By F.C. Foodie
Dining Critic

The students are out of school and the temperatures are starting to soar into the 90s. Although summer doesn’t officially start until tomorrow, many residents have already stopped firing up the oven for several-course meals, so here’s a few options to beat the heat until the cool winds of autumn usher in fall cooking season.

For my money, one of the best bets for Italian fare is the recently opened Carrabba’s in Peachtree City’s Westpark Walk. I usually stay away from chain restaurants serving Italian food.

Carrabba's is another not your typical; chain. All the food tastes freshly prepared, and I really enjoy some of the non-red sauce dishes, such as chicken marsala and chicken Bryan, which features chicken breast topped with caprino cheese, sundried tomatoes and a basil lemon butter sauce. Their chicken piccata is wonderful!

Another good choice in the same shopping center is El Ranchero, which also has a branch in Fayetteville. The restaurant specializes more in the Tex-Mex variety of cuisine and offers a very good value for your money. The restaurant was one of the first Mexican eateries in the area, and is still one of my favorites.

Other late summer options include The City Cafe and Bakery in Fayetteville. As I drove by this restaurant near downtown Fayetteville, I saw several people outside eating on the well-landscaped patio. I’ve always loved the food here, and one of the little-known secrets about the eatery is the wonderful pastries available. I love stopping by in the morning and grabbing one of their wonderful European-inspired pastries, along with a fresh-brewed coffee. It’s the closest thing we have to cafe culture in Fayetteville, and I urge foodies to experience their wonderful cooking.

When fall does finally arrive, it looks like we’ll have a few more dining options to sample. I’ll be reviewing those in the next few columns.