Favorite Restaurants of Atlanta
Updated March 2016
I get asked all the time, so here is a list of my favorite places in Atlanta. I’ve grouped them into logical sections, then I list some of my favorite attributes of each. Maybe now I can send this list to all those people who email me for suggestions, but never seem to take any of them. Jerks.
These are places I’ve visited in the last year. This isn’t a “best of” list. I don’t care if you know a better pho place or don’t like a particular burger joint. It’s just a blog, I don’t make it up to Buford Highway as often as many people, I have a limited budget, and despite my amazing authoritative presence, I don’t know everything.
Highlighted are my current super favorites.
No whining.
Italian & Pizza
BoccaLupo (pastas, spiedini)
La Tavola (pasta, bar, people)
St. Cecilia (pastas, crudos)
Old Fourth Ward Pizza (Grandma Pie, veggie pizzas)
Sushi
Craft Izakaya (sushi, drinks, yakitori, snacks)
Sushi House Hayakawa (ikura and uni don, omakase)
Umi (sashimi, misc Nobu style prepared dishes)
Taka (sushi lunch, ramen)
Tomo Buckhead (shiso wrapped fried uni, salted Japanese mackerel)
The Old South
The Colonnade (fried chicken, country fried steak)
Busy Bee (fried chicken)
The New South
Bacchanalia (the bar – power move for dessert, can order ala carte)
Canoe (burger, fish, wine, brunch)
Kimball House (drinks, oysters)
One Eared Stag (cocktails, inventive food, brunch, burger)
The Fred & Yalla – Krog Street Market – two side by side – Middle Eastern | killer sandwiches
Miller-Union (burger, lunch, cocktails, basically all the food, wine)
One Flew South (airport dining)
Table & Main (outside the perimeter, Southern, chicken, bourbon list)
The General Muir (deli, pastrami, burger, poutine, pickles, most everything)
Cakes & Ale (wine, everything)
Muss & Turner (burger, brunch, beer, sandwiches)
Late Night and Drinks
The Sound Table (cocktails, small plates)
Joystick Gamebar (cocktails, beer, video games)
Octopus Bar (open until 3AM, lobster roll, oysters, salt and pepper shrimp)
Porter Beer Bar (beer, pub food)
Trader Vic’s (tongo hiti, mai tai’s, hangovers)
BBQ
Moonie’s Texas BBQ (brisket, ribs)
Community BBQ (pork, mac ‘n cheese)
Fox Brothers BBQ (guilty pleasures, short rib, frito pie)
“Fast Food”
Willy’s (California style burrito)
The Varsity (FO, slaw dogs)
Taqueria del Sol (rellenos, tacos, guacamole)
Bell Street Burritos (green chile pork burrito, killer beans)
Fellini’s (slice of pizza)
Victory Sandwich Bar (drinks, sandwiches)
Japanese (non-sushi)
Haru Ichiban (ramen, not sushi)
Raku (ramen)
Umaido (ramen, actually Korean)
Shoya Izakaya (Japanese snacks)
Vietnamese
Nam Phuong (bun hoi – do it yourself wraps, shaking beef, pho)
Lee’s Bakery (banh mi)
Pho Dai Loi 2 (pho)
Quan Ba 9 (porridge, soups, salads, hangovers)
Korean
So Kong Dong (Korean soup/sundubu)
Book Chang Dong Tofu House (Korean soup, sundubu, galbi)
Yet Tuh (homestyle Korean)
Woo Nam Jeong Stone Bowl House (soups/sundubu, tasting menu)
Dan Moo Ji (Korean snacks)
Chinese
New Lan Zhou (hand pulled noodles, spicy beef noodle soup)
Chong Qing Hot Pot (Sichuan, ma la, food court, fast, cheap)
Tasty China (Marietta – Sichuan)
Royal China (dim sum)
Ming’s BBQ (slutty Cantonese, chow fun)
Chef Liu’s (dumplings)
Thai
Little Bangkok
Hispanic
Taqueria La Oaxaquena (tlayudas, tacos, salsa bar)
Taqueria El Ray (tacos)
El Norteno (wood grilled chicken)
El Taco Veloz (cheap, quick tacos, breakfast taco)
Nuevo Laredo (slutty Tex-Mex food, brisket)
Indian
Chat Patti (thali, vegetarian)
Spice to Table (varied, Kerala style)
Chai Pani (various chaat, crispy okra)
Misc
Cafe Agora (Mediterranean/Greek)
Bartaco (tacos, margaritas)
Little’s (Burgers, Dogs)
Homegrown (Breakfast)
Caribbean Chicken & Fish (jerk chicken)
Mamak (Malaysian)
AJ’s Seafood and Poboys (muffaletta, poboys)
Batavia (Indonesian buffet – curries, lamb soup, rendang)
Kyma (Greek, seafood)
Storico Fresco (handmade pastas – retail)
Jenis Ice Cream
Sufi’s (Persian)
OK Cafe (sandwiches, particularly sliced to order turkey, prepared foods to go)
Sublime Donuts (donuts, duh)
Le Caveau (retail wine shop, small labels, the funk)
Hop City (beer – retail)
Octane (coffee, the jitters)
Grant Park Octane/Little Tart Bake Shop (coffee, sandwiches, pastries)
Star Provisions (cheese, sandwiches, meats, fried chicken, lentils, baguette)