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Atlanta,
Restaurants
Those who arrive in Atlanta expecting a cuisine restricted to chitlins, grits and collard greens will be pleasantly surprised. Atlanta has hundreds of places to dine, ranging from pleasure palaces of haute cuisine to rustic roadside establishments.
The selected restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.
A sales tax of 7% is added to all bills in Atlanta. Tipping is expected. A minimum of 15% is usual and, at particularly smart establishments, the trend is for 20%, if the service is exceptional. For parties of over six, an automatic service charge is often added to the bill.
The prices quoted below are for an average three‐course meal for one person and for a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent; they do not include sales tax or service charge.
Gastronomic:
103 West: 103 West is the definition of opulence in Atlanta. The Baroque interior will leave diners feeling underdressed if they leave off the family jewels from their ensemble. Gentlemen must wear jackets (most unusual in Atlanta), or at least carry them to the table. Guests will dine, graciously of course, on seared Maine scallops, whole Dover sole or deep‐fried cold water lobster tails or the Atlantic lobster with garlic grits, a taste of Southern style. The wine list fills an entire volume and the selections are worth the time it takes to read.
103 West Paces Ferry Road
Tel: (404) 233 5993.
Price: US$70. Wine: US$32.
The Abbey: Situated within a restored church, guests are served by waiters dressed as monks, in soft candlelit surroundings. Menu highlights include rabbit, pommery‐crusted veal and seared foie gras. Vegetarians will not feel ignored with such lovely choices as curried sweet potato ravioli and risotto. This restaurant is a special occasion favourite with locals and businesspeople alike. The harp player in the choir loft adds a heavenly note.
163 Ponce de Leon at Piedmont
Tel: (404) 876 8532.
Price: US$50. Wine: US$25.
Bacchanalia: Bacchanalia will surprise the diner, with its industrial funk location and its solemn, yet superb, service – as the food is voluptuous. Caviar eaten with a mother‐of‐pearl spoon, melting beef short ribs over satiny potatoes and decadent chocolate cake. The menu changes daily. Despite the decadence, the emphasis is on simplicity. Presentations are clean and devoid of excess. After dinner, diners should take time to peruse the adjoining gift shop, Star Provisions, for an imported cheese, unusual produce or flowers.
1198 Howell Mill Road
Tel: (404) 365 0410.
Price: US$60. Wine: US$21.
Pano’s & Paul’s: This restaurant has set the standard for luxury dining in Atlanta for more than two decades. The atmosphere is clean and sleek, the walls filled with contemporary art. Dover sole and venison are the long‐standing classic menu favourites. Diners can also sample more adventurous fare such as the venison and ostrich combination. The wine list is mostly French but there are also some American selections.
1232 West Paces Ferry Road
Tel: (404) 261 3662.
Price: US$60. Wine: $28.
Seegers: Tuna tart with black truffles, Scottish deer medallions, scallops poached in beet juice or grapefruit terrine with goat’s yoghurt sorbet are just a few of the innovative selections that highlight the ever‐changing menu at Seegers. A favourite of Atlanta gastronomes, this spare and stylish restaurant gives its all to the food experience. The wine list is superb and features more than 1000 selections, most of which are reasonably priced. There is a fixed‐price five‐course menu (US$64 per person), however, for the complete experience, the tasting menu offers no choices but eight separate courses/dishes and deserves serious consideration (US$80; pairing wines an extra US$55 per person).
111 West Paces Ferry Road NW
Tel: (404) 846 9779.
Price: US$70. Wine: US$33.
Business:
Atlanta Fish Market: This is the place for fresh fish in Atlanta. It has good selections and fast service but diners can expect a long wait and massive queues, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. The giant fish sculpture looming over the entrance makes it easy to find. Inside, diners will discover a bistro atmosphere, tables and chairs packed cheek by jowl and one of the busiest bars in the city. The entrée list includes mainstream fish, such as sole, sea bass and salmon. The more adventurous will discover skate, hake and wolf fish. Plenty of crustaceans and bivalves round out the menu. At Atlanta Fish Market, diners can enjoy fish their own way – baked, steamed, broiled or even Hong Kong style, with an eye staring right back at them.
265 Pharr Road
Tel: (404) 262 3165.
Price: US$35. Wine: US$30.
Atlanta Grill: Perched above Peachtree Street, this restaurant features an open‐air verandah that is perfect for people‐watching. One of Atlanta’s newest gathering places (there are far too few in the city core), the menu features grill items such as salmon, steak and tuna, cooked to order. A particular highlight is the molasses‐seared Georgia quail. Although housed in the Ritz‐Carlton, Downtown, the atmosphere is less formal than could be expected.
Ritz‐Carlton Atlanta, 181 Peachtree Street NE
Tel: (404) 659 0400.
Price: US$55. Wine: US$30.
Bone's: Bone’s is where Atlanta’s movers and shakers come to consume beef and is a must for those entertaining on an expense account. It has a clubby atmosphere, with photos of the rich and shameless adorning every square inch of wall space and is tastefully adorned with rich fabrics and dark woods. However, beef, beef, and more beef is the draw. Rounding out the cholesterol‐laden menu are fried onions rings, lobster bisque and a pecan pie close to perfection.
3130 Piedmont Road
Tel: (404) 237 2663.
Price: US$60. Wine: US$30.
Dailey’s: A long‐time Downtown favourite, Dailey’s is noted for its Southern flair and generous portions. This restored warehouse, with its rose and white atmosphere, manages to be both intimate and bright. Pepper‐crusted swordfish and char‐crusted steaks are perennial favourites. A special, almost forgotten Southern speciality, Hummingbird Cake, concocted of dark, spicy layers and vanilla cream frosting, is a sumptuous end to a meal.
17 International Boulevard
Tel: (404) 681 3303.
Price: US$30. Wine: US$22.
The Palm: The steaks are gigantic, the lobsters are huge and both are priced accordingly. Surprisingly with such traditional fare, an Italian flavour pervades the menu with five veal dishes and an equal number of pastas. Only the New York cheesecake is a standout on the dessert list. There is a pub feel to this eating place, with lots of wood and sports caricatures adorning the walls.
Swissotel, 3391 Peachtree Road
Tel: (404) 814 1955. Fax: (404) 814 1985.
Price: US$50. Wine: US$27.
Trendy:
Buckhead Diner: The Buckhead Diner is one of the best places for people‐watching (and car‐watching) and absolutely the best place to have dinner solo. It serves creative American cuisine in an energetic (and noisy) environment. Crisped soft‐shell crabs and jalapeno coleslaw are just a sample of the menu and a local favourite is the home‐made potato chips (crisps) with a blue cheese sauce. Brunch is particularly popular on Sundays. Diners should arrive early if they do not require an eye‐opener, which cannot be served until 1200.
3073 Piedmont Road
Tel: (404) 262 3336.
Price: US$20. Wine: US$5 (glass).
Mumbo Jumbo: Mumbo Jumbo is Atlanta’s definition of cool. This bar and restaurant is housed in a 100‐year‐old building that has been brought up to the new millennium in shades of orange and chartreuse. Menu items include the signature Mumbo Jumbo gumbo, a rocket salad with truffle vinaigrette and roasted aubergine. At lunch, the crowd consists of politicians and businesspeople, while at night, the local beautiful people come to play. No lunch weekends – only bar menu.
89 Park Place NE
Tel: (404) 523 0330.
Price: US$40. Wine: US$26.
Nickiemoto’s: Sushi and Asian fusion merge seamlessly in this sparkling modern establishment. Vibrant, noisy and somewhat uncomfortable wooden booths cannot keep the crowds away because the food is so very good. Catfish with ginger and tuna rolled in a peppercorn crust are not to be missed. Those who would like some entertainment with their sushi should go on a Monday night for the geisha drag show. There is a branch in Buckhead, but this one has better service.
990 Piedmont Avenue
Tel: (404) 253 2010.
Price: US$20. Wine: US$28.
Vortex Bar and Grill: Vortex Bar and Grill is a visual feast, with all sorts of things crawling up the walls and suspended from the ceiling – aeroplanes, skeletons on motorcycles and even the obligatory moosehead. This is the place for a burger. Big, fat, juicy burgers are definitely the main attraction – burgers with blue cheese, burgers with cheddar cheese and burgers with homemade salsa. Those who do not want a burger, washed down with one of more than 240 beer varieties should go somewhere else. Vegetarians can try the black bean or veggie burger. Okay, there are some other options, but anyone who has tried one of their burgers will wonder why they put other items on the menu.
878 Peachtree Street
Tel: (404) 875 1667.
Price: US$20. Beer: US$4.
Wildwood: This is the place to dine pre‐theatre, symphony or gallery function. Located diagonally across the street from the Woodruff Arts Center (see Culture) and within a block of the 14th Street Playhouse, Wildwood draws an eclectic crowd to match its menu. The food is Southern, with a flair for the unusual. Collard greens or blue grits nestle up to New Zealand Lamb or a New York Strip steak grilled to perfection. The atmosphere is modern with rattan accents on the tables, walls of a saffron shade and lots of black for drama.
1197 Peachtree Street NE
Colony Square Mall
Tel: (404) 888 1898.
Price: US$30. Wine: US$24.
Budget:
Bridgetown Grill: Bridgetown Grill provides a taste of the Caribbean in Downtown and has become Atlanta’s favourite Jamaican restaurant. Upbeat and colourful, it serves really good food to the accompaniment of Reggae music. The jerk chicken, reggae ribs and chipotle shrimp sauté are all worthy. Diners should try the ‘couch potatoes’
– a mountain of steak fries topped with black bean chilli, melted jack cheese and sliced jalapenos.
689 Peachtree Street NE
Tel: (404) 873 5361.
Price: US$10. Wine: US$19.
Flying Biscuit: Fist‐sized biscuits, black bean cakes, organic oatmeal pancakes and turkey meatloaf are staples at this eating place. Crowded and hectic, there is always a queue and no reservations are taken. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served Tuesdays to Sundays. Brunch is added to the menu on Saturday and Sunday.
1655 McLendon Avenue NE
Tel: (404) 687 8888.
Price: US$15. Wine: US$18.
Joes on Juniper: With an outstanding selection of beers from around the world, one of them will complement the chicken with queso nachos, spicy chilli and burgers (both beef and soya). Quirky menu favourites also include spam and a fried egg on toast and grilled pimento cheese sandwiches. Joes was created from a one‐storey house in the heart of Midtown. The interior is rustic with advertising signs adorning the wood‐panelled walls. On good days and nights, there is not a seat to be found on the large sprawling outside deck. A party atmosphere prevails in this mostly gay pub.
1049 Juniper Street NE
Tel: (404) 875 6634.
Price: US$15. Beer: From US$2 (pint).
Maggiano’s Little Italy: There is almost nothing little about this restaurant, despite its name. Guests should probably bring a small army to dine with them, since the portions are huge. Diners can feast on a mountain of fried calamari, swim through a stew of chicken and earthy mushrooms and twirl their pasta for an eternity. The atmosphere is akin to dining at a banquet for an enormous extended Italian‐American family. Red‐checked table cloths, Chianti bottles with dripping candles and Frank Sinatra crooning in the background complete the ambience.
3368 Peachtree Road NE
Tel: (404) 816 9650.
Price: US$35. Wine: US$21.
Silver Skillet: Breakfast is served all day here and it seems to come straight from the 1950s. Ageing but spunky waitresses take the orders from diners have written it out for them with the supplied forms and pencils at each table. Those who crave grease and salt will find it here in copious amounts. This is Southern cooking workman‐style – collard greens with cornbread, chicken‐fried steaks with green beans dredged in ham drippings, and, of course, grits. For the occasional blow‐out, the Silver Skillet is downright fun and tasty. Diners should go early as the restaurant closes after lunch.
200 14th Street
Tel: (404) 874 1388.
Price: US$7 (average spend). Unlicensed.
Personal Recommendations:
Anis Café and Bistro: The next best thing to an afternoon in Provence is to have a lingering lunch at this restaurant in the Buckhead neighbourhood. This former house is located on a residential street and the quiet adds to the countryside ambience. The cuisine is genuinely authentic, with salad Niçoise, snails and cassoulet. Sunday brunch on the patio, complete with true French omelettes, is a favourite with locals.
2974 Grandview Avenue
Tel: (404) 233 9889.
Price: US$16. Wine: US$22.
Fado Irish Pub: This little bit of the ‘old sod’ in the Buckhead neighbourhood is a lot of fun. The interior was shipped from Ireland, complete with floors of slate and it is hard to find a friendlier place in Atlanta. The food is pure pub grub, with fish and chips, cabbage and corned beef, a ploughman’s lunch and a breakfast of eggs and blood pudding. This is now a chain establishment but it is still good fun.
3035 Peachtree Road NE
Tel: (404) 841 0066.
Price: US$20. Beer: US$4.
Nikolai’s Roof: Those who need to be treated like a Russian tsar or tsarina have only to grab their ermine tails and ascend to Nikolai’s Roof at the top of the Atlanta Hilton. The perfect start is an icy vodka and, of course, caviar, followed by some of the seafood and game that dominate the menu. Diners should save room for the de rigueur soufflé as a finale. The button‐fronted jacket‐clad waiters, mirrors and floor to ceiling windows complete the Old‐World ambience.
Atlanta Hilton, 255 Courtland Street
Tel: (404) 221 6362.
Price: US$70. Wine: US$27.
Prince of Wales Pub: This is a lovely pub with a patio where it is easy to imagine oneself having a pint in the English countryside. Fish and chips, served with a thirst‐inducing jalapeno tartar sauce, shepherds pie and bangers and mash are all menu staples. The Prince of Wales Pub is crowded both inside and out on weekend evenings.
1144 Piedmont Avenue
Tel: (404) 876 0227.
Price: US$8. Beer: US$4 (pint).
Zocalo’s: The name comes from the main square of Mexico City and the menu reflects mainstays of Mexican cuisine, not to mention the largest selection of tequila in the city. Zocalo’s is unpretentious, with traditional carved and painted furniture and pressed tin designs and hanging baskets. This is true south‐of‐the‐border food. Handmade tortillas, chilli campesino and roasted poblano peppers are just a taste of what diners will find on the menu.
187 Tenth Street NE
Tel: (404) 249 7576.
Price: US$25. Wine: US$17.
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