One great part of being in Atlanta is that you don’t have to break the bank to find an excellent meal. Fortunately, this city offers a good number of restaurants where visitors can find a unique, quality meal for less than the price of (shudder) a chain restaurant.This reviewer's best recommendations are listed below by neighborhood.
Top Picks
Nuevo Laredo www.nuevolaredocantina.com
Noni’s www.nonisdeli.com
Las Palmeras - 368 5th St NE
Taqueria del Sol www.taqueriadelsol.com
Fox Brothers www.foxbrosbbq.com
The Westside
Nuevo Laredo – This wildy popular Mexican place is a little out of the way but draws huge crowds. My favorite cheap eats include the fresh salsa, rich pollo mole and tacos con carne asada or brisket. Don’t be daunted by the crowd, as the line moves quickly and it’s nice to enjoy chips and a margarita on the patio as you wait. www.nuevolaredocantina.com
Taqueria del Sol - A more modern, Americanized take on the taqueria features delicious fried chicken tacos, Memphis tacos, and rich enchiladas. You order at the counter, then take your seat and the food is brought to you. www.taqueriadelsol.com
West Egg – Perfect for that late breakfast, this quirky café offers a comfortable living room are for you to enjoy a coffee while you wait. The menus features traditional breakfast food with a stylish and southern twist. West Egg also has a small bakery, where you can pick up a cupcake (think Coca-Cola, hummingbird, red velvet), cookie or muffin to go. www.westeggcafe.com
Toscano & Sons – This new Italian deli is known for its paninis and is a great addition to the Westside development. It also has a small market area for gourmet food www.toscanoandsons.com
Flip – this burger boutique by Top Chef star Richard Blais delivers inventive, perfectly executed burgers, sides, and of course liquid nitrogen milkshakes. It’s not all concept, as the food is absolutely delicious. Just get there early, and be prepared for a long, long wait as the crowds can get overwhelming www.flipburgerboutique.com
Carver’s – Expect to find huge portions of southern cooking just like your grandmother used to make, if you were so fortunate as to have a such a grandmother. This is a traditional meat and four type place that excels in two key areas – fried chicken and banana pudding. This is a small converted gas station, and the seating is community. It ain’t fancy, and it ain’t healthy, but it’s delicious. http://www.carverscountrycooking.com/
Star Provisions – this sandwich shop and gourmet takeaway is by the team behind Bacchanalia, some of Atlanta ’s most renowned chefs. On one side is an adorable market featuring home goods, and the other has a sandwich and takeaway counter, as well as well-chosen wines and candy. Recommended: the prosciutto sandwich and divine cupcakes. www.starprovisions.com
Six Feet Under - This restaurant features fish camp type food – lots of baskets of fried seafood, oysters, low country boils. What the food lacks in execution is made up for by the rooftop deck’s stunning views of the city. Go for the atmosphere, but the food is not bad. www.sixfeetunderatlanta.com
Fellini’s – This Atlanta institution has quality, no-frills pizza and calzones at a good price. The crust is thin but chewy, and the topping always fresh. www.fellinisatlanta.com
Willy’s - If you meet someone fromAtlanta who hasn’t been to Willy’s, they’re not from Atlanta . These ubiquitous Cali-style burrito places dot the city and are crowded for a reason. They offer cheap burritos, tacos, quesadilla and nachos to eat there or to go at a good price. The ingredients are good quality, and the staff always efficient and friendly. www.willys.com
Figo Pasta – One wouldn't say that this is the best pasta in town , or that it is even the best of the cheap Italian eats. (See Noni’s for that distinction) However, Figo offers fine pasta with a huge selection of sauces and meats, and wonderful salads. It’s fresh and fast, and you can find one in almost every neighborhood. This is a great place to take kids, and the atmosphere is fun and modern, yet cozy. www.figopasta.com
Bocado features a number of excellent sandwiches in the $10 range. This new restaurant is stylish and modern, and in a happening newly refurbished neighborhood. www.bocadoatlanta.com
Decatur
Tacqueria del Sol (see above)
El Tesoro - This Mexican restaurant in a converted older house features street food like tacos along with a great margarita & tequila selection. It’s perfect for kids as well as it has a fenced in yard with play equipment, as well as a big patio and yard for adults to enjoy a beverage as they wait for their table. www.eltesorodecatur.com
Raging Burrito & Taco – a better version of your typical So-Cal burrito joint, this place is always happening. www.ragingburrito.com
Cabbagetown/Edgewood/Old 4th Ward
Noni’s – This reviewer can’t say enough good things about this gem on Edgewood , just east of downtown. The interiors are beautifully restored with lots of wood and an eclectic vibe, but the real stars are the friendly, knowledgeable staff and the food. The menu features simple, well-prepared Italian sandwiches and pasta, and the best, most garlicky fries in Atlanta . The bar picks up as the night progresses, so this is a good place to spend the whole evening. www.nonisdeli.com
Little’s Cabbagetown Market – This old country store in the middle of Cabbagetown’s row houses feels like a step back in time. It’s been featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and its bahn mi and Cuban sandwiches are to die for. www.cabbagetownmarket.com
Nick’s Food to Go – This Greek restaurant is a favorite among local chefs. You’ll want to get your food and get out of Dodge, as the building and surrounding area are on the seedy side. 240 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive S.W
Ria’s Bluebird – this eclectic café near Oakland Cemetery has a broad menu www.riasbluebird.com
Six Feet Under (see above) www.sixfeetunderatlanta.com
Figo Pasta (see above)
Sun in My Belly - www.suninmybelly.com
Midtown
Las Palmeras - This tiny neighborhood restaurant is a good place to take a family, or to meet friends, as it has a very casual but lively atmosphere. Recommended: the pollo frito (but get there early as sometimes it sells out), with moros (black beans and rice) and plantains. The chicken is juicy and crispy, topped with marinated onions that add an amazing zing. Las Palmeras is inexpensive, and has a good variety of less expensive wines too. The patio is a charming place to pass a nice evening, and the service is always friendly.
368 5th St NE
Atlanta , GA 30308-2072
(404) 872-0846
Eats – This pasta and jerk chicken joint is one of those Atlanta institutions for which this reviewer has never developed an affinity. But, it’s cheap and extremely popular, so obviously ours is a minority view. www.eatsonponce.net
Metrofresh – There’s no razzle-dazzle here, but Metrofresh offers high quality, fresh soups, sandwiches and salads from its Midtown Promenade location. Don’t go out of your way to get there, but if you’re in the area it’s a good find. www.metrofreshatl.com
Zesto – the best fast food option in Atlanta , Zesto has good burgers, chicken fingers, burritos, and many ice cream offerings, including the delightful nut brown crown. www.zestoatlanta.com
Varsity – one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city, this drive-in offers a glimpse into Atlanta history. There are those who love the food, and those who despise its greasy offerings, but it’s once of those places you can’t leave Atlanta without experiencing. www.thevarsity.com
Fresh 2 Order – F2O offers large portions of fresh, inventive soups, sandwiches, salads and entrees in a modern, casual environment. It’s good for take-out of dine-in. www.fresh2order.com
Vortex – An Atlanta staple, the Vortex serves up one of the best burgers in town in a dive bar atmosphere that’s unmatched. If you have one burger in Atlanta , have it here. www.thevortexbarandgrill.com
Fellini’s (see above)
Flying Biscuit – this once-eclectic restaurant serves all day but specializes in breakfast. It was bought out by a larger chain a few years ago, and it shows. Stick with the Candler Park location if you want the real deal. www.flyingbiscuit.com
Willy’s (see above)
The Highlander – some of the best bar food in Atlanta , along with a revolving menu of daily specials. It’s smoky and a tad seedy, but the prices and beer selection are good. www.thehighlanderatlanta.com
Fatt Matt’s Rib Shack – Many Atlantans swear by this BBQ and blues restaurant, which frequently features live music. It’s small, and you may have to wait for a table, but it’s worth it. If you get tired of waiting, there’s always Fatt Matt’s Chicken and Fish next door. www.fatmattsribshack.com
East Atlanta
Holy Taco – the lastest offering in the taco craze that’s hit Atlanta , this is probably the best. It has an airy, cool atmosphere packed with East Atlanta hipsters and specializes in Mexican street food. The elote (grilled corn) is a must. www.holy-taco.com
The EARL – This is the only place in Atlanta whose burger rivals that of the Vortex, and often it comes out ahead, if only because it has such wonderful sides including fried okra. It’s smoky with an eclectic crowd, a great place to see live music. www.badearl.com
Virginia Highland/Highland Ave
Osteria 832 – This casual yet stylish pizza/pasta/grill is popular with families and locals. The food is well-prepared, and a cut above the standard pizza joint. The wine selection is affordable, and the patio is perfect for people-watching. www.osteria832.com
Righteous Room – This small, narrow bar is another great choice for bar food
1051 Ponce De Leon Ave
NE
Atlanta , GA 30306-4219
(404) 874-0939
Doc Chey’s – this noodle shop has a more Americanized version of the typical noodle bowls, but people flock to this comfortable, modern café for an inexpensive meal. It’s a great place to take kids as well. www.doccheys.com (Emory location as well)
Highland Bakery – a popular bakery and café. Be prepared for lines on weekends. www.highlandbakery.com
Figo Pasta (see above)
Original El Taco – yet another taqueria, this restaurant makes up in atmosphere for what it loses in its pedestrian take on street food. The food is good, but not remarkable, but the staff is friendly and the atmosphere is vibrant, quirky and fun. www.eltaco-atlanta.com
Sandy Springs/Dunwoody
Little European Bakery – this Sandy Springs bakery and sandwich shop has been through many incarnations and still shines. Its breads and confections are divine, and this reviewer hasn’t found a better deli sandwich in town. www.littleeuropeanbakery.com
Fresh 2 Order (see above)
Fellini’s (see above)
Willy’s (see above)
Figo Pasta (see above)
Roaster’s – features rotisserie chicken and other roasted and grilled meats with fresh southern-style vegetables. www.roastersfresh.com
Henri’s – this old bakery is a Buckhead landmark www.henrisbakery.com
Souper Jenny – recommended for lunch, featuring soups and sandwiches www.souperjennyatl.com
Fellini’s (see above)
Willy’s (see above)
Downtown
Rosa ’s – authentic New York style pizza www.rosaspizza.net
Willy’s (see above)
Little Five Points/Candler Park
Savage Pizza – good ingredients make for a good pizza in this eclectic joint www.savagepizza.com
Radial Café – great for a big, southern breakfast in this updated café that’s more than just a greasy spoon www.radial.us
The Brewhouse – the city’s best people-watching and solid, English pub-style bar food make this a popular spot, especially when there’s a soccer match going on. Can’t miss: the Painkiller – the one cocktail that will see you through to the other side of your hangover. www.brewhousecafe.com
Fox Brothers – while there are as many opinions on bbq as there are bbq joints, Fox Brothers consistently and deservedly lands at the top of the list. www.foxbrosbbq.com
Zesto(see above)
Vortex(see above)
Fellini’s(see above)
Flying Biscuit(see above)
Oakhurst
Universal Joint – offers a popular patio with decent food. Not worth a trip out of your way but if you’re in the area, stop by. www.ujointbar.com
Finally, Buford Highway in Atlanta has a diverse array of restaurants from many ethnicities, at very reasonable prices. Hae Woon Dae is popular for Korean BBQ and Panang for Malaysian food. If you are interested in getting a little off the beaten path, with a little research on your part Buford Highway is the place to go.