The Resy Hit List: Where In Atlanta You’ll Want to Eat Right Now

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.

Together with Paul Gutting, Leonard Yu of Omakase Table is leveling up Atlanta’s omakase expectations. At this new, intimate 10-seat counter in the historic Abrams Fixtures buildings, raw and rare seafood shares equal billing with cooked small plates and big flavors. On a daily changing menu, luxury ingredients such as abalone, hairy crab, and A5 Miyazaki wagyu beef are showcased along with grilling, steaming, and smoking, curated to represent different regions of Japan … and Yu’s multifaceted culinary career. For example, a miso and crab capellini pasta dish are a nod to his time working in Italian cuisine. Pro tip: Don’t skip the sake pairing option, where the pours are not only generous but also staff favorites, and often not on the menu.

It’s well-known that this New York/Jewish/Southern deli serves up a mean breakfast, brunch, and lunch with options that run the gamut from house-cured pastrami hash to bagels with schmears and various fish toppings and a buttery cardamon knot you’ll never forget. But go ahead and sleep in on the weekend … as long as you don’t sleep on dinner. Get on Resy for a comforting weeknight meal — the only time and way you’ll ever be guaranteed a seat here. It’s casual and charming with its nostalgic black and white motif, and weekend specials like fried chicken and short rib Stroganoff amplify its evening appeal.

The electric energy and convivial atmosphere of the Barcelona market for which Boqueria is named after has just been dropped right into one of Atlanta’s most happening corners and is new on Resy. A wine list that includes albariño and tempranillo by the glass provide perfect complements to traditional tapas such as gambas al ajillo with brandy and lobster reduction, seared octopus, and paella platters, as well as modern small plates such as brussels sprouts with sweet dried fruit and roasted baby carrots with zesty yogurt sauce. Even better, avoid decision paralysis with the Boqueria Experience, a chef-curated per-person tasting that includes 48-month aged genuine jamòn Ibérico.

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.

Alpharetta residents may be shedding tears for the closure of Rina in Avalon, but lucky for Atlantans, the original in Ford Factory Lofts remains open. Restaurateur Tal Baum’s ode to Tel Aviv beach culture manifests in refreshing cocktails like an herbal mezcal margarita and easy-to-eat pitas and bowls. Summery peach-marinated amba chicken pairs well with affordable wine by the glass, but if you want to meet cultures in the middle, try the tempura-battered Jaffa fish with ras el hanout-spiced chips or the lamb and beef burger with harissa aioli. Then really mix things up via the date and tahini or Oreo-topped Turkish coffee milkshakes. Pro tip: Always order a side of falafel — it’s her grandma Rina’s original Israeli recipe.

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?

Recently reopened with chef Robert Butts (formerly of Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours) and Tregaye (Fraser) at the helm, this Angel has definitely earned new wings. A revamped menu features dishes whose flavors match the polished but unabashedly bold décor of the jewel-toned, historic space. For instance, roasted cauliflower topped with toasted sunflower seeds surprises with a succotash emulsion that packs secret heat in the finish. Then mains like meaty lobster ravioli with Creole bechamel and smoked lamb chops with spicy pepper jam and chimichurri made with collard greens make global dishes distinctly Southern and soulful. Don’t skip dessert or the cornbread by Megan Brent as she flexes her pastry chops. Pro tip: Charcuterie lovers will want to book a Resy for Thursday’s Grazing Hour.

At the entrance, a bold chicha font states, “En Atlanta, se come rico,” but rico is an understatement, especially with chef Arnaldo Castillo’s new weekend brunch. Extra-crispy chicken biscuit with pepper jelly competes with lomo saltado croque madame for best remixes, and ceviche and oysters become all-day fare. Come weekday happy hour, the latter’s just a buck at the bar — perfect with a passionfruit sour with egg white foam … and to whet your appetite for big mains like tender roasted chicken with Cuzco corn succotash. 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.

Before spring renders armchair coziness out of season, it’s last call for dark and swanky fireplace cuddles at this recent newcomer. Its clubhouse-like décor is made more casual with a menu with flavors spanning from tuna poke to hibachi to rigatoni to acai, not to mention the sandwiches and small plates. Pair them with hand-cut fries in unique styles such as pepperoni pizza with two types of cheese. The brunch menu whittles down the entree options — the hangover tacos and avocado toast are particularly tasty, especially with a light and refreshing Pimm’s Cup. Then scope out your corner of the backyard-style patio on the BeltLine before it officially opens for its first full warm-weather run.

No reservations. Find more info here.