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Athens, Georgia has it all: a thriving music and arts scene, one of the best universities in the South (and with it a formidable SEC team), nightlife that doesn’t merely cater to students, and a solid selection of restaurants. The Classic City’s dining locale is bolstered by a blend of established favorites and newer contenders that can more than hold their own against the old guard.

It’s hard for food in Athens not to shine, and with the college town’s proximity to Atlanta, one would be remiss not to explore its wide range of restaurants. We’ve rounded up the best restaurants in Athens, from barbecue you can smell down the street and excellent Baja fish burritos to the soul food spot that fed REM and fresh oysters paired with Negroni slushies.

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Located in the recently remodeled Southern Mill complex, Puma Yu’s is the culmination of Pete Amadhanirundr (James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast) and Ally Smith’s pop-ups which started in 2017. The atmosphere is friendly, from the mismatched thrift store plate and glassware to the blue raspberry-painted floors. The beverage program, led by Smith, shines in a city with more bars per capita than any other in the country. Staff favorite cocktail the Etheline (mezcal, Boomsma bitters, aloe liqueur, lime, lemon balm, and pink peppercorn) is a citrine union of sweet and tart notes, backed by smokiness. Meanwhile, the food leans Thai and focuses on noodles and shareable snacks.

Another barbecue spot in North Georgia? Yep. Home cooking and chef and owner Ken Manring’s culinary mastery intersect at this Boulevard-area haunt to create some seriously impressive barbecue. There’s a robust selection of both omnivorous and vegetarian sandwiches; highlights include the Barberella, the Jason, and the Portobello Cheese Burger. The seared salmon on Independent Baking Company’s ciabatta steers away from barbecue, but its taste makes up for any thematic deviation. A second location in Watskinsville is now open.

Come prepared to PHBBQ with a major appetite, because they do not play around. Big on taste and portions, this aptly named Pulaski Heights stronghold doesn’t just produce some killer barbecue — its also incorporates ‘cue into salads, stews, tacos, and even ramen on Wednesday nights. Of course, the slow-smoked meats are signature offerings, but with options including smoked cauliflower, vinegar lime slaw, and mac and cheese, the sides shouldn’t be taken lightly either.

It’s pretty much a given that any lover of seafood and good cocktails needs to make their way to Prince Avenue hot spot Seabear, where rounds of oysters flow just as steadily as the humming Negroni slushie machine. The oyster selection is primarily harvested in the South and along the East Coast, sometimes inching up to Canadian locales, including Newfoundland and PEI. Expect to order more than anticipated because portions are on the smaller side. But nothing on this menu disappoints.

Erin Wilson’s downtown Athens spot is another deservedly famous fine dining institution in town. The National has a knack for making any food irresistible — the vegetable plate, for example, is truly on par with the meat-based entrees, and although founder and chef Peter Dale made his departure in 2021, chef Burns Sullivan (The Branded Butcher) is handling the kitchen exceedingly well. Fun tip: for a small fee, people can have dinner delivered to Creature Comforts Brewery or Little Kings Shuffle Club, turning a brewery or bar outing into a serious dinner party.

The World Famous is one of the Hull Street residents that keeps the downtown Athens Hot Corner hot. The regular menu is stacked with trendier, elegant takes on bar food, including poutine, shawarma, and pork steamed buns — if staying out late like a college student, TWF is the place to refuel. The food is only outdone by the drinks, which features original cocktails and house-made sodas, and a selection of Georgia’s best craft beer, much of which is brewed right in Athens.

Weaver D’s claim to fame is its role as rock band R.E.M.’s preferred feeding ground back in the 1980s. Yes, it does boast some of the city’s best fried chicken, but owner Dexter Weaver has said the trio was partial to its extensive selection of vegetarian-friendly sides. Diners are greeted by Weaver’s bellowing catchphrase, “automatic,” after placing their orders at the cafeteria-style counter. Everything here is good, but standouts include the broccoli and rice casserole and sinfully delicious banana pudding.

Anyone with a penchant for beer owes themselves a visit to Trappeze. The gastropub’s massive drink menu includes 33 taps and hundreds of bottles, and a smart selection of cocktails. Balance out that buzz with a sturdy sandwich, like a veggie reuben, the pork belly and bacon-adorned Double Pig, or the Carolina Dip, a fried Springer Mountain chicken breast on ciabatta. Don’t forget to order a side of fries with garlic aioli — some of the best fries in Athens.

Mama’s Boy is one of those places that requires advance planning. The Oak Street location draws a throng of students in the morning, even during the summer. Although, it’s adjacent to Dudley Park and the Oconee Greenway, so there’s at least something to do during a wait for a table. Pin the blame for the wait on the biscuits — a Mama’s Boy biscuit could sit in a paper bag for an hour and still come out delectable. The remaining breakfast and lunch options are solid, but every Athenian needs to taste a Mama’s Boy biscuit sandwich at least once.

Both Cali N Tito’s locales draw a crowd come lunch and dinnertime. The Lumpkin Street outfit is a go-to for students, while the larger Eastside location is lush with kid-friendly entertainment. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Baja Fish Burrito, which is stuffed with sweet maduros and a creamy chipotle sauce, will ruin all other burritos for people.

Chef Hugh Acheson sold Five and Ten, his flagship restaurant (and the last of his restaurants in Georgia), to Peter Dale (The National, Condor Chocolates, Maepole) back in April, and clearly it was the right choice. Dale got his start there, and is maintaining the restaurant’s legacy as it approaches its 25th year. Five and Ten remains one of the best upscale Southern restaurants in Georgia, if not the entire region. In 2020, William Cantrell returned to Athens after a five-year stint working in Atlanta at Staplehouse and Miller Union to help run Five and Ten as its executive chef.

Jerry and Krista Slater should be familiar names to longtime Atlanta diners. The duo ran Reynoldstown restaurant and cocktail hot spot H. Harper Station (now Muchacho) for years, before closing it in 2016 and moving to the Athens area. Now the couple owns and operates another beloved restaurant, the Expat on South Lumpkin. Coffee lovers were bereft in 2017 when Two Story’s Five Points location announced its closure, but there’s comfort in knowing the Expat makes a worthy successor. The menu steers towards Italian cuisine made with local ingredients, while the bar has national renown, thanks to barman Jerry Slater. Make sure to visit wine shop and tasting room the Lark on Prince, where sommelier Krista Slater walks customers through her selection of natural and minimal intervention wines. Check out the couple’s other Athens restaurant, Slater’s Steakhouse, also located in the Five Points neighborhood, and the Slater’s newest cocktail lounge Nighthawks in the Newtown neighborhood.

One doesn’t need to be familiar with Eritrean and Ethiopian fare to recognize the care and talent that goes into Mannaweenta’s food. The Eastside spot is the culmination of owner Haregu Bahtu’s longtime dream and fervent prayer — Bahtu got her start as a vendor at the Athens Land Trust’s West Broad Farmers Market. The restaurant officially opened in 2015. There’s no such thing as a bad dish at Mannaweenta, and the vegan dishes here surpass the meat. Don’t leave without enjoying a traditionally prepared Ethiopian coffee.

Located in the recently remodeled Southern Mill complex, Puma Yu’s is the culmination of Pete Amadhanirundr (James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast) and Ally Smith’s pop-ups which started in 2017. The atmosphere is friendly, from the mismatched thrift store plate and glassware to the blue raspberry-painted floors. The beverage program, led by Smith, shines in a city with more bars per capita than any other in the country. Staff favorite cocktail the Etheline (mezcal, Boomsma bitters, aloe liqueur, lime, lemon balm, and pink peppercorn) is a citrine union of sweet and tart notes, backed by smokiness. Meanwhile, the food leans Thai and focuses on noodles and shareable snacks.

Another barbecue spot in North Georgia? Yep. Home cooking and chef and owner Ken Manring’s culinary mastery intersect at this Boulevard-area haunt to create some seriously impressive barbecue. There’s a robust selection of both omnivorous and vegetarian sandwiches; highlights include the Barberella, the Jason, and the Portobello Cheese Burger. The seared salmon on Independent Baking Company’s ciabatta steers away from barbecue, but its taste makes up for any thematic deviation. A second location in Watskinsville is now open.

Come prepared to PHBBQ with a major appetite, because they do not play around. Big on taste and portions, this aptly named Pulaski Heights stronghold doesn’t just produce some killer barbecue — its also incorporates ‘cue into salads, stews, tacos, and even ramen on Wednesday nights. Of course, the slow-smoked meats are signature offerings, but with options including smoked cauliflower, vinegar lime slaw, and mac and cheese, the sides shouldn’t be taken lightly either.

It’s pretty much a given that any lover of seafood and good cocktails needs to make their way to Prince Avenue hot spot Seabear, where rounds of oysters flow just as steadily as the humming Negroni slushie machine. The oyster selection is primarily harvested in the South and along the East Coast, sometimes inching up to Canadian locales, including Newfoundland and PEI. Expect to order more than anticipated because portions are on the smaller side. But nothing on this menu disappoints.

Erin Wilson’s downtown Athens spot is another deservedly famous fine dining institution in town. The National has a knack for making any food irresistible — the vegetable plate, for example, is truly on par with the meat-based entrees, and although founder and chef Peter Dale made his departure in 2021, chef Burns Sullivan (The Branded Butcher) is handling the kitchen exceedingly well. Fun tip: for a small fee, people can have dinner delivered to Creature Comforts Brewery or Little Kings Shuffle Club, turning a brewery or bar outing into a serious dinner party.

The World Famous is one of the Hull Street residents that keeps the downtown Athens Hot Corner hot. The regular menu is stacked with trendier, elegant takes on bar food, including poutine, shawarma, and pork steamed buns — if staying out late like a college student, TWF is the place to refuel. The food is only outdone by the drinks, which features original cocktails and house-made sodas, and a selection of Georgia’s best craft beer, much of which is brewed right in Athens.

Weaver D’s claim to fame is its role as rock band R.E.M.’s preferred feeding ground back in the 1980s. Yes, it does boast some of the city’s best fried chicken, but owner Dexter Weaver has said the trio was partial to its extensive selection of vegetarian-friendly sides. Diners are greeted by Weaver’s bellowing catchphrase, “automatic,” after placing their orders at the cafeteria-style counter. Everything here is good, but standouts include the broccoli and rice casserole and sinfully delicious banana pudding.

Mama’s Boy is one of those places that requires advance planning. The Oak Street location draws a throng of students in the morning, even during the summer. Although, it’s adjacent to Dudley Park and the Oconee Greenway, so there’s at least something to do during a wait for a table. Pin the blame for the wait on the biscuits — a Mama’s Boy biscuit could sit in a paper bag for an hour and still come out delectable. The remaining breakfast and lunch options are solid, but every Athenian needs to taste a Mama’s Boy biscuit sandwich at least once.

Jerry and Krista Slater should be familiar names to longtime Atlanta diners. The duo ran Reynoldstown restaurant and cocktail hot spot H. Harper Station (now Muchacho) for years, before closing it in 2016 and moving to the Athens area. Now the couple owns and operates another beloved restaurant, the Expat on South Lumpkin. Coffee lovers were bereft in 2017 when Two Story’s Five Points location announced its closure, but there’s comfort in knowing the Expat makes a worthy successor. The menu steers towards Italian cuisine made with local ingredients, while the bar has national renown, thanks to barman Jerry Slater. Make sure to visit wine shop and tasting room the Lark on Prince, where sommelier Krista Slater walks customers through her selection of natural and minimal intervention wines. Check out the couple’s other Athens restaurant, Slater’s Steakhouse, also located in the Five Points neighborhood, and the Slater’s newest cocktail lounge Nighthawks in the Newtown neighborhood.

One doesn’t need to be familiar with Eritrean and Ethiopian fare to recognize the care and talent that goes into Mannaweenta’s food. The Eastside spot is the culmination of owner Haregu Bahtu’s longtime dream and fervent prayer — Bahtu got her start as a vendor at the Athens Land Trust’s West Broad Farmers Market. The restaurant officially opened in 2015. There’s no such thing as a bad dish at Mannaweenta, and the vegan dishes here surpass the meat. Don’t leave without enjoying a traditionally prepared Ethiopian coffee.