Atlanta has become a cultural hub for the entire United States in recent years, with millions of individuals flocking to the vibrant location for weekend trips, fresh opportunities, and other exciting ventures. The city, which serves as the capital of Georgia, is centrally-located in the Northwest of the coastal state, offering access to a ton of delicious local flavors. As the culture of the South has continued to blend into a harmonious melting pot, Atlanta has developed restaurants with key focuses on fresh seafood, Southern-style barbecue, craft cocktails, and much more. So, let’s take a minute to narrow down the massive selection of excellent Atlanta eateries into a few local favorites, allowing you to choose the perfect spot for a date night, girl’s trip, or any other special occasion. Be sure to especially keep an eye out for offerings like fried chicken or crab cakes, as they’re Atlanta specialties!
Little Bear
If you’ve been binge-watching The Bear lately, don’t let this beloved local institution scare you away with its title. Little Bear is an Atlanta favorite known for its creative menu and chef Jarrett Stieber’s unique blend of humor and taste. The menu includes such humorously titled mainstays as the Three-Legged Dog mezcal beverage, the Sorta Chicken Shawarma with preserved eggplant and tahini, and a four-course prix fixe menu titled “Just F*** Me Up, Fam.” Little Bear first opened as a pop-up at the start of 2020, and despite hurdles such as the global pandemic, managed to become a Michelin-recommended eatery in just a few short years, making it unequivocally one of the best restaurants in all of Atlanta.
Talat Market
Those looking for something a bit more exotic should be sure to give the Thai inspired dishes at Talat Market a spin. Like Little Bear, Talat originally opened in Atlanta during 2020, and has quickly risen to the top as one of the city’s best overall restaurants. This delightful locale, which served as a James Beard finalist for 2024 Best Chef, is run by the duo of Parnass Savang and Rod Lassiter, and serves a rotating menu of new and exciting dishes each week. While you never know exactly what you’ll get until you arrive at the trendy spot, you can rest assured that there will be plenty of stir-fry, soup, salad, curry, and desert options. The Michelin-recommended stop also offers an array of fresh seafood, including oysters, whole fish, and a flossed scallop that is positively to die for.
BoccaLupo
Those interested in something a little more traditional should make it a point to check out the Italian American restaurant BoccaLupo. This Michelin-recommended eatery has been serving up freshly prepared house-made pasta dishes for over 10 years, and offers a wide array of mixed cocktails to pair with your finely-crafted entrée. Chef Bruce Logue specializes in black spaghetti dishes, complete with scallions, red shrimp, and hot Calabrese sausage. Other menu mainstays include a world-famous 20-yolk tagliatelle with mushrooms and kale kimchi, as well as a variety of charcuterie boards that will make your head swim with endless meat and cheese pairings.
Daily Chew
Of course, not every stop on your Atlanta restaurant bucket list can accommodate a massive plate of seafood and pasta. Sometimes, you need to break for brunch, or start your day off right with a protein-forward breakfast bowl. That’s where Daily Chew comes in, as run by the Atlanta-raised South African native chef Julia Kesler Imerman. Imerman’s self-described holistic café offers a fresh and vibrant menu loaded with mindful options, from salads and grain bowls to rotisserie chicken pitas, each offering a blend of house-made pickles, hummus, mixed greens, and a variety of other add-ons. The za’atar fries are a must-have side at this eclectic establishment, and the line-up of fresh-pressed juices will leave you wanting to try one of every flavor.
Tassili’s Raw Reality Café
For travelers seeking the best vegan option in all of Atlanta, look no further than the West End’s Tassili’s Raw Reality Café. This health-conscious restaurant offers a variety of wraps and salads that are as delicious as they are filling, topped with a scoop of house-made spicy mayo that has patrons raving across social media. The original Tassili kale salad wrap comes complete with mixed greens, sun-dried tomatoes, red onions, and avocado, though the menu has a multitude of fresh options that you can layer on to your heart’s content. The spicy wraps are often the most raved about, though you’d be hard-pressed to go wrong with anything on this delicious and generously-portioned menu.
Poor Hendrix
Our next entry on this list of the best restaurants in Atlanta may be titled Poor Hendrix, but you may be feeling quite poor yourself if you don’t score a reservation for this popular locale in advance. The beloved neighborhood restaurant is highly sought-after for its rotating menu, timeless cocktail selection, and chilled-out vibes. Poor Hendrix offers a delightful outdoor seating section where you can take in the beauty of a clear Atlanta day, and you can even bring your dog along if they’re leashed and well-behaved. Meatless Monday meals offer your vegetarian friends a wide selection of options while menu mainstays like the blackened fried-chicken sandwich and the soy and lime-spiked salmon tartare walk the line between needlessly decadent and refreshingly light. Even in a list of the best Atlanta eateries, Poor Hendrix is a cut above the competition, making it a must-try for those passing through the city.
Kimball House
Kimball House offers a trendy yet elegant dining area housed in the decommissioned Decatur train depot, originally constructed in 1891. This upscaled restaurant may be a tough place to score a reservation, but once you get your foot in the door, you won’t want to leave. Kimball House serves a fusion of Southern style cuisine and fresh seafood for a harmonious blend of delicious flavors. Just last year they began serving oysters harvested from their own in-house operation Shiny Dimes Oyster Farm, which fishes the mollusks from the nearby Florida coast. Rotating specials at Kimball include a three-course steak dinner for two with a Siberian caviar starter, as well as a few drink specialties like the scotch-based New Tokyo, served with ginger, yuzu, and a pear brandy with a fresh squeeze of lime.
Tio Lucho’s
Rounding out our list of the best restaurants in Atlanta, we have a latin barbecue favorite in Tio Lucho’s. This neighborhood staple first opened in 2022, courtesy of chef Arnaldo Castillo, as the latest in a long line of successful restaurant ventures. Castillo named Lucho’s for his father, and blends a delightful and unique mix of traditional Southern barbecues with his Peruvian roots. Locally sourced ingredients such as red snapper and sweet potatoes are dusted with a spiced furikake seasoning blend, culminating in dishes like Chinese-Peruvian stir-fry lomo saltado, ceviche and spicy tuna tiradito, and a seasonal blend of craft cocktails. Raw fish dishes and quinoa bowls provide a splendid backdrop for the soulful flavors of Castillo’s roots, while blending in a distinct Atlanta palette, making this truly one of the finest dining experiences in the entire city.
