Table of Contents
– Welcome to ATL– Where to Start on Eater Atlanta’s Best of Maps
– Neighborhoods to Know
– Glossary of Food Terms
– Reservations to Make in Advance
– Follow the News
– Get in Touch
Atlanta’s got it going on. The city is known for its creative and diverse dining and good ol’ Southern hospitality. With more than 6 million residents in metro Atlanta, a growing job market (we’re the new tech hub of the South with giants like Microsoft and Google setting up bases here), and affordable housing, it’s no wonder Atlanta is attracting people from far and wide. Moreover, South Downtown is going through major developments, including new restaurants and open container laws, in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup this June. The locals may tell you, “we’re full,” but when it comes to food, there’s always room for a culinary adventure.
From the famed lemon pepper wet wings to a dumpling crawl on Buford Highway, residents of the city and its metropolitan area know the secret behind the dining scene lies within the sheer diversity of restaurants and the fostering of ATL’s fierce entrepreneurial spirit. Sure, we’re in the South, but there’s more to Atlanta food than Southern fare. The city is home to eight Michelin-starred restaurants and dozens more recognized.
Welcome to ATL
Atlanta’s restaurant dining scene is all about the myriad of foodways and fusion foods. Expect to find restaurants around Atlanta serving everything from Chinese dim sum, Indian curries and street food, and Mexican fare to soul, Southern meat and threes, and Korean barbecue. With north Georgia’s temperate climate comes a robust outdoor dining scene and a patio season that begins in March and stretches into early December. With that, welcome to the A. Just please don’t call it “Hotlanta”.
Where to Start on Eater Atlanta’s Best of Maps
Hot Restaurants: These are the hottest restaurants around Atlanta right now. For more, check out the 2025 Eater Award winners for categories including Best New Restaurant, Best New Wine Bar, and Best Pop-Up.
Essential Restaurants: Updated quarterly, the Eater 38 is chock-full of excellent dining recommendations. The list includes longtime Atlanta staples, restaurants with loyal followings, and cult favorites locals love. The Eater 38, updated this April, reflects Atlanta’s impressive diversity. This includes restaurants like fine dining stalwart Bacchanalia, newcomer Avize, Indian powerhouse and Michelin-recommended Chai Pani, and new additions like Atlanta’s own soju distillery, Minhwa Spirits, and Adair Park’s darling sandwich shop Sammy’s, among others.
Barbecue: Barbecue is a very big deal in Atlanta and, deservedly, requires its very own essentials list. While there are smokehouses all over the metro area, Atlanta’s best-of barbecue lists have been dominated by two names: Fox Bros., featuring Texas-style brisket at beef ribs, and Heirloom Market, which mixes Southern-American and Korean flavors. This list is filled with tons of really great barbecue joints.
Classic Restaurants: While Atlanta’s newer restaurants tend to capture most of the spotlight, these classic dining institutions, like rotating restaurant Polaris, continue to stand the test of time.
Southern: Which foods fall under the “Southern” umbrella varies by region in the South. Check out this list of Southern restaurants along with staples like the meat and three joints.
Soul Food: What’s the difference between soul food and Southern food? The phrase “soul food” was first coined in the 1960s, seemingly meant to describe the honest-to-goodness, comforting foods often prepared at home by African-American Southerners, with many dishes rooted in survival and the African diaspora. Here are a few restaurants to try.
Restaurants Near the Airport: Whether you’re a local looking to grab a bite in the area or a weary traveler heading off the highway or staying in a hotel, great food can be found at restaurants in cities and neighborhoods around Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants: Despite its reputation for wings and barbecue, Atlanta also features a thriving vegetarian and vegan dining scene. Start with these lists of Atlanta vegetarian and vegan restaurants.
Wings: Atlanta knows wings, and there are plenty of great places around town offering flats, drums, and even that tiny extra part that some people eat as if it actually held meat. These Atlanta restaurants are leading the wing pack.
Navigating Georgia’s Tricky Booze Laws
Over the last decade, Georgia has slowly begun to update its antiquated state alcohol laws, including permitting Sunday retail alcohol sales, allowing the sale of alcohol from restaurants on Sundays starting at 11:00 a.m., and permitting limited direct sales from the state’s breweries and distilleries. Then, in 2022, Atlanta residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of allowing grocery stores, wine shops, and package stores to begin selling booze on Sundays at 11 a.m. So, beginning in 2023, the beer and wine aisles at Kroger light up at 11 a.m. rather than 12:30 p.m.
Home delivery in Georgia of beer, wine, and liquor from restaurants, bars, convenience stores, some package stores, and grocery stores became legal in 2020. The new law currently excludes the state’s breweries and distilleries. This, too, is expected to change as the state continues amending laws surrounding the production, distribution, and sale of alcohol.
Beer: Now that Georgia’s beer laws have been brought into the 21st century, drinkers can buy beers directly from breweries, by the glass in taprooms or up to a case to go. Here’s a list of the best breweries to check out right now.
Wine: Atlanta is home to many indie wine shops offering cool natty wines and rare collectibles, not to mention some must-hit wine bars. Moreover, many restaurants host wine dinners with visiting winemakers and have impressive wine lists. North Georgia, about an hour and a half drive from the city center, is also home to vineyards and two American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). Wine is a-plenty in Atlanta.
Cocktails: Atlanta’s bars are at the forefront of mixology trends, drawing in locals and visitors. From sleek speakeasies to laid-back listening bars, here are Atlanta’s newest drinking destinations and libation pop-ups.
Breakfast: Atlanta isn’t lacking in restaurants serving up a variety of takes on the morning meal. Eater’s breakfast map is filled with some of metro Atlanta’s best bets for biscuits, pancakes, bacon, eggs, and, most importantly, coffee to kick the day off right.
Brunch: Brunch is big in Atlanta, including the triumph of Black brunch spots. Check out these restaurants serving brunch all day and Atlanta restaurants with fresh new versions of brunch.
Coffee: This city’s love affair with coffee means there are plenty of quality independent shops to seek out around Atlanta. Check out these essential Atlanta coffee shops.
LGBTQ Bars: Atlanta is the capital of the queer South, and the city’s got the gay bars to prove it. Here are just a few LGBTQ bars and restaurants to consider around Atlanta.
Patios: Atlanta’s lengthy warm season sees the city enjoying outdoor living and al fresco dining nearly ten months out of the year. That also means Atlanta is full of great patios like these. Consider these rooftop patios with serious views, riverfront dining by the Chattahoochee, or these patios offering outdoor fireplaces and fire pits.
Neighborhoods to Know
West Midtown
This burgeoning area of town includes a slew of great restaurants found at spots like Westside Provisions District, such as popular neighborhood tavern Ormsby’s, Cooks and Soldiers, and Taqueria Del Sol. Go beyond this dense dining district in northwest Atlanta to check out award-winning restaurants like Miller Union, Star Provisions and Bacchanalia, and Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours, and the area’s bustling brewery scene in Blandtown and Underwood Hills. Drop by the food hall, Chattahoochee Food Works. Maybe consider ending an evening out at the iconic blues bar Northside Tavern.
Buckhead
Buckhead is home to some of the best high-end restaurants in Atlanta. Michelin-starred Atlas, located in the St. Regis hotel, takes the cake for inventive fine dining, landing our award for the Best Art on a Plate in 2025 for chef Freddy Money’s salmon with circles and squares. Newcomer Koshu Club, across the street from Atlas, is a Japanese supper club from the team behind Michelin-starred Mūjo, and is a sultry vibe for grilled wagyu steaks and a stellar sake list. 2025 James Beard finalist for Outstanding Hospitality, Aria, serves well-executed European cuisine mixed with Southern ingredients, alongside a killer wine list. Speaking of which, be sure to stop at James Beard semifinalist Lucian Books and Wine to peruse a more than 450-bottle list.
Buford Highway
Buford Highway isn’t a single neighborhood or its own municipality. It’s a four-lane highway stretching from the tip of Brookhaven, just north of the city of Atlanta, to Duluth in the northern suburban county of Gwinnett, filled with restaurants and markets representing nearly two dozen countries from around the globe. In other words, Buford Highway is a gourmand’s paradise featuring foods from nations like Vietnam and Korea to Mexico and Colombia. Deciding where and what to eat along Buford Highway can be overwhelming, so Eater compiled this list of essential restaurants to try. Make sure to explore the restaurants found on streets adjacent to Buford Highway, including the food court at Atlanta Chinatown and Plaza Fiesta. And if grocery shopping, we also compiled a handy guide to Doraville’s Super H-Mart food court.
Decatur
Located directly east of the Atlanta city limits, this municipality boasts a charming downtown and some of the metro area’s finest bars and restaurants all within a few blocks. An ideal evening starts at Kimball House with the mainstay menu item of caviar and middlins, or at Victory Sandwich Bar for light snacks, beers, and Jack and Coke slushies. Grab a seat at James Beard award-winning restaurant the Deer and the Dove for crispy rabbit legs fried in fermented buttermilk and grilled octopus and shrimp terrine, or head to its newest wine and Amaro bar, Fawn. Or dig into Italian food at the White Bull just off of Decatur Square. For Spanish tapas, pop over to Iberian Pig on the square. Head to Michelin-recommended restaurant Chai Pani for Indian street food or dine on pub grub paired with beer at Brick Store Pub. Consider this food crawl as your introduction to the Decatur food scene.
Downtown
Downtown Atlanta is home to the city’s biggest tourist attractions, like the Center for Civil and Human Rights, College Football Hall of Fame, and Georgia Aquarium, not to mention the towering transformer that is Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the revamped home of the Atlanta Hawks, State Farm Arena. While the area caters mostly to office dwellers, college students from Georgia State, and tourists, there are plenty of off-the-beaten-path dining options like Skol Brewing, Dua Vietamese, Aamar Indian Cuisine, and Mediterranean dishes from Aviva by Kameel. For those looking for dinner and a view, make a reservation at the iconic SunDial Restaurant or rotating rooftop restaurant Polaris. Trader Vic’s in the Hilton Downtown is a must-visit for those seeking stiff tiki drinks like the Fogcutter or original Mai Tai. New Italian eatery with a lot of buzz, Capolinea at the Signia by Hilton, has opened at the Georgia World Congress Center and has sweeping views of the Benz stadium.
Major new developments in South Downtown, in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup this summer, include a slew of new restaurants and bars, including Sammy’s new barbecue joint, Broad Street BBQ, and Irish Exit, a bar by the team behind NYC’s award-winning bar, the Dead Rabbit, among others. South Downtown will also become Atlanta’s first open container district.
East Point/College Park/Hapeville (Tri-Cities)
Newcomers to Atlanta, as well as those who work in or travel to the city, may have heard of the towns of East Point, College Park, and Hapeville referred to as the “ATL Airport District.” But longtime residents still call it the Tri-Cities. Its namesake high school and assortment of landmarks were made famous on albums by former East Point residents André 3000 and Big Boi, the duo behind Outkast. The Tri-Cities are filled with some of metro Atlanta’s best-kept secrets. There’s Bole Ethiopian in College Park, and Volare Wine and Bistro brings Southern-French fancy to Hapeville. Check out this neighborhood guide for more great restaurant options.
Inman Park
Atlanta’s first streetcar suburb has been home to quality dining options and has boomed with development in recent years. Krog Street Market, with its food stalls and craft beer bar, is almost always packed at peak hours. Be sure to check out Ticonderoga Club at Krog for some of the city’s best cocktails and steaks. Elsewhere, BoccaLupo turns out Atlanta’s best pasta, and Sotto Sotto is a go-to for multi-course Italian feasts. Walking the Beltline is a must here, where you’ll find an endless supply of dining options, and wave to the regular roller bladers.
Old Fourth Ward
No Atlanta neighborhood has seen more change due to Beltline-related growth than the Old Fourth Ward. O4W is home to Ponce City Market, which features restaurants and food stalls from Atlanta chefs such as Anne Quatrano, Linton Hopkins, Meherwan Irani, and Hector Santiago in the market’s Central Food Hall. Further up the road on Ponce, the 100-year-old Hotel Clermont includes fine dining at Tiny Lou’s above, where the ladies dance at the Clermont Lounge. Further east, check out the restaurants and bars within the Edgewood Avenue dining district, Edgewood Pizza, Our Bar ATL, Joystick Gamebar, and Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room & Ping Pong Emporium. Pop by Staplehouse for a bottle of wine and lunch pizzas and sandwiches from chef Ryan Smith and his team. There are also a slew of dining options all along the Eastside Beltline trail from Ponce City Market to Krog Street Market, and beyond. Be sure to seek out other spots around the area, including Glide Pizza at Studioplex, new wine bar Madeira Park, zesty ceviche spot Tio Lucho’s, and restaurants in neighboring Poncey-Highland like Southern Belle, Fishmonger, and El Ponce.
Other great dining neighborhoods to check out:
AUC (Atlanta University Center)
Summerhill
A neighborhood founded by former enslaved people just after the Civil War, later becoming home to the majority of the city’s Jewish population in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Summerhill has long been a place for Atlantans to strike out on their own and open successful businesses. That entrepreneurial spirit continues today with the latest generation of restaurant and business owners here in the neighborhood and along its burgeoning Main Street: Georgia Avenue. Head to Summerhill for clever takes on Thai food at Talat Market or chef Jarrett Stieber’s “f-ck me up fam” special at Little Bear. There’s beer and bites and even a beer garden from brewery Halfway Crooks, and coffee and fresh pastries from Little Tart Bakeshop.
West End/Westview
Surrounding I-20 on Atlanta’s southwest side lie the neighborhoods of West End and Westview, home to Atlanta’s historic Black colleges, Clark Atlanta University, Spelman, and Morehouse. The neighborhoods are filled with plenty of great dining options, including many of the city’s best vegan and vegetarian restaurants. Check out bar and restaurant Bogg’s Social and Supply for a neighborhood watering hole with live music. The Lee + White complex in West End is anchored by several local food and beverage purveyors, such as Wild Heaven Beer and El Tesoro, Hop City Craft Beer and Wine’s Boxcar gastropub, and locations of ASW Distillery and Monday Night Brewing.
Glossary of Food Terms
Scattered, smothered, covered, etc.:
Some may say Atlanta — well, Norcross — is home to the greatest restaurant chain in the world, Waffle House. Familiar fans will know exactly how they prefer their hash browns. For example, some people prefer a fairly simple order of smothered and covered (for the uninformed, that’s shredded, griddled potatoes mixed with chopped onion and topped with American cheese). First-timers who need guidance in their breakfast-potatoes order will be pleased to find a glossary of hash brown terminology right there on the Waffle House menu.
Double-stack:
A double cheeseburger made from two thin patties that are cooked up nice and crispy on a griddle. Which style of burger is best? The double-stack, first made famous locally by Holeman and Finch and now served at many restaurants around the city, offers tons of flavor thanks to the Maillard reaction that occurs when two thin patties are cooked on a griddle. However, a classic smash burger has its own merit. Here’s how one of Atlanta’s best smash burgers is made.
Lemon pepper wet:
In 2017, the first season of Atlanta, the Emmy-nominated show created by actor-rapper-writer and former Stone Mountain resident Donald Glover, brought a new level of awareness to “lemon pepper wet.” The scene: Paper Boi and Darius are waiting on a to-go order at a quiet J.R. Crickets restaurant. Their server returns with a Styrofoam box full of chicken wings and informs the two they’ve been hooked up by the kitchen. The wings have lemon pepper seasoning and Buffalo sauce, aka lemon pepper wet. American Deli tosses its wings in a spicy lemon pepper sauce using clarified butter rather than Buffalo sauce.
Brunswick stew:
A traditional side found at many barbecue restaurants throughout Georgia. The hearty dish usually includes beans and/or vegetables, and it definitely contains smoked meat.
Beltline-adjacent:
The Atlanta Beltline is an ongoing and often controversial project that transforms old railroad tracks into a walking path that loops around the city. The New York Times has called it a “glorified sidewalk,” which isn’t exactly wrong. When the project was announced, there were promises of transit and affordable housing, but so far, the BeltLine has mostly inspired too many bland mixed-use developments crammed with similar restaurant concepts and gentrification.
Giving Kitchen:
A local non-profit that provides emergency grants to restaurant-industry workers in times of need. The org was awarded the 2019 Humanitarian of the Year Award by the James Beard Foundation.
Reservations to Make in Advance
Popular restaurants Aria, Atlas, Spring, Bacchanalia, Miller Union, Gunshow, Lazy Betty, Lucian Books and Wine, and edomae-style sushi restaurant Mūjo all require advanced booking. Consider one of these restaurants when looking to splurge on a night out on the town.
Download the Eater App
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Get in Touch
Have questions not answered here? Want to send in a tip, or a complaint, or just say hello? Here are some ways to get in touch with the Eater Atlanta staff:
• Email us at atlanta@eater.com.
• Send us a tip, which can be anonymous if you choose, via our tipline.
