North GA Craft Food

The mountains around Helen produce more than schnitzel. There's a water-powered mill that's been grinding corn since 1876, a general store that stocks Swedish cheese, a candy kitchen that's been making fudge since 1973, and a handful of wineries in the valley. If you want to take a taste of the place home, this is your shopping list.

The table gives you the basics; the notes below it explain what to buy at each.

Hours were checked in October 2026 and can change around holidays. Guides: Nora Mill, Old Sautee Store, Hansel & Gretel, Habersham Winery.

Nora Mill has been an operating gristmill since 1876. The stones are 1,500-pound French burr stones powered by the Chattahoochee, according to the mill. The shop sells stone-ground grits and cornmeal, pancake and biscuit mixes, flours, bread mixes and hot cereals, and also general store items such as jams and cast iron cookware. Individual products run roughly $0.75 to $13.95, and the mill ships or holds orders for local pickup.

The store calls itself Georgia's longest operating store and claims more than 150 years of continuous operation. The shelves hold imported Swedish farmer cheese (a wheel was $37.95), apple and peach ciders at $9, and raw honey from $15.95. The Market inside makes sandwiches on fresh baked bread, with Nadine's Chicken Salad and Pimento Cheese by the pound, plus baked goods and ice cream.

The shop says it was founded in 1973 by the Jones family and makes its confections by hand. Look for slab fudge, bark, brittle, toffee, truffles, pralines, chocolate-covered strawberries and caramel apples, with seasonal collections. The main store is on North Main Street and the factory is on South Main. It ships nationwide if you'd rather not carry fudge home.

Habersham Winery is the closest tasting room, about a half mile south of Helen; tastings are $18 plus tax for five wines, per the winery. In Dahlonega, Wolf Mountain Vineyards opened in 2003 and grows its wines at about 1,800 feet; it makes sparkling wine by the Methode Champenoise and has a cafe and restaurant. For a drink with the river in view, the Alpine Brew Deck at 11 River St lists hours of 11 AM to 9 PM Monday through Thursday and 11 AM to 11 PM Friday through Sunday on its website, which hasn't been updated in a while, so call 706-878-7293.

The wineries guide covers the rest of the valley, and the beer guide lists taps in town.