The 10 Restaurants That Defined Atlanta Dining in 2024
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We asked our contributors to the Resy Hit List to share their top dining experiences in their cities this year — to choose 10 restaurants that define the state of great dining right now. Welcome back our Best of The Hit List for 2024.
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It’s been a big year for dining in Atlanta. While we’ve seen old legends fall, we’ve also seen others rise from what we thought were ashes. We’ve watched new standouts appear, like Avize, and existing ones, like Delbar, spread their wings and branch out. We’ve learned that our sweet spot in the national spotlight is, improbably, from the sea, by way of O by Brush and Omakase Table.
All these metaphors seem fitting for a city where two major sports teams are named after birds of prey. The chefs in town are hungry, and pushing ever upward. They’ve given us lots to choose from in compiling this list, of the 10 restaurants that defined another landmark year for dining in town.
1. Nàdair Restaurant Woodland Hills
Despite the continued success of Gunshow, a lot of people weren’t sure Kevin Gillespie would return to the line again … him included. But with this concept, a wood fire was relit as he returned to the way of his nature with live-fire cooking. Uniquely blending Scottish, Southern, and New England identity, Nàdair has become something entirely its own. Forget the Scotch eggs and haggis — enter modern interpretations like a cullen skink with smoked rock shrimp, salmon bacon, and oatcake crumbles; Scottish cheese dumplings with local mushrooms; and smoked lobster from Gillespie’s second home in Maine, with a Thermidor sabayon. Not even a year in, it’s not only earned a Michelin recommendation, but bragging rights in best-of lists near and far. (Including this one.)
2. Kitty Dare Inman Park
As the lines between “Mediterranean” and “Persian” cuisine continue to blur like a melted crayon in Atlanta’s hot summer, the lands of the Levant, North Africa and Greece have been dipping in and out of menus like cucumber slices in so many types of hummus. But only Kitty Dare makes the bold move of looking further west, to the other edge of the Mediterranean. Flavors from Spain and chef Giuseppe Esposito’s Italy are stitched artfully together with those of owner Jamshad “Jammy” Zarnegar’s Iranian palate. They come together in housemade pastas like gnocchi with black garlic lamb ragu swirled with fresh mint yogurt, and bucatini with shrimp, red chile, and pistachio crumbles. At the end, a cardamom orange crème brûlée continues the spirit.
3. O by Brush Buckhead Village
It wasn’t in one stroke that chef Jason Liang brought his beloved Brush Sushi across town. The first daring move was to leave his izakaya ways behind. Then he spent a year on the custom-designed corner space in Buckhead Village, and an additional one to plan the formal launch of O by Brush. Liang was the first to offer dry-aged sushi in Atlanta and the among the most high-profile to join the swelling ranks of omakase here, and he clearly took time to weigh his entry. The 20-course experience reveals peeks at his personal life, as in the Taiwanese wheel pie made in collaboration with his pastry-chef wife, ChingYao Wang. And this is a blitz of techniques as much as anything: binchotan charcoal, steaming, tempura frying, hay smoking. Expect that to continue; with Liang just back from a culinary research trip, expect his findings to define Atlanta omakase in 2025 as well.
4. Foundation Social Eatery Alpharetta
We’ve established that Atlantans are loyal and will follow their taste buds across towns. Enter Exhibit B: Foundation Social Eatery’s move from Roswell to Alpharetta, where chef Mel Toledo is determined to make it worth the drive every time. He finds himself on this list this year for his resilience and ability to adapt. True, despite critical acclaim, his prepared foods market Petite FSE is no longer. But it’s not gone. Instead, his famous breads have gone to the (farmers) market; you’ll see him and his wife Sandy working the stand in front of Alpharetta’s City Hall April to November. A market focus echoes on the current menu, too, with gems like braised beef agnolotti with a wealth of mushrooms, black truffle, and watercress; or scallops with popping farro and fresh peas. And with pastry chef Gus Castro (formerly of Lazy Betty) on board, FSE keeps finding renewed energy.
5. Il Premio Old Fourth Ward
The city’s been abuzz over the new Forth Hotel, but for locals, the most hotly anticipated feature of the BeltLine’s glam addition has been this upscale Italian steakhouse. John Adamson, formerly of Ford Fry’s Marcel and Marc Forgione’s American Cut Steakhouse, helms the semi-open kitchen, preparing luxurious fresh pasta dishes such as strozzapreti with king crab and uni, and a sleeper hit of a side of campanelle gratinata, dense with cheese and perfect with any of the dry-aged and wagyu steaks. Start with drinks in the associated Bar Premio just outside. End with pastry chef Carelys Vazquez’s chocolate-wrapped tiramisu with gelato. Better yet, stay the night to grab one of her white chocolate-dipped pistachio croissants or raspberry-lemon knots in the morning.
6. Delbar Middle Eastern – Inman Park Inman Park
It’s ambitious to open a second grand-scale restaurant, but to go for two more while keeping the accolades coming? It’s a bold move that’s paid off for chef Fares Kargar, whose Alpharetta and Buckhead locations kicked off Notify frenzies. The secret to Delbar’s popularity might be its reputation for warm service, big portions, and eye-catching details, like the flower arbor walkway at Old Milton and intimate wine cavern feel at the Inman Park original. But the food always leads: dill labneh with pulled lamb, honey harissa chicken, savory stews, dramatic golden tahdig-crowned rice, complemented by cocktails with a Middle Eastern twist. Kargar has unlocked the secret to making this the cuisine that brings Atlantans together — in any part of town.
7. Omakase Table West Midtown
Overnight success takes years — chef Leonard Yu will certainly attest to that. His journey began at 19, mopping floors in New York restaurants before training at them. He moved here nearly a decade ago, doing his time as a pop-up chef and training under Brush’s Jason Liang. But in the year since he opened the 20-course Edomae-style omakase restaurant hidden near the King Plow Arts Center, his hard work is getting noticed. In a full circle, Yu earned a first Michelin star this year right alongside his one-time mentor’s omakase venue; expansion is on the horizon. Chances of securing a Resy for one of his coveted 12 seats will be increasing as he opens a second location in Buckhead Landing in 2025, and a whole new kappo concept, Ryokou in Adair Park.
8. Pata Negra Buckhead
Octavio Ruiz offers a uniquely dialed in view of his native country’s cuisine at what’s one of the best Mexican restaurants in Atlanta, focusing on the agave traditions of Jalisco and his family’s history as jimadors. While there are other restaurants with extensive mezcal programs (Palo Santo’s cart is notable), Pata Negra lays claim to being a formal mezcaleria, paying homage to the spirit, down to décor that includes dried roots and harvesting tools. Expect smoke and darkness — menu items that veer back to black, including signature charcoal cocktails. Black beans accompany cochinita pibil, dried roasted chiles and habanero ashes deepen palate and palette, black mole tops enmoladas. Pastry chef Rickey Saucedo skillfully continues the theme, with a Te Magico of 66% chocolate with smoked crème brûlée, and mole ice cream.
9. Lazy Betty Midtown
The running joke behind this restaurant honoring Ron Hsu’s mother Betty is that she was one of the hardest workers he’d ever known. And with chef-partner Aaron Phillips, her namesake continues to carry on that legacy. This year, in new digs, there’s no mistaking Betty for an ingenue. Since the move, the duo has debuted a full bar and bar menu and made Keely Moore the youngest executive pastry chef in Atlanta. In the kitchen, seasonal innovations continue to push boundaries, serving brussels sprouts poached in bone marrow, sweet potato pain perdu with foie gras, and showing with their vegetarian menu that you don’t need meat to shoot for (Michelin) stars.
10. Avize West Midtown
Kevin Gillespie isn’t the only big name in town introducing European flavors. Previously, cozy Café Alsace in Decatur was the only game in town for Alsatian dishes, but chef Karl Gorline has thrown his toque in the ring, taking on the cuisine of the Alps. Eight different countries are curated on the former Watershed and Atlas chef’s menu at any given time, driven by produce from the restaurant’s farm. Find classic flammkuchen and a less traditional Caesar, this one with a Frankfurt twist. There’s venison tartare and caviar, but Italian mezzalune made with German schlutzkrapfen dough and a banana brown butter Mont Blanc showcase more fusion sensibilities.
Explore our picks from coast to coast:
Su-Jit Lin is a rehabilitated New Yorker, former New Orleanian, and current Atlantan, in addition to being a travel, food, and lifestyle writer. She has contributed to EatingWell, HuffPost, Epicurious, The Takeout, Eater, The Kitchn, VinePair, Thrillist, Food & Wine, Serious Eats, Southern Living, and more. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.
