The A-List: Your Guide to Atlanta’s Culinary Powerhouses
Atlanta’s food scene is on fire, and it’s time the world took notice. This city has evolved into a true culinary powerhouse, blending its deep Southern roots with a wave of modern, ambitious chefs who are racking up Michelin stars and James Beard Awards. The dining landscape here is a thrilling mix of legendary soul food spots that fueled the Civil Rights Movement and sleek, contemporary temples of fine dining.
This isn’t just another list; this is the A-List. We’ve compiled the definitive guide to the top 10 best restaurants in Atlanta, a curated collection of the most essential dining experiences the city has to offer. Whether you’re craving the best BBQ, a romantic dinner with a view, or a taste of history, this is your ultimate guide to dining in Atlanta.
| Restaurant | Neighborhood | Cuisine | Price Guide | Vibe / Perfect For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacchanalia | Westside | Fine Dining, Contemporary American | $$$$ | The Definitive #1 Fine Dining Splurge |
| Busy Bee Café | Downtown | Soul Food | $$ | A Historic & Legendary Soul Food Meal |
| Mary Mac’s Tea Room | Midtown | Traditional Southern | $$ | The Quintessential Southern Comfort Meal |
| Miller Union | Westside | Modern Southern, Farm-to-Table | $$$ | A Refined, Vegetable-Forward Dinner |
| Lazy Betty | Midtown | Contemporary Tasting Menu | $$$$ | A Two-Michelin-Star Experience |
| Gunshow | Glenwood Park | Experimental American | $$$ | A Fun & Interactive Dining Adventure |
| Canoe | Vinings | Fine Dining, American | $$$ | Romantic Riverside Dining & Views |
| Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q | Candler Park | Texas-Style BBQ | $$ | The Ultimate Atlanta BBQ Experience |
| Little Bear | Summerhill | Modern Eclectic Small Plates | $$ | A Creative & Playful Foodie Spot |
| Chai Pani | Decatur | Indian Street Food | $$ | Vibrant & Award-Winning Indian Eats |
1. Bacchanalia
📹 Video Source: Chew The Fat Food Reviews
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Cuisine:Fine Dining, Contemporary American
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Neighborhood:Westside
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Price:$$$$
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Vibe:The Definitive #1 Fine Dining Splurge
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Location: 1460 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA
Bacchanalia is, without question, the most acclaimed fine dining restaurant in Atlanta. Operating since 1993, this iconic institution from Anne Quatrano & Clifford Harrison pioneered the city’s farm-to-table movement. The experience is centered around an exquisite four-course prix fixe menu featuring elegant seasonal dishes and signatures like their legendary crab fritter. Consistently ranked #1 in major Atlanta dining lists, it offers a level of sophistication and quality that is simply unmatched.
Foodie Quote: The menu features “its 4-course prix fixe menu, crab fritter, and elegant seasonal dishes.”
Why is it our top choice? As a multiple James Beard Award-winning restaurant and a pioneer of the city’s farm-to-table scene, Bacchanalia has been the undisputed standard for luxury dining in Atlanta for decades.
2. Busy Bee Café
📹 Video Source: ASDN TV
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Cuisine:Soul Food
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Neighborhood:Downtown
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Price:$$
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Vibe:A Historic & Legendary Soul Food Meal
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Location: 810 Martin Luther King Jr Dr SW, Atlanta, GA
A true legend, Busy Bee Café has been serving some of the best soul food in the South since 1947. This family-run spot is a civil rights–era landmark where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders dined. The food is authentic and deeply comforting, with signature dishes like world-class fried chicken, oxtails, collard greens, and mac & cheese that draw lines day after day.
Foodie Quote: “Authentic, family-run soul food spot — a must-visit for Southern cuisine purists.”
Why is it our top choice? Its historical importance as a civil rights landmark and its incredible food were officially recognized when it received the prestigious James Beard “America’s Classics” Award.
3. Mary Mac’s Tea Room
📹 Video Source: Let’s Go Liz
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Cuisine:Traditional Southern
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Neighborhood:Midtown
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Price:$$
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Vibe:The Quintessential Southern Comfort Meal
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Location: 224 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA
Open since 1945, Mary Mac’s Tea Room is a beloved institution that was officially declared “Atlanta’s Dining Room” by the Georgia Legislature. This is the place to go for authentic, scratch-made Southern food served with legendary hospitality. The menu is a journey through comfort classics like fried chicken, potlikker with cornbread, and a famous banana pudding. The old-school charm makes every meal feel like a special occasion.
Foodie Quote: “Serves authentic scratch-made Southern food — fried chicken, potlikker, cornbread, banana pudding.”
Why is it our top choice? As “Atlanta’s Dining Room,” it’s a historic, essential landmark for anyone seeking a true taste of traditional Southern cooking and hospitality.
4. Miller Union
📹 Video Source: Dinner Tonight Atlanta
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Cuisine:Modern Southern, Farm-to-Table
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Neighborhood:Westside
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Price:$$$
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Vibe:A Refined, Vegetable-Forward Dinner
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Location: 999 Brady Ave NW, Atlanta, GA
Miller Union is one of the top 10 best restaurants in Atlanta for its refined yet approachable take on modern Southern cuisine. Chef Steven Satterfield, a James Beard Award winner, is known for his brilliant, vegetable-forward menus that celebrate seasonal ingredients. The restaurant is famous for its farm egg baked in celery cream, a must-try dish that perfectly captures the restaurant’s elegant, farm-to-table ethos.
Foodie Quote: “Famous for farm egg baked in celery cream and seasonal entrées.”
Why is it our top choice? Its combination of a James Beard Award-winning chef and its recognition from the Michelin Guide and The New York Times makes it a standard-bearer for sophisticated Southern cooking.
5. Lazy Betty
📹 Video Source: aspire TV
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Cuisine:Contemporary Tasting Menu
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Neighborhood:Midtown
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Price:$$$$
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Vibe:A Two-Michelin-Star Experience
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Location: 999 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA
Led by Chef Ron Hsu (an alum of the world-famous Le Bernardin), Lazy Betty offers one of the most elegant and creative tasting menus in the country. This is one of the hottest restaurants in the city, serving elegant and creative tasting menus that showcase local ingredients in dishes like tuna tart, miso duck, and caviar with egg custard.
Foodie Quote: Standout dishes include “Tuna tart, miso duck, caviar with egg custard.”
Why is it our top choice? It made history in 2024 by earning two Michelin Stars, making it one of the most decorated and essential fine dining destinations in the American South.
6. Gunshow
📹 Video Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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Cuisine:Experimental American Shared Plates
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Neighborhood:Glenwood Park
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Price:$$$
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Vibe:A Fun & Interactive Dining Adventure
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Location: 924 Garrett St SE, Atlanta, GA
Created by Top Chef finalist Kevin Gillespie, Gunshow offers one of the most unique and immersive dining experiences you’ll ever have. There are no traditional waiters; instead, chefs from the open kitchen bring innovative Southern small plates directly to your table in a dim sum-style service. The atmosphere is loud, fun, and perfect for adventurous eaters.
Foodie Quote: It offers a “dim sum-style service — chefs bring dishes directly to your table.”
Why is it our top choice? Its wildly inventive service style and consistently creative food have made it a Michelin Recommended restaurant and a true original in the world of Atlanta dining.
7. Canoe
📹 Video Source: Karen Elessie
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Cuisine:Fine Dining, American
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Neighborhood:Vinings
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Price:$$$
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Vibe:Romantic Riverside Dining & Views
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Location: 4199 Paces Ferry Rd SE, Atlanta, GA
A timeless Atlanta favorite since 1995, Canoe is the city’s premier destination for a romantic restaurant with a view. Set on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, the elegant gardens and scenic riverside setting are breathtaking. The menu features elegant American cuisine, including beautifully prepared duck breast and scallops, complemented by an award-winning wine list.
Foodie Quote: “A timeless Atlanta favorite on the banks of the Chattahoochee River (since 1995).”
Why is it our top choice? For decades, its unmatched romantic setting and consistently excellent American cuisine have made it the go-to spot in Atlanta for a special occasion.
8. Fox Bros Bar-B-Q
📹 Video Source: Certified Angus Beef brand
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Cuisine:Texas-Style BBQ
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Neighborhood:Candler Park
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Price:$$
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Vibe:The Ultimate Atlanta BBQ Experience
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Location: 1238 DeKalb Ave NE, Atlanta, GA
Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q is a true Atlanta icon and one of the top 10 best BBQ restaurants in the city. The restaurant brought authentic Texas barbecue to Atlanta in 2007 and completely redefined the city’s BBQ scene. The atmosphere is always casual and lively, and the menu is packed with mouthwatering signatures like smoked brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and a legendary Frito pie.
Foodie Quote: The menu is packed with signatures like “Smoked brisket, pulled pork, ribs, Frito pie.”
Why is it our top choice? It is one of Atlanta’s most loved eateries, having brought Texas-style BBQ to the city and becoming the undisputed icon of the local barbecue scene.
9. Little Bear
📹 Video Source: aspireTV
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Cuisine:Modern Eclectic, Bib Gourmand
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Neighborhood:Summerhill
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Price:$$
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Vibe:A Creative & Playful Foodie Spot
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Location: 71A Georgia Ave SE, Atlanta, GA
Little Bear is one of the hottest restaurants in Atlanta for creative, globally inspired small plates. Chef Jarrett Stieber’s menu is playful and constantly changing, featuring inventive dishes like bagel-spiced trout, mushroom chocolate soup, and pork döner. It’s a fun, adventurous spot for foodies looking to try something new and exciting.
Foodie Quote: The menu features playful dishes like “bagel-spiced trout, mushroom chocolate soup, pork döner.”
Why is it our top choice? It earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024, an award given to restaurants with great food at a great value, cementing its status as a top spot for creative and accessible dining.
10. Chai Pani
📹 Video Source: aspireTV
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Cuisine:Indian Street Food
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Neighborhood:Decatur
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Price:$$
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Vibe:Vibrant & Award-Winning Indian Eats
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Location: 406 W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA
Chai Pani serves up some of the best Indian food in the metro area with its modern take on street food. Chef Meherwan Irani’s concept is famous for its vibrant and addictive dishes like okra fries, butter chicken, and various chaat (bhel puri, pani puri). The atmosphere is colorful and always buzzing with energy.
Foodie Quote: The restaurant is “famous for okra fries, butter chicken, bhel puri, pani puri.”
Why is it our top choice? Its sister restaurant in Asheville won the 2022 James Beard Award for “Outstanding Restaurant” in America, a testament to the incredible quality and cultural importance of this beloved concept.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
Yes. As of 2024, Lazy Betty is one of the city’s most prestigious dining destinations, having earned two Michelin Stars for its elegant and creative tasting menus. Several other restaurants, including Bacchanalia, Miller Union, Gunshow, and Canoe, have been recognized in the Michelin Guide.
Busy Bee Café is a true legend. This civil rights–era landmark, open since 1947, was a dining spot for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and won a James Beard “America’s Classics” Award, making it a must-visit for its history and its world-famous fried chicken and oxtails.
Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q is the undisputed king of Atlanta’s BBQ scene. It’s an icon that brought Texas-style barbecue to the city and is famous for its smoked brisket, ribs, and lively, casual atmosphere.
Canoe is the perfect choice. A timeless favorite since 1995, it’s located right on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, offering a beautiful, serene, and romantic setting for its elegant American cuisine.
The Busy Bee Café received this prestigious award, which honors restaurants with timeless appeal that are beloved staples in their communities, for its role as a cultural and culinary landmark since 1947.
Mary Mac’s Tea Room, open since 1945, is the definitive destination. It was officially declared “Atlanta’s Dining Room” by the Georgia Legislature and serves scratch-made Southern classics like fried chicken, potlikker, and banana pudding with legendary hospitality.
Gunshow offers a one-of-a-kind experience. Created by Top Chef finalist Kevin Gillespie, the restaurant features a dim sum-style service where the chefs themselves bring their inventive small plates directly to your table for you to choose from.
Bacchanalia has been Atlanta’s most acclaimed fine dining restaurant for decades. As a James Beard Award winner and a pioneer of the city’s farm-to-table movement, it has been consistently ranked #1 for its elegant 4-course prix fixe menu.
Chai Pani in Decatur is a must-try. Its sister restaurant won a James Beard Award for “Outstanding Restaurant” in America, and it’s famous for vibrant, modern Indian street food dishes like okra fries and pani puri.
A Bib Gourmand is an award given by the Michelin Guide to restaurants that offer great food at a good value. Little Bear, known for its creative and playful globally-inspired small plates, received this honor in 2024.
