atlanta good food tagged interest

The Eater 38 is a curated list of restaurants covering Atlanta and its metropolitan area — both inside and outside the perimeter — spanning myriad cuisines and price points. It’s meant to help navigate Atlanta’s sprawling restaurant scene, while also answering the question, “Can you recommend a restaurant?”

With summer’s arrival, the Eater 38 has been updated for the third time in 2024 to include longtime Atlanta staples, restaurants with loyal followings, and those really bringing something special to the food scene right now. The restaurants listed below have been open for six months or longer and were selected to showcase the impressive diversity of Atlanta’s dining landscape. Removal from the Eater 38 does not mean a restaurant isn’t still great and won’t return in the future, but it allows for new additions, keeping the 38 a fresh, inclusive, and representative list. The list is ordered by location from south to north.

For the third update of 2024, Che Butter Jonez was removed as the popular restaurant is set to open its second location, with the first location in question. Cafe Alsace was removed to highlight another Decatur staple, Chai Pani. Jamrock Restaurant was removed to make way for Duluth’s super-loved 9292 Korean BBQ.

Want to nominate a restaurant? Send suggestions to atlanta@eater.com, along with details as to why a particular restaurant deserves to be included before the next quarterly update.

The Hottest New Restaurants in Atlanta Right Now

For all the latest Atlanta dining intel, subscribe to Eater Atlanta's newsletter.

Read More

Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

People living in the southern suburbs of Atlanta have long coveted this gem of a restaurant in Peachtree City, often raving as much about the lovely hospitality received during meals here as they do about the food. Owned by Hadi Rabai and Fatima Hojaij, the Beirut has served classic Lebanese dishes with fine dining touches for nearly a decade in Peachtree City. Try the foul mudammas (fava and garbanzo bean salad), Kefraya (Lebanese wine)-marinated steak tips, or lamb and beef shish kaftas. Order a grand feast for dinner that includes three mezzes, three kebabs, and dessert or coffee.

Former pop-up chef Jarrett Stieber opened the now Michelin-recommended Little Bear in Summerhill right before the start of the pandemic in 2020. Despite the challenges, Stieber never wavered from what made his pop-up, and now his restaurant, so popular with regulars. The chef’s mischievous sense of humor and creativity continue to be on full display in dishes like the Sorta Chicken Shawarma with preserved eggplant and tahini, and drinks like Three-Legged Dog with mezcal, blueberry vermouth, and amaro. It’s best to order the entire tight menu here. Tell the server, “Just F*ck Me Up, Fam” for the four course prix fixe menu for $50.

Forged from a pop-up launched by owners Sophia Marchese and Reid Trapani just before the pandemic, La Semilla is a triumph of vegan dishes with Latin flavors, like the jackfruit Cubano, croquetas de jamon stuffed with vegan ham, and al pastor tacos made with mushrooms. Start off with sikil pak (spicy pumpkin seed and tomato dip) served with fresh tortilla chips. A zero food waste policy means unused ingredients are incorporated back into sauces and salsas for dishes at La Semilla or made into tinctures or syrups for riffs on classic cocktails. The couple doesn’t see La Semilla as a vegan restaurant, they see it as a restaurant that happens to serve vegan food that unless you were told, you might not suspect otherwise.

A congenial neighborhood restaurant and bar in East Lake, Poor Hendrix is a sought-after spot for laid-back vibes paired with stellar cocktails and bar food that’s been kicked up a notch yet still affordable. Order perennial favorites on the menu like the spicy peanut cold noodles or baskets of drums and flats glazed in a sticky sesame sauce, as well as meatless Monday meal deals and daily barfly specials that never disappoint. Pair dinner with a draft beer, one of the cocktails on rotation from the bar, or a glass of wine. Poor Hendrix’s covered patio is 21 and up but well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome; the backyard seating is all-ages.

Alex Brounstein and Johnny Farrow turned an Eastside Beltline anomaly (a strip of land too small to develop into condos) into one of 2023’s most memorable restaurant openings by adding a much-needed dose of the Gulf Coast. Maximillian Hines’ (Stolen Goods) formidable menu represents both sea and land — highlights include the peel n’ eat shrimp, the cabbage and crispy rice salad, a sloppy take on vinegar slaw, and anything fried, the charbroiled oysters with butter and a touch of Parmesan, and anything fried (seafood of course, but also the artichoke heart “calamari”). The frozen drinks, like the Mucho Nada (White Claw mango vodka, mango puree, chamoy, and a tajin rim) will take you right back to college, or at least your last visit to a beachside bar. Consider yourself warned. Expect a limited menu and all-out Gulf Coast mentality upstairs at Floridaman, opening in May.

Kara Hidinger and chef Ryan Smith took ownership of the restaurant in 2020 and created the national nonprofit Giving Kitchen, which aides restaurant workers with financial and resource support in a crisis. The restaurant functions as a tasting menu restaurant to a neighborhood market with food served daily from the back counter near the kitchen. The food remains as seasonal, creative, and thoughtfully composed as ever. For lunch, don’t skip the Grinder — a meaty and mighty sandwich with milk bread, pepperoni, mortadella, and olive tapenade, easily shared between two people. Dinner is a prix fixe five-course seasonal menu about $200 a person on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations for dinner required.

To be a member of this Krog Street Market New England-style tavern, one simply has to walk in, grab a seat, and order a drink or a meal. Try popular menu mainstays like the Ipswich clam roll, the seasonal vegan noodle bowl, or the Club’s iconic veal sweetbreads. Cocktails at Ticonderoga Club are always top-notch, as the restaurant is owned by three trailblazers of Atlanta’s cocktail movement: Greg Best, Paul Calvert, and Regan Smith. The drinks rotate regularly here, but T-Club’s mint julep riff, the Ticonderoga Cup, and an Irish coffee are always on the menu. Reservations are highly encouraged.

Housed in the former Decatur train depot, the menu at Kimball House is an ode to elegant dining and drinking all experienced in a dimly lit, laid-back dining room. Kick off the night with Southern and Gulf water oysters paired with cocktails or Champagne at happy hour. The Caviar and Middlins is a must order, with Carolina gold rice grits topped with egg yolk and polanco Siberian reserve caviar. Continue the evening by sharing local vegetable and fish dishes or a three-course steak dinner for two. Beyond its award-winning cocktails, the Decatur restaurant features a wine list that is equally impressive, including muscadet, chenin blanc, and big, bold reds as well as sherry, Madeira, and vermouth. Reservations are highly encouraged and outdoor seating available.

Chef Arnaldo Castillo opened his first restaurant in Poncey-Highland with Atlanta restaurateur Howard Hsu of neighboring Sweet Auburn BBQ back in 2022. Tio Lucho’s (“Uncle Luis”) is an ode to Castillo’s father, who was known for his ceviches when he worked at Peruvian restaurants around Atlanta years ago. At Tio Lucho’s, Castillo mixes traditional Peruvian recipes with Southern and local ingredients, resulting in dishes like papas fritas tossed in furikake seasoning, red snapper ceviche with cornmeal fried calamari, and a vegetarian ceviche using local mushrooms layered with grape tomatoes, red peas, and sweet potatoes. Make sure to try the lomo saltado, too, or any of the whole fish specials at Tio Lucho’s. Pair your meal with a pisco sour or tamarindo caipirinha.

A great soundtrack and a menu filled with “authentically Atlanta” dishes set the mood at chef Joey Ward’s Poncey-Highland restaurant, Southern Belle, which is refined without being pretentious. This is how Atlantans like to dine, and Ward leans into it. Expect creative dishes such as the cornmeal fried Carolina trout with lemon grits and marinated tomatoes. Adding a bit of theater to dinner, some cocktails are prepared table side from a Delta beverage cart, complete with smoky magic and garnished with a Biscoff cookie. For people seeking nonalcoholic options, Southern Belle’s zero-proof cocktails are hard to beat. For a truly spectacular dining experience from Ward and his team, make a reservation at Georgia Boy — the intimate tasting menu restaurant hidden behind a bookcase in the back of Southern Belle. Reservations encouraged.

This Michelin-recommended Indian restaurant in Decatur is owned by chef Meherwan Irani, led by chef de cuisine and James Beard Best Chef: Southeast finalist, Sahar Siddiqi. Expect creative riffs on Indian street food, including corn or the seasonal peach bhel chaat, pani puri, and okra fries. The paneer or chicken kathi rolls are flavorful hearty meals on their own, but do end with gulab jamun and chai. The restaurant launched a lunch buffet in 2022 that features their most popular dishes, including kale pakoras, saag paneer, bhel puri, and butter chicken. There’s also plenty of naan, as well as an assortment of chutneys and hot chai. Sit inside with Indian nostalgia murals and photography on the walls, or head outdoors to their renovated patio, which feels like you’ve entered a Bollywood wedding with its garlands of flowers and lamps. Along with its location in Asheville, Chai Pani is expanding to Washington D.C.

Owned by chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips, Michelin-starred Lazy Betty offers fine dining at their new location in the heart of Midtown at 999 Peachtree (the former Empire State South space.) The tasting menu is ever-evolving with six to eight courses for $225 a person with optional wine or nonalcoholic pairings, and a vegetarian menu. There’s also champagne and caviar service, which comes with steamed milk buns and scallion pancakes, and an a la carte food menu at the bar lounge. Try the foie gras donut with raspberry coulis, which made our Best Things Eater Atlanta Ate in June video, for an umami, unexpected treat. Reservations are required.

James Beard award-winning chef Steven Satterfield’s fresh Southern cooking is simple, elegant, and includes a lot of seasonal, locally grown vegetables. The farm egg baked in celery cream with grilled bread is a must-try Atlanta dish. The restaurant also has one of the best vegetable plates in town and offers a killer wine list, too. Getting a reservation at this west side Atlanta restaurant can be challenging on busy dining days, so opt to sit at the bar or head in on a Monday for a quieter meal. Maybe try lunch, which finally returned to Miller Union in 2023, three years after the restaurant discontinued the mid-day meal service at the start of the pandemic.

No matter the day of the week, locals love to meet up for steak and martinis at the Tap. Lovingly referred to as “steak basement” or “steak cellar”, as the Virginia-Highland restaurant institution is located below street level, Highland Tap serves heaping platters of old-school cuts of steak and starchy sides. Look around the dining room and you’ll likely see multiple tables filled with people sipping the generously poured martinis served here, which come with a sidecar to refresh the drink. There’s no need to dress up at Highland Tap. Just come as you are and enjoy the low-key atmosphere, comfort food, and amazing people-watching. Check out brunch on the weekends, too.

Built around an intimate and highly personalized dining experience between diners and the sushi chef, Michelin-starred and 2022 Eater award winner Mujo is a splurge-worthy destination for omakase. Reservations go fast when released each month, but for those who secure a seat at the sushi bar, patience (and the hefty price tag) pay off thanks to the attention to detail and personalized touches they experience throughout the meal. Led by chef J. Trent Harris, who trained under master sushi chefs at Michelin-star establishments Sushi Ginza Onodera and Shuko in New York and Tokyo, this 15-seat omakase restaurant is a master class of its own in hospitality and the nuanced art of Edomae-style sushi. A meal here begins with cocktails at the small bar reserved for guests of the restaurant. Then, during dinner, Harris and his team wow exquisite courses of nigiri, beautiful dishes like hakurei turnip tartlets, and nods to other Japanese culinary traditions, including tamagoyaki (Japanese shrimp and egg cake similar to an omelet) and konacha green tea served with dessert.

Owners Ash Nega and Titi Demissie, who were both born and raised in Ethiopia, first opened Desta in 2006 along Briarcliff Road. Since its opening, Nega and Demissie have turned Desta into one of Atlanta’s premier Ethiopian restaurants, landing it on several “best of” lists over the years. With two locations open in Atlanta, this restaurant institution focuses on traditional Ethiopian dishes like goden tibs (short rib), dinech wot (potato stew), beef or salmon kifto wraps, fish dulet, vegetarian specialities like shiro fir fir (stewed chickpeas), and sambusas stuffed with beef or lentils. Want to try it all? Order the meat platter, which comes with three meat and three vegetable options and is big enough to share with at least three people. There’s also a full vegan menu and a variety of drinks to choose from, including Ethiopian tea and beer.

Owners Katie Barringer and Jordan Smelt merge their love for books, wine, food, and London at bookshop and wine bar Lucian. Located at Modera Buckhead, Lucian specializes in titles centered on art, design, food, and culture and carries nearly 400 wines by the bottle and 15 wines by the glass. Food here is approached with the same thoughtfulness and care that Barringer has with books and Smelt with wine. Nothing is an afterthought, right down to the sauces composed for each dish. Standouts on the menu are the raw hamachi with seasonal fruits, the gnudi, and duck. Be sure to order a glass of Champagne with crisp polenta and a bowl of crispy fries, too, which comes with a chef’s choice aioli, like horseradish or chile-spiced. Reservations for lunch and dinner are highly encouraged.

Chamblee’s international spectrum shines ever-brighter with Oaxaca. Helmed by the owners of El Valle in Midtown, and the newest addition of Casa Balam in Decatur, Oaxaca brings the southwestern Mexican state’s ingredients and techniques (think smoke, moles, and fresh masas from ground corn for all tortillas and adjacent breads) to Metro Atlanta’s forefront. Standouts include the tetela de pato (duck confit and Oaxaca cheese), seasonal vegetable tlayuda (a group-friendly flatbread in the vein of a Mexican-style pizza), the flor de calabaza (squash blossom, Oaxaca cheese, sauteed mushroom, and roasted onion quesadilla), and the whole wood-fired branzino with black garlic. The restaurant also carries one of the largest selections of Mexican wines. Snag a reservation here.

Owned by Mia Orino and Carlo Gan, Michelin-recommended Kamayan ATL brings Buford Highway a restaurant offering the vast range of dishes and cuisine styles found throughout the islands of the Philippines. This includes traditional dishes like bistek silog, lechon sisig, and hearty bowls of kaldereta (tomato-based broth beef stew with peppers, potatoes, and olives garnished with jalapenos, chilis, and fresh herbs), as well as elaborate kamayan feasts meant for sharing that cover the whole table. The restaurant tends to be busy any day its open, but especially on the weekends when families and friends gather together for one of its famed kamayan spreads.

“We didn’t start Kamayan ATL to make money. It was originally just to share our food and our culture with the Atlanta community,” says Orino. “It became so much bigger than we imagined, and we are excited to represent the Filipino community.”

Located in Seoul Plaza on Buford Highway, Woo Nam Jeong or Stone Bowl House serves traditional Korean fare created by the restaurant’s longtime chef Young Hui Han, lovingly referred to as “grandma.” Regulars to this Korean restaurant know to order its signature dish, any of the dolsot bibimbap; it is served in a searing hot cast-iron bowl, allowing the rice to become nice and crispy before mixing. Make sure to indulge in the complimentary banchan here, which Han makes herself each day. Other dishes to try include the haemul pajeon (seafood scallion pancake) and gujeolpan, an elaborate Korean royal court dish consisting of nine types of food served with crepes in an octagonal wooden platter.

The critically acclaimed restaurant, owned by chef Brian So and partner Daniel Crawford, features a tight, seasonally inspired menu of dishes paired with a curated list of natural and biodynamic wines. Start with foie gras terrine and sockeye salmon crudo before moving on to entrees like grilled wagyu flatiron steak and braised short rib or a whole fish course. Never skip the desserts at Spring, which change often and incorporate herbs, fruits, and other ingredients of the season. The small dining room lends itself nicely to both intimate dinners as well as larger groups catching up over bottles of wine and a meal. Reservations are highly encouraged.

A family-owned and operated restaurant located in a small shopping complex on Old Peachtree, La Mixteca Tamale House serves up real deal Oaxacan cuisine on the menu, along with righteous tamales. Expect the pizza-like tlayudas to be topped with mole con huevo or carne asada and chapulines (dried grasshoppers), and enjoy other traditional Oaxacan fare, like picaditas topped with cheese crumbles and salsa, and triangular tetelas filled with black bean paste. Tamales come in both sweet and savory varieties and are served individually, as plates with rice and beans, or as bowls with potatoes, crumbled cheese, and pico with a fried egg on top. Order a cold bottle of Modelo, take a seat, and dig in.

The small operation from Suwanee has expanded to a second location in Midtown. It’s all in the name, because this restaurant packs a flavorful punch. Founded as a food truck in 2018 by chef Christopher Fletcher and Angelica Finley (both formerly Ritz-Carlton Atlanta), regulars and newcomers to Flavor Rich have been flocking to the restaurant since it opened in 2020. Expect everything from fried chicken sandwiches, burgers, and wings to fried shrimp, blackened salmon sandwiches, and a must-order Cajun shrimp po’boy. If it’s on the menu, order the poached lobster roll topped with lemon aioli on a soft hoagie roll. Try the bananas foster French toast or crab cake benny with sauteed spinach, poached eggs, and Cajun lump crab sauce on an English muffin during breakfast.

People living in the southern suburbs of Atlanta have long coveted this gem of a restaurant in Peachtree City, often raving as much about the lovely hospitality received during meals here as they do about the food. Owned by Hadi Rabai and Fatima Hojaij, the Beirut has served classic Lebanese dishes with fine dining touches for nearly a decade in Peachtree City. Try the foul mudammas (fava and garbanzo bean salad), Kefraya (Lebanese wine)-marinated steak tips, or lamb and beef shish kaftas. Order a grand feast for dinner that includes three mezzes, three kebabs, and dessert or coffee.

Former pop-up chef Jarrett Stieber opened the now Michelin-recommended Little Bear in Summerhill right before the start of the pandemic in 2020. Despite the challenges, Stieber never wavered from what made his pop-up, and now his restaurant, so popular with regulars. The chef’s mischievous sense of humor and creativity continue to be on full display in dishes like the Sorta Chicken Shawarma with preserved eggplant and tahini, and drinks like Three-Legged Dog with mezcal, blueberry vermouth, and amaro. It’s best to order the entire tight menu here. Tell the server, “Just F*ck Me Up, Fam” for the four course prix fixe menu for $50.

Forged from a pop-up launched by owners Sophia Marchese and Reid Trapani just before the pandemic, La Semilla is a triumph of vegan dishes with Latin flavors, like the jackfruit Cubano, croquetas de jamon stuffed with vegan ham, and al pastor tacos made with mushrooms. Start off with sikil pak (spicy pumpkin seed and tomato dip) served with fresh tortilla chips. A zero food waste policy means unused ingredients are incorporated back into sauces and salsas for dishes at La Semilla or made into tinctures or syrups for riffs on classic cocktails. The couple doesn’t see La Semilla as a vegan restaurant, they see it as a restaurant that happens to serve vegan food that unless you were told, you might not suspect otherwise.

A congenial neighborhood restaurant and bar in East Lake, Poor Hendrix is a sought-after spot for laid-back vibes paired with stellar cocktails and bar food that’s been kicked up a notch yet still affordable. Order perennial favorites on the menu like the spicy peanut cold noodles or baskets of drums and flats glazed in a sticky sesame sauce, as well as meatless Monday meal deals and daily barfly specials that never disappoint. Pair dinner with a draft beer, one of the cocktails on rotation from the bar, or a glass of wine. Poor Hendrix’s covered patio is 21 and up but well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome; the backyard seating is all-ages.

Alex Brounstein and Johnny Farrow turned an Eastside Beltline anomaly (a strip of land too small to develop into condos) into one of 2023’s most memorable restaurant openings by adding a much-needed dose of the Gulf Coast. Maximillian Hines’ (Stolen Goods) formidable menu represents both sea and land — highlights include the peel n’ eat shrimp, the cabbage and crispy rice salad, a sloppy take on vinegar slaw, and anything fried, the charbroiled oysters with butter and a touch of Parmesan, and anything fried (seafood of course, but also the artichoke heart “calamari”). The frozen drinks, like the Mucho Nada (White Claw mango vodka, mango puree, chamoy, and a tajin rim) will take you right back to college, or at least your last visit to a beachside bar. Consider yourself warned. Expect a limited menu and all-out Gulf Coast mentality upstairs at Floridaman, opening in May.

Kara Hidinger and chef Ryan Smith took ownership of the restaurant in 2020 and created the national nonprofit Giving Kitchen, which aides restaurant workers with financial and resource support in a crisis. The restaurant functions as a tasting menu restaurant to a neighborhood market with food served daily from the back counter near the kitchen. The food remains as seasonal, creative, and thoughtfully composed as ever. For lunch, don’t skip the Grinder — a meaty and mighty sandwich with milk bread, pepperoni, mortadella, and olive tapenade, easily shared between two people. Dinner is a prix fixe five-course seasonal menu about $200 a person on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations for dinner required.

To be a member of this Krog Street Market New England-style tavern, one simply has to walk in, grab a seat, and order a drink or a meal. Try popular menu mainstays like the Ipswich clam roll, the seasonal vegan noodle bowl, or the Club’s iconic veal sweetbreads. Cocktails at Ticonderoga Club are always top-notch, as the restaurant is owned by three trailblazers of Atlanta’s cocktail movement: Greg Best, Paul Calvert, and Regan Smith. The drinks rotate regularly here, but T-Club’s mint julep riff, the Ticonderoga Cup, and an Irish coffee are always on the menu. Reservations are highly encouraged.

Housed in the former Decatur train depot, the menu at Kimball House is an ode to elegant dining and drinking all experienced in a dimly lit, laid-back dining room. Kick off the night with Southern and Gulf water oysters paired with cocktails or Champagne at happy hour. The Caviar and Middlins is a must order, with Carolina gold rice grits topped with egg yolk and polanco Siberian reserve caviar. Continue the evening by sharing local vegetable and fish dishes or a three-course steak dinner for two. Beyond its award-winning cocktails, the Decatur restaurant features a wine list that is equally impressive, including muscadet, chenin blanc, and big, bold reds as well as sherry, Madeira, and vermouth. Reservations are highly encouraged and outdoor seating available.

Chef Arnaldo Castillo opened his first restaurant in Poncey-Highland with Atlanta restaurateur Howard Hsu of neighboring Sweet Auburn BBQ back in 2022. Tio Lucho’s (“Uncle Luis”) is an ode to Castillo’s father, who was known for his ceviches when he worked at Peruvian restaurants around Atlanta years ago. At Tio Lucho’s, Castillo mixes traditional Peruvian recipes with Southern and local ingredients, resulting in dishes like papas fritas tossed in furikake seasoning, red snapper ceviche with cornmeal fried calamari, and a vegetarian ceviche using local mushrooms layered with grape tomatoes, red peas, and sweet potatoes. Make sure to try the lomo saltado, too, or any of the whole fish specials at Tio Lucho’s. Pair your meal with a pisco sour or tamarindo caipirinha.

A great soundtrack and a menu filled with “authentically Atlanta” dishes set the mood at chef Joey Ward’s Poncey-Highland restaurant, Southern Belle, which is refined without being pretentious. This is how Atlantans like to dine, and Ward leans into it. Expect creative dishes such as the cornmeal fried Carolina trout with lemon grits and marinated tomatoes. Adding a bit of theater to dinner, some cocktails are prepared table side from a Delta beverage cart, complete with smoky magic and garnished with a Biscoff cookie. For people seeking nonalcoholic options, Southern Belle’s zero-proof cocktails are hard to beat. For a truly spectacular dining experience from Ward and his team, make a reservation at Georgia Boy — the intimate tasting menu restaurant hidden behind a bookcase in the back of Southern Belle. Reservations encouraged.

Owned by chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips, Michelin-starred Lazy Betty offers fine dining at their new location in the heart of Midtown at 999 Peachtree (the former Empire State South space.) The tasting menu is ever-evolving with six to eight courses for $225 a person with optional wine or nonalcoholic pairings, and a vegetarian menu. There’s also champagne and caviar service, which comes with steamed milk buns and scallion pancakes, and an a la carte food menu at the bar lounge. Try the foie gras donut with raspberry coulis, which made our Best Things Eater Atlanta Ate in June video, for an umami, unexpected treat. Reservations are required.

James Beard award-winning chef Steven Satterfield’s fresh Southern cooking is simple, elegant, and includes a lot of seasonal, locally grown vegetables. The farm egg baked in celery cream with grilled bread is a must-try Atlanta dish. The restaurant also has one of the best vegetable plates in town and offers a killer wine list, too. Getting a reservation at this west side Atlanta restaurant can be challenging on busy dining days, so opt to sit at the bar or head in on a Monday for a quieter meal. Maybe try lunch, which finally returned to Miller Union in 2023, three years after the restaurant discontinued the mid-day meal service at the start of the pandemic.

No matter the day of the week, locals love to meet up for steak and martinis at the Tap. Lovingly referred to as “steak basement” or “steak cellar”, as the Virginia-Highland restaurant institution is located below street level, Highland Tap serves heaping platters of old-school cuts of steak and starchy sides. Look around the dining room and you’ll likely see multiple tables filled with people sipping the generously poured martinis served here, which come with a sidecar to refresh the drink. There’s no need to dress up at Highland Tap. Just come as you are and enjoy the low-key atmosphere, comfort food, and amazing people-watching. Check out brunch on the weekends, too.

Built around an intimate and highly personalized dining experience between diners and the sushi chef, Michelin-starred and 2022 Eater award winner Mujo is a splurge-worthy destination for omakase. Reservations go fast when released each month, but for those who secure a seat at the sushi bar, patience (and the hefty price tag) pay off thanks to the attention to detail and personalized touches they experience throughout the meal. Led by chef J. Trent Harris, who trained under master sushi chefs at Michelin-star establishments Sushi Ginza Onodera and Shuko in New York and Tokyo, this 15-seat omakase restaurant is a master class of its own in hospitality and the nuanced art of Edomae-style sushi. A meal here begins with cocktails at the small bar reserved for guests of the restaurant. Then, during dinner, Harris and his team wow exquisite courses of nigiri, beautiful dishes like hakurei turnip tartlets, and nods to other Japanese culinary traditions, including tamagoyaki (Japanese shrimp and egg cake similar to an omelet) and konacha green tea served with dessert.

The two-decade-old fine dining stalwart and Michelin-starred Bacchanalia and its epic tasting menu are better than ever. The menu includes the popular crab fritter, Maine lobster with coconut and chard, and a rotating array of in-season entrees and desserts, like an earl grey souffle with gelato. Located next to market and cafe Star Provisions on Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard, reservations are necessary for a table here. Don’t have reservations? Head to the bar for cocktails, a glass of wine, and the a la carte menu.

Owners Ash Nega and Titi Demissie, who were both born and raised in Ethiopia, first opened Desta in 2006 along Briarcliff Road. Since its opening, Nega and Demissie have turned Desta into one of Atlanta’s premier Ethiopian restaurants, landing it on several “best of” lists over the years. With two locations open in Atlanta, this restaurant institution focuses on traditional Ethiopian dishes like goden tibs (short rib), dinech wot (potato stew), beef or salmon kifto wraps, fish dulet, vegetarian specialities like shiro fir fir (stewed chickpeas), and sambusas stuffed with beef or lentils. Want to try it all? Order the meat platter, which comes with three meat and three vegetable options and is big enough to share with at least three people. There’s also a full vegan menu and a variety of drinks to choose from, including Ethiopian tea and beer.

Owners Katie Barringer and Jordan Smelt merge their love for books, wine, food, and London at bookshop and wine bar Lucian. Located at Modera Buckhead, Lucian specializes in titles centered on art, design, food, and culture and carries nearly 400 wines by the bottle and 15 wines by the glass. Food here is approached with the same thoughtfulness and care that Barringer has with books and Smelt with wine. Nothing is an afterthought, right down to the sauces composed for each dish. Standouts on the menu are the raw hamachi with seasonal fruits, the gnudi, and duck. Be sure to order a glass of Champagne with crisp polenta and a bowl of crispy fries, too, which comes with a chef’s choice aioli, like horseradish or chile-spiced. Reservations for lunch and dinner are highly encouraged.

Chamblee’s international spectrum shines ever-brighter with Oaxaca. Helmed by the owners of El Valle in Midtown, and the newest addition of Casa Balam in Decatur, Oaxaca brings the southwestern Mexican state’s ingredients and techniques (think smoke, moles, and fresh masas from ground corn for all tortillas and adjacent breads) to Metro Atlanta’s forefront. Standouts include the tetela de pato (duck confit and Oaxaca cheese), seasonal vegetable tlayuda (a group-friendly flatbread in the vein of a Mexican-style pizza), the flor de calabaza (squash blossom, Oaxaca cheese, sauteed mushroom, and roasted onion quesadilla), and the whole wood-fired branzino with black garlic. The restaurant also carries one of the largest selections of Mexican wines. Snag a reservation here.

Owned by Mia Orino and Carlo Gan, Michelin-recommended Kamayan ATL brings Buford Highway a restaurant offering the vast range of dishes and cuisine styles found throughout the islands of the Philippines. This includes traditional dishes like bistek silog, lechon sisig, and hearty bowls of kaldereta (tomato-based broth beef stew with peppers, potatoes, and olives garnished with jalapenos, chilis, and fresh herbs), as well as elaborate kamayan feasts meant for sharing that cover the whole table. The restaurant tends to be busy any day its open, but especially on the weekends when families and friends gather together for one of its famed kamayan spreads.

“We didn’t start Kamayan ATL to make money. It was originally just to share our food and our culture with the Atlanta community,” says Orino. “It became so much bigger than we imagined, and we are excited to represent the Filipino community.”

Located in Seoul Plaza on Buford Highway, Woo Nam Jeong or Stone Bowl House serves traditional Korean fare created by the restaurant’s longtime chef Young Hui Han, lovingly referred to as “grandma.” Regulars to this Korean restaurant know to order its signature dish, any of the dolsot bibimbap; it is served in a searing hot cast-iron bowl, allowing the rice to become nice and crispy before mixing. Make sure to indulge in the complimentary banchan here, which Han makes herself each day. Other dishes to try include the haemul pajeon (seafood scallion pancake) and gujeolpan, an elaborate Korean royal court dish consisting of nine types of food served with crepes in an octagonal wooden platter.

Opened in 2021, halal Pakistani bakery cafe Dil Bahar Cafe is already a go-to in Norcross for its variety of Karachi-style chaat, masala fries, pani puri, and samosas as well as for desserts like shahi tukray (bread pudding) or glasses of refreshingly cold falooda. Try the chicken roll, the bun kabab, or the savory, deep-fried kachori served with sabzi (mixed vegetables). Pair snacks with a hot cup of chai or a mango lassi. Make sure to keep an eye out for specials here, including beef and lentil haleem.

The critically acclaimed restaurant, owned by chef Brian So and partner Daniel Crawford, features a tight, seasonally inspired menu of dishes paired with a curated list of natural and biodynamic wines. Start with foie gras terrine and sockeye salmon crudo before moving on to entrees like grilled wagyu flatiron steak and braised short rib or a whole fish course. Never skip the desserts at Spring, which change often and incorporate herbs, fruits, and other ingredients of the season. The small dining room lends itself nicely to both intimate dinners as well as larger groups catching up over bottles of wine and a meal. Reservations are highly encouraged.

Atlanta has a serious love affair with Korean barbecue. What makes 9292 Korean BBQ especially good is that it uses traditional charcoal table grills rather than electric ones. The unmistakeable smokey flavor the grill produces in the meats here, along with the quality of the meats used, makes all the difference. Order the Special #2 with seasoned pork, pork belly, beef short ribs, rib eye, beef bulgogi, and brisket. It comes with banchan, including kimchi fried rice. Be sure to order some sparkling rice wine like the Kooksoondang to share. Open late night.

A family-owned and operated restaurant located in a small shopping complex on Old Peachtree, La Mixteca Tamale House serves up real deal Oaxacan cuisine on the menu, along with righteous tamales. Expect the pizza-like tlayudas to be topped with mole con huevo or carne asada and chapulines (dried grasshoppers), and enjoy other traditional Oaxacan fare, like picaditas topped with cheese crumbles and salsa, and triangular tetelas filled with black bean paste. Tamales come in both sweet and savory varieties and are served individually, as plates with rice and beans, or as bowls with potatoes, crumbled cheese, and pico with a fried egg on top. Order a cold bottle of Modelo, take a seat, and dig in.

The small operation from Suwanee has expanded to a second location in Midtown. It’s all in the name, because this restaurant packs a flavorful punch. Founded as a food truck in 2018 by chef Christopher Fletcher and Angelica Finley (both formerly Ritz-Carlton Atlanta), regulars and newcomers to Flavor Rich have been flocking to the restaurant since it opened in 2020. Expect everything from fried chicken sandwiches, burgers, and wings to fried shrimp, blackened salmon sandwiches, and a must-order Cajun shrimp po’boy. If it’s on the menu, order the poached lobster roll topped with lemon aioli on a soft hoagie roll. Try the bananas foster French toast or crab cake benny with sauteed spinach, poached eggs, and Cajun lump crab sauce on an English muffin during breakfast.