| Atlanta is a town that eats, and eats well. If you come to
Atlanta expecting to load up on barbecue and collard greens, well, you
won't be disappointed, but you might also be surprised at the spectrum
of alternatives that greets you. The 1980s and especially the 1990s
witnessed a restaurant boom here, and new places continue to spring up
faster than you can say 'fried green tomatoes.'
Traditional Southern cuisine is still served up nightly in places that have stood for the better part of the century, but now they're often right next door to a brand-new fusion joint or sushi bar. World-class chefs from all over the globe have brought their magic to the culinary capital of the South, and the blending of influences has resulted in many an interesting mix. You won't have any trouble turning up a top-rate Italian, French, Thai, Japanese, or even Moroccan establishment, but to really broaden your palate, look for places boasting 'new Southern' or 'contemporary Southern.' Atlantas best and most memorable dining is often to be discovered in creative skillets that haven't yet quite made up their minds. Downtown Although theres not a whole lot going on downtown after dark, you won't have to wander far to find a good place to eat. Catering to a predominantly business crowd, downtown manages to hold its own in a furiously competitive culinary market. The place to see and be seen is Mumbo Jumbo, a high-energy joint which features contemporary American cuisine and a lounge that stays open well into the night. Another high-end favorite with local celebs and sports figures is City Grill, which puts out fancy renderings of old Southern classics. For your hardcore business tete-a-tetes, head over to the no-nonsense, traditional wood-paneled charm of Daileys. Some of downtowns finest dining is to be found at hotel restaurants. For the citys best Russian fare, make a reservation at Nikolais Roof on the 30th floor of the Atlanta Hilton and Towers. You'll find the Westin well-stocked, too, from the Savannah Fish Company at street level to the elegant, rotating Sun Dial offering unparalleled views of the city from up on the roof. Housed in an abandoned church, the Abbey was converted into a club during the 1996 Olympics, and now lives on as a unique setting for contemporary American fare. Across the street, the Mansion stands as a reminder of all that is still wholesome and elegant about traditional Southern dining. If you're in search of local tradition, however, few options hold a candle to the Varsity. This white-tiled diner opened in 1928 and still serves up greasy dogs, burgers, and fries in the comfort of your own car. More of a newcomer but still an Atlanta favorite, Bertuccis Brick Oven Pizza features several locations around the city, including downtown on Peachtree Road. And its tough to beat Micks for good solid eating on a budget, with locations at Underground Atlanta, a few blocks up Peachtree across from Crawford Long Hospital, and various other spots around Atlanta. Finally, what major downtown would be complete without the obligatory presence of a Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood? Both are centrally-located on Peachtree Road and easily accessible to all downtown hotels and attractions. Midtown The most frustrating aspect of dining out in Atlanta is not trying to find a good place to eat, but deciding which worthy restaurants you simply won't have time to try. Nowhere is this more true than in Midtown, where some of the citys most enduring culinary landmarks sit side by side with the latest and trendiest kitchens. Steaks are the order of the day every day at Coohills. Standing proud at the corner of 12th and Peachtree, this high-end house of meat is as trendy as it is traditional. These two qualities mix equally well a few blocks away at South City Kitchen, where local chefs fashion ever-more-innovative twists on classic Southern favorites. Consistently rated at the top of Atlantas crowded Italian list is Veni, Vidi, Vici, always a dignified way to round out an evening of theatre at the nearby Fox. A bit kinder on the pocketbook but rich in local tradition is Mary Macs Tea Room. This old-time Southern stalwart was a favorite of another old-time Southern stalwart, Jimmy Carter, who frequently stopped by while he was governor. A short drive up Piedmont Road is Cowtippers, that rarest of all culinary finds, yet so perfectly-suited to Midtown: a gay steak house. For the best barbecue in town, continue up Piedmont to Fat Matts Rib Shack. Theres a line around the building on Saturday afternoons, but the hot barbecue and cool blues inside is worth the wait. The flavors of the Caribbean are on full display at the reasonably-priced Bridgetown Grill. And you'll be hard pressed to find Mexican with more flair and variety than at Zocalo, just steps from Piedmont Park. No dining tour of Midtown would be complete without a snack, or at least a beer, at the Park Tavern. Situated in the far Southeast corner of Piedmont Park, local dog owners for years have tied up their pooches along the fence to enjoy their lunch with a sweeping view of the park and the Midtown skyline. Buckhead If you're coming to Atlanta just to eat, Buckhead is where you'll want to set up camp. Acre for acre, this fashionable neighborhood packs more tables per square foot than any other part of the city, featuring many of Atlantas finest, hippest, and most unique offerings. Standing on the corner of Peachtree and Paces Ferry Roads, you could throw four stones and hit arguably the citys best steak, fish, Southwestern, and contemporary American restaurants. As with everything else in Buckhead, however, prepare to open your wallet a bit wider than usual. Lets start with those four stones. You won't have to toss the first one far to hit Nava, a new star on the local dining scene. Set in the dead center of Buckhead, Navas upscale Tex-Mex fusion is rounded out by one of the most dazzling dessert carts in town. Throw your second stone a bit harder in the same direction, and you're liable to break a window at Chops, which runs neck-in-neck with Bones (a few blocks to the East) for top dog status in the steak-and-good-old-boy business lunch game. Without even turning, toss rock number three a bit harder still, and land it on the roof of 103 West, so named for its address on East Paces Ferry Road. With its top-notch contemporary American menu and one-of-a-kind wine list, theres not a classier address in town for elegance and unabashed decadence. Finally, loft your fourth stone toward the big fish on Pharr Road. The Atlanta Fish Market is faithfully guarded by a three-story, 50-ton copper trout, and faithfully frequented by the likes of local media mogul Ted Turner (founder of CNN) and wife Jane Fonda. For Italian, its tough to beat the enormous platters of Tuscan perfection at Maggianos Little Italy. Head across the street to Lenox Square Mall for French fare at Brasserie Le Coze, or walk down the block and go American at the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead. Faced with a wait, have a drink by the fire in one of the warmest and most dignified lobby bars found anywhere. The diminutive dining room at Panos and Pauls belies the enormous range of their ever-changing menu, but the continental offerings are second-to-none, and, after your first visit, you'll never again want for a definition of 'posh.' A close rival in the intimacy department is Bacchanalia. Set in an old house just off Piedmont Road, this softly-lit spot finds ever-more-interesting ways to bring fish and fowl to your plate. For the utmost in romance and new Southern cooking, check out the patio at Horseradish Grill. Directly across from Chastain Park, whose outdoor amphitheater hosts big-name concerts and classical evenings throughout the summer, this intimate lodge is a can't-miss. Or if tapas is your game, stop in Eclipse di Luna, where local chef and legend Paul Luna wows guests with his whimsical creations and frequent outbursts of charming lunacy. Get all the flash for a bit less cash at Buckhead Diner on Piedmont Road. Always crowded, this nouvelle joint fixes up traditional American fare that would do moms table proud. Or check out Houstons across from Lenox Square Mall for great steaks, ribs, and seafood at reasonable prices. Virginia-Highland As with other aspects of this neighborhood, the restaurants of Virginia-Highland pride themselves on their laid-back dignity away from the maddening crowds. Starting at the locally-famous Harrys-in-a-Hurry gourmet grocery store at the corner of Ponce de Leon and North Highland, you'll find most of the areas choicest selections on a lazy stroll up Highland Avenue. The hippest Highlands grub is to be had at Dish, a converted corner gas station that offers a unique global menu in an atmosphere of funky elegance. Not a block down the street you'll inevitably meet a crowd at Surin of Thailand. A single dining room with the hottest Thai in town and few frills, this newcomer is fast on its way to becoming a local favorite. The greatest single concentration of new and old, fancy and simple is to be found at the neighborhoods namesake intersection of Virginia and Highland Avenues. The dignified Highland Tap offers your best bet for a great steak dinner and unbeatable martinis. Next door you'll find a pair of brand-new hotspots, the casually-elegant la Tavola Trattoria for Italian, and Noche for margaritas and chic Southwestern. The two share a covered balcony section at the rear of the building. Come early for Atlantas most popular weekend brunch at Murphys across the street, or sample their solid American dinner menu. The shack with the big covered porch next door is Taco Mac, a favorite for affordable Mexican, great people-watching, and just about every beer known to modern man. And you'll always be made to feel at home at Everybodys Restaurant around the corner. Known best for its pizza, this fun joint also has several other locations throughout town. Wander another half mile north on Highland to the corner of Amsterdam and discover a cozy collection of trendy spots. The San Francisco Roasting Company on the corner is a good place to read your paper over java or ice cream, and it blocks most of the street noise from Tiburon Grill, an ultra-cool, cozy room with an innovative flair for fish. You can get your Italian fix next door at Camilles, which offers carry-out specialties if you don't have time to linger on the covered sidewalk patio. Farther up the road toward Morningside, set your sights on Indigo Coastal Grill. Although there are bigger seafood spots in town, few achieve the quaint, distinctive style of this catch. Your taste for Latin is easily taken care of here as well, either on the large back porch of the Caramba Cafe for Mexican, or across the street at Atlantas favorite Cuban kitchen, Mambo. Little Five Points The restaurants of Little Five Points keep an even pace with their surroundings, in energy and attitude. You won't find much in the way of fine dining in this area, but what the neighborhood lacks in culinary quality, it makes up for with its alternative atmosphere and remarkable diversity. Walk through the mouth of the enormous skull on Moreland Avenue and enter the Vortex, a landmark famed as much for its oversized burgers and expansive beer list as for the oversized cranium outside. For unique, unbeatable omelets and fanciful dinner selections, venture a bit off the main drag for a visit to the Flying Biscuit Cafe. Nothing if not diverse, Little Five is home to a wide range of economical options for world cuisine. Lodged among the shops and piercing parlors of Euclid Avenue, you'll find hot shrimp and bayou fare at Bakers Cajun Cafe, Cuban sandwiches and other delights at La Fonda Latina, and tastes from every corner of the Caribbean at Bridgetown Grill. Points North, South, East, West Wherever you find yourself in Atlanta, you're never far from a great place to eat. While many of the biggest names might be concentrated in Buckhead and Midtown, the rapid growth of the metro area has been mirrored by similar expansion of the restaurant scene, and some of the newest and hippest dining destinations are to be found in all corners of the city. Funky digs like the Heaping Bowl & Brew are helping along the renaissance of such up-and-coming neighborhoods as East Atlanta, an area some predict will be the site of the citys next big nightlife boom. In the Decatur/Emory University area, unassuming gems like Violette (French) are mixed and matched with college hangouts like Burrito Art. And keep your eye on Vinings, a developing neighborhood Northwest of Buckhead, and its flagship restaurant, Canoe. Resting quietly on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, this charming spot is a can't miss choice for romance. |
|