atlanta good food tagged interest

Downtown Atlanta is home to the city’s biggest tourist attractions like the Georgia Aquarium, Center for Civil and Human Rights, and College Football Hall of Fame. Not to mention Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home to NFL football team the Atlanta Falcons and soccer team Atlanta United, and State Farm Arena, home to Atlanta Hawks basketball.

Thanks to the efforts of institutions like Georgia State University and a variety of local urban planning and preservation organizations, downtown Atlanta is experiencing a revitalization over the last decade in hopes of repurposing unused and historic structures. Many buildings have been transformed into student housing, restaurants, locally owned coffee shops, hotels, apartments, and creative office spaces. And revitalization continues at Underground Atlanta and in South Downtown, too, with restoration work along historic Hotel Row and at the former Norfolk Southern Railroad building, bringing even more restaurants and retail to the area soon.

Whether you’re here for one of the many yealry conferences or concerts, or a local looking to explore your backyard, here is a list of the essential downtown Atlanta restaurants and bars to know.

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Brewery and distillery Wild Leap opened at the end of 2022 at Centennial Yards. It’s part of the 50-acre redevelopment of the historic Gulch and circa 1912 building formerly home to Norfolk Southern Railroad on Ted Turner Drive. At two levels encompassing over 15,000 square feet, the main floor features a taproom, central bar, and multiple seating areas. A staircase leads to the second floor offering more seating and another bar with a hidden entrance. Patio seating overlooks the Gulch, with views of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Expect the full lineup of beverages from Wild Leap at Centennial Yards, along with cocktails from the bar and a forthcoming food menu of sandwiches, appetizers, and “old school” desserts.

This location is the first full-service restaurant for the Chattahoochee Food Works stall and the first restaurant to open along this revitalized stretch of Mitchell Street in a block of century-old storefronts. Owners and siblings Sai Untachantr and Bank Bhamaraniyama use many family recipes to create the dishes for TydeTate Kitchen, including the basil chicken, chicken curry puffs, crispy basil tofu, ka nom jeeb, and pad Thai. The menu will continue to expand, offering more soups, street foods like chicken satay and cho muang, and papaya salad. Sip on cocktails like the Red Cheeks made with vodka, lychee, elderflower, and tajin and the Passion Fizz mixed with rum and passionfruit nectar. People attending concerts or games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium nearby can easily walk to the restaurant using the Nelson Street pedestrian bridge.

This two-story bar near Centennial Olympic Park is where to head for pre- and post-game eating and drinking or to watch Atlanta United and the Falcons play for those without tickets to games at the Benz. Park Bar’s menu is all about comfort food, so expect burgers, patty melts, chicken tenders, and potato skins here, along with more refined dishes like a New York strip steak and grilled Mahi Mahi. Park Bar takes its very large whiskey and bourbon selection (over 60 bottles) and beer offerings seriously, too.

It’s hard to wrong with any order at this Atlanta Jamaican restaurant institution. Try one of the curry plates at Jamrock, including the rich curry shrimp and curry snapper, or opt for a plate of braised oxtails or a hearty sandwich, like the Hotty Hotty jerked chicken and turkey bacon topped with peppers and onions. Breakfast is also served here, featuring callaloo and saltfish, dumplings, and saltfish fritters. Keep an eye out for specials, too, such as jerk fish fried rice.

Stone Mountain native and Howard University graduate Alyson Williams teamed up with restaurateur and chef Yusef Walker (Negril Village, Ms. Icey’s) to open Dolo’s. Located in Underground Atlanta, order pizzas topped with marinara, cheese, plantains, and jalapenos to pies topped with jerk chicken, honey, and blue cheese or callaloo, roasted tomatoes, and Jamaican ackee sauce. Be sure to order the iconic Black Pizza topped with a charcoal pesto (delicious), spinach, roasted tomato, and mozzarella. If on the menu, order one of the build-your-own dolita sandwiches and the doughnut-like sweet dolitas for dessert. These treats come served with hibiscus icing for dipping. A location is also open at State Farm Arena.

Dining at the Sun Dial is the best way to enjoy sweeping views of the Atlanta skyline with 360-degree panorama views. The iconic restaurant is perched atop the Westin Peachtree Plaza (designed by acclaimed architect John Portman in the ‘70s) giving diners a birds-eye view of the city from more than 720 feet above the street. Begin with a classic Caesar salad or a seasonal peach burrata panzanella. Next, order the charred octopus with black garlic or an eight-ounce filet mignon, before indulging in dessert. Reservations required.

Located in the old Dailey’s building, those wanting to gain entrance to Red Phone Booth will first need to dial a secret code. This speakeasy serves up classic cocktails like the sazerac and old fashioned and offers a cigar program with a walk-in humidor featuring over 100 cigar options. Amalfi Pizza resides just upstairs in a rustic yet chic setting, where it serves Neapolitan pies and pastas and cannolis for dessert paired with beer and wine. Another location of Red Phone Booth is in Buckhead.

An iconic piece of the downtown Atlanta skyline (and the city’s history) roared back to life in 2022, when rotating restaurant Polaris reopened atop the Hyatt Regency hotel. The restaurant closed at the start of the pandemic in 2020, and some wondered if it would ever return. Resembling a blue flying saucer, Polaris first opened in 1967 and makes a full rotation every 45 minutes. People arrive via a glass elevator that ascends 22 floors. Polaris has undergone more than a few reinventions over the years, including in its interior design, which now sees an updated space filled with mid-century modern furniture and an ever-changing view during dinner. Food here leans toward classics like the steak Oscar served over creamy whipped potatoes with a bone marrow bearnaise sauce, wagyu New York strip, and the blue dome chocolate mousse dessert containing a caramel honey center. It’s sprayed with a blue-tinted cocoa butter to resemble the restaurant’s distinctive domed roof. Reservations required.

After closing in March 2020 due to the pandemic, Latin American restaurant Alma Cocina returned to Peachtree Tower in downtown Atlanta in 2022. Expect tacos, tamales, and roast chicken mole here, along with fresh crudo with burnt nori-avocado puree and Anaheim peppers, a guajillo grilled octopus with ancho carrots, and pork belly served with charro beans and fresh tortilla. Pair a meal with one of Alma’s tequila or mezcal cocktails. Open for lunch and dinner. Reservations encouraged.

This downtown food gem is deceptively hidden in the mall at Peachtree Center. While more of a food court than a mall, make a beeline to this Mediterranean food stall to build your own bowl, wrap, or salad with toppings like falafel, chicken or lamb shawarma, and salmon. Sides of sweet potatoes, grilled veggies, or creamy spinach are worth adding on. There is another Aviva by Kameel in Midtown at the Collective at Coda. Open for lunch.

This family-owned and operated Chinese restaurant has been a downtown Atlanta staple since 1989. Located in Peachtree Center, Hsu’s is easily walkable from several area hotels and can accommodate large groups. The menu offers everything from lo mein and pan-fried noodles to spicy basil chicken and salt and pepper shrimp. Folks should head here for the three-course Peking duck feast served with soup, Chinese crepes, and the meal’s star attraction, the crispy roast duck in a sweetly salted honey soy sauce. It feeds two. Open for lunch and dinner. Reservations encouraged.

Founded in 1918 as an open-air market, the Municipal Market (known locally as Sweet Auburn Curb Market) resides on the border between downtown Atlanta and historic Sweet Auburn. The market features dozens of local shops and food stalls offering everything from fresh produce, seafood, and meats to baked goods, sweets, and local restaurants serving Vietnamese, soul food, pizza, and Cajun and Creole cuisine. Restaurant stalls change often here, so it’s best to check online before heading over. Closed Sunday. Easily accessible via the Atlanta StreetCar.

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.

Brewery and distillery Wild Leap opened at the end of 2022 at Centennial Yards. It’s part of the 50-acre redevelopment of the historic Gulch and circa 1912 building formerly home to Norfolk Southern Railroad on Ted Turner Drive. At two levels encompassing over 15,000 square feet, the main floor features a taproom, central bar, and multiple seating areas. A staircase leads to the second floor offering more seating and another bar with a hidden entrance. Patio seating overlooks the Gulch, with views of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Expect the full lineup of beverages from Wild Leap at Centennial Yards, along with cocktails from the bar and a forthcoming food menu of sandwiches, appetizers, and “old school” desserts.

This location is the first full-service restaurant for the Chattahoochee Food Works stall and the first restaurant to open along this revitalized stretch of Mitchell Street in a block of century-old storefronts. Owners and siblings Sai Untachantr and Bank Bhamaraniyama use many family recipes to create the dishes for TydeTate Kitchen, including the basil chicken, chicken curry puffs, crispy basil tofu, ka nom jeeb, and pad Thai. The menu will continue to expand, offering more soups, street foods like chicken satay and cho muang, and papaya salad. Sip on cocktails like the Red Cheeks made with vodka, lychee, elderflower, and tajin and the Passion Fizz mixed with rum and passionfruit nectar. People attending concerts or games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium nearby can easily walk to the restaurant using the Nelson Street pedestrian bridge.

This two-story bar near Centennial Olympic Park is where to head for pre- and post-game eating and drinking or to watch Atlanta United and the Falcons play for those without tickets to games at the Benz. Park Bar’s menu is all about comfort food, so expect burgers, patty melts, chicken tenders, and potato skins here, along with more refined dishes like a New York strip steak and grilled Mahi Mahi. Park Bar takes its very large whiskey and bourbon selection (over 60 bottles) and beer offerings seriously, too.

It’s hard to wrong with any order at this Atlanta Jamaican restaurant institution. Try one of the curry plates at Jamrock, including the rich curry shrimp and curry snapper, or opt for a plate of braised oxtails or a hearty sandwich, like the Hotty Hotty jerked chicken and turkey bacon topped with peppers and onions. Breakfast is also served here, featuring callaloo and saltfish, dumplings, and saltfish fritters. Keep an eye out for specials, too, such as jerk fish fried rice.

Stone Mountain native and Howard University graduate Alyson Williams teamed up with restaurateur and chef Yusef Walker (Negril Village, Ms. Icey’s) to open Dolo’s. Located in Underground Atlanta, order pizzas topped with marinara, cheese, plantains, and jalapenos to pies topped with jerk chicken, honey, and blue cheese or callaloo, roasted tomatoes, and Jamaican ackee sauce. Be sure to order the iconic Black Pizza topped with a charcoal pesto (delicious), spinach, roasted tomato, and mozzarella. If on the menu, order one of the build-your-own dolita sandwiches and the doughnut-like sweet dolitas for dessert. These treats come served with hibiscus icing for dipping. A location is also open at State Farm Arena.

Located in the old Dailey’s building, those wanting to gain entrance to Red Phone Booth will first need to dial a secret code. This speakeasy serves up classic cocktails like the sazerac and old fashioned and offers a cigar program with a walk-in humidor featuring over 100 cigar options. Amalfi Pizza resides just upstairs in a rustic yet chic setting, where it serves Neapolitan pies and pastas and cannolis for dessert paired with beer and wine. Another location of Red Phone Booth is in Buckhead.

An iconic piece of the downtown Atlanta skyline (and the city’s history) roared back to life in 2022, when rotating restaurant Polaris reopened atop the Hyatt Regency hotel. The restaurant closed at the start of the pandemic in 2020, and some wondered if it would ever return. Resembling a blue flying saucer, Polaris first opened in 1967 and makes a full rotation every 45 minutes. People arrive via a glass elevator that ascends 22 floors. Polaris has undergone more than a few reinventions over the years, including in its interior design, which now sees an updated space filled with mid-century modern furniture and an ever-changing view during dinner. Food here leans toward classics like the steak Oscar served over creamy whipped potatoes with a bone marrow bearnaise sauce, wagyu New York strip, and the blue dome chocolate mousse dessert containing a caramel honey center. It’s sprayed with a blue-tinted cocoa butter to resemble the restaurant’s distinctive domed roof. Reservations required.

After closing in March 2020 due to the pandemic, Latin American restaurant Alma Cocina returned to Peachtree Tower in downtown Atlanta in 2022. Expect tacos, tamales, and roast chicken mole here, along with fresh crudo with burnt nori-avocado puree and Anaheim peppers, a guajillo grilled octopus with ancho carrots, and pork belly served with charro beans and fresh tortilla. Pair a meal with one of Alma’s tequila or mezcal cocktails. Open for lunch and dinner. Reservations encouraged.

This downtown food gem is deceptively hidden in the mall at Peachtree Center. While more of a food court than a mall, make a beeline to this Mediterranean food stall to build your own bowl, wrap, or salad with toppings like falafel, chicken or lamb shawarma, and salmon. Sides of sweet potatoes, grilled veggies, or creamy spinach are worth adding on. There is another Aviva by Kameel in Midtown at the Collective at Coda. Open for lunch.

This family-owned and operated Chinese restaurant has been a downtown Atlanta staple since 1989. Located in Peachtree Center, Hsu’s is easily walkable from several area hotels and can accommodate large groups. The menu offers everything from lo mein and pan-fried noodles to spicy basil chicken and salt and pepper shrimp. Folks should head here for the three-course Peking duck feast served with soup, Chinese crepes, and the meal’s star attraction, the crispy roast duck in a sweetly salted honey soy sauce. It feeds two. Open for lunch and dinner. Reservations encouraged.

Founded in 1918 as an open-air market, the Municipal Market (known locally as Sweet Auburn Curb Market) resides on the border between downtown Atlanta and historic Sweet Auburn. The market features dozens of local shops and food stalls offering everything from fresh produce, seafood, and meats to baked goods, sweets, and local restaurants serving Vietnamese, soul food, pizza, and Cajun and Creole cuisine. Restaurant stalls change often here, so it’s best to check online before heading over. Closed Sunday. Easily accessible via the Atlanta StreetCar.

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.