We have a confession here at the Georgia Voice: we’re obsessed with tasty food! We’re lucky we live in such an extraordinarily diverse culinary scene! From quick eats to delicate pastries, we’ve got our 38 favorite food and drink items from restaurants across the Atlanta metro!
Patrick Price
(Editor)
Southern Marinated Fried Chicken: Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours
You can go ahead and give the best fried chicken award to Chef Deborah VanTrece! It comes with 3 Cheese Macaroni, Jalapeno collard green roll with Sweet Potato Apple Chutney! Mouth watering yet? This is the perfect southern meal!
Black Truffle Deviled Eggs: Southern Art
It’s a classic appetizer with that extra zing! Gay chef Art Smith adds blacktruffle shavings, black truffle oil, and chives to kick up the flavor! A perfect way to start your meal at one of Buckhead’s finest establishments!
Gyoza: Ton Ton Ramen & Yakitori
Nestled inside of the Ponce City Market, this ramen bar offers sit-down dining room and first-come bar where chefs prepare food feet from your seat. A must have for a starter is Gyoza, steamed pork dumplings with an incredible sweet shoyu sauce. It’s hard not to eat these in one bite, so take your time and savor while you take in the busy market-style setup around you!
Prickly Pear Margarita: Pure Taqueria
If you’re a tequila kind of drinker, this cocktail is something spectacular! Silver tequila, triple sec, lime, prickly pear purée give you a tangy take on the classic drink. Suck a few of these down all while chowing down on some of the best Mexican food in Inman Park.
Lynne Stack: Home Grown
Located off Memorial Drive, this breakfast/lunch spot gives you all that the South has to offer in the Lynn Stack. You get two salmon patties, two fried green tomatoes, sautéed spinach and roasted tomatoes smothered in melted pimento. You’ll need a wheelchair when you leave! We warned you!
Chicken Afghani: Cafe Bombay
Indian food really offers so much flavor and this exotic dish gives you something sweet! Tender chicken bites are doused in a creamy mango sauce with your side of white basmati rice! Get a side of naan bread to sop up all of that delicious sauce! The North Druid Hills location has an incredible buffet as well in case you’re looking for varying tastes!
Turkey Meatloaf:Eats on Ponce
Aside from the fact that a meat, three veggies, and a slice of cornbread only costs you $10.50, their entrees are something to write home about. The turkey meatloaf has a slight peppery flavor to it with a heaping layer of ketchup covering the top of the loaf! Always warm and the perfect treat after a long day of Christmas shopping!
Sweet Potato Pancakes: Highland Bakery
Activate your sweet tooth because these pancakes take breakfast/brunch to the extreme! The southern-style cakes are covered with caramelized brown sugar butter and toasted pecans! If the bakery was open 24-hours, we’d suggest this item as the perfect midnight snack with a cold glass of milk! So you’ll just have to swing by their six locations around Atlanta for breakfast!
Chicken Salad: Houston’s Steakhouse
Now, if you go to one of Atlanta’s best steakhouses and don’t get a steak, you’re crazy right? But this chicken salad really does the trick! Emerald kale and rotisserie chicken with a roasted peanut vinaigrette dressing pack the flavor for a healthy lunch meal!
Pistachio Gelato: Paolo’s Gelato Italiano
Many folks aren’t big fans of that pistachio flavor (me included) but this gelato melts in your mouth with that sweet nutty flavor! The sweet waffle cookie on top is the perfect finish! Lemon and Strawberry flavors are must-haves too, and grab some hot espresso to while you stroll through the heart of Virginia Highland!
Al Forno: Gio’s Chicken Italiano & Maccheroni
This very Italian-style “lasagna” has some of the best tasting Marinara in the city! Fresh Ricotta and scamorza with homemade meatball layered between pasta noodles! To add to your meal, it’s BYOB in a beautiful restaurant to make you feel like your dining in Italy!
Fried Shrimp Basket: Woofs Atlanta
The perfect meal while your eyes are glued to your favorite sports game! It comes with Tangy tartar sauce and we recommend a side of crunchy pitch chips! Plus, it’s Atlanta’s only gay sports bar!
Aidan Ivory Edwards
(Freelance Writer)
Pulpo: Cooks & Soldiers
The Spanish have a knack for Octopus, and so does Cooks & Soldiers. It is braised and grilled with a smoky vinaigrette, buttery floral potatoes, and salsa verde. It’s too good.
Nua Num Tok: Mali
Some grilled beef with herbal and spiced backings, the savory flavor brought on by fish sauce, and a tang from lime juice. The cabbage is the real star in this dish. It makes it feel like you’re eating a healthy taco.
Steak & Frites: The Lawrence
I am a red meat guy. I want steak at any hour. The Lawrence’s hanger Steak is served with the child of Hollandaise sauce, Béarnaise. And they bring the dish to full circle with potatoes.
Chicken Tenders: Henry’s Midtown Tavern
I am a five-year-old in a twenty-eight-year old’s body. I often yearn for a place called Friendly’s. It was a childhood memory that hasn’t left me because their chicken tenders were on point. Henry’s floods those memories all back to me.
Pancakes: Joy Café
I like my pancakes oversized – the American way. Joy Café brings the hardy breakfast to the plate. I am fortunate enough that it’s just a short walk away.
Cuban: Reuban’s Deli
I am an upstate, New Yorker, so naturally, I am snobby about pizza and delis. I fell head over heels for Reuben’s when I tried their Reuben – it’s a perfect execution of the classic sandwich.
Plain Cheese Pizza: Verra Zanno Pizzeria
As I said, I am a bon vivant about pizza. Verra Zanno’s is one of the best pizza places in Atlanta. Well, North Atlanta. I have been searching, but they’re still the reigning champions in my mind
Katie Burkholder
(Senior Digital Content Staffer)
Sophia Pizza: Antico Pizza
The “specialita della casa,” the Sophia is to die for: mozzarella de bufala, cipollini onions, roasted mushrooms, and white truffle oil combine into one of the most decadent slices of pizza you’ll ever eat.
Zhong Style Dumplings with Pork: Gu’s Dumplings
These Sichuan dumplings are absolutely delectable. Tender pork is enveloped in a soft dumpling, but the piece de resistance is the secret homemade sweet and spicy Zhong sauce. These dumplings are the kind of delicious you need to try to believe.
Korean Twice Fried Wings: Hawkers
If you love wings and Asian food as much as I do, this dish is perfect for you. Trust me when I say these are some of the crispiest wings you’ll ever try, and garlicky sweet Gochujang sauce, peanuts, sesame, and cilantro marry perfectly together on top.
Homemade Tagliatelle with Pancetta Cream: Noni’s Deli
This is easily one of my favorite pasta dishes in Atlanta – and also one of the richest. The cream sauce is to die for, but so heavy that you may feel like dying after (don’t worry, it’s totally worth it). You can choose your pasta, but the homemade tagliatelle is worth the extra $4 cost.
Hakata Tonkotsu Classic: Ton Ton at Ponce City Market
Ramen is my all-time favorite food, and this ramen meets my very high expectations. Tender egg noodles sit in a warm, flavorful pork broth alongside soft pork belly, a soft-boiled egg, bamboo shoots, wood-ear mushrooms, butter garlic corn, scallions, and sesame seeds.
Dutch Baby Pancake: Pancake Social
If you’re looking for an uber sweet but surprisingly light breakfast, this is the dish for you. This dish is pure decadence: the fluffy pancake is oven baked in a cast iron skillet with blueberries, lemon zest, and powdered sugar. The serving size is the perfect and it’s served in the skillet, making it very Instagrammable.
8th Ave Acai Bowl: Playa Bowls
If you haven’t tried an acai bowl, you need to. It’s one of the lightest and freshest meals you can eat, making it a perfect breakfast or light lunch after yoga (there’s a studio right next door!). My favorite is simple – pure acai topped with granola, banana, and honey – but there’s a seemingly infinite number of choices for toppings and bases.
Crème Puff Ice Cream: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
This is life-changing ice cream – seriously. Toasted pastry flakes are folded in to the bright, candy-like vanilla custard with a pinch of sea salt. It’s super sweet and the pastry flakes create a unique soft texture, which is why it’s consistently tops Jeni’s most popular list. Try it by the scoop or splurge for the pint.
Lasagna Matta: Campagnolo
You can’t go wrong with this classic Italian dish, and Campagnolo has it perfected. Beef and pork Bolognese, bechamel sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan are layered into fresh pasta to create the perfect feel-good dish.
Lobster Roll: Crab 404
I love this sandwich, which is a testament to how good it is considering I’m not a huge fan of lobster. The lobster is sweet, the roll is soft, and the secret 404 sauce on top is absolutely mouthwatering – you can’t go wrong!
Breakfast Burger: Zinburger
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: fried egg on a burger is unmatched. A burger from Zinburger is delicious on its own, but topped with a fried egg, applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, and avocado, it’s so much better.
Sea Scallops: Parker’s on Ponce
These scallops are the definition of fresh and flavorful. They’re perfectly paired with fried Brussels sprouts, roasted sunchokes, and red peppers, and covered in a sherry-brown vinaigrette.
Jessica Vue
(Freelance Writer)
Burger: Murphy’s
I had the Murphy’s Burger, medium well, and the fries. I ate the fries in one sitting, but the leftover half of the burger was even better the next day.
Bacon Mac and Cheese: Bones
My mom’s realtor friend listed this bacon mac and cheese as one of the best. Not only is it warm, creamy and crunchy on top, it paired well with the steak and other sides we had.
Pad Thai: Mali
There’s a creamy Pad Thai topped with scallions and lime. Pad thai is always my go-to choice when eating out at Asian restaurants, because it puts the fresh in refreshing and has multiple elements from creamy to crunchy.
Wings and Things: Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken
When my family came here, I ordered the three piece wing plate with white bread and mac and cheese. The chicken is exceptionally spiced but not spicy. Hot sauce was optional. The service is so wonderful, it’s like you’re at home.
Soup: Dai Loi #2
Winter is the season for soup and pho is no exception. Dai Loi’s soup is so well made that it needs no further changes; however, some people still choose to add in sauces and limes according to personal taste. The broth is beef based, however there are pho restaurants that have accommodated to vegetarians.
Red Velvet Cupcake: CamiCakes
I’ve never actually been there, but my mom brings them home from work. I enjoy them everytime. It’s always the red velvet (controversial, I know) cupcake topped with cream cheese icing. Hidden are chocolate chips and they delightfully surprise me every time.
Hot Wings: The Vortex
My uncle and I shared a plate of hot wings that was passed around an entire table of nine people. They were hot, crisp and fried to perfection.