Table for Tara: Gigi’s Country Kitchen

Table for Tara is a column by Tara Gilts, sharing her dining experiences and takeaways from Athens County eateries.

ATHENS, Ohio — In 2025, I hope you are not abstaining from pie, hearty breakfasts, or special sauces because I am here to encourage starting your morning or taking a midday break with a meal at Gigi’s Country Kitchen.  

Gigi’s, located along the main drag in The Plains, has the offerings you’d expect with Country Kitchen in the name: biscuits and sausage gravy, generous portions, and slices of homemade pie for dessert. 

On a mid-day Sunday visit to Gigi’s, the restaurant was full and bustling, with the murmur of tabletop conversations punctuated by the frequent ding of a bell and “Order Up!” from the staff. I started with the Chicken Tortilla Soup, one of three soup specials available that weekend. It was creamy, mildly spicy, and would have been a satisfying meal on its own. 

Next, I indulged in The Plains Style Frisco Burger: a hand-pattied burger topped with melted American and Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing on Texas toast. I challenge you to attempt to eat this sandwich without dripping something on your chin. Be sure to ask for a side of the special sauce — tangy and rich, with a hint of horseradish and (maybe) mustard — to top a sandwich or dip your fries in.

To thrill the household, I brought home a slice of each of the day’s made-in-house pies: mixed berry, peach, and peanut butter. Four palates agreed that the peanut butter and mixed berry pies knocked our socks off. The peanut butter pie was particularly decadent, featuring layers of peanut butter crumble, peanut butter mousse, whipped topping, and chocolate chips. 

I love a drive-thru and an 8 a.m. opening, and Gigi’s has both. As a seasoned drive-thru meal diner, I was surprised to see holes punched in the top of my to-go box. I conducted Styrofoam to-go box research and found holes help prevent sogginess — an innovation far more practical than McDonald’s 1984 ill-fated two-sided Styrofoam box for the McDLT (McDonald’s Lettuce and Tomato), which aimed to “keep the hot side hot and the cool side cool.” Gigi’s team gouging holes in the top of their boxes is a far more practical, and successful, take-away meal innovation. 

Gigi’s climbed to the top of my breakfast diner list when I discovered I could swap in a childhood favorite — corned beef hash — for the bacon, ham, or sausage that is included with the Cakes and Eggs ($10.99) meal. This hearty meal also includes two eggs, hash browns or home fries, and two pancakes. The kids’ breakfast options are equally appealing, featuring options like the Eggstastic (one egg, bacon or sausage, and toast) Monkey Bread (iced cinnamon roll) or Chocolate Chip Pancake. 

Sloppy Joes, meatloaf, and homemade noodles (each offered with at least one side) are frequent specials, and you can check-out the current specials, including available pies, on Gigi’s Country Kitchen Facebook page. 

Gigi’s is named after Sue Craig, the grandmother of owner Travis Brand. Sue encouraged her grandson to pursue his dream of opening a restaurant. Though Sue passed away before her grandson could fulfill that dream, Gigi’s, which opened in 2011, captures the warmth and comfort of a grandmother’s love.

If you’re looking for a quintessential Midwest small-town diner experience – quick and friendly service, country-chic décor, hometown pride, and an un-fussy menu of traditional American favorites — Gigi’s is the spot.

5/5 Stars.