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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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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