A fundamentally flavorful frolic through Atlanta's foremost feasting spots. by Natalie Dietz & Mark Vasto
Atlanta has much more to offer than Coca-Cola, "All news all the time" and a convenient airline stopover for the general masses. Most people are surprised to learn that there are more restaurants per person in the Atlanta metro area than in any other city in America. Of course, many of these restaurants are fast food franchises, major chains or "just plain folk" type establishments. THE VARSITY, for instance, is Atlanta's most venerated fast food institution, where dozens of counter people shout "What'll ya have?" until you finally submit and order a chili dog. Venerated it is, but many wouldn't consider it to be one of the "best" restaurants in town. While the RITZ CARLTON is generally considered the best restaurant in town, I don't believe that it keeps in with the spirit of this top 10 list. Atlanta also has a few formidable restaurant coalitions, namely THE BUCKHEAD LIFE GROUP and METROTAINMENT CAFÉS -- most all of these restaurants (some which are included here) are excellent.
Pura Vida is the destination for a real foodie experience couched in the context of a tapas restaurant. Unlike its peer tapas joints, Pura Vida forgoes obvious small plate options and offers a mix of both cold and hot menu items. Standouts include a hearts of palm salad and duck confit over sweet potato mash. With a pan-Latin American aesthetic, chef Hector Santiago creates fresh and brightly-flavored dishes and doesn’t shy away from spice and peppery heat. The bar highlights custom cocktails, sipping tequilas and rums, beers, traditional mojitos and sangrias (white and red), and wine list with a monthly feature.
Estimated Cost: $25-$40pp/dinner
RATHBUN'S at the Stove Works 112 Krog Street, Ste R Hours: M-Thur:5:30-10:30 Fri & Sat:5:30-11:30 Closed Sunday
P: 404.524.8280 Fax: 404.524.8580
Kevin Rathbun’s exit from the Buckhead Life Group to start his own restaurant has met with nothing but rave reviews and lengthy waits to get a table at what is still the most popular weekend dining destination in town. The offering of small plates-- including raw bar options, eggplant “fries,” and flatbread creations -- is extensive and varied enough to make a dinner from a few. Alternately, the main dishes are innovative and generous enough to satisfy any appetite. The full menu is offered at the bar, which can be a good trick for getting around the dinner wait without a reservation.
Always seasonal and with an emphasis on locally-grown and artisnally-crafted products, the menu at the Woodfire Grill changes daily. California import Michael Tuohy was instrumental in introducing the Slow Food mentality to Atlanta cuisine over a decade ago and has seen great success in his chef-owned restaurant on Cheshire Bridge Road. Pizzas and meats from the wood-fired oven and grill are always perfectly cooked. Cheese and wine lists change frequently and are broad enough in tastes and price to satisfy the novice and connoisseur alike. Finally, Tuohy takes pride in his baking skills, making desserts and breads all in-house, so they are not to be missed.
Estimated Cost: $30-$50 pp/dinner
BACCHANALIA 1198 Howell Mill Road 404.364.0410
Dinner is served:Monday through Saturday from 6pm.
Of the family of Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison’s restaurants, Bacchanalia is the standout in the crowd. The four course prix fixe menu constantly changes to reflect seasonal products and the genius of the chefs. Offering an always diverse offering in each course, chef-owners Quatrano and Harrison put their top-quality ingredients in the spotlight of each meal that they offer. A wine pairing is always suggested for each course and offered by the glass, in addition to an extensive list of bottle-only selections. In the waiting area of the restaurant is a small shop that offers wine, cheese, baked goods, and kitchen gadgets that make perfect gifts for the gourmet or gourmand.
Estimated price:$68 4 course prix fixe dinner, excludes alcohol
THE ATLANTA FISH MARKET 265 Pharr Road, Atlanta, GA 30305 (404) 262-3165 Aptly nicknamed "The Big Fish" in reference to the 2-story copper fish statue that graces the front of this bustling restaurant in the Buckhead section of Atlanta, it could easily be applied to the large portions and massive crowds that stream into this seafood haven daily. Featuring just about every type of fish you would ever want to eat, an extensive oyster bar and large wine list, the Fish Market is known as being one of the most reliably good meals in the city. The professional staff and courteous management remember the regulars and treat newcomers to everything a regular would deserve.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $30 - $40
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
BONE'S 3130 Piedmont Road, Atlanta, GA 30305 (404) 237-2663 It just feels like a private club. True, the "Old Atlanta" type businessmen still flock to this steakhouse en masse (the kind of clientele that looks like they just stepped out of a Mercedes after playing a round of golf following a long day of performing cosmetic surgery...oh wait...that actually is the case here) it doesn't make the place any less friendly. Maybe it's because steak just seems the appropriate thing to eat after a successful business venture or maybe because the service is so polite, the portions (and the prices) are so large...one thing is never debated in Atlanta: Bone's is Atlanta's best steakhouse -- not bad when Chops, Ruth's Chris, Morton's and The Palm call this city home, too.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $35 - $45
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Open, New Years Eve-Open
DANTE'S DOWN THE HATCH 3380 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30326 (404) 266-1600 Conjuring up memories of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride, one is immediately struck by the Disney-esque design of this 30 year old Atlanta favorite. The dining room features a life size Pirate ship with Atlanta's most celebrated Jazz trio playing on its deck, surrounded by tables of fondue eating, wine sipping couples in love (for the moment, anyway). Surrounding the Pirate ship is a moat that is filled with live crocodiles. A favorite for pre-prom dinners, Dante's is worth a look -- good fondue, pleasant service and great jazz in a "must-be-seen-to-be-believed" atmosphere.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $25 - $35
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
HIGHLAND TAP 1026 North Highland Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 (404) 875-3673 After descending a full flight of stairs, the Tap patron is immediately captivated with what they have found in the "hip" Virginia Highlands part of town. The bar scene is noticeably crowded with what looks like a well to do singles scene. An astute observer will note that most of the revelers drink dirty Martini's (the best in Atlanta...served with the extra shot in an ice filled snifter delivered to the side of your stem glass) and play the jukebox that is packed with Sinatra, Dean Martin and Tony Bennet CD's. The restaurant proper is possibly the darkest room you have ever eaten dinner in (there aren't any windows either), but you can still notice that the carved rock walls and plush booths are tres' cool. The mussels, steaks and salads (especially with the hot bacon dressing) are some of the cities best.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $20 - $30
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
PANO'S AND PAUL'S 1232 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30327 (404) 261-3662 OK, I understand that anything fried tastes good, but those fried lobster tails are soooooooooooooo tasty...and they're not covered in batter either, they're very lightly seasoned and they're so meaty yum I'm drooling just thinking about them. Plus, where else but Pano's and Paul's can you go in Atlanta to see 70 year old women wearing 50 karat diamond rings? The whole experience is too much.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $45 - $55
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
VENI VIDI VICI 41 14th Street, Atlanta, GA 30309 (404) 875-8424 This restaurant is located in midtown Atlanta, one of the only restaurants on this list that is actually surrounded by the type of skyscrapers one would expect to find in a major metropolitan area. Maybe that's why some people proclaim that this incredible, art-nouveau decorated gem has a bit of an attitude. Please. That's just class staring you in the face. The extensive northern Italian menu at Veni Vidi Vici coupled with the incredible wine list makes it almost impossible not to divide and conquer your appetite. A suckling pig roasts slowly over a spit at one end of the restaurant...hell for vegetarians but pure bliss for the meat eaters among us. The smells are divine.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $15 - $25
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
Estimated cost per person for dinner is based upon one entrée, one beverage, and 20% gratuity.
The Top List of Great Restaurants - Atlanta, GA