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This is a city known for its food; many a trip to Atlanta is planned around meals in its barbecue shacks, upscale diners, and chic urban eateries. Traditional Southern fare—including Cajun and creole, country-style and plantation cuisine, coastal and mountain dishes—thrives, as do Asian fusion, traditional Ethiopian, creative vegan, and mouth-scorching Indian food. Catch the flavor of the South at breakfast and lunch in diners and other modest establishments that serve only these meals.
Many restaurants will accept you just as you are; dress codes are extremely rare in this casual city, except in the chicest of spots. Although many restaurants accept reservations, some popular spots operate on a first-come, first-served basis on weekends. Waits at some hot dining locales can exceed an hour, especially if you arrive after 7 pm.
The Farsi word delbar translates to “heart, captured,” and that’s exactly what this restaurant intends to do. The interior is elegant and striking, and the cuisine's color and flavor is equally enthralling. Delbar’s menu is based on food that owner Fares Kargar made and ate growing up in Iran, as well as inspiration from all over the Middle East. If you want an intro to Persian cuisine, try the tahdig, or crispy rice. No matter what you choose, a reservation is a choice decision.
Scrappy and lots of fun, this bar has a hearty menu of classic pub food. A favorite here is the Greenie Meanie Chicken, a grilled chicken breast topped with roasted poblano peppers and salsa verde. In the back bar you'll see the country's best up-and-coming indie acts.
Live music and a twist on the standard date night keep this place bustling on weekends. The menu consists of tapas such as patatas bravas con romesco (potatoes with olive oil and a spicy sauce) and ceviche. The only real entrées are a roasted whole fish and a traditional paella overflowing with fresh seafood, chicken, and chorizo. The restaurant is at the very end of the Miami Circle design center.
There's a long wait on weekends at this spot, which is famous for its biscuits served with cranberry-apple butter. Dinners may include roasted chicken or turkey meat loaf with pudge (mashed potatoes). There are also plenty of vegetarian options. Next door is a bakery serving biscuits to go, as well as freshly baked muffins and cookies; but be aware, the bakery closes at 2 pm.
Don't fill up on the tortilla chips at this Tex-Mex joint. They are so tasty that you might miss the rest of the menu, which includes vegan and vegetarian options, as well as standards like fish tacos and fajitas. A big patio makes this a big sunny-day draw, especially with the organic margaritas featuring rotating flavors fresh from local farmers' markets.
Southern comfort food at its finest can be found at this bright, old-school diner. Cheese grits with a good cheddar bite, fluffy biscuits that can be stuffed with anything from sausage and gravy to perfectly fried chicken, and hunks of made-from-scratch cake are just a few of the reasons locals flock to Home grown. Before you leave, browse the in-house thrift store—an appropriate backdrop to the eclectic atmosphere and crowd at this restaurant. Arrive before 11 for the shortest wait, or grab a seat at the counter.
In a neighborhood flush with craft beer options, Leon's introduced an inventive specialty cocktail menu (as well as its own long list of craft beers). The food menu is full of fun snacks to share while drinking, including fries served with an array of sauces. For an entrée, try the pan-roasted trout. The restaurant borders a popular patio on one side and is lined by a busy bocce court on the other.
Inspired by Jarrett Stieber’s pop-up, Eat Me, Speak Me at S.O.S. Tiki Bar in Decatur, the restaurant is named after his dog, a Great Pyrenees. Located beside the old Turner Field stadium that now belongs to Georgia State University, Little Bear boasts creative and themed menu items and unique cocktails. Stieber won the 2023 Young Chef Award from Michelin, and the restaurant achieved Bib Gourmand status.
The Southern-inflected menu here emphasizes locally sourced food. A highlight is the farm egg baked in celery cream with rustic bread; it's one of the best dishes in town. The rest of the menu is just as good, like the delicious grilled pork loin and seasonal vegetable plate.
It's fun to come sit at the oversized bar and sample any number of the smaller plates on this happening Italian eatery's menu. The pastas are delicate and delicious, and the pizzas are thin, charred, and chewy. For a view of the kitchen, request a seat facing the wood-fire oven and watch the pizzaiolas (pizza guys) slide fresh pies in and out of the oven.
For top-notch seafood, head to this restaurant in a dazzlingly refurbished warehouse space. You can slurp raw oysters on the half shell from the oyster bar or dive into the seafood gumbo, which has dark, complex gravy and is full of meaty hunks of crab. The restaurant has a lively atmosphere (there's a putting green out front) and can get a bit noisy in the middle of dinner.
Revolution” refers to their dedication to doughnuts made by people, not machines. Every hand-crafted doughnut is made with natural, organic ingredients, from the glaze to the filling. With each bite of these artisanal baked goods, you can taste the difference in craftsmanship and care. Hard work goes into every doughnut, as well as a breadth of creativity and uniqueness.
ATLiens (both meat eating and vegan) were delighted when this popular food truck expanded to a brick-and-mortar Westview location in 2019. The mission behind its coquettish name is to prove that plant eaters can still indulge in good, rich food, and, with a menu of charbroiled Impossible Burgers loaded with special sauce, vegan cheese, sweet plantains and more, Slutty Vegan achieves just that. Lines out the door at this fun and lively place mean long waits and a fairly limited menu, but the food is worth it.
For an adventurous take on Italian cuisine, visit this former commercial space that hops with young, hip patrons dining on seafood risotto, spaghetti with sun-dried mullet roe, and utterly perfect panna cotta (custard).
Vegan comfort food and plant-based barbecue dishes are served up in a no-frills diner setting, with mac and cheese (made with soy cheese), cauliflower and tofu steaks, and kalebone (a wheat-gluten protein) topping the menu. The original location (on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard) serves similar fare but buffet-style, with more limited daily choices.
The culinary traditions of South Carolina inspire the dishes served at this cheerful restaurant. This is the place in the city to try out Southern staples like fried green tomatoes, she-crab soup, and buttermilk fried chicken. In the heart of the Crescent Avenue entertainment district, the spare, art-filled restaurant attracts a hip crowd.
Amanda Wilbanks has come a long way from entering her buttermilk pie in local competitions—she’s now the owner of three storefront locations and the author of a cookbook. There’s a variety of sweet and savory choices at this chic Buckhead Village location (even a Pie-of-the-Month club). Favorites include the caramel pecan pie, original buttermilk pie, and chicken pot pie (the shop only sells whole pies, which start at $39.95).
It’s unlikely you'll find another sushi restaurant that is as sublime. Hayakawa is both intimate and traditional, a serene space that contributes to its overall experience. The fish here is sourced straight from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, along with other places around the world. Chef Atsushi Hayakawa curates the selection, so everything you eat is top-tier. Around since 2008, Hayakawa is one of few Atlanta restaurants to receive one Michelin star.
Don't let the long lines outside this counter-service eatery discourage you. They move quickly, and once you get in you'll be rewarded with a full bar, a wide selection of tacos and enchiladas, and unusual sides like spicy collard greens and jalapeño coleslaw. You can also sample a fabulous trio of salsas and not-to-be-missed chunky guacamole. Don't grab a table before you order or you'll get glares from those waiting in line.
The Ted in question is CNN founder Ted Turner, who has left a significant mark on this city, and Atlantans feel a sense of ownership for this chain specializing in bison meat. Tin ceilings, a cheerful waitstaff, and mahogany paneling add to the comfortable feel. The restaurant is located near a street named for the Atlanta icon, dedicated in 2015.
Software engineer Jeff Varasano was 14 when he set the country's Rubik's Cube record, and he's since changed gears to accomplish the feat of building the perfect pizza. The thin, lightly charred pies are created by closely following Varasano's intense instructions, including the use of an 800ºF oven. The restaurant also serves pastas, salads, and rich Italian doughnuts.
