The Resy Hit List: Where In Atlanta You’ll Want to Eat in February 2025

Choose your own three-course adventure with Kevin Gillespie’s prix fixe menu, which offers plenty of opportunities to see how hearty Scottish fare can be given a contemporary Southern and New England twist. For instance, Georgia-grown wagyu culotte grilled on wood comes with barbecued sweet potatoes and Scotch ale mousse and Maine peekytoe crab is accompanied by brown-butter yuzu and a tattie scone. Or just let Gillespie navigate your “way of nature” with a six-courser freshly updated for the season. New winter riffs feature smoked mussels with hard cider cream and duck confit with spiced quince. Warm up further with a dram from his private whisky collection — just the right drink to feel like a laird in his lodge.

A moody former industrial space – shared with counter-service sister Star Provisions – continues to set the stage for some of Atlanta’s most show-stopping cuisine. This 1993 establishment founded by Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison just keeps growing better. Their local farm, Summerland, continues to guide their farm-to-table approach. Because of that, their format of a four-course prix fixe menu is the only thing that remains constant. One night you might find crab fritters made remarkable with citrus and avocado, or steak tartare with a twist of lime, toasted rice, and chile. And if your Notify didn’t pan out for that special occasion, just go during the day and grab a Bacchanalia-quality lunch or a pastry from Star Provisions while you hunt for an artisan “I’m sorry” gift. It’ll be a nice taste of what’s to come when your Resy comes through.

You don’t need skis to get into the winter Alpine spirit with Karl Gorline’s just-opened concept. Beneath the shadow of a mountain goat standing in a forest green dining room, are dishes inspired by the culture of the lands those mountains touch — France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany — made with ingredients from family-run farms near Atlanta, including their own. Expect uncommon dishes like venison tartare, a parfait of rabbit and foie gras, botanical hay-smoked crown of duck, and a Mont Blanc with brown butter, banana, and chestnut cream. And naturally, with a name that also calls to mind a Champagne village with Grand Cru status, what’s better than a glass of bubbly to accompany? Find all the details here.

Who’d have guessed that a Cuban couple would be the pair to create a big fan following for Italian American food? Yet Antonio and Maria Fundora have managed to become OTP legends in old-school comforts, serving traditional classics in a carpeted dining room decorated with artwork, wallpaper, and red-shaded lighting fixtures that create just the right red-sauce vibe. Staples include the beloved and expected: minestrone, caprese, meat-stuffed mushrooms, spaghetti with meatballs, linguini with fresh clam sauce, Parm, pizzaiola, scarpariello, housemade sausage and peppers … you can taste the couple’s backgrounds in Chicago and New York just reading the menu. But Georgia’s well-accounted for, too, with heavy leanings toward produce sourced from the pair’s family farm.

Atlanta’s culinary style boils down to swirling cultures together like paint until it becomes something new — and that’s the best way to describe the artistry in play here, where an Iranian owner and Italian chef have combined Middle Eastern and Western European flavors into dishes you won’t find elsewhere. Turmeric colors pillowy gnocchi already rich with black garlic lamb ragu on a swirl of mint yogurt. Perfectly roasted chicken, thick with Berbere spices and lightened with watermelon and feta salad and a silky, lush Andalusian gazpacho speak of southern Spanish summers, and myriad nooks — a muraled courtyard, whitewashed and cerulean corners — create a casual spot with neighborhood fave vibes.

We all know Jason Liang as a master of Japanese cuisine … but sometimes, there comes a point in a chef’s journey where one’s heritage comes calling and they find they must answer. Such is the case with Lucky Star, his new luxury cafe-style venue in the Star Metals office building. Sophisticated science-based cocktail technique (think floral extractions and unexpected ingredients, such as housemade fruit leather, pandan, brown butter rum) is the primary focus of this cocktail-intensive venture, but polished versions of the dishes that feel most familiar to him are where you’ll feel most at home at his counter-height bar. Springy noodles with sweet, braised, minced pork belly and half a tea- and soy-sauce jammy egg are Taiwanese comfort at its best.

If there’s one thing a certain tire company’s made clear, it’s that this city’s not yet tired of omakase. However, the delicacy of its ingredients, skill required to do it justice, and cost of those jewel-box spaces make it a justifiably expensive treat. But you can now find affordable omakase on the other side of a quick (OK, quick for ATL) car ride: $58 for a 12-couse lunch and $78 for a 15-course dinner. Large marble walls and a chalkboard list of bites make Jak feel as elegant as anything in town … but round the corner and surprise! Casual seating and easy to-go ordering. Pro tip: Visit while there’s still no corkage fee, and add extras from the à la carte menu.

Big names are affiliated with this modestly named venture. Omar Ferrer of El Malo; Anthony Spina, Jr. of Spina Pizza; Duane Kulers of Pollo Primo; Caleb Grubb and Claudia Martinez, respectively departed from Fishmonger and Miller Union, all have parts to play in this new counter service Atlanta Dairies addition. If that’s not enough to motivate you to join the jostle for space in this ultra-casual, limited-seat (but full bar) newcomer, perhaps the fried-food focus is. Sure, there are baskets of comfort faves like seafood or chickie tendies and fries, but go ahead and graduate to sandwiches like chicken Parm topped with vodka sauce, creamy burrata, and pistachio pesto, and dessert treats such as olive oil cake with orange gel and whipped crème fraiche.

No reservations. Find more info here.

Billy Allin may have sold his last outpost to Demetrius Brown and Brandon Blanchard, but all three voices speak clearly from the menu. Traditional French style peeks out during the day, but come evening, Haiti comes out to play with the South. Savory herb cocktails with dark spirits complement shareables like lamb belly “tasso,” flaky tamarind-accented Haitian beef patties, and scallops with etouffee-inspired sauce. A modern, super-buttery take on bouyon beef — with plantain gnocchi and sweet potato — is reimagined with a few slices of perfect steak bites.

Filipino flavors are on fire right now, and this local favorite has been generating both local and national accolades. Plus, next year’s upcoming expansion is hotly anticipated as Resys fill up ever faster with the growing recognition. Book a Kamayan-style feast as a private event for the most memorable spread in town, or design your own with an array of lumpia ranging from pork or Filipino sausage to jalapeños and cheese, then chicken adobo, and sisig with pork belly cheek, snout, and pate. Ube fans won’t want to skip the desserts, as the purple yam takes three forms.

Everyone knows about the crispy duck lasagna with cocoa bechamel at this refined southern European mainstay, but the pro tip here is to journey through the Pasta Odyssey, which shows off the range of chef Craig Richards’ talent … and includes this signature dish in sampler size. On this multi-course taster, cacio e pepe takes agnolotti form with quadruple the pepper power, beef and black truffle merge with thyme and star anise, and braised rabbit becomes smooth and silken when tucked into thin sheets of pasta. End with the Meyer lemon cheesecake, whose soft, whipped texture recalls the center of a perfect Basque-style version and is perfectly punctuated with macerated blueberries and basil.

California coastal meets Southern warmth in this low-key brunch gem just outside of Alpharetta’s downtown strip. Plentiful patio space, scattered heat lamps, and a coffee window make it tempting to stay outdoors despite any chill, but do at least step inside, where a picturesque glass counter displays towers of pavlovas, butcher boards full of assorted seasonal pastries, and a homey dining space. The croque madame with house-cured bacon and brioche boasts a creamy bechamel with a delightful tang, while the mixed local mushroom toast, towering with its titular vegetable and roast cauliflower, are outstanding choices for a savory morning. But the real pro tip? Make your Resy for dinner service, a quietly launched recent offering that won’t stay off-radar for long.

Speakeasies and secret bars have been all the rage for some time, the likes of Propaganda recently joining the ranks of Jojo’s Beloved, Roaring Social, Irie Mon Bar and Lounge, and others. But Richard Tang’s done it a little more traditionally, his pocket-sized hidden lounge still below most radars. Many guests don’t even know of its existence, distracted as they are by dishes like brussels sprouts with Chojan and XO sauce, blackened mahi-mahi with Thai creamed corn, and Southern comforts such as meatloaf with braised collards and fried catfish. After all, with cocktails like the gold-dusted Velvet Vixen and Kung Fury with Thai chile citrus honey available at the bar, why not take the first seat you see?

Atlanta’s darling for Iranian dining has done it again in a spectacular see-and-be-seen Buckhead edition, with specially selected dishes pulled from both Inman Park and Old Milton locations along with some new originals. Among them, find appetizers like a carrot salad presenting the root in three ways; new desserts like a Persian tea flan with quince, caramel, citrus, and a pistachio crumble; an oversized skewer of hanger steak; and Spice Trade and Sunset Boulevard cocktails. Other unique features include a den-like lounge area by the bar and open kitchen, a mezzanine dining space away from the bustle, and a gorgeous urban sunroom-like dining room, softly aglow with golden chandeliers above and city lights just outside.

At the entrance, a bold chicha font states, “En Atlanta, se come rico.” But at this Peruvian collaboration between La Chingana’s Arnaldo Castillo and Sweet Auburn BBQ’s Howard Hsu, rico is an understatement. Mixed seafood ceviches, aji bechamel-roasted oysters, and corn “fritter” pancakes covered in crab are standout openers for exceptionally tender roasted chicken with Cuzco corn succotash, and lomo saltado so good you’ll be using the fries to sop the sauce. Pro tip: Pastry chef extraordinaire Claudia Martinez of Miller Union dips into her own South American roots when she bakes here, so keep an eye on their Instagram to find out what desserts to save room for. For more tropical fun, try the passionfruit sour with egg white foam.

The secret’s out — since its move from a small corner space with a twee patio to its much larger, brasserie-style location around the corner, this local gem has been as charged as the espresso in their coffee drinks. Pair a perfect flat white with a whole-wheat croissant or almond bear claw, pastries baked there and served warm. For something more substantial, the Turkish eggs, roasted root vegetable Lyonnaise salad, and hefty topped toasts fill the belly. But the real pro tip is to come after daytime for cocktails in the elegant library-like lounge space. Seasonal spritzes include flavors like cinnamon nutmeg, caramel apple butter, and cider, and a Turmeric Ginger-ita is so refreshing, you could almost drink to your health.

No reservations. Find more info here.