Tabletop grilling at Bene Korean SteakhousePhotograph by Wedig Laxton Best Korean BBQ ITP: Bene Korean Steakhouse Bene Korean brings Korean barbecue to the Lindbergh area of Buckhead. It features tabletop grilling, prime wagyu, and yuzu-soju cocktails. The restaurant’s sleek design and attentive service make it a great new addition to the in-town Korean food scene. Humblest Digs: Pizza by Yandys Tucked in the corner of the Carniceria Los Pinos grocery store in an unassuming strip mall in Sandy Springs lies a small counter where sizzling Detroit- and New York–style slices and pies are served fresh from the oven. Formerly a pizza delivery man in New York, owner Diego Najera learned to make thin, foldable favorites like the margherita, piled with fragrant basil and garlic. He and his wife, Yenara—oft with their son, Yandy—deliver handmade goodness to your table. Best Dessert for Dinner: Lazy Betty Pastry chef Lindsey Davis’s desserts alone are worth a visit to this Michelin-starred restaurant in Midtown. Her stunning seasonal offerings include a four-course tasting menu served at the bar. From an artfully plated sweet potato sable with calamansi and coconut sorbet to a vanilla noisette with mille-feuille and hazelnut cream, her creations sure hit the (sweet) spot. Fanciful Frozen Flavors: Van Leeuwen Whether your palate leans fruity or chocolaty, Van Leeuwen in Ponce City Market is sure to please. The egg yolk– and butterfat-heavy ice cream is as creamy as can be, and unique flavors like Earl Grey tea, sweetcorn and blueberry jam, and peanut butter brownie honeycomb make selecting just one (or two) a challenge. Fret not—sampling is encouraged. Tiniest Farm Stand: Made in Milton This family-run mini farm stand on Wood Road in Milton stocks homemade sourdough in such varieties as rosemary and jalapeno-cheddar, farm fresh eggs, sourdough blueberry muffins, and chocolate chip cookies. Nonedible treats include organic beef tallow lotion in jasmine and rose scents. Open on weekends (plus weekdays for preorders), the farm stand relies on the trust system with a cash box and mobile payments. Best New Matcha Shop: The Postcard Replacing Wave 3, this hidden-in-plain-sight shop in Buckhead serves smooth and earthy matcha drinks with house-made syrups. Hot or iced, sparkling or creamy, blueberry-lavender or strawberry-rose—the choices are yours. Traditional coffee options are available too. Smashburger Sensation: Smiley’s Burger Club It’s worth braving lines that literally wrap the building for the melty euphoria of Smiley’s crispy-edge smashburgers. This Decatur shack boasts outdoor tables galore but no indoor seating, a walk-up window for grab-and-go, and a sense of humor for miles. (See: hand-painted burger angels in the bathroom.) It’s a fun contrast to Kimball House’s refinement across the street. Don’t skip the decadent, shareable Heckin Dip with house-made chips. Best Girl Dinner: Bar Avize Attached to Avize Modern Alpine Kitchen in West Midtown, this cozy offshoot specializes in snacky Alpine bar bites. Its newish “girl dinner” features some of life’s best things: endless Caesar salad, truffle fries, and a martini. It is current and craveable. Best Vegan Breakfast: Vegan House of Pancakes Chef Nikki Ford and her partner, PBD Grey, serve enormous, fluffy pancakes at the iconically pink Vegan House of Pancakes in East Point. With DJs, craft baristas, and prize wheels often popping up on the porch, the atmosphere is more block party than brunch spot. Open weekends only. Best Sam-wich Masters: Sammy’s Sam Pinner and Jason Furst, the best friends behind Sammy’s in Adair Park, prove that superb alchemy is just a few ingredients away. Their sandwiches—each named after a different take on the name Sam—are a study in salty, fatty, and crunchy perfection. You have to respect a friendship that tastes this good. Fried Chicken with a Walk-up Window: Mothers Best Steps from the Decatur MARTA station, Mothers Best is unapologetically nostalgic. It’s peak bric-a-brac, but the bird is the star. That secret spice blend, the brown sugar brine, and the juicy meat? It’s perfect, crackling, greasy-fingered brilliance you can get by the bucket, sandwich, or basket of tenders. Best New Wine Bar Menu: Madeira Park Among its many virtues, this gem of a wine bar in Poncey-Highland has an endlessly creative menu that’s just the right size: a few snacks and several larger plates; sometimes a la carte charcuterie; and often more than one sweet finish. Always around are the perfect pommes frites, and everything pairs oh-so-nicely with a glass of wine and a seat on the outdoor patio. Lucky Star’s beef noodle soupPhotograph by Martha Williams Best Taiwanese Noodle Flex: Lucky Star Westside’s Lucky Star has East-meets-West swank with scallion pancakes as well as caviar bumps. The drinks are legit, but the move is the Taiwanese beef noodle soup: The slow-braised shank broth offers flavored cozy comfort and proof that a great bar should feed your soul. Best New Food Festival: Smorgasburg Atlanta This outdoor convergence of indie food vendors and resto pop-ups debuted in South Downtown in mid-October. Entry is free; you pay as you dine. Picnic tables, a bar, and a DJ encourage you to savor the vibes as well as the eclectic eats: Oaxacan tamales, crab-topped deviled eggs, oxtail birria tacos, lemon-pepper pizza, macarons, and lots more. Open every Saturday, March through December. Best New Spanish Tapas: La Metro Chef Hector Santiago’s love for Spain is reflected in the food, bar, coffee, and tinned menus at his pocket-size tapas hot spot in Ponce City Market. A lively bar counter, Moorish design details, and flamenco music set the scene for patatas bravas, croqueta de jamón, paella Valenciana, and the burnt and creamy Basque cheesecake. Best New Chinese Street Food: Handmade Dumplings Noodles Authentic Chinese street food in a Publix shopping plaza in suburban East Cobb—some neighborhoods have all the “joy luck.” Indulge in house-made dumplings, unctuous noodle dishes, soups, fried rice, and more. Go with a friendly crew of friends and family to bump up the dine-in experience at this no-frills spot. Sunny Spot on the South Side: La Bodega Market + Pupuseria This three-in-one establishment brings much-needed sustenance to a forlorn stretch of Sylvan Road in southwest Atlanta. With a crisp white facade trimmed in bright blue and golden yellow, the eatery offers a takeout window for Salvadoran pupusas (griddled corn cakes with savory fillings, like beans and cheese), cafe con leche, and tamarind iced tea; a charming plant-filled patio for hanging; and a mini market for fresh produce and staples. Seafood Indulgence: Langoustine at Atlas To caviar or not to caviar—that is one of many questions at Michelin-starred Atlas, a world-renowned destination restaurant in our very own Buckhead backyard. Whether you go grand with the full tasting menu or stay grounded by ordering a la carte, do not miss chef Freddy Money’s pan-roasted langoustine in all its truffle and corn glory, paired with a magical “coral sauce.” Best One-Stop Food Shop: Azalea Fresh Market Beneath downtown’s neon Coca-Cola sign, in the historic Olympia Building (formerly home to Walgreen’s), there is now, remarkably, a grocery store. The City of Atlanta, Savi Provisions, and other organizations teamed up to address the food desert surrounding the corner of Peachtree and Decatur streets. The store, which carries staples as well as specialty items, was designed by a team of 60 SCAD Atlanta students. Best Brooklyn Expansion: Laghman Express With its first location outside of Brooklyn landing in Alpharetta, Laghman Express cooks Central Asian dishes that pack a flavorful punch, from the hand-pulled noodles drenched in a peppery broth to the fried dumplings steeped in spices. Expect a table overflowing with pillowy breads and tender, smoky meats within minutes of sitting down for dinner. Kooky Italian Market: Cucina Baci With totem poles in the corner and an old hearse parked outside its Buckhead location, this hidden restaurant, wine bar, and shop sure is eclectic, but that’s what makes it charming. Alongside jarred sauces and packaged spices on market shelves are dish soap and diapers! With paninis and pizzas, salads and charcuterie, the menu is extensive, but the eggplant parm panini is a highlight. Woodfired wonders at StaplehousePhotograph by Wedig Laxton Best Woodfired Pizza: Staplehouse In Atlanta’s neo-Neapolitan pizza scene, no one does new old-school pies better than Staplehouse. Thursday through Sunday at the market-style Edgewood affair, chefs Ryan Smith and Jake Pollitz apply their fine-dining loyalism to the simplicity of woodfired sourdough pizza. Their pepperoni, margherita, Calabrian, and rotating seasonal pies sing arias in your mouth. Ever-Fresh Take on a Defining Dish: Miller Union’s Seasonal Vegetable Plate It may be a fixture on the menu, but Miller Union’s vegetable plate—simply a compilation of whatever five sides chef de cuisine Jay Felton has on hand—delights anew on each visit. This fall, we loved the succotash, especially with the butter beans swapped for seasonal field peas; it was creamy and rich, topped with perfectly tart fig jam. Best Reinvention: Communidad Taqueria When Highland Bakery’s original location closed after 20 years in Old Fourth Ward, Atlantans wondered what would take its place. Communidad Taqueria filled the space with vibrant folk art and serves tacos on house-made tortillas alongside margaritas. It keeps the Highland spirit alive and proves that you can’t erase community, but you can reinvent it. Best Fried-Chicken Sandwich: How Crispy Express Nothing about Summerhill restaurant How Crispy Express follows convention, from its signage (“Home of the Sandwich”) to chef Will Silbernagel’s mission to revamp the traditional fried-chicken sandwich—in the town it was said to be invented in. Go for the smoky, sweet, sparkly Honey Boi (dark meat, thanks), the new definition of flavor in Atlanta. pasta and prosciutto on the beltline patio of Yeppa Co.Photograph by Martha Williams Best Patio to Pretend You’re in Italy: Yeppa on the Beltline Yeppa’s sunny patio along the Beltline in Old Fourth Ward channels Italian Riviera energy with spritzes, focaccia pizza, and breezy service. From the team behind Storico Fresco, it’s the spot to linger over pasta and pretend Atlanta’s Eastside Trail is the Ligurian coast. Nonna DoraPhotograph by Martha Williams Best Pasta OTP: Nonna Dora Named for chef-owner Patrizio Alaia’s nonna, the small but chic Sandy Springs spot serves zero-fuss, heritage Italian food. The menu is simple, each dish built with the best ingredients and old-school technique. Begin with meatballs, share a salad, delight in fork twists of house-made pasta, and save room for tiramisu or cannoli. Best Southern High Tea: Southern Belle At Southern Belle in Poncey-Highland, afternoon tea gets a Southern makeover the second Sunday of the month. Here, tea fare like scones and clotted cream is served alongside Southern treats like pimento cheese sandwiches and biscuits. It’s a genteel ritual, Atlanta style. Best New Outpost: Delbar Buckhead Delbar’s new location at Peachtree and West Paces Ferry roads proves that the team has mastered the blueprint. The architecture, decor, and overall aesthetic keep the dining rooms buzzing seven days a week, but great food remains the priority. We must encourage an order of Adas Polo, crispy Persian rice with currants, lentils, saffron, and fried onions. It’s equal parts sweet, savory, and buttery. Best Multihyphenate Brunch: Minhwa Spirits At Minhwa Spirits in Doraville, expect to be wowed by its collaborative menu. The shop’s permanent partner, Postern Coffee, adds creative concoctions to Minhwa’s modern Korean menu. Go for weekend brunch to try the bacon, egg, kimchi, and cheese sandwich on homemade milk bread, and get the coconut ube latte to boot. Kinship ButcherPhotograph by Dave Crawford The Apex of Chefs’ Dinner Series Some of the real action in Atlanta’s restaurant scene happens on usually closed evenings, at small countertops, and with guest chef collaboration. Chefs’ dinner series are having a moment. The whole appeal is up-close, personal intimacy with the cook. These chef dinners swing hard, too: Bless Their Hearts dinner series is a full-house takeover at Southern Belle in Poncey-Highland where a roster of diverse chefs create dishes across a range of styles; hosting chef Joey Ward exhibits his mad-genius artistry with dishes such as his ode to Georgia pollen spring salad. At Lucky Star in West Midtown, chef Jason Liang and beverage director Kirk Gibson pair dainty cocktails with spoonfuls of Taiwanese food with a theme. The appeal of these curated experiences is less about serving food and more about delivering a tight, intentional show—for example, pulling that omakase energy from Japan and dropping it right onto the Atlanta cutting board. From a chef counter called Sandbar at Fawn in Decatur, chefs Terry Koval and Kyle Campisi slide forth Italian-inspired seafood dishes with local ingredients like Tybee Island oysters with a cloudlike salsify espuma (airy foam). At Virginia-Highland’s Kin—the candlelit dinner at Kinship Butcher—there are four seats for 12 courses pairing peak-season ingredients in dishes such as Georgia royal red shrimp with fermented strawberry. Bovino After Dark’s dinner party in the West End is an exclusive bash, with caviar bumps, five courses, and oyster add-ons. At various venues, notably Auburn Angel in the Sweet Auburn District, The New South dinner series spotlights Atlanta’s top-tier Black chefs serving up storytelling and identity through bowls of local mushroom djon djon, a Haitian rice dish colored with squid ink, and much more. And it goes beyond food to education in the Ceviche Sessions at Tio Lucho’s, where once a month, chef Arnaldo Castillo breaks down the catch of the day into multiple courses at his Poncey-Highland restaurant. —Angela Hansberger Best New Japanese: Ryokou Adair Park’s Ryokou delivers a refined, modern omakase that balances creativity and restraint. Chef Paul Gutting spotlights pristine seafood, A5 wagyu, and seasonal dishes in an intimate space that’s serious and cool. It’s one of the most interesting Japanese restaurants to open this year, and the dining experience is educational, too, with explanations of ingredients and their origins, insight on their cultural significance, and notes on preparation.   Best New Swanky Steakhouse: Il Premio Housed in the new Forth Hotel, Il Premio redefines the Atlanta steakhouse with Italian elegance. Think house-made pasta, exceptional cuts of beef, and impeccable service. Warm lighting and rich decorative touches set the stage for indulgent dinners that make you feel you’re in New York rather than Old Fourth Ward. See all Best of Atlanta 2025 winners Drink Do Buy Readers’ Choice This article appears in our December 2025 issue. The post Best of Atlanta 2025: Eat appeared first on Atlanta Magazine. ...read more read less