16 Best Restaurants In Atlanta That You Will Love

Looking for the best restaurants in Atlanta? Here’s a handy list with the best of Atlanta’s food scene for you!

Atlanta, Georgia is no longer known solely as a place to find hearty, deep-fried Southern food, although no one makes better chicken and waffles than locals. 

Instead, the city has emerged as a culinary heavyweight where celebrity chefs demonstrate their talents. In its role as Georgia’s capital, Atlanta is home to a plethora of fascinating sights and experiences.

Even gourmets will be satisfied by the wonderful cuisine in this fascinating city. 

The restaurants in Atlanta can cater to your every gastronomic whim, whether it is a steak, seafood, comfort meal, or sweet treat. You can also find restaurants that can help you experience the local culture.

This article will discuss 16 of the best restaurants in Atlanta! We will take you down a culinary journey proving that Atlanta has become a competitive dining hub featuring some of the finest restaurants in America! 

Whether you’re a visitor or a local, we are excited and delighted to introduce you to these fine Atlanta eateries.

Best Restaurants in Atlanta

Here are our favorite restaurants in Atlanta so you can explore the city’s culinary scene.

Spring Restaurant

$$ | Website | (678) 540-2777 | 36 Mill St, Marietta

Sommelier Daniel Crawford and Chef Brian So are good friends who own and run Spring Restaurant, a cozy neighborhood restaurant on Historic Marietta Square. 

Spring created the menu to complement the changing seasons and encourage sustainable consumption.

Spring Restaurant is committed to sourcing from local artisans and farmers who practice sustainable agriculture and fair trade. 

They hold fast to the philosophy that you can make good food with few steps and high-quality ingredients.

One of the best restaurants in Atlanta is famous for its delicious dishes, including the Pan-seared Yellowedge Grouper served with wax bean, beurre blanc, summer squash, tomato, and basil, Wagyu beef duo grilled ribeye cap, and braised short rib, shishito, hakurei, and maitake, etc.

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Bacchanalia Restaurant

$$$ | Website | (404) 365-0410 | 1460 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd. Suite A

Since its opening in 1993, Bacchanalia has continuously been ranked as one of the best restaurants in Atlanta, earning its reputation as the city’s most celebrated eatery.

At Bacchanalia, you can enjoy the light and inventive American fare prepared by Chefs/Owners Clifford Harrison and Anne Quatrano and their culinary team, headed by Chef de Cuisine David Blackmon.

Every dish on Bacchanalia’s seasonal menu is made from scratch using only the freshest organic ingredients, many of which come straight from Clifford and Anne’s farm, Summerland.

Bacchanalia is a prix fixe menu that includes four courses. The menu changes slightly from night to night and season to season. 

With several of the traditional dishes on the menu, we recommend a certain wine pairing, and the incredibly friendly staff will be happy to assist you with your choice.

Arnette’s Chop Shop

$$$ | Website | (404) 969-0701 | Suite 55, 2700 Apple Valley Road

ARNETTE’S Chop Shop has taken the traditional American steakhouse and given it a contemporary twist. 

This Atlanta restaurant’s interior was designed to reflect the aesthetics of the industrial modernism movement by highlighting the original features of the building’s warehouse setting alongside elements from other design eras.

The eatery consists of two floors. The restaurant’s dining area boasts a Carrie Penley oil painting of a longhorn that spans 15 feet by 5 feet and handcrafted wooden and leather booths, banquettes, and tables.

A fully functional, open kitchen is on the main floor, replete with a wood-burning, open-flame char broiler and fireplace. 

The open fireplace and custom serpentine double chef’s booth provide a cozy setting for a meal. Arnette’s earns its spot on our list as it truly is one of the best restaurants in Atlanta!

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BoccaLupo Restaurant

$$ | Website| (404) 577-2332 | 753 Edgewood Ave NE

Situated in Inman Park, you’ll find the busy BoccaLupo restaurant, a neighborhood favorite. We focus on the seasonality and origin of our ingredients when preparing our handcrafted and extruded pasta dishes.

All the dishes are mouth-watering and delicious, including spicy king salmon Crudo with crispy rice, ginger, and Calabrian chilies, black spaghetti with red shrimp, hot sausage, and scallions, 20-yolk tagliatelle with Tuscan kale kimchi, and wild mushrooms, etc.

What constitutes Italian-American cuisine is a point of contention for Chef Bruce Logue and his staff. BoccaLupo is a staple in Atlanta thanks to its laid-back atmosphere, sincere service, and skilled bartenders. 

Tiny Lou’s Restaurant

$$$ | Website | (470) 485-0085 | 789 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

The ground floor of the Hotel Clermont is home to Tiny Lou’s, a lively French-American brasserie. 

Tiny Lou’s offers a unique take on French classics, utilizing fresh, regional ingredients and a wine list with a strong French focus to create dishes that are sure to please even the most discerning palates.

The dishes at Tiny Lou’s are euphoric, profoundly fulfilling, and clandestine. They read like a gruff “love letter” to French-American comfort, like something you might create for your significant other.

This type of cooking is typically referred to as “comfort food,” yet the term “restorative food” may be more appropriate. If you want to experience French cuisine in a vibrant setting, visit Tiny Lou’s the next time you’re in town!

El Tesoro

$ | Website | (470) 440-5502 | 1374 Arkwright Place SE

El Tesoro means ‘the treasure’ in English, which it certainly is! Over almost four years, the taqueria has expanded from a counter service establishment with only 14 seats. 

It has become a popular hangout in the Edgewood area, and this Atlanta restaurant and bar boast a 7,000-square-foot patio with evenly enough spread seating for 175 diners.

The eatery’s extensive menu includes Puerco Verde (rubbed, roasted, and pulled pork in Picante salsa Verde), Carnitas Guerrero (twice cooked confit, pork, tender, crispy chicken with hints of citrus and habanero-pickled onion, served with Arroz San Vicente and your choice of tortillas or beans, etc.

 You can dine at a fire pit during winter while the kids enjoy some fun activities allowing you some down time in “Mexico.”

Gunshow Restaurant

$$ | Website | (404) 380-1886 | 924 Garrett Street

Gunshow, the restaurant of chef Kevin Gillespie, is an unconventional and engaging alternative to the standard meal out. 

In a tableside service, the professional chefs who make the dishes bring them directly to your table. 

The menu includes lamb ribs with plum hoisin, peanut Chili Crunch, Cumin lamb with fermented black bean scarpinocc, smoked tofu, etc.

Thanks to a mobile bar cart, you can interact with the bartender while your drinks are made at your table. 

Gunshow restaurant certainly knows how to combine a meal with a show! The restaurant offers both a novel and visually striking dining experience and atmosphere.

With few barriers separating the kitchen and eating area and visitors seated at communal tables with a clear kitchen view, Gunshow has established an air of openness and transparency.

Aria Restaurant

$$ | Website | (404) 233-7673 | 490 East Paces Ferry Rd NE

We at Aria don’t think that dining should be a cookie-cutter experience for everybody. 

Inviting service, adaptable décor, and ever-evolving menus of fresh, seasonal foods prepared simply make every meal an experience to remember, no matter the day of the week.

If you’re looking to commemorate a particular occasion or just want to indulge in some old favorites, you’ve come to the right place. 

Aria has an ever-changing à la carte menu that you may enjoy in the comfort of the bar or the neighboring lounge.

Dishes include fillet of herb-crusted lemon sole succotash served with snap beans, corn, mixed tomatoes, and butterbeans, and duck breast presented with honey spice glaze, savoy cabbage, fuji apples, carrots, and natural jus. 

Esquire Magazine says Aria is “one of the country’s best restaurants.”

Redbird Restaurant

$$ | Website  | 404-900-5172 | 1198 Howell Mill Road

Come as you are and enjoy the exciting, energetic, and comfortable environment Redbird offers. 

The restaurant provides an atmosphere and menu items we crave most: a relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy a meal with friends while sampling a wide variety of tasty dishes and drinks.

Chef Zeb describes the food served at Redbird as “free-spirited cuisine,” a style of cooking that allows for improvisation and creativity in its seasonal dishes. 

It relies on following your gut, being honest, and sticking to using high-quality ingredients. Zeb has a basic cooking philosophy: let the ingredients speak for themselves, employ solid technique, and keep things uncomplicated.

Redbird’s wine list complements the restaurant’s cuisine by highlighting wines from innovative, local suppliers. 

The vast bar also features an extensive selection of fine liquors and international beers brewed by independent breweries.

Lazy Betty Restaurant

$$$ | Website | (404) 975-3692 | 1530 Dekalb Ave. NE

Hsu’s Malaysian-Chinese history meets fine French dining and contemporary American to create a unique menu at Lazy Betty, highlighted by the restaurant’s caviar service. 

Lazy Betty in Candler Park has become so popular that it launched a monthly subscription service to keep customers engaged.

Here you have access to special menu items, recipes, and specialty wines, and even participate in online cooking and cocktail lessons. 

They also serve delicious small platters, including Georgia shrimp causa, wasabi-marinated dry-aged beef, cucumber cannelloni, collard greens in a roux (white sauce), and pigs in a blanket, to name a few.

Sushi Hayakawa Restaurant

$$ | Website | (770) 986-0010 | Buford Highway

Like the best sushi restaurants in Japan, Sushi Hayakawa is a small and traditional establishment set in the heart of Atlanta. 

The restaurant’s tranquil setting on Buford Highway, known for its international food market, allows you to enjoy an unforgettable adventure.

The fish is hand-picked by executive chef Atsushi Hayakawa, who travels to markets like Tokyo’s Toyosu and other locations worldwide to bring you the freshest seafood possible. 

Sushi Hayakawa has been in operation in Atlanta since 2008, and you’re invited to come to get a taste of Japan, including their signature dish of monkfish and scallops.

Miller Union

$$ | Website | (678) 733-8550 | 999 Brady Ave NW

Steven Satterfield is a culinary king at Miller Union, a converted warehouse with outdoor seating on the Westside with a wonderful and snazzy yet down-to-earth atmosphere. 

He also has the prestigious title of James Beard Award-winning chef.

His most famous dish, and undoubtedly the most talked about, is his farm egg appetizer, baked in a thick celery cream and presented with melt-in-your-mouth grilled bread with a crunchy crust.

His other masterpieces include a delectable seasonal vegetable platter with fried okra, local feta cheese, and pickled beets with ginger, basil, and heirloom tomatoes. 

These are only a few dishes that make this restaurant one of the best restaurants in Atlanta!

Table & Main Restaurant

$$ | Website | (678) 869-5178 | 1028 Canton Street

When it first debuted in 2011, Table & Main had a firm goal of becoming Roswell’s unofficial watering hole.

In the center of Roswell’s thriving Historic District, Canton Street is where you’ll find a beautifully restored, century-old home where we serve only the best Southern cuisine.

Table & Main invites you to come and experience warm hospitality, award-winning fried chicken, and a menu of modernized Southern classics. 

Relax and enjoy yourself. Because of the positive vibes and excellent service, this place has become a fast favorite in the area.

Bones Restaurant

$$$ | Website| (404) 237-2663 | 3130 Piedmont Rd NE

The original Bones restaurant was first launched in 1979 to serve only the highest quality seafood and steaks. Southern-style dishes sit beside prime steak, Maine lobster, fresh seafood, and other regional specialties.

Bones has won the “Best of Atlanta Steakhouse Award” for sixteen years. Zagat just announced that Bones has the best service and food of any other steakhouse in the United States. 

They intend to maintain this high standing as best they can to make your dining experience one for the books every time!

Kimball House Restaurant

$$ | Website | (404) 378-3502 | 303 E Howard Ave Decatur

Kimball House, nominated annually for a James Beard Award and known primarily for its cocktails, still has many other outstanding features, including being one of the best places to eat in Atlanta.

The oyster program is generally regarded as the greatest in the city and the Southeast, thanks to the hard work and dedication of partnership and oyster bar manager Bryan Rackley. 

Kimball House has an oyster happy hour daily from 5 pm to 7 pm (during which all seafood is priced at a discount). 

The main meal, prepared by Chef Brian Wolfe, features delicacies such as Georgia trout served with fermented Chile grits and delicate duck breast paired with okra and shishito peppers. 

Pastry Chef Yesenia Justiniano makes crowd-pleasing treats, one of his most popular being a frozen peanut butter bombe.

Umi Restaurant

$$ | Website | (404) 841-0040 | 3050 Peachtree Rd NW

Umi, located in Atlanta’s trendy Buckhead district, serves both traditional and innovative takes on Japanese cuisine and is definitely one of the best places to eat in Atlanta. 

Atlanta-based designer and artist Todd Murphy created a sophisticated and relaxed space with natural, earthy accents that echo the freshness and simplicity of Asian cuisine.

The finest seafood from the world’s best markets and other premium ingredients are included on the menu. 

In addition to the usual assortment of appetizers, soups, salads, nigiri, sashimi, and specialty house and traditional rolls, you can also order “aburi,” or lightly cooked, sushi-grade fish, and warm delicacies like sautéed foie gras, baked lobster tempura, and black cod miso.

Other Atlanta Restaurants Worth Checking Out:

• Nikoli’s on the 30th floor of the Hilton Atlanta
• Ticonderoga Club – New American Restaurant
• Argosy – great pizza and meatloaf at this East Atlanta Village spot
• Nur Kitchen – modern Mediterranean restaurant on Buford Highway NE
• Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours – where the South’s most loved dishes meet chef and owner Deborah VanTrece and chef de cuisine Robert Butts
• Lyla Lila – casual elegant neighborhood restaurant in Midtown

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