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.

The Gullah and Lowcountry dishes at Virgil’s, owned by Gee and Juan Smalls, are not to be missed. Order the she-crab soup or Gullah egg rolls stuffed with red rice, cabbage, and shrimp; the crab rice mixed with sauteed bacon, onions, and peppers; a side of greens; and the brownie-based Chucktown Chewie sundae for dessert. A second location is now open along the Marietta Street Artery near Georgia Tech.

Summerhill Thai restaurant Talat Market opened in spring 2020 inside an old neighborhood market on Ormond Street. Each week, chefs Parnass Lim Savang and Rod Lassiter create around a dozen or so Thai and Thai-influenced dishes for the menu, featuring soups, salads, relishes, curries, stir-fries, and desserts, along with a couple of larger entrees, like yum khao thawt (crispy rice salad) and whole fish preparations. Head here for happy hour specials, fresh oysters, off-menu dishes, and crushable cocktails, including a Thai twist on the pina colada. Talat Market is Michelin-recommended and a James Beard finalist for 2024 Best Chef: Southeast.

Located in West End, Tassili’s is a haven for people seeking raw and vegan food dishes that not only taste good, but are filling and satisfying. Owned by Tassili Ma’at, the restaurant offers various wraps and salads, including a wrap boasting Southwestern flavors made from chiles stuffed with black-eyed pea puree, couscous, tomatoes, and avocado. The Tassili original kale salad comes with red onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and spices, paired with freshly pressed carrot juice.

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.

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.

In business since the 1940s, this Michelin-recommended Vine City soul food institution on Atlanta’s Westside serves some of the city’s best fried chicken, alongside an assortment of other Southern meat-and-three staples. The fried chicken at this James Beard America’s Classics award winner is marinated for 12 hours, hand-breaded, and fried. If that isn’t enticing enough, get the smothered version, which is topped with pan gravy.

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.

James Beard award-winning chef Terry Koval opened his Decatur restaurant in 2019 and it’s become a destination restaurant for Atlantans. Expect skillfully composed dishes of in-season vegetables, beef and pork from local cattle and pig farms, and game meat entrees, like crispy rabbit legs fried in fermented buttermilk, duck sausage roulade, and plates of venison. The restaurant’s bar offers a handful of classic cocktails, beer, and cider, as well as a selection of mainly French and Italian wines. In the mornings, head next door to Koval’s B-Side Cafe for Montreal-style bagels and coffee. Reservations are encouraged and outdoor seating is available.

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.

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.

This cafe from chef Julia Kesler Imerman features coffee, protein breakfast bowls, and shakshuka in the morning, followed by rotisserie chicken pitas and salad and grain bowls in the afternoon, all leaning into Imerman’s Jewish and South African roots. For lunch, order the grain bowl, made with hummus, quinoa, greens, broccoli, asparagus, house pickles, shut, and lentil salad. Or try the generously stuffed rotisserie chicken pita with labneh, greens, lemon-herb artichokes, feta, pickled onions, and tahini. Make sure to order the za’atar fries and one of the cafe’s fresh-pressed juices.

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. 

After years of serving classic, white-tablecloth fine dining, chef Gerry Klaskala remodeled his Buckhead staple restaurant in 2016 to appeal to a younger generation of diners. Now it’s a bit more relaxed and casual — there’s a walk-in-ready bar and lounge for drinks and snacks for an impromptu night out. The kitchen consistently cranks out Aria favorites, like butter-braised lobster, slow-braised pork, and lump crab cakes. Aria continues to carry one of Atlanta’s most comprehensive wine lists, too. Dine al fresco on Aria’s covered and heated patio. Reservations are required.

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.

Michelin-recommended and ever-popular Snackboxe Bistro has moved from its Doraville location in the H Mart complex to Duluth. Since opening in 2018, the Lao restaurant has gained an avid following — and for good reason. Chef Thip Athakhanh mixes traditional Lao dishes and street foods with beloved home recipes passed down from her family. Expect plates of larb (meat salad), khao poon (spicy rice noodle soup), and the popular mok pha (steamed fish) with street foods such as fried garlic-pepper wings, lemongrass spare ribs, and tapioca pearl dumplings here.

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.