
15 restaurants vital to Atlanta

by Su-Jit Lin
Updated March 27, 2023
Atlanta’s restaurant scene is kaleidoscopic. The city’s greatest dining destinations represent the many histories and cultures of the Big A. Many have long histories of their own, and they all shine with the street cred they’ve scooped up no matter how long they’ve been around.
An iconic luncheonette downtown dishes up some of Atlanta’s best fried chicken. In Buckhead, the city’s oldest Japanese restaurant gets fish flown in from Japan multiple times a week. A former post office and general store in Vinings dazzles with sophisticated spins on Southern classics.
What makes a great restaurant in Atlanta changes depending on mood, budget, occasion, and palate. Read on for a guide to 15 spots that have stood the test of time and critique.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Dined 1 day ago
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N
NancyVIP
Dined 3 days ago
4.7 (1354)
$30 and under
Hibachi
Morningside-Lenox Park
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Dined 6 days ago
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OpenTable Diner
Dined 6 days ago
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4.6 (4357)
$50 and over
Thai
Midtown
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D
Drew
Dined on Feb 27, 2025
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D
Drew
Dined on Feb 27, 2025
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DD
DianeD
Dined 1 day ago
4.4 (1741)
$30 and under
Southern
Castleberry Hill
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Dined 4 days ago
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Dined 4 days ago
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C
CarolVIP
Dined 6 days ago
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R
RichardVIP
Dined 3 days ago
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S
Suzanne
Dined 1 day ago
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IR
IsabellaR
Dined 3 days ago
4.7 (5817)
$31 to $50
American
Alpharetta
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K
KathyVIP
Dined 3 days ago
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K
KathyVIP
Dined 3 days ago
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B
Bob
Dined 2 days ago
4.8 (7145)
$31 to $50
Persian
Sandy Springs
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I
IXALLYSS
Dined 3 days ago
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I
IXALLYSS
Dined 3 days ago
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