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

Let’s get meta for a moment and flash back to the Resy Rewind dinner chefs Parnass Savang and Rod Lassiter were recently invited to host. It’s a perfect example of how this James Beard-nominated former pop-up is still as scrappy, self-challenging, and experimental as ever, even beyond the daily changing menu worth stalking their Instagram story to learn. On balance, expect a wild flight to Thailand fueled by Georgia ingredients. Grab a seat against the vivid street-style mural for dishes like Issan-style chicken laap, the daily curry with their signature housemade coconut cream, and the beloved Crispy Rice Salad. And if you’re lucky, you might just get a teaser to their next concept, Some Luck, the night of your Resy.

Looking for chef’s counter quality dining and showmanship without the formality and frills? Then Alex Sher and Chris McCord’s weekend-only spot is the order. From the open kitchen, the team serves up experimental dishes with no names — just a truncated list of ingredients. They’re paired with unique wines. For example, a sparkling red matches a duo of pulled duck croquette and bite of breast, and a Georgian clay pot white complements a sweet potato caramel-sauced sunchoke that’s been wrapped in short rib bacon. Beer and cocktails from Hop City next door are welcome — the best time to grab one is as your pre-dinner oysters (a worthy add-on) are broiling.

“Last bite, best bite” has gone from saying to promise at pastry chef Claudia Martinez’s stylish dessert bar, where the vibe is industry-edgy, Afro-Latin-Caribbean cool, and accessibly warm. In this cozy courtyard-inspired, intimate space, seasonally inspired sweets (her signature style) are made with indulgent ingredients and presented as modern art. For example, Araguani chocolate cake bites with passionfruit ganache and mole crunch with pomegranate arils or apple spice cake with tamarind caramel and dulce de leche cremeaux might be enjoyed solo or as part of a tasting. Treats, pastries, and exquisite housemade ice creams are complemented by Recuerdos crafted coffee drinks by day for sun-up to sun-down verve that just doesn’t quit.

Downtown by the stadiums have been in hot preparation for this summer’s FIFA World Cup, and the newly built Hotel Phoenix in Centennial Yards is playing for keeps. Master mixologist Thandi Walton’s signature cocktails don’t miss; her peach tea-infused Cognac drink with ginger and lemon is a perfect primer for the the Shaun Hergatt-designed menu of approachable classics like indulgent steaks, lovely salads, tartares, and simple pastas. But former FORTH Hotel pastry chef Carelys Vazquez, now cooking as executive chef in a savory pivot, shines where Continental meets Southern. Small plates like succulent jumbo shrimp atop a maple mustard-drizzled biscuit boat or a precisely grilled foie gras with apricot and raspberry gastrique are unforgettable, and an airy pavlova atop a yuzu citrus custard adds brightness to any evening.

At this contemporary steakhouse, housed in a former warehouse and glistening in colorful spun glass, the steaks are prime and the people-watching is, too. The BeltLine patio is perfect for posting up as warmer weather returns to Atlanta, or a starting point for a post-dinner stroll for a two-part date. The menu features a global mix of flavors ranging from “Yaya’s eggplant fries” to scallops with almond mole rojo. Steakhouse staples make decision-making even harder. Should dinner be locally bred wagyu? Sart with a novel app like horseradish-crusted bone marrow, or a classic seafood tower and salad? Recent recognition for creative bartending and deft uses of steak make a good argument for trying something unusual.

Korean-first fine dining has finally landed in Atlanta, with a future-forward focus meant to grow and evolve.  The result has been a fusion (we mean that as a compliment) with modern pan-Asian sensibilities. For example, meaty mini shrimp toasts delivered on baked, buttery toast rounds. Miso-coated grilled cabbage with black garlic. Crab bisque with wasabi-nfused cracker-chips. Chilean sea bass with nasturtium oil and sweet cauliflower puree. A steak program is on its way, but short ribs and bone marrow satisfy red meat lovers for now. Dessert recenters the space; black sesame crème brulee sparkles like the night-sky ceiling and a jasmine panna cotta-like cream topped with matcha “moss” and chocolate “dirt” cookie crumbles call your attention back to the beautiful bonsai trees throughout.

The Woodruff Arts Center was already well-rounded with its performance and visual art venues, but our Rundown tells how Craig Richards of Lyla Lila now adds culinary dazzle to the campus.  A dining room swathed in wine-red fabrics and another under an enormous modernist-style abstract by Tommy Taylor provides a serene, hushed haven to enjoy flavors that lean French and Italian but with a distinctly Richards throughline. For instance, crudo under “A Breeze,” bright bites called “A Touch of Sun,” and his fresh pasta magic. As a main, the spiced, cured duck with fermented blackberry is exceptional. Pro tip: Valet parking’s available, but self-parking is cheapest at the Promenade deck and closest at the Boys & Girls Club garage.

Those ready to graduate into modern regional Mexican cuisine should find their way to this discreetly hidden gem. The menu is an introduction to the “Land of the Seven Moles,” featuring preparations that range from green to coconut truffle, dishes that center masa, such as steak tlayuda, and plenty of stringy Oaxaca cheese in squash blossom veggie quesadillas. But as fitting for a restaurant named after what is considered the culinary capital of Mexico, favorites are elevated as well. For example, elote dressed with black garlic, steak tacos with fire-roasted bone marrow, and octopus chicharrónes. Sip a warm-weather cocktail on the spacious, semi-private patio — preferably one with mezcal, one of the state’s biggest claims to fame.

The temporary closure of this beloved omakase mainstay left a huge gap in the omakase scene when Tasuku Muraka departed, but “sushi boss” Kazuo Yoshida’s arrival makes us believe in serendipity all over again. A pioneer of omakase dining in the U.S., he’s now enriching Atlanta’s sushi scene with kazu-style (Japanese gastropub fusion) concepts, exclusive sourcing, and dynamic teaching that allows chefs under him to find their own voices, like an exceptional truffled-coated, butter-poached lobster course. A signature for every service is an uni risotto to make you weep, and enough caviar to singlehandedly justify the price. Expect 19 courses meant to surprise with each round, contrasting flavors, textures, and techniques, like mincing fish and reshaping it with alliums and tricky prep that makes bonito delectable.

Under the gazes of Liz Haywood’s colorful portrait subjects, teal booths ensconce diners who can become voyeurs themselves, with cheeky blind-spot mirrors mounted on the wall. But once courses like a cheese plate with bacon jam and deviled eggs, Arista-rubbed pork chops, scallops with lobster stock risotto, or one of their signature four cuts of steaks (offered 10 ways) hit the table, dinner becomes the show. Pro tip: Don’t miss daytime service — chefs Rick Watson and Marquise Allen make lunch a great way to try a bit of everything. For example, a meat board of lamb chops, pork ribs, pork belly, and hanger steak kicks boring charcuterie to the curb, and unique proteins like deviled eggs, scallops, or even a goat cheese beet terrine add excitement to salads.

Thoroughly reimagined comfort food is a hop, skip, or jump from the MARTA station if you set your sights Southbound. Owners Mike Plummer and Amanda Averill have created a warm, lively spot in this historic building in the cute strip off the Chamblee tracks, serving crossovers like fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and pineapple habanero jam, hot chicken on Texas toast with Calabrian chiles and Sichuan spices, and blackened shrimp and cheddar grits with chipotle butter with a side of live music every Tuesday. However, the Southern Ramen with pork bone broth, pulled pork, collards, black-eyed peas, and a deviled egg has been called the most memorable mashup, so start there. Go on a Wednesday to enjoy it alongside a whiskey cocktail for just $8.

Transplants from suburban New Jersey and Long Island will feel right at home at this nostalgic gem, where a carpeted dining room, art-adorned wallpapered walls, wipeable tablecloths, and high-touch service blur the lines between someone’s grandma’s house and a classic Italian red sauce restaurant … Which makes sense, since owners Antonio and Maria Fundora both came of age in Italian American strongholds (New York and Chicago, respectively) before opening the iconic Alfredo’s on Cheshire Bridge over 40 years ago. Service is team-based, but specials are often recited by the matriarch herself, who’ll rattle off a long list of multi-item parmigianas, osso bucco, seafood, housemade ravioli, and more. On the everyday menu, find excellent renditions of banners like scarpariello, piccata, Marsala, and Francese dishes sauces at nearly equally old-school prices.

The thrills don’t stop on this wild ride through Malaysia at the BuHi original, where Singaporean, Chinese, Thai, and Indian flavors shine as brightly as the LED lights and vividly colored accents of the space. The station’s scene is set with utilitarian seating, robots working alongside servers, and polyglot conversations punctuated by appreciative noodle-slurping. A bill of fare that’s more magazine than menu makes everything that much more accessible, illustrating crispy baozi, roti combos, rice plates, curries, soups, and braises in high-res photos. However, they don’t do experiences like the Cheese ‘N Cheese (a tableside dolsot-style rice prep made gooey with its namesake) adequate justice. First-timers, begin with noodles. That’s how chef-owner Amy Wong got her start at a Malaysian night market, which is only fitting.

In a city awash in Mediterranean options, Bey provides a chance to focus on Lebanon. Chef Marc Mansour impresses in a setting reminiscent of his native coasts, blush corals and sages complementing woven Khayzaran chairs indoors and umbrella’d white patio seating outdoors. Start with shareables like juicy meatballs shining with sour cherry sauce, layered potato cakes with salmon roe on creamy pistachio labneh, or duck confit doughnuts dredged in hot honey and citrusy tomato jam. Large portions and big flavors make getting to mains and dessert a challenge, but the chicken with ultra-garlicky toum, tender-grilled octopus with romesco, and the just-sweet-enough gooey cheese knafeh is worth the effort. Pro tip: make your Resy for a Friday or Saturday, when the bright Kibbeh Nayeh “tartare” is available.

Decked out with corded rotary phones, a TV with dials, wood paneling, and honky-tonk diner details at the enormous bar, this new retro restaurant makes you forget you’re on the BeltLine in 2026. Just opposite cafeteria-style Lewis Barbecue, this full-service companion lets you skip the line for the oversized ribs, prime brisket, Texas-style “hot gut” sausage, and rich turkey breast from the rooftop smokers … and have a drink besides. Those skew Tex-Mex, with fresh watermelon sandias, ranch water, and margaritas. But the ultimate pro tip is that choosing Lewis Bar over Barbecue unlocks a bonus menu: pulled pork loaded nachos, big salads, and smoked wings in addition to weekly specials like a familiar-but-better beef and cheddar sandwich. Don’t leave without a slice of silky icebox pie to cool down those meat sweats.

No reservations. Find more info here.

The only dine-in location for the nationally lauded NFA Burger is at a Dunwoody gas station — Billy Kramer’s hangout has become an essential spot in ritzy Avalon. Families and teens line up at the small counter to order crispy-edged smash burgers topped to order (with anything but ketchup), drink custard shakes or family-inspired cocktails as they wait, and sit down for tallow-fried tots, fries, and dogs by TVs that make it equal parts sports bar. And only here can you get the Giving Kitchen burger, a smashed, then “scattered, smothered, and covered” creation that serves as a nod to the city’s food service workers as a portion of every burger is donated to the organization … and a wink at an Atlanta breakfast institution.

No reservations. Find more info here.