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

Miller Union’s Steven Satterfield and Neal McCarthy have another hit on their hands with the new wine bar and restaurant they opened with Dive Wine’s Tim Willard. Folks have been fast to smash the Notify button since its opening, and the jury’s split between whether the small plates or the big glasses should take top billing. Shareable dishes range from light to less light; a poulet rouge and creamy potato gnocchi are as big as plates get. McCarthy and Willard are both esteemed sommeliers, and thankfully, their excitement to share their knowledge means a choice of roughly two dozen wines by the glass. Once you grab a seat, just follow our Dish by Dish recs and let that be your guide.

A choice of three spacious patios makes this a stellar pick for summer dining, cicadas whirring in the not-too-distant trees. The pavilion and the garden are popular, especially during lazy evenings where you’re able to score free street parking nearby — you’ll want to take your time savoring the pastas and breads so painstakingly made by hand, and the craft cocktails too. The wine list leans to naturalish selections. Pair a bottle with bright summer flavors like tomato jam with burrata or sun-dried tomato pesto on rigatoni with rapini and fennel, or go trad with a twist via panko-crusted thigh chicken Parm. 

Chef Duane Nutter may be a newly minted cookbook author, but first and foremost, he’s still one of Atlanta’s best kitchen talents. So, come ready to play: Grab a drink at the bar, intentionally designed to feel like a listening room, before you sit down to your Resy. Then satiate your visual sense observing the art collection this multi-time James Beard nominee takes such pride in before digging into a jalapeno johnny cake and biscuit bread basket, smoked chicken with fettuccine in pecan pesto, and tongue-in-cheek dishes like Lamb Burger Helper (rigatoni with lamb and fennel) and Trout Nutter-Dean with dirty rice grits and peanut lemon-caper sauce. If it’s the legendary brunch you’re after, set a Notify. That’s Sundays only, and always in demand.

Plenty of restaurants serve mezcal, but far fewer are bold enough to call themselves a mezcaleria — and this is Atlanta’s first. Décor showcases the agave plant, from suspensions over the bar to real harvesting tools on an accent wall in the glamorous emerald green and black dining room. Experience a tableside Tequila flight and the power of smoke and flame with steak in a habanero ash sauce, a charcoal and orange cocktail, and “forgotten” blistered masa tortilla. Don’t miss the cochinita pibil blue corn sopes nor the overstuffed chicken enchiladas with poblano cream. Mole sauce is painstakingly scratch-made here, as are desserts by pastry chef Ricky Saucedo, whose little-bit-of-everything “Magic Tea Cup” shows us how smoke enhances everything — even chocolate. Brunch means conchas; enjoy them on the patio.

At a typical bar, folks might complain if they can’t hear — but at Commune, everyone’s there to listen. Guests drink in vibes at this intimate, retro-cozy lounge that makes music the point. Vinyl and DJs spin across genres on any given night; the wine list, curated by James Beard Award-nominated sommelier Steve Grubbs, is just as dynamic with weekly highlights that change out regularly. Local beers, kombucha, and mocktails provide other options. But the dinner menu? That changes with the seasons. Chef Muhammad Elosta goes where locally farmed ingredients take him and Simone Forte handles bread and desserts.

The most ambitious restaurant yet by Niki Pattharakositkul of the 26 Thai restaurant group, this alluring newcomer is breathing new buzz into West Midtown as word’s quickly spread. It’s immediately awe-inspiring with bold and beautiful artwork and textures, street and night market touches, and an open central dining space that’s subtly but unmistakably sectioned off from the on-display kitchen and oversized bar. But all of that is just backdrop for a menu that challenges what Atlantans should expect from Thai cuisine. Homey slow-braised vegetable stew, housemade Thai sausage with green chile dip, yellow crab curry noodles, and a five-hour sous vide duck breast make dinner an adventure. Find more ideas on what to order right here.

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.

Celebrity chef Hector Santiago’s outpost at The Battery shares a name with his flagship in Ponce City Market, but is more a sister than a twin. With two hours of free parking most days, a tighter, heartier menu, and plentiful patio seating, it’s a home run by the ball park. Order the signature green mofongo, the chunky plantains and yuca colored by cilantro chimichurri. Top it with green olive-studded sofrito chicken and moist pulled pork cooked in sour orange. Sides similarly excel; garlic green beans are tender and full-flavored, and the rice and beans delight with the addition of sweet plantains. For dessert, the guava and cheese pastelito is the go-to of many, but the chocolate “flan” on a fudgy rich base is the move.  

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Under the stewardship of executive chef Charles Lowney, chef-owner Jason Hill’s oldie but goodie continues to push the modern Southern cooking that pioneered a movement when Wisteria opened two dozen years ago. The historic building, identifiable by its brick façade, opens up to a dining room with a downtown vibe, where local art is on display and for sale. That way, you can take home more than just a memory of a great meal of fried Gulf oysters, charred romaine Caesar salad, pimento cheese deviled eggs, molasses-rubbed pork with sweet potato puree, or wild-caught diver scallops. Pro tip: As you would at Miller Union, order the vegetable plate for the table for a sampler that often includes corn pudding, apple relish, succotash, parsnip mash, and seasonal greens. 

Gather ‘round the counter that undulates through this bright, sunny space for sake cocktails and temaki. Jason Liang’s latest concept takes the best of multiple worlds — convivial diner-style continuous counters, omakase-style personal service, and a cheery casual cafe setting — and fuses them in his signature fashion. Start with the outstanding miso soup and pick a temaki set if you’re unsure where to start. The 12-course tasting for $95 is a perfect journey across the menu. Pro tip: making a Resy for a Monday or Tuesday puts AYCE hand rolls on the menu. And before you even sit down, call dibs on whatever’s left at the pastry counter from lunch. ChingYao Wang is up to her unusual tricks here, with delights that might include chocolate bo lo bao and double-baked Dubai chocolate croissants.

The aroma of open-flame grilling rises all the way from the kitchen to the mezzanine dining area and high, floral-festooned rafters of this Persian favorite. Expect bold, meaty flavors enhanced by marinades and spices, like saffron on thick skin-on salmon fillets, chicken made golden with citrus, and juicy hunks of lamb that’s rich yet not gamey. Order family-style and as many different types of the fabulous rices as possible. The orange, barberry, pistachio, and almond shirin polo is superb; the selection goes on to include sour cherry, green beans and beef, fava beans with dill, and more. But before you get there, start with a refreshing Tipsy Sabzi with lime, cucumber, and herbs, or Hafez’s Last Word, a tropical red wine float.

Beloved for its sophisticated French vibes, this serene haven by founder and executive chef Forough Vakili continues to quietly excel. Everything remains made from scratch with seasonal, organic ingredients. During the day, order your coffee or tea sweetened with housemade syrups like salted honey or matcha, followed by duck confit kimchi fried rice or a bone broth power bowl with oats and greens from the counter or at a table. At night, it’s full-service only and the Continental influence is more pronounced, with traditional dishes such as caviar with housemade chips, tarte flambee, ratatouille, and grilled snapper with olive tapenade. Wine is a focal point in the evening; check Resy Events for the monthly Uncorked self-paced wine and paired canape experience — a steal at just $45 a person.

Pullman Yards staple Tamara Hewitt’s specials are now accessible more regularly as the concept enters its residency era. Flavors from Jamaica and the American South come together every weekend in combinations of your choosing as you DIY a small-bite spread from oxtail empanadas and fluffy seafood hush puppies to tiny hot honey chicken biscuits and shrimp with a grit croquette. If decision paralysis hits, go for the afternoon tea-style brunch tower for a generous sampler and a pot of blooming hot tea. For something heartier, peach-stuffed waffles and egg skillets stick to the ribs. Whatever you do, don’t skip dessert: her adorable, uber-realistic sweet treats like banana pudding-stuffed mini bananas and the already-viral chocolate “plant pots” are unmissable.

Leaving or arriving to Atlanta on a good note cannot be undervalued, which is why we’re real happy Whisk has entered the chat. It’s a cheery send-off or welcome, bright with natural woods, whites, and lots of greenery amid the sage. Menu choices run from classic omelets and pancakes in flavors like Campfire Stack or pineapple with vanilla rum caramel to wings and oxtails, both smoked, and fried green tomatoes. Big brunch boards are an open invitation to linger, as is the encouragement to plug into the co-working space by the full-service coffee and pastry bar. Or just migrate over there to zone out after ambitiously downing a whole fried snapper or a French toast burger with candied bacon and maple aioli.

Old-school service, old country-inspired decor, and old Southern traditions may sound an incongruous mix, but it works for this family-owned Italian restaurant just barely OTP. An open floor plan contributes to the liveliness that characterizes dining here, while soft lighting, a romantic patio, and a good by-the-glass wine list makes it a fine date night option, too. Housemade pasta is the obvious choice, including the namesake carbonara, but don’t overlook red sauce classics like a seafood-loaded fra diavolo. Mains range from rustic (cacciatore, braised lamb shank) to contemporary (chicken Parm) to elegant (filet in peppercorn brandy). A thoughtful kids menu and long list of classic desserts make it clear why this is a longtime favorite for families. 

Sean Park’s excellent NoriFish (with Justin Lim) may be the more talked-about of his ventures, but don’t sleep on his casual, award-winning ramen joint. It’s one of the only places in the city with tsukemen (“dipping ramen”), which is thicker, fishier, and brewed for twice as long as shoyu ramen broths. Choose thick or thin noodles — these and the broths are made daily in-house. In the tight, urban space that feels like a mix of Manhattan and Tokyo, watch the action from counter seats or keep an eye on the glass-enclosed nook where the noodle-crafting happens. Order truffle garlic edamame to give yourself time to spectate, since fresh ramen waits for no one. Pro tip: Get extra chashu — it’s easily the best in the city.

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