The Resy Guide to Splurge-Worthy Dining in Atlanta

Beautifully designed with rich green hues and a stately taxidermy mountain goat, Avize calls to the alps from West Midtown. Chef Karl Gorline takes guests on an Alpine-inspired dining adventure, with appetizers like the pastrami-spiced beet carpaccio and the venison tartare with buckwheat and blueberry, and entrees like the fermented carrot bolognese and fallow deer with burnt eggplant and serviceberry jus. The cocktail list raises the elegance further and little treats round out the meal making it feel extra special. If you want to keep the night going, head next door to Bar Avize.

Read more about chef Karl Gorline’s award-baiting menus here.

Tucked into Adair Park, Ryokou fully embodies the go-big-or-go-home ethos. The 10-seat omakase from Leonard Yu, led by chef Paul Gutting, sets a refined tone with its minimalist design and striking marble counter. True to its name — meaning “journey” in Japanese — the experience takes diners on a tour through Japan, from pristine nigiri to intricate cooked dishes. Elevate the evening with the sake pairing, featuring rare and elegant selections that make this meal feel truly transportive.

Learn more about what to expect from an evening at Ryokou here.

Steven Satterfield championed the farm-to-table movement before it became the zeitgeist, and his award-winning ethos still shines at Miller Union. The restaurant’s ambiance is a mix of modern and industrial, made warm with cozy touches like a wall of cast iron pans and farmhouse details. The dishes that make the night standout are the ones that are menu staples, like the farm egg baked in celery cream and the seasonal vegetable plate. This is also a destination for wine lovers as Neal McCarthy curates an interesting list.

In a city that can sometimes feel less than cosmopolitan, Lyla Lila’s Midtown location is a reminder of just how sophisticated Atlanta dining can be. Tables overlooking the twinkling lights of Peachtree Street set a magical scene, while the restaurant’s soft blues and greens exude understated glamour. The menu keeps pace with house-made pastas, cold-smoked scallops plated like art, and snapper wrapped in squash. For the perfect splurge, book a table before a show at the Fox Theatre — it’s an evening that feels undeniably special.

Here’s our primer on how to get a primetime spot at Lyla Lila here.

Il Premio, set within the Forth Hotel on the BeltLine, feels grand. The design draws inspiration from Italian modernism but also has a Renaissance-inspired mural of Siena’s Palio (a horse race) along with other equine nods. The steakhouse is dark and moody — a romantic spot for a date night, yes, though you’re just as likely to see groups of friends sipping martinis. Indulge in burrata and tuna tartare before moving on to pasta and dry aged steak, and dip into their impressive wine list for a rare vintage to round out the experience.

Here’s what to expect from a visit to Il Premio.

The omakase restaurant above Umi, M, has returned with stylish flair, led by chef Kazuo Yoshida. The restaurant, only open for one seating per evening Wednesday through Friday, sits in bright juxtaposition to its dark downstairs neighbor with a white maple counter and yakisugi (charred cedar board) walls, with embellishments from designers Tom Dixon and Gareth Payne. Chef Yoshida crafts a 19-course menu comprising otsumami, nigiri, soup, and dessert for eight lucky guests, who can opt for a sake pairing from level III sommelier Joon Lim, all taken in the most understated luxury imaginable.

Hidden in the back of Southern Belle, Georgia Boy is one of the most distinctive dining experiences in Atlanta. The intimate chef’s counter restaurant offers four seatings of eight guests for a multi-course meal that interprets Southern cuisine through the lens of James Beard-nominated chef Joey Ward. Nothing is straightforward about a meal at Georgia Boy where dishes are whimsically plated and even playful (like cake “batter” served on a whisk) — but it never sacrifices craft or flavor.

Kevin Gillespie’s original restaurant, Gunshow, has kept Glenwood Park cool since 2013. It’s not dark, moody, or romantic in here, but the bright, calamitous atmosphere is part of its charm. Here, the dining room and kitchen blend together and guests order dishes from the chefs themselves who present them dim sum-style. The seasonally-driven dishes rotate off the menu every few weeks, meaning no two visits are alike, with each dish reflecting the personal vision of the chef. Even the cocktails get the theatrical treatment with the drinks prepared table-side.

Set in off-beat East Atlanta Village — known for live music and dive bars — Banshee stands out. Inside, royal blue and turquoise jewel tones, hand-stencilled wall motif, and historic details set the backdrop for a glamorous evening out. The design-forward restaurant is ideal for a romantic date or a lively dinner with friends. The menu is concise but shareable: start with the fry bread served with pepperoni butter before moving on to one of the larger dishes like the clam linguine with shrimp chorizo and tomato escabeche.