About Us
More Than a Meal.
More Than a Store.
Batesville General isn’t just where you stop for a biscuit or a plate of pot roast. It’s where generations have come to gather... locals, hikers, lake-goers, and families passing through.
It’s a place that feels like Sunday lunch at Grandma's after church. A place where people sit a little longer, talk a little louder, and leave a little fuller than they came.
Meet Bonnie Edmonds
Bonnie didn’t plan to put down roots in Batesville. She came to Rabun County on business—but like so many others, she fell in love with the land, the people, and the way life moves a little slower in the hills.
With what she calls her two “God-given talents”—people and food—Bonnie took on the challenge of restoring the old Batesville café. She gave it a fresh new look while keeping the heart intact.
Today, she leads a team that serves meals made from scratch and with soul. She brings a deep love for this community and a passion for hospitality you can feel in every corner of the store.
Bonnie’s not in the kitchen every day, but her presence is everywhere. From the recipes to the way guests are welcomed, she’s built something real here.
Owner • Chef • Community Builder
— Bonnie Edmonds
“If something I serve reminds you of your people, your place, your past, I’ve done what I came here to do.”
Owner • Chef • Community Builder
Because it feels like home.
Because the biscuits are still made from scratch.
Because the food tastes like someone put thought into it.
Because people here remember your name, and your order.
Because it feels like home.
Because the biscuits are still made from scratch.
Because the food tastes like someone put thought into it.
Because people here remember your name, and your order.
Why People Keep Coming Back
Tucked into the hills of Northeast Georgia, Batesville is the kind of place where history isn’t just something you read about. It’s something you stand on.
Long before roads and recipes and rocking chairs, this land was home to sophisticated indigenous cultures. Archaeologists have uncovered stone terraces and platform foundations dating back over a thousand years. Some say the General Store sits on one of them.
In the 1800s, settlers arrived and built water-powered gristmills along the Soque River. By the early 1900s, the store had become the center of town—part post office, part trading post, part front porch.
And while much has changed, the spirit hasn’t. People still come here to connect. To eat. To slow down. To be part of something that’s lasted.
Batesville: Layers of Legacy
Batesville:
Layers of Legacy
Located at the crossroads of Highway 197 and 255, Batesville General is a gathering place. A neighborhood table. A kitchen with a view and rocking chairs with a place to have conversations.
We’re proud to be part of this community, and we’re even prouder to feed the people in it.
A Porch With a Purpose
A Timeline of Batesville General
Once a federal outpost called Camp Sutton, it is now a timeless gathering place.
1820s–1830s
1940s–1960s
Fishermen lined up at dawn for biscuits, coffee, and a shot at Soque River trout.
2000s–Today
Revived as a café and local landmark—serving stories, sandwiches, and Southern charm.
Want to Share Your Story?
Have a photo, memory, or piece of Batesville history you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it.
