I live in Atlanta and these are my top 13 restaurants visitors can't miss, from juicy BBQ to handmade dumplings

Su-Jit LinJul 12, 2022, 19:40 IST

Fill up on brisket, coleslaw, collard greens, and crinkle cut fries from Atlanta's Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q.Nicholas Widener for Insider

I moved to Atlanta several years ago and have eaten at many of the city's historic and new restaurants.
Whether you're looking for BBQ or pad thai, these top 13 restaurants are worth a reservation.

Some cities are known for distinct types of cuisine, such as Cajun and Creole in New Orleans or red-sauce Italian in New York.

I've heard naysayers argue that Atlanta's food doesn't have a clear identity, that many of our offerings originated elsewhere or are ubiquitous in the South. But I'd argue that's not necessarily a bad thing.

To me, the food of Atlanta is indicative of the ever-expanding melting pot of the city — limitless and unbounded. The chefs and makers of Atlanta combine the wealth of their global backgrounds and experiences with local resources to create a rich culinary tradition that's founded less on signature dishes and more on innovation, evolution, and adaptation. In a city so diverse, made up increasingly of folks originally from elsewhere, the repertoire and variety of food continues to grow.

From massive food halls that serve as incubators and outposts to historic icons, farm-to-table fine dining, and Buford Highway's miles of Asian and Latin cuisines, there's little you can't find to satisfy in the A. Here are some of my favorite spots that prove just that.

Central Food Hall at Ponce City Market

Ponce City Market has 39 different food stands serving a variety of cuisines.Nicholas Widener for Insider

Paschal's

While Paschal's is famous for its fried-chicken recipe, the original location of this soul-food restaurant — just around the corner from its current industrial-cool building in the Castleberry Hill arts district — was even better known as a meeting place for civil-rights activists in the 1960s and '70s, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The owners, Robert and James Paschal, also bailed out and fed Black college students arrested for civil disobedience in the 1960s, making them legends beyond their cooking.

Go for comfort-food favorites like fried catfish, mac and cheese, collard greens, and peach cobbler. You'll be able to taste the history behind them, surrounded by black-and-white photos of the civil-rights movement. If you flew in and ran out of time to secure a reservation during your visit, don't fret too hard: There are a few outposts in Hartsfield-Jackson Airport for a last chance to eat at this still family-operated legend. Not bad for what started as a 30-seat luncheonette serving food cooked at the brothers' home and brought in by taxi.

Busy Bee Cafe

Martin Luther King Jr. was known to eat at the historic Busy Bee Cafe.Nicholas Widener for Insider

Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q

Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q serves Texas-style brisket with a medley of sides.Nicholas Widener for Insider

Nan Thai Fine Dining

Nan Thai Fine Dining serves upscale dishes including lamb shank and fried lobster tail pad thai.Nicholas Widener for Insider

Bones

Bones serves seafood as well as top cuts of steak.Nicholas Widener for Insider

Nikolai's Roof

If you're staying in the downtown hotel district and in search of a long, decadent experience, this restaurant on the 30th floor of the Hilton Atlanta is it.

For over 40 years this stalwart has impressed with its French-Russian cuisine. Nikolai's is undeniably posh, with caviar service and a collection of over 900 wines. The menu is highly seasonal and creative, incorporating fish and game from the region and limited-time ingredients like pink-lady strawberries or ramps at their peak. I recommend checking out the signature house infused vodkas, which you can order by the flight to enjoy with your meal.

Bacchanalia

Bacchanalia serves a pre-fixe menu with farm-to-table ingredients.Nicholas Widener for Insider

Canoe

Canoe serves brunch, lunch, and dinner, with unique ingredients like kangaroo.Nicholas Widener for Insider

Café Alsace

This charming, extra-cozy restaurant has been offering authentic takes on Alsatian French cuisine since Benedicte Cooper opened it in 1997, just two years after she left her native France for the US.

Reservations are available only for parties of four or more. Specialties include spaetzle with ham, onions, cream, and cheese; flammkuchen, an Alsatian take on pizza with similar ingredients; and the owner's favorite chicken paté. I also suggest trying the beef Wellington, which comes in a salmon version, for something you won't easily find elsewhere.

Double Zero

Double Zero serves Neapolitan-style pizza and seasonal pasta dishes.Double Zero

Northern China Eatery

Northern China Eatery serves hand-wrapped dumplings with fillings beef with carrot and pork with fennel.Nicholas Widener for Insider

Pho Hoang Long

Pho Hoang Long serves pho, vermicelli bowls, rice dishes, and more.Nicholas Widener for Insider

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