Atlanta restaurant guide
THE ATLANTA RESTAURANT GUIDE
Words by Tony Ware
| The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead $$$$ |
3434 Peachtree Rd 404-237-2700
Dressy
French with Mediterranean/North African influence
As impeccable as it is innovative, the sublime Dining Room has launched some of Atlanta’s most lauded culinary talents. Now, French-born chef Arnaud Berthelier is using fusion elements in the stately yet playful Gallic cuisine, gently informed by seasoning from the Mediterranean/North African cradle. And to bolster every nuance of Berthelier’s shrewd, subtle Continental deftness, a guided worldwide wine journey from sommelier Chantelle Grilhot is a must in this grand salon. This is surely the most opulent, indelible dining experience in the city, and a designated Mobil Five-Star—one of only 14 in the country.
Buckhead
| Horseradish Grill $$$ |
4320 Powers Ferry Rd 404-255-7277
Casual / Dressy Casual
Southern
Rustic yet refi ned and located in a restored horse stable, the Horseradish Grill offers unhurried, upscale regional cuisine. With garden rooms and patios, the country club-like setting celebrates slow-cooked smokehouse specialties, such as crispy grouper and skillet-fried chicken. All this is offered in roomy yet cozy surroundings with attentive service.
| Paul’s $$$ |
10 King’s Circle 404-231-4113
Dressy Casual / Dressy
New American
This intimate, well-appointed chalet offers sophisticated dining isolated from trendy fi ts and false starts. Paul’s open kitchen is helmed by namesake Paul Albrecht— cofounder of the venerable Buckhead Life Restaurant Group and formerly of Midtown’s Spice—guaranteeing a deft hand is applied to fl irty New American cuisine, sushi and signature dishes like buttery fried lobster tail.
| BluePointe $$$ |
3455 Peachtree Rd 404-237-9070
Funky Casual / Dressy Casual
New American/Pacifi c Rim/Sushi
This dramatic, steely-yet-sensual space practically screams fashionista. In the eye of striking curves and a massive 26-foot façade of effervescently curtained windows, an equally lively menu of Pacifi c Rim-fl ecked American fusion is offered (with seafood the defi nite standout). The airy, radiant space is equally popular for mingling over fl avored martinis.
| Au Pied de Cochon $$$ |
3315 Peachtree Rd 404-946-9070
Funky Casual / Dressy Casual
French
Located in the opulent InterContinental Hotel, this branch of a famed Parisian brasserie offers a selection of smoky, roasted meats and a seafood raw bar, all within a whimsical rococo interior. What’s more, discerning diners will fi nd the restaurant open 24 hours a day.
Make sure you fi nish with a Parisian dessert signature or, across the hotel foyer, sample the stylish XO Bar’s breadth of distinguished cognacs.
The Highlands/Midtown/ Inman & Ansley Park
| Re’past $$$ |
620 Glen Iris Dr 404-870-8707
Funky Casual / Dressy Casual
New American
Re’past has a chic industrial-infl uenced interior. Curvaceous exposed concrete is married to reclaimed wood, and there’s a state-of-the-art open kitchen. The chefs offer a menu of Asian, Mediterranean and macrobiotic-informed New American cuisine in this tranquil 54-seat boîte.
| Matsuri $$ |
650 Ponce de Leon Ave 404-815-0937
Anything Goes
Japanese/Sushi
Occupying the entire second fl oor of a building in a retail area, this place is like a theater for Japanese cuisine. Whether in the mood for hibachi-grilled meats or sushi, patrons will be pleasantly surprised by the presentation of the food and impeccable service. Matsuri aims to please everyone and hits the mark.
| La Tavola $$ |
992 Virginia Ave 404-873-5430
Casual / Dressy Casual
Southern Italian
This neighborhood Italian restaurant is always inviting. White tablecloth service is professional but never stuffy and complements a progressive take on Southern Italian cuisine. The wood-lined La Tavola serves dishes as stylish as the surrounding Virginia Highlands, but allows the fl avors to speak time-honored volumes.
| Avra $$ |
794 Juniper St 404-892-8890
Funky Casual / Dressy
Casual
Greek
A converted Victorian house with wrap-around porch seating, Avra offers several small dining rooms that feel more antebellum than Aegean, while serving authentic Greek fare that eschews kitsch. Tones of crimson, cobalt and mustard placate and stimulate simultaneously, much like the food—a wide range of meze (small plates and dips), meats and theatrically presented kabobs and whole fi sh.
| Wisteria $$$ |
471 North Highland Ave 404-525-3363
Casual / Dressy Casual
Southern/New American
Amber-hued and mahogany-inlaid, mixing terra-cotta and exposed brick, Wisteria sports an appealingly homey menu of dressed-up seasonal Southern cuisine, a robust wine list and a sociable bar. The overriding mood is soothing and neighborly, but thoroughly polished.
Fat Matt’s Rib Shack $ |
1811 Piedmont Ave NE 404-607-1622
Casual
BBQ
It’s funny that blues and barbecue have always been so closely related, because at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack no one looking for fi rst-rate slabs of ribs is left singing the blues. Of course, you can warble along to the blues in this cinderblock honky tonk, but you’ll probably be too busy wrapping your lips around tangy pork and cold brews.
West Midtown
| Fat Louie’s $ |
810 Marietta St NW 404-815-6955
Anything Goes
Beef/Burgers/Dogs
A collaboration between two local culinary entrepreneurs, Fat Louie’s is a laid-back taste of Windy City fast food in the South. Located in what appears to be a former service station, Fat Louie’s offers Chicago-style, snappy hot dogs piled with veggies, herbaceous roast beef doused in au jus, char-grilled burgers and fresh-cut fries.
| Bobby and June’s Kountry Kitchen $ |
375 14th St NW 404-876-3872
Anything Goes
Southern
Decked out in full log cabin kitsch, Bobby & June’s Kountry Kitchen is a throwback meat-and-three. There’s hearty breakfast fare and a rib-sticking barbecue pit. And if the old-fashioned food somehow doesn’t fi ll you up completely, the diner-styled waitresses will at least satisfy your appetite for Southern hospitality.
| Strip $$ |
245 18th St, Ste 5100, 404-385-2005
Funky Casual / Dressy Casual
New American/Sushi
Strip is a soaring, tri-level, 13,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor steakhouse and sushi bar complete with VIP tables, DJs, bottle service and ample choices for liquid dieters and carnivores alike. Casual diners can enjoy Asian and Mediterranean-styled delights from restaurateur Tom Catherall.
| Lobby at TWELVE $$$ |
361 17th St 404-961-7370
Funky Casual / Dressy Casual
New American
Lobby at TWELVE—a boutique hotel—is a chic conceptualization by Bob Amick (known for ONE. Midtown Kitchen, TWO. Urban Licks and Piebar) for the shops at Atlantic Station. The result is three unfurling corridors of sensually lit space, offering New American cuisine that is as buttery and rich as the decor.
Outside The Perimeter
| The Feed Store $$$ |
3841 Main St, College Park 404-209-7979
Casual / Dressy Casual
New American
Recently highlighted in USA Today as one of the country’s best restaurants in close proximity to an airport, The Feed Store has taken an actual former feed store and created a contemporary New American mainstay. The world-informed food bursts forth with rustic and bright fl avors, while friendly service makes it well worth the trip.
| Cabernet $$$ |
5575 Windward Parkway 770-777-5955
Dressy Casual / Dressy
Steakhouse
This North Metro chophouse hits all the right notes for upscale steakhouse afi cionados, with prime-aged, grain-fed beef and market-fresh seafood prepared by chef Richard Holley (formerly of Chops). The deep, rich and plush setting is formal yet romantic, perfect whether you’re power lunching or trying to seal another type of deal with a signifi cant other.
| Co’m Vietnamese Grill $$ |
5486 Chamblee-Dunwoody Rd 770-512-7410
Funky Casual
Vietnamese
A second location of the Buford Highway standout, trendy yet sincere Co’m offers an ebullient location to explore Vietnam’s vibrant fl avors—French, Chinese and Indian infl uences with a twist. The eatery’s claim to fame is the variety of charcoal-grilled meats served with rice or rice noodles, or for wrapping in smoky betel leaves.
Cabbagetown/ Oakhurst/Decatur
| Redfish $$ |
687 Memorial Dr 404-475-1200
Casual / Funky Casual
Creole
A joint venture of top restaurateurs Jack Sobel (of Agave) and Gregg Herndon (of Tiburon Grill), Redfi sh does for Creole food what Agave did for Southwestern fare. At Redfi sh, you’ll fi nd sophistication that’s still neighborhood friendly, and fl avors that are deep without spiraling into overly spicy.
| Oakhurst Grill $$ |
350 Mead Rd, Decatur 404-270-9575
Anything Goes
New American/Creole
Celebrating American regional dishes, this amiable, eclectic Crayola box of a restaurant in a leisurely neighborhood is known for hearty, healthy meats grilled with Asian and Low Country zest. Vibrant colors and fl avors are both evident in a child- and dog-friendly environment.
| Feast $$ |
314 E Howard Ave, Decatur 404-377-2000
Funky Casual / Dressy Casual
Bistro/Mediterranean
Located in a toasty space of exposed brick and buttery lighting across from the Old Decatur Depot, this bistro offers comfy cuisine that is both wood-fi red and à la carte. Entrees and pizzas are not so much spicy as spirited, while sides are mostly vegetables fl ecked with Mediterranean-style oils and herbs.
| Little Azio $ |
340 W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur 404-373-4225
Anything goes
Italian
Little Azio, an offshoot of downtown Atlanta’s more formal Italian bistro Azio, is committed to dining on a budget without sacrifi cing taste. The sleek space of Little Azio, right off downtown Decatur, offers pastas, panini and thin-crust pizzas plump with meats and gushing with zesty sauces.