The chef team (who helped put One Flew South on the map) made their grand return to Atlanta with Southern National, which joins a collection of new shops and restaurants in the historic Summerhill community. The kitchen blends the nostalgia of soul staples with enjoyable newness like the field peas that get a salty-sweet assist from miso sauce. While you get the same caramelly flavors of yams, their loaded sweet potato takes an exciting turn with ground lamb and creamy curry yogurt.

Local Green, which sits on the edge of West End in Vine City, is leading the health movement in a food desert. The small, brightly colored space has only a few tables, so it mostly functions as a takeout spot. We love showing our appreciation for early 2000s Georgia rappers with the Bubba Sparxxx, packed with tangy BBQ jackfruit that pulls off the consistency of pulled pork. We also dig the salmon sliders, which are enhanced by a slightly sweet bun and citrusy herbal sauce.

If you enjoyed Bomb Biscuit back when it was a pop-up or delivery service, you’re probably ecstatic it found a full-time home on Highland Ave. A butter-colored space with tables at the front and a covered patio in the back, Bomb Biscuit works for breakfast, lunch, or that awkward stretch between appointments. (Just remember that they’re closed Monday-Tuesday.) Whatever the time, the buttermilk biscuits will be light and flaky, and meats will be amazing.

With two Gocha Breakfast Bars, a tapas spot, and a Midtown hair salon, it’s clear that celeb hairstylist and restaurateur Gocha Hawkins has plenty of drive. You'll need to channel some of that same vigor to beat the weekend crowds down to her popular diners. But it’s not that we wouldn’t wait at the Cascade location for delicious gulf shrimp and flounder over jalapeño grits. We’d just rather eat the dish than be stuck dreaming about it in a line outside.

Opened in the late ’40s and a safe space for Dr. King in the ’60s, this undisputed ATL icon near the AUC has been run by the Gates family since the early ’80s. Over that time, there have been a few recurring rumbles about Busy Bee. The (closed-until-further-notice) dining room is too tight. The Saturday take-out line does stretch to Conyers. Yes, your bill will run $50 for two people. Still, no matter how many times we’ve complained under our breath we’ve never left unhappy.

Running things in the airport since 2008, the Asian and Southern fusion restaurant has long had people reconfiguring their flight schedules for a taste of their internationally-famous dishes. Their new location on the BeltLine gives Atlantans a pass (without a boarding pass) to pop in for their popular sushi rolls, cold noodle salad, and first-class service and to swap the luggage-wielding Hartsfield travelers for the rollerbladers whipping by on the trail outside.

Opened in 2020 by two Morris Brown College alums, Breakfast At Barney’s quickly became the city’s premier brunch haunt. All-day breakfast options coupled with an upbeat day club vibe proved irresistible. But it’s really the menu of palate-pleasing items, which range from buttery, gold leaf-dressed pancakes to the barbecue salmon, that seal the deal.

Atlanta has its share of celebrity chef-driven restaurants. If you’re looking to impress a tourist with the city’s southern soul, head to LowCountry Steak from Chef G. Garvin (a born-and-bred Atlantan). The upscale Midtown restaurant gives you all the steakhouse favorites in addition to regional classics like Georgia shrimp and grits. These well-seasoned, creamy grits should serve as the definitive gospel, converting non-believers to grit fans one order at a time.

Twisted Soul in West Midtown is the first restaurant brainchild from acclaimed Atlanta chef Deborah VanTrece, who fuses soul food classics with International flavors. We like to think of VanTrece like that wedding DJ who has an affinity for mixing those crowd-favorite soul tunes with interesting genres. Who knew Anita Baker and Imagine Dragons meshed well together? She did, and apparently also knew her hoisin-glazed oxtails or fried chicken with sweet potato chutney would hit the spot.

After the success of their College Park eateries (Virgil’s and Breakfast Boys), restaurateurs and power couple Juan and Gee Smalls opened their second Virgil’s location in West Midtown. Inspired by Gee’s Gullah Geechee roots, the menu celebrates the coastal Carolina/Georgia culture with highly-seasoned dishes like she-crab soup and shrimp and grits. Aside from the food, which we really like, their West Midtown patio is the perfect post-work retreat to unwind.