atlanta good eats tagged interest

Atlanta’s appetite for good food is unbeatable. Here are some of the hottest places to dine right now, whether it’s at a new Alpine restaurant, a loungy wine pop-up with the best of French fare, or a coffee shop with weekly dinner events, including a Bosnian pop-up. While the Eater 38 highlights Atlanta restaurant institutions, old standbys, and neighborhood essentials, this map spotlights the new places people are flocking to now.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Chef Karl Gorline (formerly at Watershed and Atlas) opened his highly anticipated Alpine restaurant, Avize, on October 3. The renovated restaurant is in the former Nick’s Westside space in West Midtown. The menu focuses on a mashup of European culinary influences, a.k.a. Alpine cuisine.

The restaurant is working with a local farm in Bremen, GA to source seasonal produce. Gorline is particularly excited to serve a hay-smoked, dry-aged duck on the menu, in addition to roast chicken with a lemon caper sauce, venison tartare with blueberries, buckwheat, and walnuts, and striped bass with turnips, salsa verde, and anchovy emulsification. Also, expect foie gras, a fermented carrot bolognese, and caviar during dinner service. Reservations are open.

Sommelier Tim Willard of the Dive Wine pop-up has launched Loire Bar, which is a total vibe — it’s a wine pop-up with light bites featuring the Loire Valley region. It is at Larakin every Monday and Tuesday, 5 to 9 p.m. Ollie Honderd runs the menu, offering small plates like chicken liver terrine, mushroom tart, tinned fish, and truffled chicken tartine. Those who have been to Loire Bar will confirm that the warm big beans are a must to order. Wash it all down with Willard’s selection of rare Loire Valley wines, which rotate weekly.

Green Beans coffee shop opened in Grant Park in April this year. In addition to ethically sourced, house-roasted drip coffee, what keeps this hip, new joint exciting is their weekly lineup of pop-up dinners on select Thursday and Saturday evenings called the Neighborhood Supper Club. September is packed with popular pop-ups including the popular Indian barbecue Dhaba BBQ, Beksa Lala Polish food, Ruki’s Kitchen Ethiopian fare, and Krupana Bosnian food, among others. If you’re new to Atlanta’s pop-up dining scene, this is a great way to try some of the best the city has to offer, all under one roof. Be sure to check Green Beans’ Instagram for the latest schedule.

Led by proprietor Asa Fain, executive chef Robbie Pacheco, and accompanied by pastry chef Pamela Moxley, Auburn Angel has quickly become a hot dining spot in Atlanta. It opened in April, serving major flavor with dishes like tender lamb neck that falls apart to the touch, an innovative PBandJ with pork belly, almond butter, and tomato jam, and a classic duck confit with red cabbage. The cured salmon with beets and watermelon radish is also a hit. Tuck into one of their green leather booths and be sure to order a cocktail. Reservations recommended.

The long-anticipated Viet-Cajun-style barbecue joint, Gene’s BBQ, opened on July 22. Formerly a pop-up run by Avery Cottrell, known for its zesty riffs on barbecue and sides of beef tallow refried beans, has now taken over the former Salaryman space, next to Poor Hendrix at Hosea and 2nd. Expect meats by the pound here, along with boudin egg rolls, chili brined chicken skewers, crab claws, and smoked mushroom tacos. Gene’s also offers brunch with breakfast burritos and shrimp and grits. The wine list has stellar options including Pere Mata cava, Johan Vineyards pinot gris orange wine, and Chateau Yvonne chenin blanc — all excellent pairings with the food. $3 Mountain Dew shots are also available.

You’ve likely seen the sparkly new building that looks like a metal beehive on the Eastside BeltLine. That’s Forth, Atlanta’s newest luxury hotel, and now its got a new resident. Elektra, a Mediterranean all-day restaurant on the fourth floor of the hotel is now open for service. It channels a coastal seaside in its decor and atmosphere — conveniently located by the hotel pool deck, which helps seal that vision.

Executive chef Jonathan McDowell, formerly at Barcelona Wine Bar, Delbar, and 9 Mile Station, has taken inspiration from Levantine and Mediterranean flavors to create the menu. Expect dishes like a seasonal mezze platter served with warm pita, lamb kofta with sumac onions, salmon with dill labneh, mussels in a white wine fennel sauce, and a yogurt panna cotta with lavender gel for dessert on the dinner menu.

Commune is a wine bar and listening room in Avondale Estates. What is a listening room, you might ask? It’s a national trend, where bars play records and playlists of deep cut underground music. And now, Atlanta has its own spot. Commune, brainchild of Zopi Kristjanson and DJ Chris Devoe, opened at Olive and Pine in Avondale Estates. Some of the listening events lineup include a celebration of Prince and the Minneapolis sound, underground 60s soul, rock ‘n’ roll and honky tonk country gold. Empire State South’s former sommelier, Steven Grubbs is behind the wine list, and a small menu is available for bar bites.

Little Five Points’ staple watering hole, The Porter Beer Bar, reopened in May after a two-year hiatus. It’s back, baby, and better than ever. New owner Manny Maloof (of Manny’s and Euclid Avenue Yacht Club) and chef E.J. Hodgkinson (previously of King + Duke and JCT Kitchen) relaunched the bar with a renovated interior, 18 additional beer taps for a total of 60, and a brand new menu. More than 800 cellar-aged beers are available and daily specials for food include watermelon salad, black truffle deviled eggs, and smoked ham chops. The dinner menu includes classic pub fare like fish ‘n’ chips, red wine and garlic sausage, and burgers. Much like wine, beer ages beautifully. This is the place to try vintage beers that date back decades.

The ‘70s are here to stay in Atlanta. Propaganda is a retro, vibey cocktail and live music spot in Smyrna on the upstairs level of Zucca Bar andamp; Pizzeria. Run by photographer and artist Mr. Wattson and designer Heather Tazza, the space is meticulously curated. From the disco ball to the ‘70s themed yellow couches to the walls covered in posters, art, and vinyl collections (look up at the ceiling, there’s record sleeves on there, too), this bar is sure to transport you to funky town. Expect innovative cocktails like the Pop Rocks Rita with, you guessed it, pop rocks candy, a Bohemian Rhapsody Disco Lemonade, and an Uncle Sam Aperol Spritz for $16 each. Reservations recommended. Dress code.

Edgewood’s shuttered Noni’s has a new resident. Mother and daughter Emily James and LaToya Franklyn opened Miss Conduck in May with a focus in Trinidadian cuisine. Goat, oxtail, and chicken curries are on the menu, along with fried sweet plantains and roti. The restaurant offers a relaxed atmosphere with dining room, bar, and courtyard seating.

A hand injury is a nightmare for any chef, let alone a sushi master. Chef Tasuku Murakami injured his wrist in March riding his scooter to work at Umi, where the M by Tasuku Murakami experience takes place. Since then, the private omakase experience has been on hiatus. Chef Murakami is now back, healed wrist and all, serving one of the hottest private omakase dinners in Atlanta. A whopping $295 a person gets you an 18-course omakase dinner with fresh seafood deliveries of the day. An additional $135 sake pairing is offered and should not be missed. The eight-person seating is limited to Wednesday through Friday at 7 p.m. Chef Murakami’s team is playfully urging him not to ride his scooter to work anymore. Reservations required.

Atlanta is on a roll with Mexican cuisine. The team behind the popular El Valle in Midtown and Oaxaca in Chamblee have opened Casa Balam in downtown Decatur. It is in the former Ted’s Montana Grill location. Chef and co-owner Luis Damian has created a menu of traditional and modern Mexican fare, including tacos, empanadas, and family-style meat options of duck confit, beef birria, and Chilean sea bass. Be sure to order the corn tres leches for its extra creamy goodness.

Adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz stadium, the new Signia by Hilton boasts five restaurants and bars, but Capolinea, the Italian signature, is the one not to be missed. The food is matched by the atmosphere as a whole: the attentive service, the close-up view of the stadium and the West End, and the martini cart are all more than enough to impress diners and aesthetes alike. Menu standouts include steaks and handmade pastas, such as the duck ravioli with foie gras, fresno chili, and kumquat gremolata, a play on duck a la orange. Reservations required. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Valet parking only.

Chef Karl Gorline (formerly at Watershed and Atlas) opened his highly anticipated Alpine restaurant, Avize, on October 3. The renovated restaurant is in the former Nick’s Westside space in West Midtown. The menu focuses on a mashup of European culinary influences, a.k.a. Alpine cuisine.

The restaurant is working with a local farm in Bremen, GA to source seasonal produce. Gorline is particularly excited to serve a hay-smoked, dry-aged duck on the menu, in addition to roast chicken with a lemon caper sauce, venison tartare with blueberries, buckwheat, and walnuts, and striped bass with turnips, salsa verde, and anchovy emulsification. Also, expect foie gras, a fermented carrot bolognese, and caviar during dinner service. Reservations are open.

Sommelier Tim Willard of the Dive Wine pop-up has launched Loire Bar, which is a total vibe — it’s a wine pop-up with light bites featuring the Loire Valley region. It is at Larakin every Monday and Tuesday, 5 to 9 p.m. Ollie Honderd runs the menu, offering small plates like chicken liver terrine, mushroom tart, tinned fish, and truffled chicken tartine. Those who have been to Loire Bar will confirm that the warm big beans are a must to order. Wash it all down with Willard’s selection of rare Loire Valley wines, which rotate weekly.

Green Beans coffee shop opened in Grant Park in April this year. In addition to ethically sourced, house-roasted drip coffee, what keeps this hip, new joint exciting is their weekly lineup of pop-up dinners on select Thursday and Saturday evenings called the Neighborhood Supper Club. September is packed with popular pop-ups including the popular Indian barbecue Dhaba BBQ, Beksa Lala Polish food, Ruki’s Kitchen Ethiopian fare, and Krupana Bosnian food, among others. If you’re new to Atlanta’s pop-up dining scene, this is a great way to try some of the best the city has to offer, all under one roof. Be sure to check Green Beans’ Instagram for the latest schedule.

Led by proprietor Asa Fain, executive chef Robbie Pacheco, and accompanied by pastry chef Pamela Moxley, Auburn Angel has quickly become a hot dining spot in Atlanta. It opened in April, serving major flavor with dishes like tender lamb neck that falls apart to the touch, an innovative PBandJ with pork belly, almond butter, and tomato jam, and a classic duck confit with red cabbage. The cured salmon with beets and watermelon radish is also a hit. Tuck into one of their green leather booths and be sure to order a cocktail. Reservations recommended.

The long-anticipated Viet-Cajun-style barbecue joint, Gene’s BBQ, opened on July 22. Formerly a pop-up run by Avery Cottrell, known for its zesty riffs on barbecue and sides of beef tallow refried beans, has now taken over the former Salaryman space, next to Poor Hendrix at Hosea and 2nd. Expect meats by the pound here, along with boudin egg rolls, chili brined chicken skewers, crab claws, and smoked mushroom tacos. Gene’s also offers brunch with breakfast burritos and shrimp and grits. The wine list has stellar options including Pere Mata cava, Johan Vineyards pinot gris orange wine, and Chateau Yvonne chenin blanc — all excellent pairings with the food. $3 Mountain Dew shots are also available.

You’ve likely seen the sparkly new building that looks like a metal beehive on the Eastside BeltLine. That’s Forth, Atlanta’s newest luxury hotel, and now its got a new resident. Elektra, a Mediterranean all-day restaurant on the fourth floor of the hotel is now open for service. It channels a coastal seaside in its decor and atmosphere — conveniently located by the hotel pool deck, which helps seal that vision.

Executive chef Jonathan McDowell, formerly at Barcelona Wine Bar, Delbar, and 9 Mile Station, has taken inspiration from Levantine and Mediterranean flavors to create the menu. Expect dishes like a seasonal mezze platter served with warm pita, lamb kofta with sumac onions, salmon with dill labneh, mussels in a white wine fennel sauce, and a yogurt panna cotta with lavender gel for dessert on the dinner menu.

Commune is a wine bar and listening room in Avondale Estates. What is a listening room, you might ask? It’s a national trend, where bars play records and playlists of deep cut underground music. And now, Atlanta has its own spot. Commune, brainchild of Zopi Kristjanson and DJ Chris Devoe, opened at Olive and Pine in Avondale Estates. Some of the listening events lineup include a celebration of Prince and the Minneapolis sound, underground 60s soul, rock ‘n’ roll and honky tonk country gold. Empire State South’s former sommelier, Steven Grubbs is behind the wine list, and a small menu is available for bar bites.

Little Five Points’ staple watering hole, The Porter Beer Bar, reopened in May after a two-year hiatus. It’s back, baby, and better than ever. New owner Manny Maloof (of Manny’s and Euclid Avenue Yacht Club) and chef E.J. Hodgkinson (previously of King + Duke and JCT Kitchen) relaunched the bar with a renovated interior, 18 additional beer taps for a total of 60, and a brand new menu. More than 800 cellar-aged beers are available and daily specials for food include watermelon salad, black truffle deviled eggs, and smoked ham chops. The dinner menu includes classic pub fare like fish ‘n’ chips, red wine and garlic sausage, and burgers. Much like wine, beer ages beautifully. This is the place to try vintage beers that date back decades.

The ‘70s are here to stay in Atlanta. Propaganda is a retro, vibey cocktail and live music spot in Smyrna on the upstairs level of Zucca Bar andamp; Pizzeria. Run by photographer and artist Mr. Wattson and designer Heather Tazza, the space is meticulously curated. From the disco ball to the ‘70s themed yellow couches to the walls covered in posters, art, and vinyl collections (look up at the ceiling, there’s record sleeves on there, too), this bar is sure to transport you to funky town. Expect innovative cocktails like the Pop Rocks Rita with, you guessed it, pop rocks candy, a Bohemian Rhapsody Disco Lemonade, and an Uncle Sam Aperol Spritz for $16 each. Reservations recommended. Dress code.

A hand injury is a nightmare for any chef, let alone a sushi master. Chef Tasuku Murakami injured his wrist in March riding his scooter to work at Umi, where the M by Tasuku Murakami experience takes place. Since then, the private omakase experience has been on hiatus. Chef Murakami is now back, healed wrist and all, serving one of the hottest private omakase dinners in Atlanta. A whopping $295 a person gets you an 18-course omakase dinner with fresh seafood deliveries of the day. An additional $135 sake pairing is offered and should not be missed. The eight-person seating is limited to Wednesday through Friday at 7 p.m. Chef Murakami’s team is playfully urging him not to ride his scooter to work anymore. Reservations required.

Atlanta is on a roll with Mexican cuisine. The team behind the popular El Valle in Midtown and Oaxaca in Chamblee have opened Casa Balam in downtown Decatur. It is in the former Ted’s Montana Grill location. Chef and co-owner Luis Damian has created a menu of traditional and modern Mexican fare, including tacos, empanadas, and family-style meat options of duck confit, beef birria, and Chilean sea bass. Be sure to order the corn tres leches for its extra creamy goodness.

Adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz stadium, the new Signia by Hilton boasts five restaurants and bars, but Capolinea, the Italian signature, is the one not to be missed. The food is matched by the atmosphere as a whole: the attentive service, the close-up view of the stadium and the West End, and the martini cart are all more than enough to impress diners and aesthetes alike. Menu standouts include steaks and handmade pastas, such as the duck ravioli with foie gras, fresno chili, and kumquat gremolata, a play on duck a la orange. Reservations required. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Valet parking only.