The Atlanta Restaurants We’re Loving Right Now

As an Atlanta native…

… and after living in NYC for about two years, I have to say: no one does Persian food like Delbar. The ambiance is unmatched and it is required for me to visit at least once during my trips back home. Now that they’ve expanded to locations closer to where I stay, it’s a no-brainer. We visited when it was in the 20s, so we started by warming up with some Persian tea. From there, we had the Omani shrimp and the kashk bademjoon, which led up perfectly to the adas polo and the salmon kebabs — the kebabs are to die for and are easily my favorite thing on the menu.

— Isha Shrotriya, Product Operations Analyst

I’ve been trying to get a seat…

… at Bovino After Dark since it opened three years ago, and it was well worth the effort of stalking reservation drops online. The new winter menu is fire. The roasted sunchokes wrapped in thinly sliced short rib “bacon” was my favorite dish of this experimental, genre-blending menu. They’re nestled in an sweet potato orange custard that’s semi-set in beef consommé, and underneath a tower of flaky fried Japanese sweet potato chips. I thought for sure the Pekin duck (the duck breed, not the style) was going to be my favorite course, but the mix of textures, the play between the two types of sweet potatoes, and the layers of flavor had me doing a happy dance that I can only apologize to my neighbor (shoutout to birthday boy Henry!) for.

— Su-Jit Lin, Atlanta Writer, Resy Editorial

For a cozy and wonderful space…

… filled with the rich smell of garlic from the open kitchen, head to GiGi’s Italian Kitchen. The cocktails are thoughtful and their food, exciting — I recommend ordering the whole menu (or close to it) and let the GiGi’s team take it from there. They thoughtfully coursed everything out, plus dessert — when they say they have a “world-famous tiramisu,” trust them. Honestly, I’m not sure I really even had tiramisu before the one at GiGi’s.

— Amanda Kaderavek, Senior Partner Success Manager

Attention, former Northeasterners! 

I recently learned that I don’t have to make a 16+ hour drive anymore to catch some serious New York suburban home-time vibes. Instead, I can just head on up to Casa Nuova, less than a 45-minute drive from where I live in Marietta. The carpet, light fixtures, art, and wallpaper remind me of the many Italian-American living rooms I’d grown up visiting, and the shopping plaza location, tightly packed tables, dropped ceilings, and owners checking in on every table take me right back to the classic mom-and-pop restaurants I used to go to for special occasions. The chicken scarpariello, a dish that’s hard to find in Atlanta, is a must-order with its tender potatoes, plentiful mushrooms, a velvety sauce, and moist, lightly battered chicken on imported dried spaghetti. It brought back memories of my past life.

— Su-Jit Lin, Atlanta Writer, Resy Editorial

A recent lunch…

… at Fellows Cafe was the definition of cozy: a spicy tuna melt (featuring a perfect crunch of jalapeño) on homemade sourdough, paired with a cup of romesco soup. Warm, comforting, and deeply satisfying, it was the kind of meal that makes you want to crawl into the dish — especially on such a cold January day.

— Ashley Twist Cole, Atlanta Writer, Resy Editorial

Savory Asian cocktails are in…

… and I just had a truly memorable one at NoriFish Sushi & Izakaya in Buckhead, the gorgeous space that used to be Prefecture. It’s called Green Light, GO! and combines tequila with lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, Thai basil, and green curry. It’s light and refreshing, yet satisfies the part of my palate that also wants a drink with some substance.

— Su-Jit Lin, Atlanta Writer, Resy Editorial

More Atlanta staff picks, right this way.

The views expressed in this article reflect personal experiences of American Express employees at the applicable restaurants — not American Express — and do not constitute professional business advice.