A regular business traveller to the ATL and here are my favs -
1. Tabla - This is hands down the best Indian resto that I've eaten at and they spice up the food to native levels - no kidding. Location is in the mid-town area
2. No one mentioned the best pizza - Antico's! Or did i miss it. As an ex-NYer this has to be right up there with the best good ol' Gotham has to offier
3. The Optimist - Fabulous sea food
4. Pricci's - Italian in Buckhead. Honorable mentions - Antica Posto, La Grotta and Portofino - All in the Buckhead area.
Enjoy!
I eat all around the city, and this is a nice guide. Of course , it doesn't cover everything. Thats just a testament to the breadth of great food around the city.
Calm down, everybody. Kudos to Kim Severson for this mouth-watering piece. If the NYT had given you a whole section you'd still have had people calling for your head because of this or that omission.
P.S. Check out the takeout food at Supermercado Chicago on Buford Highway.
I’ve never seen a truly appreciative article about Atlanta in NYT. Never. Atlanta, like most cities, is a neighborhood town. Perhaps they centered on mostly tourist areas, but perhaps they should have gone to more areas of town and found the truly great restaurants. Besides Atlanta can’t be all bad because half of NY has moved to Atlanta
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I spent a lot of time in the ATL and suburbs in the 90s and 00s. This article is not a bad overview of eats. May I second the Buford Highway--yes!!! Also worth noting: Flying Biscuit (VA Highlands if they're still there), Pittypat's Porch, and, for dozens of beer and burger choices, don't miss The Vortex in L5P (Little Five Points). I'm getting hungry already.
If people are willing to go out of the "perimeter" and into the suburbs, there are tons of amazing, hidden cultural gems that us locals frequent. Of course, the entire strip of Buford Highway—including Mamak for Malaysian food, Ming's BBQ for Canto/Hong Kong bbq, authentic tacos, Buford Highway Farmer's Market for great ingredients, Tempo for Indonesian food, plenty of local pho and Vietnamese sandwich joints, Sweet Hut for some locally-owned (albeit over-hyped) Chinese pastries. Also, if you venture further north into Duluth, the Korean scene is poppin': too many kbbq places to count, plenty of traditional tofu soup houses, even full-service saunas (Jeju). Also, getting authentic Japanese food in Atlanta is actually a rarity, but many know a hidden place called Sushi Yoko that serves the best, home-style Japanese meals. There are also plenty of authentic Chinese, Jamaican, Nepalese, Ethiopian, Indian, Cuban, Greek joints scattered all around Johns Creek/Alpharetta, Decatur, Chamblee/Doraville, Duluth/Norcross, Marietta. The food scene (especially the cultural one) in Atlanta is absolutely poppin', just ask a local.
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Surprised and dismayed you overlooked Murphy’s, the gold standard restaurant and long time favorite in the Virginia Highland neighborhood of Atlanta, also the choice of the Patriots wives, for girls night out the day before the game.
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@ Mark Marrakech
The Atlantans' tastes must by mighty unusual, if they are driven by football games.
Cannot miss out on Mamak - Malaysian street food. Pepper fish is the bomb. On Buford Hwy. Also, Heirloom BBQ - Korean and southern bbq mashup - the best kimchi cucumbers. St. Cecilia is amazing and so is Aria. The Optimist is awesome for raw oysters - they have $1 Oyster happy hour if you sit at the oyster bar.
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I’m glad the article mentioned Buford Highway. The dynamism of immigrants cooking is wonderful in the South, plus there are so many ethnicities there. It may not be as big as Queens, but the area still produces a lot of synergy. Peruvian chicken, Cambodian Creole, Vietnamese French, Colombian Bistro, Chinese Southern.... it’s these instances where the food scene achieves something truly special. Besides that, it makes me grateful for my immigrant neighbors. With all the xenophobic rhetoric, food has the ability to bring people together in positive, enjoyable ways.
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Mentioning Waffle House and failing to mention Staplehouse? A sign that the analysis of the food scene in Atlanta has failed. Gunshow? Restaurant Eugene? Bocca Lupo?? So so many great dining misses. Tips for visitors: For a unique, authentic, and very local experience try the following: Lotta Frutta in Old Fourth Ward or Little’s Grocery in Cabbagetown for great sandwiches or Daddy D’z on Memorial for BBQ. Skip Waffle House and try Silver Skillet on 14th St, a vintage breakfast/meat-and-three diner a la 1956. Delia’s Chicken Sausage Stand (one on Marietta St and one on Moreland Ave) is another good, inexpensive spot, especially if you’re looking for late night eats. Petit Chou in Cabbagetown for charming southern-style French. Emerald City Bagels in East Atlanta Village for real bagels. Avila by Kameel in Peachtree Center downtown for shwarma/Mediterranean. Other good casual: Ladybird on the Beltline is a favorite place to eat, drink, and people watch. Poor Calvin’s on Piedmont for Thai/Southern fusion comfort food. The Golden Eagle in Reynoldstown for great atmosphere and tasty food and drink. Folk Art on N Highland in Poncey Highlands for updated southern breakfast/lunch/dinner. A bit further afield- The General Muir - upscale Jewish Deli and Desta Ethiopian Kitchen.
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Poor Calvin's is amazing. I also love Six Feet Under across from the Oakland Cemetery on Memorial.
@Lisa Rogers Are you referring to same Staplehouse that was voted the best restaurant in America by "Bon Appétit" in 2016? You think that's worth mentioning? Want to know put your finger on the pulse of the Atlanta restaurant scene? Let's ask San Francisco based Stephen Satterfield, he once lived in Atlanta - he'll be perfect!
Obviously impossible to encapsulate an entire city's restaurant scene in one piece but, yikes NYT, this is sub par.
There are several glaring omissions in this article, but the most glaring is: Staplehouse. Quite possibly the best restaurant in Atlanta. The bar upstairs, Paper Crane Lounge, is intimate and serves top notch cocktails. If the Times is going to write about other cities' food, it could well take a less New-York-centric approach and just write about a city as it is. New York isn't the world's True North.
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Speaking as a local I'm am always sorry and glad that The Soul Vegetarian, Olive Bistro, The Tree House and Café Lapin are never on anyone's list.
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@roger mclain Cafe Lapin is fun for a ladies who lunch meal!
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It is unfortunate that the Prop and Setup artists of the excellent photographs paid no attention to the flatware used with different dishes.
1. No utensils for eating the fish collars are shown.
2. Chef Linton Hopkins's fried chicken sandwich, shaped like a hamburger, is presumably to be eaten with the hands.
3. Table settings in Atlas, St. Regis hotel, violate the code of cutlery placement, as dictated by Anne-Sophie Pic (France), the Countess of Carnarvon and Guide Debrett (both England), and Emily Post (US).
4. Chicken wings on the last photo, I would not touch with a fork and sharp knife.
Get in your car and drive to Tucker. Matthews Cafeteria. Real. Southern. Cooking.
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Those two pictures of fish look like they have been laying in a back alley for a week accumulating detritus. The restaurants may be good but their presentation leaves a lot to be desired!
If you're hankering for sushi, try Tomo in Buckhead. As good as Nobu, right here in Hotlanta.
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Dai Loi II on Buford Highway. Best Vietnamese food in the United States. Have the Bun and enter food heaven.
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No Ford Fry! The Optimismt, Superica..
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Anyone flying into (or out of) Atlanta should take the opportunity to check out One Flew South in Terminal E (the international section) of the airport.
Saying One Flew South is the best airport restaurant I've ever been to sounds like damning with faint praise, but doesn't do this terrific restaurant justice. It's made me choose Atlanta as a connecting airport whenever possible and made me actually look forward to extended layovers there! Food, cocktails, and service are all wonderful.
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Could not agree more!
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@Liz Ecco in the international Terminal is great too. The goat cheese balls are worth a trip to the airport....or the sister restaurant in Midtown.
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Thanks, Will. I'll check it out next time I'm there.
Having lived in Atlanta for roughly 15 years I'd vote for Community BBQ, and Cafe Alsace, both in Decatur. The Colonnade is indeed a cultural tour-de-force of traditional Southern fare. Atlanta shouldn't be looking over its shoulder and just be itself. That said you won't find great Greek or Italian food very easily.
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@Chesapeake Yes, Community is our go to. Love their sweet potatoes with greens. Heirloom BBQ is also a favorite.
@Chesapeake Yes, Community is our go to. Love their sweet potatoes with greens. Heirloom BBQ is also a favorite. And you are right - there really is not good Greek and Italian in general. Although Kyma is pretty good. We've gone to Greece twice and I'd say Kyma is spot on - expensive, though. ATL really has more asian and bbq. Which is alright be me!
Don’t forget about MEDITERRANEA, located in grant park. Best brunch, lunch, and dinner ever!
HOME GROWN is hands down the best breakfast place in Atlanta, with the best friend green tomatoes you’ve ever had. And if you’re lucky enough to eat there, get the Comfy Chicken Biscuit. Trust me on this one!
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This is all well and good but the downtown places are truly atrocious, and not everyone has time for a destination restaurant. Why does the city put up with such terrible offerings there?
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@Mary Why are there such terrible restaurants in Times Square? "Downtown" Atlanta isn't really the central location of the city from an energy standpoint. Poor development/planning/etc stretching back many years. It just so happens that "Downtown" is a convenient place to stay for a game or a convention because of the location of the stadium and of the convention centers. The advice in the column is really no different than advising a visitor to NYC to eat in the West Village rather than in the blocks surrounding the Javits center.
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@B We stayed in Times Square 10 years ago and I can say there was nothing to eat at all near by. Downtown ATL is atrocious, but getting better. There is more in midtown due to Ga Tech's influence.
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Is Richard Blaise still in town? I wouldn’t miss a meat and three at Mary Mac’s nor brunch or dinner at The Flying Biscuit. I’m also fond of Figo pasta and homey Panahar for Bangladeshi on BuHi. Both used to be BYOB but double check.
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Let's not forget The Colonnade on Cheshire Bridge Road for amazing south food, cocktails and desserts.
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Love this place!
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As a native, I hardly recognized my hometown despite being intimately and professionally involved in the restaurant and bar culture as a journalist for decades. With the exception of Kevin Gillispie, a genuine restauranteur with deep roots here, the focus is on places where deep pockets will be required. The relationship to Atlanta, the state of Georgia and indeed surrounding states just isn't there, albeit the effort was made.
Mary Mac's Tea Room is a Southern institution where U.S. presidents dine along with movie stars and even His Holiness, The Dalai Lama. Whatever fried chicken is being gussied up elsewhere, it will be a poor imitation of what this landmark has been doing since my baby days. Want to meet celebrities like Jimmy Carter, Ted Turner, Bill Clinton, John Grisham or Reese Witherspoon and enjoy beer, legendary hot dogs and talk politics and sports in a safe environment? Manuel's Tavern is the state's most revered watering hole.Donald Trump would hate this place.
Then there's The Varsity. It ranks with Coca-Cola as cultural bedrock. Someone must like it: they just celebrated 90 consecutive years of family ownership.
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I agree with Maureen, Mediterranea in Grant Park is terrific! The farm-to-table dishes are supremely delicious and fresh, and a welcome change of pace to the Atlanta food scene. Robust wine list, and an awesome brunch menu (green shakshuka and Mediterranean breakfast are majorly good).
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Native Decaturite who just moved away. This list is woefully lacking. Huge gaps.
Brickhouse Pub? Only one of the best beer joints in the U.S.
Fox Bro's BBQ? Local BBQ staple
Holeman & Finch - quintessential gastropub
I could go on. Miller Union is fantastic BTW.
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@David I'd also suggest The Porter in Little Five Points. I'd put that up there with Brickhouse.
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@Daniel Watstein I think y'all mean Brickstore in Decatur, or perhaps Bookhouse on Ponce? Both are great.
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@Daniel Watstein *Brickstore, both are internationally renowned.
As a local, I recommend Mediterranea in Grant Park, very close to downtown. The Calabrese Shrimp with Orzo, Involtini, and Seafood Hot Pot are my favorites, all crafted with incredible attention to how the flavors interact with each other. It's tucked into the neighborhood so it could easily be overlooked, but don't! Park right on the street, and take a stroll after dinner to enjoy the Victorian houses to the north and east of the restaurant.
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There are a LOT of important spots missing from this article, though I realize it could not be otherwise. Still, for those coming in for a few days looking for truly creative, well-prepared but neither pretentious nor formal, besides the mentioned Miller Union I would also send people enthusiastically to Bocado, in West Midtown, or Kimball House, in Decatur. But the most glaring omission is one that I know will shock New Yorkers: arguably the best Neapolitan style pizza in the US at Antico - in West midtown near GA state. I am from New York and am there frequently - I know what New York has to offer in this respect. I also know Italy well - travel there between 6 and 12 times per year, and am in contact in a professional way with some of the experts in bred and pizza in Italy. I have brought several of them to Antico. Their reactions have varied from "The FIRST TIME in AMERICA!!" (actually what he said was "La Prima Volta in America!") to "It's difficult to find pizza this good..in Italy" 'nuf said........Oh, finally, stay away from the Waffle House. It is, frankly, awful.....
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YES! Antico for the best “vera pizza napoletana” ever. Even better than most pizza’s my italian husband and I have had in Italy!
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Beer drinkers, make a trip to Arches Brewing in Hapeville...the same city that Porsche's N.A. HQ is in.
You're welcome.
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Two words - "Babette's Cafe"
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I miss Europe.
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I’m very disappointed to hear the negativity about Atlanta’s restaurant scene. What do the “experts” feel should specifically change? You can walk just blocks from Krog Street Market and have a wealth of marvelous restaurants from which to choose in addition to those mentioned in the article: Staplehouse, a mano, Boccalupo, Serpas, Golden Eagle, Lloyd’s, ... with more concepts on the way. And this is just one neighborhood example! I hope visitors to our city get out and try some of these wonderful places and make up their own minds.
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I have not been to Atlanta in a decade but if I do go, because I am from New Jersey, I think one of my first stops would have to be at the Varsity for a couple of dogs. Never been there but seen the place on numerous TV shows and their their chili dogs and fries speak to me through the screen.
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@Jay Amberg: The Varsity is a fabulous experience to check off one's Bucket List. It is TOTALLY worth the Pepto tablets you might have to munch on later. Enjoy!
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@Samantha Jane Bristol On the list for sure! Those of us born in the Garden State find that our immune systems naturally defend against the after ills of consuming a combination of hot dogs, onions and chili, but thanks for the warning.
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@Jay Amberg Its really gross - they are the weird pink hotdogs - but you have to do it - it's really fun.
When my son informed me that he was moving from Atlanta, my first reaction was, we won’t be able to go to Fat Matt’s or the Flying Biscuit any more. Enough to make me cry.
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I can relate: when my daughter left the Atlanta area and her home within easy walking distance of the country's best Banh Mi ($3.50, btw), I told her that we'd have to have our next family reunion in Chamblee, hard by the glorious Buford Highway.
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Just like every other city in America, the best food is offered at restaurants run by real people and families—> not chain restaurants.
Atlanta also has plenty of non-Southern food, but you have to look for it outside of downtown: Persian, Indian, Korean, African, Mediterranean, ...
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" Only a few cooks or writers outside the South were giving serious thought to the connection between Southern food and that of West Africa." except for the long intellectual and social history of Africa and its diaspora--see Judith Carney's "Black Rice: the African Origins of Rice Cultivation in the Americas" and "In the Shadow of Slavery: Africa's Botanical Legacy in the Atlantic World"; Frederick Douglass Opie's "Hog and Hominy: Soul Food from Africa to America"...
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@ Seymour Thomas Brooklyn
Thank you for this historical and literary overview of the culinary connections between West Africa and US South.
Frankly, pig knuckles, hominy, and catfish never attracted me. Regional tastes are after all acquired characters.
Something tells me the SB patrons wont crave “fish collars doused in Alabama white sauce” so much as they’ll devour “hash browns scattered, smothered and covered, with country ham and a pecan waffle cooked dark on the side”
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@Dump Drumph
Given what Super Bowl tickets cost, I expect the clientele is significantly more bougie than you'd imagine.
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It's great to see Java Jive get a shout out. A better breakfast, or more honest cup of coffee, cannot be found in greater Atlanta.
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Little Tart Bakeshop.
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For great breakfast food, at any time of day or night, you should probably mention The Majestic Diner, on Ponce de Leon Ave., another mile or so east on Ponce from Ponce City Market. The Majestic has been around for decades and is every bit as good as Waffle House, in addition to being totally original. And for the best jerk chicken in town go to Eats, also on Ponce.
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"I don't suppose your friends took you to Mary-Mac's on Ponce de Leon for a bowl of pot likker, did they?" I once said to a friend of mine who had just returned from her first visit to Atlanta. Naturally not... Pot likker, I told my friend, is the liquid left in the bottom of the greens pot, is eaten like soup, after crumbling some corn bread into it, and is what a Great City would advertise instead of a lot of golf courses.
--excerpt from Calvin Trillin's "American Fried- Adventures of a Happy Eater"- 1974.
Yes, Mary Mac's Tea Room is still there- 3 blocks from Peachtree Street, and you might get to dine in the Skyline Room!
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@Cap'n Jack I second Mary Mac's. Old-school southern comfort food. Not pretentious. The kind of place you'd take your grandmother for lunch after Sunday service.
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They left off the many-times acknowledged best BBQ place in town -- Heirloom Barbecue!! It's in the same area of town as the new Atlanta Braves stadium. Yes, you'll have to get an Uber to take you 15 minutes north of town and then one to return.
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I work in Woodstock, so I live in Vinings. One of the upsides is that Heirloom Market is right around the corner. I have filled up SO many punchcards.
@Peter It's the bomb. She makes the best kimchi cucumbers.
Ms. Severson appears to live right around Krog Street Market. Yes, the Superbowl will center around downtown, but tourists will be staying all over. While I find the majority of the selections to be valid, I also find them limited to what appears to be a certain neighborhood scope. That is unfortunately very typical of folks who live in certain neighborhoods here. While I appreciate all of the places noted in this article, I consider there to be plenty more worthwhile restaurants in other neighborhoods within the city. She seems to only favor a few, concentrating mainly on those within convenient proximity of where she herself lives.
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She lives near Decatur.
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@Sheila
I went on what the public listing in the White Pages told me. Why? I was curious, because I found and find her list to be extremely limited. The White Pages indicates some residence in Decatur at some point and one near Krog Street. Neither would surprise me, frankly. If she actually believes that pretty much all of the "good" places are located in what is essentially a tiny part of the city, then the New York Times would do well to find another regional food critic. I am a city resident who is originally from NYC for what it is worth.
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@Sheila You're wrong about that.
Probably one of the more honest portrayals of our city. What's even more impressive is the honesty that comes out of the mouths of some of these chefs that have a much more realistic vision of what our city is now- we just have to have enough vision to figure out where we go from here before more franchises take over. Great job Kim. Thanks.
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Outstanding, as always Kim! A request: When doing these wonderful surveys, please nudge the chefs for a recipe. All they can say is no.
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Nicely done! Enjoy the super bowl weekend in Atlanta- btw you omitted 2 fun local places that are fabulous- Twain's Brewpub and Billiards and The Comet Pub and Lanes both in Decatur- worth the trip!
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Also recommend Zibas bistro in grant park, lovely atmosphere, great food. pretty much raised my kids on their food. the owner, Marcie, is basically family.
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Love this! Great guide. Watchman's is the best. I do wish that the photo for sharing on Facebook was one of the prettier images instead of wings and celery!!
@ Ellie Thomson Charleston, SC
Frankly, after reading this article, I think that if I had to be in Atlanta, I would either bring with me a supply of field rations or seek a local store for a crusty baguette, ham, and cheese.
@Tuvw Xyz
Fear not... no need to bring your own field rations! Fine dining in wonderful environment at Rich's Magnolia Room and the Frances Virginia Tea Room! Hankering bbq- might I suggest Aleck's Barbecue Heaven, Harold's BBQ, or Dean's Barbecue in nearby Jonesboro? No reservations required at any of these- just show up!
Want Take-Out? There are several Army-Navy Surplus stores in Atlanta. Look for "C-Rations", and the all-time favorite of millions is the legendary "Ham and Limas" meal! Be sure a "P-38" utensil is included!
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