couple decided to put the restaurant on the market after three years to pursue other personal opportunities like traveling. (photo/Emily Adams)

Torreses opt for new path, put restaurant up for sale

Emily Adams
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
The sale of Town and Country Kafe in Crawford will mark a new chapter for owners Willie Torres and Amy Delfin-Torres. After three years of owning the restaurant, the couple is selling to “pursue new opportunities and personal growth.
Amy Delfin-Torres can't contain her excitement during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of Town and Country Kafe on March 2. About 50-60 customers and staff joined owners Josh Robayo, Amy Delfin-Torres and Willie Torres outside to participate in the ceremony, which was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. Torres took a second to thank those in attendance. "Without you, there's nothing," he said. (Sarah Myers/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Amy Delfin-Torres can't contain her excitement during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of Town and Country Kafe on March 2. About 50-60 customers and staff joined owners Josh Robayo, Amy Delfin-Torres and Willie Torres outside to participate in the ceremony, which was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. Torres took a second to thank those in attendance. "Without you, there's nothing," he said. (Sarah Myers/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Town and Country Kafe Grand Opening

Sarah Myers
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Town and Country Kafe, a Spanish-inspired cafe and restaurant in Crawford, had its grand opening Saturday, after delaying its opening last November due to building renovations.    The Chamber of Commerce board members hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the restaurant’s opening.
Josh Robayo, co-owner of Town and Country Kafe, stands on the grand staircase at the cafe and restaurant last week. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Josh Robayo, co-owner of Town and Country Kafe, stands on the grand staircase at the cafe and restaurant last week. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Town and Country Kafe reschedules opening until spring

Margaux Binder
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
WATCH: Town and Country Kafe tour   Construction on Town and Country Kafe is nearing completion, but its opening date is still pending, co-owner Josh Robayo said.
Josh Robayo (from left), Amy Delfin-Torres and Willie Torres stand in front of Town and Country Kafe, which will serve coffee and Spanish-inspired cuisine. The family plans to hold a grand opening early next month. (Grace Mains/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Josh Robayo (from left), Amy Delfin-Torres and Willie Torres stand in front of Town and Country Kafe, which will serve coffee and Spanish-inspired cuisine. The family plans to hold a grand opening early next month. (Grace Mains/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Spanish-inspired cafe to open in Crawford

Grace Mains
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Josh Robayo, his mother Amy Delfin-Torres and stepfather Willie Torres own Town and Country Kafe, a coffee shop that will serve Spanish-inspired cuisine when it opens.
Crawford Pizza sits on Athens Rd. in Downtown Crawford. Customers are able to place a to-go order, eat inside, or sit at the picnic tables outside. (Jordan Long/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Crawford Pizza sits on Athens Rd. in Downtown Crawford. Customers are able to place a to-go order, eat inside, or sit at the picnic tables outside. (Jordan Long/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Restaurant roundup: Crawford Pizza holds soft opening

Grace Mains and Jordan Long
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Crawford Pizza’s soft opening last week was to help train the restaurant staff and work out the kinks before the grand opening, co-owner Blake Arnold said.   Blake Arnold purchased Papas Pizza To Go in January of this year with plans to create a new pizza joint.
Edward Toledano and Cynzia Sanchez turned the Gillen House, which was built in 1920, into a bed and breakfast in Maxeys. (Submitted Photo)

Edward Toledano and Cynzia Sanchez turned the Gillen House, which was built in 1920, into a bed and breakfast in Maxeys. (Submitted Photo)

Not Scotland, but Gillen House owners love B&B’s location

Troyce Grant
Friday, October 28, 2022
The idea for the Gillen House Luxury Bed and Breakfast in Maxeys came to Cynzia Sanchez and Edward Toledano when they were living in Virginia-Highland, an Atlanta neighborhood.
Rick Skoglund owns Carquest Auto Parts stores in Oglethorpe and Wilkes counties, in addition to Mathews Used Cars in Crawford and Rick’s Pit Stop in Lexington. (Photo/Dink NeSmith)

Rick Skoglund owns Carquest Auto Parts stores in Oglethorpe and Wilkes counties, in addition to Mathews Used Cars in Crawford and Rick’s Pit Stop in Lexington. (Photo/Dink NeSmith)

Q&A: Skoglund’s restaurant background serves him well

Morgan Quinn
Thursday, August 25, 2022
Rick Skoglund owns and manages the Carquest Auto Parts stores in Oglethorpe and Wilkes counties, in addition to Mathews Used Cars in Crawford and Rick’s Pit Stop in Lexington.
Cafe Racer owner Chris Hart is expanding his restaurant to what will be a newly constructed building on West Broad Street in Athens. (Photo/Jack Casey)

Cafe Racer owner Chris Hart is expanding his restaurant to what will be a newly constructed building on West Broad Street in Athens. (Photo/Jack Casey)

Cafe Racer to open in Athens, but keep Crawford location

Morgan Quinn
Thursday, June 30, 2022
Cafe Racer is gearing up to open a location on West Broad Street in Athens by this fall. Four years of experimenting in its trailer facing Highway 78 in Crawford gave the cafe the opportunity to polish and form its identity before moving to a bigger, more established space.
Carrie Faris has spent a year planning and working on her new convenience store called Carrie’s Corner, which opened Monday in Stephens. (Submitted Photo)

Carrie Faris has spent a year planning and working on her new convenience store called Carrie’s Corner, which opened Monday in Stephens. (Submitted Photo)

Carrie’s Corner Store & Cafe opens

Morgan Quinn
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Carrie Faris said her first couple of days have been “steady, not too busy.” She owns Carrie’s Corner, a convenience store that opened Monday in Stephens. A cafe is in the plans, but she said Tuesday that she’s still waiting on an inspection.   “Fingers crossed this will be soon,” she said.