The Atlanta Restaurants We’re Loving Right Now

It’s rare that a family-style feast is perfect from top to bottom…

… but Bey Mediterranean has nailed it. This hidden gem is unabashedly and unapologetically Lebanese, and all polish with no pretension. The textures are flawless, from impossibly tender chicken breast infused with garlic through the center, to hard-to-execute octopus, where a fragile crispiness gives way to a tender, juicy interior.

Just share everything so you have room for dessert. My friends and I had a laugh over how hard we were fighting over what we called the “hairy” chocolate cake, dubbed for its Ghazal el Banat cotton candy topping. It’s fluffy, moist, and rich, and the filling of whipped pistachio halvah was a treat. And the knafeh was incredible: the outside semolina was crisp, the interior cheese molten, and the amount of syrup light and just right.

— Su-Jit Lin, Atlanta Writer, Resy Editorial

My toddler and I are wannabe regulars…

… at Folk Art’s Inman Park location, which is not too far from our home and, unlike many child-friendly activities near us, open on Mondays. I always order the breakfast burrito with veggie sausage, the toddler gets a cheddar cheese omelet, and if we’re a group, the sweet potato pancakes for the table are a must. At Folk Art, the food comes out fast, the hash browns are shredded (the superior cut), and the little ones get water cups with bendy straws. In Inman Park, we always try to grab a booth by the window, so my kid can watch cars, people, and dogs go by, but we’re eager to check out the Folk Art in Hapeville, which is open through dinner every day of the week.

— Sonia Chopra, Atlanta Writer, Resy Editorial

I’m still thinking about this hotel’s brunch…

Living in a suburb, I love a good spa staycation in the city, which brought me, a friend, and my dog to Loews Atlanta Hotel in Midtown for a girls’ weekend. And I definitely didn’t expect to be permanently haunted by the brunch at their restaurant, Ashland. The thick, slightly malted, and layered-tasting buttermilk pancakes woke up a craving I haven’t been able to kick since. The steak, a showpiece at dinner, was arguably better with fluffy scrambled eggs and the best, most garlicky chimichurri I’ve had the pleasure of having. Pro tip: Share all sides; they’re just as huge for breakfast as in the evening, and the rich gouda grits are immensely filling.

— Su-Jit Lin, Atlanta Writer, Resy Editorial

Bar ANA by night, Recuerdos by day…

… the romantic cocktail-and-dessert bar from renowned pastry chef Claudia Martínez masquerades as a coffee shop before sundown (7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, to be exact). And while the signature cafe de olla and horchata chai are great, the seasonal drinks are where the basement café really shines: strawberry-rhubarb agua fresca rivaled this winter’s persimmon sage one, and I will be back for the iced matcha with mango and hibiscus-ancho chile cold foam.

— Sonia Chopra, Atlanta Writer, Resy Editorial

Another dish I haven’t been able to stop thinking about…

… is the East Coast-style French dip at Bar Blanc on the rooftop patio of Little Sparrow. It’s only available during the day on Fridays, and I keep trying to find people to play hooky with me to drive across town for it. They pack a fresh, toasted long roll with juicy prime rib smothered in just as much caramelized onions as meat (which makes my allium-loving heart so happy), and a winter coat of melted cheese. Dipped in jus, it resembles the impeccable French onion soup they serve at Little Sparrow downstairs, but as a meaty sandwich that is well worth the sacrifice of your dignity as you drip sauce, cheese, and onion all over yourself and lick it right back up.

— 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.