Steel Magnolias and Friends Grille and Bar have been awarded the 2017/2018 "100 Plates Locals Love" distinction by Georgia Department of Economic Development's Tourism Division. Georgia Tourism's third annual list of "100 Plates Locals Love" is featured in the state's culinary guide, Georgia Eats. The awarded plates are Steel Magnolias's Pan Seared Sea Scallops and Friends Grille and Bar's Filet of Beef.

"We are so excited to see two of our local restaurants featured in the '100 Plates Locals Love' category in the GA Eats Culinary Guide." said Valdosta-Lowndes County Tourism Authority General Manager Tim Riddle. "It's one more thing we can extoll when selling Valdosta as a great leisure destination – great fun, great relaxation and GREAT FOOD!"

"Culinary experiences continue to be one of the top drivers of visitor interest when planning a vacation," said Kevin Langston, deputy commissioner for tourism at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. "Georgia offers visitors unique food and beverage experiences in every corner of the state, and the Georgia Eats guide makes it easy for visitors and locals to discover the many flavors of Georgia."
 
The Georgia Department of Economic Development's Tourism Division highlights the state's culinary greatness in the official guide Georgia Eats. The Tourism Division creates this informative and inspiring guide to entice visitors to sample the state's world-class cuisine. Georgia Tourism created "100 Plates Locals Love" as a way to provide visitors with locally sourced suggestions, the same way we would recommend restaurants to our family and friends. As a part of the "100 Plates Locals Love" designation, each restaurant is featured in the Georgia Eats culinary guide, which is distributed via the 12 Visitor Information Centers statewide; on the state's consumer tourism website ExploreGeorgia.org; and on Explore Georgia's social media channels.

As part of the state's culinary initiative, the third annual Georgia Restaurant Week will take place July 17-23, 2017, at participating restaurants throughout Georgia. During this week-long event, patrons will be able to explore the numerous dining options throughout Georgia for a special price and sample locally grown products that are available in Georgia's restaurants.