If you want to taste Atlanta and not just see it, this is the 1.5-hour experience to book.The Southern Biscuits and Pimiento Cheese Cooking Class is a 1.5-hour, hands-on “Southern Essentials” cooking experience that introduces you to three dishes that define Southern comfort and Atlanta flavor: flaky, buttery biscuits, classic homemade pimento cheese, and refreshingly sweet iced tea.
This isn’t a demo you watch from the sidelines. You’ll roll, mix, stir, and sip your way through the foundations of Southern cooking while learning why these dishes matter, and why they’ve been passed down through generations of Atlanta kitchens. Along the way, you’ll pick up easy techniques, local food stories, and insider tips you can actually recreate back home.
Perfect for teams looking to try something new and low-pressure, this experience is fun for everyone, seasoned chefs and new cooks alike! It’s quick, fun, interactive, and delicious.
Join Unexpected Atlanta, the city’s #1-rated tour company with over 2,400 glowing reviews and over a decade of delicious storytelling. Come hungry. Leave knowing how the South really cooks.
Food Tastings Include:
Pimento Cheese
Sweet Tea
Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits
*Tastings may be subject to change.
Tour Details
Cost:
$45 for all tickets, weekday, weekend, and evening!
20% service fee added for private groups
When:
Available on request!
What’s included:
a hands-on Southern essentials class where you’ll make Southern biscuits, pimiento cheese, and sweet tea;
an awesome and friendly host;
take-home recipe cards;
enough food for a hearty snack;
Food restrictions:
Due to the nature of classic Southern biscuits, we don’t recommend making dairy-free or gluten-free biscuits for the class. However, we can accommodate food restrictions and allergies on this tour and class as long as we know about them in advance.
Booking deadline:
We prefer 2 weeks notice for private classes, but we can sometimes accommodate 48 hours notice. Please check in by calling if you have a short turnaround.
Class size:
6 people minimum, 25 people maximum
What to wear:
Comfortable clothes and comfortable shoes
What to bring:
An appetite and enthusiasm!
Weather conditions:
Tour takes place rain or shine. It’s almost entirely indoors.
Distance:
0.2 miles, entirely indoors!
Parking:
Parking is an additional cost for this experience. We recommend utilizing public transportation because the Atlanta Streetcar ($1 per ride) stops directly in front of the Curb Market.
Meeting point:
Just inside the Sweet Auburn Curb Market. Details provided once tickets are purchased.
Highlights Include:
- Entertaining and informative stories of Atlanta’s oldest market
- Mouth-watering recipes with a focus on adapting to suit your individual palate
- Hands-on Southern biscuit-making class with local jam
- Hands-on pimento cheese class
- Make your own sweet tea
- Discovering the history of biscuits and bread-making
- Perfect for solo travelers or groups
Looking for a foodie gift?
Try an Atlanta food tour or Atlanta cooking class.
Frequently Asked Questions About Private Atlanta Cooking Classes
About the Food
What will I make during the cooking class?
Our Southern Essentials Class combines history, storytelling, and delicious food. It mashes together easy recipes you can recreate at home with stories to make your class memorable and fun.
This Atlanta Southern Essentials cooking class is a completely unique experience!
You’ll make pimiento cheese, fluffy buttermilk biscuits, and sweet tea.
Is this enough food for a meal?
This is the perfect portion for an appetizer, light lunch, or midday snack—but if you’d like a full meal, we can help! Just tell us your timeline, budget, and dietary preferences, and we’ll help you create the perfect meal to complement this fun, hands-on class.
I'm not a good cook, will I burn this too?
This class is meant for everyone! Whether you’re a seasoned cook who knows their way around a kitchen or someone who burns water, you’ll be set up for success.
You’ll be led by our instructor, well-versed in Southern cuisine. We’ll go step-by-step so that everyone can follow along and make their own snacks. If you need any extra attention, our instructor will be happy to assist!
Do you offer vegetarian options?
Yes, this class is already vegetarian-friendly! Simply note your food restriction in the booking notes.
Do you offer gluten-free options? What about vegan?
Due to the nature of classic Southern cooking involving butter, cheese, and gluten, we don’t recommend making dairy-free or gluten-free recipes for the class.
However, we can accommodate food restrictions and allergies on this tour and class as long as we know about them in advance.
What are the menu items? (Spoilers!)
Don’t read this if you want to be surprised!
Generally, our tastings include the following (subject to change):
- Buttermilk biscuit and Emily G’s peach marmalade
- Pimento cheese (spice level adaptable to each individual palate)
- Sweet tea (or unsweet if that’s what you prefer!)
Does this Atlanta food tour include an urban food hall?
Yes! The Atlanta Southern Essentials Cooking Class takes place completely indoors in the Sweet Auburn/Municipal Market, Atlanta’s oldest urban food hall and market.
How much food is there during the class?
The food you’ll make during the 1.5 hour class is enough for a hearty snack.
I have a severe food allergy.
Please let us know about severe food allergies. Our guides also carry Benadryl but do not carry epi-pens. We cannot guarantee the absense of cross-contamination.
Is there a tour minimum?
Yes, Private groups have a 6-person minimum and a 25-person maximum per group.
What type of history is included on the Atlanta southern cooking class?
The Atlanta Southern Essentials Cooking Class covers the history of southern biscuits, pimentos, and sweet tea from 1600s to the 1900s, plus the history of the Curb Market and how it relates to Atlanta.
Is the cooking class messy?
Not at all! There’s a bit of flour and butter to handle, but most guests find that no flour ends up on their clothing, and it’s easy to brush off. If you are concerned, we have aprons available for guests.
I am interested in the Civil Rights Movement. Is that on this tour?
We mention the Civil Rights Movement briefly. But, if you want to learn about Martin Luther King Jr. or the Civil Rights Movement, we recommend our Martin Luther King Jr. History Tour.
How close is the Atlanta food tour to other attractions?
The Municipal Market is very close to many downtown attractions and is along the Atlanta Streetcar Route. It is an easy trip on the Streetcar to the World of Coke, Georgia Aquarium, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Eastside Beltline Trail, and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park.
I am interested in a private tour or experience for a corporate event.
Wonderful! Contact us here. We will help you organize your private tours.
How long is the walk?
0.2 miles, almost all indoors! You will be standing for at least an hour.
Are the Atlanta food tours wheelchair accessible?
The tour is not ADA accessible. If you are a wheelchair user, we’ll do our best to accomodate you. Please let us know if you will be bringing a wheelchair.
Will the cooking class in Atlanta run in the rain?
Absolutely! This cooking class is held completely indoors.
Inquire Below to Reserve your Private Cooking Class!
