This was the highlight of the Helen area for my wife and I. We had never been to Helen before and while the Bavarian themed town is fun to browse around and find new eating places, the scenery that makes it a Bavarian village theme seems just a tad fake (facades, like you would find in Disneyland) So when we found this authentic historic store and cafe just outside Helen by about 4-5 miles, we stopped in. Wow what a fantastic find! The buildings are historic treasures with the old gas pump out front, the big covered front porch with rocking chairs, and American flags flying proudly on each post. Inside the store, most all of the left side is all historic artifacts, old store items from long ago, fully displayed, not to buy but to view and enjoy. Then on the right the store began. They have snacks, food, clothing, jewelry and other various items in the store. They had some wonderful Swedish imported cheese samples that were yummy! The lady let us know that right next door was their cafe shop which served sandwiches with this same cheese on it. So after shopping in the store, we went next door. There was the cutest shop, another historic building with a sod roof. The indoor eating area was small (perhaps enough for a dozen people but outside were tables. Their veggie sandwiches are wonderful! They offer 4 or 5 types of fresh bread to build it with. They have meat sandwiches but we are vegetarian so the veggie sandwich was perfect and super yummy! The veggies were fresh and crisp. The cookies they bake there and were fresh and chewy! They had Inkos bottled teas which I wasn't familiar with but turned out to be refreshing and very tasty! We enjoyed the food so much that we came back another day and ate there again. If you miss this store/cafe while staying in Helen, you will miss the jewel of the area! If you enjoy historic buildings and items and fresh wonderful sandwiches, this place is a must-see experience, IMHO! read more

Old Sautee Store - Entrance to the store. - Cafes Near Me - Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia

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The definition of a hidden gem! Incredibly friendly service. Fresh bread, thick cut bacon and good cheese made an excellent club sandwich. They also have craft soda bottles and chips to choose from. We're just here visiting but this is my new go to lunch spot if visiting Helen/Cleveland/Dahlonega!! read more

Historic country store that is definitely worth visiting. The deli serves great, fresh sandwiches. ice cream also available. Dining available both inside and outside, but outside is where it's at! read more

Interesting store full of history and fun finds. Food shop as well so you can grab something to eat if you want. Always a treat to stop by here. read more

Cute little cafe in Helen. Needed a quick bite and stopped here one afternoon. There's a few tables outside. Inside you place your order and they'll bring it to you outside. Menu has sandwiches, a few soups, lots of different types of potato chips, and hand dipped ice cream (8 flavors). They have an assortment of bottled drinks too. I got the chicken salad sandwich and hubby got Turkey & cheese sandwich with chips. We both chose rye bread (you have several options). Sandwiches were piled high with meat and served with pickles. I'd suggest coming here to prep for a little picnic lunch or if you need a quick inexpensive meal. read more

Great place to see how an old store used to look in the 1800s. I believe it's a must see if you are up in this area. It's just as I remembered it as a young boy 45 years ago. It's a true historic monument. read more

Probably the best Sourdough Bread you will ever have. And what's inside the bread ain't bad either. It's a great spot for a soup and sandwich. read more

The Old Sautee store is a staple for visiting the area, DO NOT miss it!! The entry area is a really cool testament to the history and inside is clean, the staff is courteous and attentive. And the stuff you find for sale inside, quality and some of it hard to find anywhere else! PS- it would be a travesty to not stop in next door for a sandwich, as well. The deli is amazing and I eat there just about once a week or more. Sourdough bread is to die for and the ingredients are top notch!! I've had almost the whole menu and you really can't go wrong. Special shout out to the ice cream, and the club sandwich. read more

How cute is this store! You feel like you are back in the early 1900's. Great nick nacks, old candies, amazing soda called Cheer wine and the cheese- omg I dream about it! It's a farmers cheese and so mild and delicious. Next door is the deli- quaint little stop with great sandwiches and great tomato bisque soup. A must stop when you are in the area. read more

The Old Sautee Store is a working, old timey general store near Helen, GA. They have plenty of crafts, clothing wares, and local treats available as well as hard to find candies, drinks, and canned goods (pickled garlic anyone?). Every time I'm up in the area, I make a point to stop by and purchase a bottle of Diet Cheerwine. Since Cheerwine is a North Carolina based soda, it is hard to find in GA (and the diet version is even harder to find). It is a treat that I look forward to every time I am in the area. read more

Old Sautee Store - Cafes Near Me - Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia

Racism is alive and well in Sautee! My friends and I stopped there on the recommendation of a local friend. We are all non-white Americans. We were received glacially - the lady handing out samples did not take eye contact or offer us any the whole time we were there (about 30 mins) while chatting and handing out the cheese to all the white patrons. There is a musical machine in the front foyer and one of the salespeople walked over and shut it off the minute we started to watch it and film - we were not told to stop filming - there were no signs asking us not to. We would have obliged the minute someone said anything. One of us could have misinterpreted the signs but three of us getting the chill vibes - no mistaking it. Old Sautee Store, we are all human and kindness is the most human trait of all..so muster up some Christian hosptality and step into the 21st century! Take some lessons from the young lady manning the sandwich shop next door - she was warm and friendly and received a generous tip from us! read more

A friendly place to visit, complete with old fashioned candy, Swedish famers cheese & glogg (which they always have set up for tasting) gifts, clothing such as Life Is Good and Columbia, jewelry, stuff for the kids too. Unlike walking into your big city Mega Mart, people smile at you, ask how you are doing and are genuinely glad to take time to talk to you. When you walk into the store, its like stepping back in time as the front of the store is a like a museum of the old days. I think the place is circa 1800.. There is also a lunch area with inside and outdoor seating. A daily panini sandwich special, as well as other sandwiches and soups, homemade cookies and bread. There are some breakfast items on the menu, but we always go for lunch... How many places do you eat at in your big city that offers Cheer Wine soda for sale? Yup, they have it at the Old Sautee Store. There is also an ice cream counter to finish up your meal if you'd prefer that over a gigantic cookie and a park bench outside by a tub of bubbles and one of the biggest bubble wands you've ever seen. read more

Great for desserts! We got pound cake, muffins, ice cream. It was all good! The staff were great for suggestions and they were sweet.

The sandwiches we had here were delicious! Fresh baked bread was awesome. And the prices were unbelievably low. $3.99 for a yummy pimento cheese sandwich. Highly recommend for a quick cheap bite. read more

This is a thriving local business in an old historic general store. They have a little bit of everything - candy by the pound, farmer's cheese, nice casual clothing and shoes, jewelry, home goods and more. They also have a growing compound of buildings - there is the old general store, a market where they serve made to order deli sandwiches and hand dipped ice cream. They have seasonal outdoor seating for the market as well as indoor seating. They have also recently opened a lawn and garden shop where they sell plants and accessories. Check it out when in the area, you will be glad you did! read more

Old Sautee Store - Cafes Near Me - Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia

Stopped in for a quick sandwich on the way to the mountains for a yoga retreat. Order at the counter, there's a wine bar right next door that offers tastings. Sandwich was what you would expect with chips. The sandwich we orders was the daily special and was decent nothing super special. Would recommend for an easy inexpensive bite to eat. read more

Very good sandwiches from the Deli in the back. Turkey Club was amazing. Sandwiches come on freshly made bread. Enjoyed the selection of root beer and cream sodas. The bigger bag of sweet potato chips was incredibly expensive at $5.49 a bag. Stick to the delicious sandwiches and you won't be disappointed. read more

Old Sautee Store - Little man approves. - Cafes Near Me - Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia

Great Gem of a General Store. Has everything from candy & cheese to clothes and jewelry. Something for everyone in the family. read more

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Very nice store. Good selection for my wife and myself. All the staff was very helpful and friendly. The day we stopped on they had sample of Klog, a Norwegian type of apple cider, very good! We took a bottle with us along with some cheese. Great place, worth a stop for a bit. read more

My husband and I both ordered the veggie with hummus sandwich and it was really good. Great option if you are vegan. Even though it took 30 minutes to get our food, I would recommend this place to others. You can tour the beautiful old store while you wait. read more

Love this place! Loved it before I even moved into this area when we made for all visits to the mountains. Now this place is practically in my backyard and I couldn't be happier. They carry such a lovely selection of gifts and casual clothing, that it is the ideal place to shop. Don't miss the farmers cheese! read more

A great little place for sandwiches and soup. This charming little addition to the historic Old Sautee store, provides outdoor eating as well as indoor. Their bread, sandwiches and soups are always wonderful. And you can top it off with ice cream! read more

If you are in Helen and don't make the trek up from downtown you are missing a Helen landmark.

Stopped in on a rainy day.....this is a most quaint little store!! Right next door to the left is a tiny sandwich shop. Ordered up a chicken salad sandwich on sourdough with a cup of chili......AMAZING. The chicken salad was not chunky and had a great flavor..but the super squishy bread made the sandwich! Chili was perfect for a rainy day. They also have coffee. Don't forget to grab a scoop of peppermint ice cream for the road. We will be back soon!! read more

Worth the stop here. Great store. Nice place to share with the kids lots of old things to see and check out. People are very nice. Check out the old music box. Lunch next door is good too and a good price read more

Nice little place to stop and take a look around! Little candy shop and some clothes as well. Everyone we encountered was nice and friendly and even willing to give us some directions as we are not from the area. The food next door smelled great but we didn't eat there. read more

The man at Chattahoochee Stables recommended the deli here for lunch. He said they have great sandwiches, and he was right. I got the panini of the day, which had roast beef, Farmer's cheese, red and yellow bell peppers and onions on rye. It cost $6.99. It came with a large pickle spear. Amazingly good! Service was fast and friendly. Chips and drinks are extra. read more

Some fairly nice stuff here, but nothing earth-shattering.

Great Farmer's cheese. We come here every year and purchase a few kilos.

This store is so close to Helen you need to take the 2 mile drive to at least get the Farmers cheese. Some of the best cheese I have ever eaten. The 1872 general store sells unique gifts, toys, clothing & shoes for women & men, jewelry and glass bottle drinks along with many other treasures. The eatery next to the general store & museum serves breakfast & lunch with fresh baked bread & hand dipped ice cream. read more

Delicious little lunch spot. Great selection of sandwiches and baked goods. I had the grown up grilled cheese and my husband the club sandwich. Our kids had the PB&J! Very reasonably priced, too. A few minute drive from Helen but worth it as most of the options in Helen are touristy and not very good. read more

Delicious turkey and ham sandwich. I also had white bean soup. This is a little nice place with great sandwiches and a market next to it.

We stopped by to see this country store. Great history. Probably less than 10 minutes away from Helen. Should go by and look around. Great old metal tin signs. Have new items for sale like candy, tshirts, toys, etc. read more

Great time and excellent food! The breads are made each morning and the farmers cheese was wonderful. I seriously stuffed myself on the sandwich and if I hadn't been so full I would have ordered another one, it was that good. I highly recommend it. Best food around Helen for lunch. read more

I was the owner and operator of Lucille's Mountaintop Inn Bed and Breakfast in Sautee, GA. I'm retired now, but my guests used to ask about local eating options all the time. For a quick lunch, there is a little sandwich place next to the Old Sautee Store. The old Sautee Store is a historic building that has been in continuous operation for over 150 years. It's a big tourist attraction in the area and has sent many folks to the Inn. Across from the Old Sautee Store is the Greenstone Soap Company. A couple there makes all their soap there at the store. We purchased all of our soap for the Inn there. So its a great area to enjoy a day out eating good food and shopping interesting little places. You can find out more about my experiences running an Inn at http://catherinelucillehlavenka.com/Home.html read more

This was the highlight of my trip to this region. I loved meeting the staff. Sitting outside and enjoying fresh chicken salad sandwiches on homemade bread made daily and chatting with the woman who baked it while experiencing quiet and nature was memorable. The store itself is like a museum to an earlier time. The gift shop has many cute items but we left with their best sellers- the farmers cheese and the drink that they serve with it. I am going to do a wine and cheese party at Christmas and this will be a lovely part of that spread. read more

Great stop while out exploring the mountain roads in North Georgia. They have lots of history squeezed into this place, very friendly employees, unique gifts, old time candies, and a sandwich shop connected to it so you can grab a quick bite or take some to picnic along a trail to nearby waterfalls. Be sure to make a stop! read more

Love this place and the staff is super welcoming and friendly! It's a nice break from the hustle and bustle of Helen and located in a much more authentic little mountain town. read more

You'll love this crossroads stop at the Old Sautee store. The group of buildings consisting of the store, a sandwich shop/ice cream store and garden spot is quaint and well worth the trip. The main store has a "trick" wompus in a box trap on the porch and old fashioned signs and arcade machines in the foyer. Pushing further in you'll find candy bins of old to new fashioned candy by the pound, natural scented soaps and candles, interesting natural stone and imported jewelry, souvenir and hiker clothing along with a selection of comfortable shoes. Knick knacks, gifts for kids, game cookbooks populate the store. The jewelry covers a range is quite eclectic and interesting including local mystic quartz as well as imported pieces - if your intent is to browse and look do approach in mass as the informed attendant takes over a bit and is enjoyed more when her attention is spread over several shoppers . ;-) Do take a moment to try the famous farmer's cheese wheel and crackers sample in the back - the cheese travels at room temperature so is great for a picnic! There is a bubble stop for kids outside. The sandwich shop is very popular with seating inside and out. The ice cream is the back. There are benches to sit and rest and the garden/candle and accent shop is out back. This is a fun stop on the way to Helen or a an outing from Skylake, Sautee, or Unicoi. read more

very cute old fashioned store, with yummy sandwiches and iced tea.