Commuting and eating, what's not to love?

Biker-friendly Ladybird Grove & Mess Hal is one of a number of restaurants accessible from the Beltline.

Credit: Andria Brooks

Credit: Andria Brooks

Biker-friendly Ladybird Grove & Mess Hal is one of a number of restaurants accessible from the Beltline.

Eating and bicycling. They go together like a ribeye steak and a rich cabernet sauvignon.

Especially since, when you're riding around metro Atlanta, all that calorie burning really can fire up an appetite.

Ligaya Figueras, the new food and dining editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, has taken a two-wheeled approach to exploring the city's culinary gems since she arrived a few weeks ago from St. Louis, Mo.

And for a newcomer, she sure has learned quickly about how to pair two of life's greatest pleasures. (Who knew there was a Buford Highway Bikes and Bites tour?) There's even a "Spokes and Folks" Beltline bike ride that includes beer and barbecue at Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall at 5 p.m. Sunday.

Ready for more ways to spice up your next bike ride? Read on.