22 Best Restaurants in Atlanta, Georgia

Often called the city's best restaurant, Bacchanalia focuses on locally grown organic produce and seasonal ingredients. The current Westside location, a renovated warehouse with 20-foot ceilings, is decorated in deep, inviting tones. A four-course prix-fixe menu allows diners to taste all that the restaurant offers.

West Egg is a great place to come for one of the city's best breakfasts, especially if you're staying in Midtown. It serves breakfast all day—locals swear by the blue-plate special and the old-fashioned oatmeal. For lunch or dinner, be sure to try the pimento cheese, particularly good on the fried green tomato BLT. The dining room is popular, so come early to avoid a wait.

Chef Gerry Klaskala's talent is best captured by his love of rustic and hearty "slow foods"—braises, stews, roasts, and chops cooked over a roll-top French grill. Don't miss renowned pastry chef Kathryn King's mouthwatering dessert menu.

This swanky hotel lounge features a seasonal menu made up of small plates meant to be shared, such as Georgia-sourced cheese and charcuterie, oysters of the moment, and more indulgent offerings like a 16-hour braised short rib. Don't miss the cocktails dreamed up by one of Atlanta's best mixologists, Paul Calvert. Sunday brunch—featuring dishes like an egg-white frittata, chocolate chip waffles, and mac and cheese with rock shrimp and jumbo lump crabmeat—is served at Park 75, the restaurant opposite Bar Margot, where celebrity sightings are common.

This popular spot on the bank of the Chattahoochee River has built a reputation based on such dishes as slow-roasted rabbit with wild mushroom ravioli and Swiss chard. Sunday brunch—with smoked-salmon eggs Benedict, house-made Georgia pecan sticky buns, and other offerings—is superb. The restaurant's tagline, "tucked away, not far away," is no joke—call for directions.

For traditional Southern food—think fried chicken, ham steak, and turkey with dressing—insiders head to Colonnade, a local institution since 1927 and a magnet for gay men and the elderly. The interior, with patterned carpeting and burgundy banquettes, is a classic version of a 1950s restaurant.

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; the bakery closes at 2 pm.

Here's what pays the bills here: brisket, pulled pork, fried pickles, and an artery-cloggin' take on tater tots, served smothered in Brunswick stew and melted cheese. Try to get a seat on the patio, a great place to soak up sun and sip a cold beer. Unfortunately, you may have to hunt for parking first.

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.

Local celebrities and ordinary folks line up for the country-fried steak and fried chicken here. In the Southern tradition, the servers will call you "honey" and pat your arm to assure you that everything's all right. It's a great way to experience Southern food and hospitality all at once.

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.

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.

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.

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.

You haven't really lived, or at least tested the limits of your heart's health, until you've tried the Heap: a sizzling skillet full of eggs, buttery veggies, and potatoes. Add a fluffy biscuit on the side, and this is one of the city's best breakfasts. Thumb's Up also has good lunch options, including tamari-flavored tofu served on a bed of raw spinach.