Atlanta's polished northern district. Atlas at the St. Regis holds the Michelin star, Bones runs the city's classic steakhouse, Buckhead Village hosts the new wave.
Chef Christopher Grossman's St Regis Buckhead room in Atlanta opened 2015 and holds a Michelin Star since 2023 with a tasting menu and a wall of Impressionist art.
Signature: Tasting menu, Foie gras course
Order: The seasonal tasting menu, paired with the wine list at the bar.
Tip: The art collection is the secondary draw: Picasso, Chagall and Warhol line the dining room. Reservations on the St Regis site.
Bones steakhouse in Buckhead, Atlanta opened 1979 and remains the city's classic white-tablecloth chophouse, with dry-aged steaks and Wine Spectator Grand Award wine list.
Signature: Bone-in ribeye, Lobster Savannah
Order: The dry-aged bone-in ribeye, with the Lobster Savannah as the seafood add.
Tip: Dress code: jackets preferred. Mondays through Saturdays; closed Sundays. Reservations a week ahead on OpenTable.
Chef Gerry Klaskala's Buckhead institution in Atlanta opened 2000 and runs a slow-cooked New American menu of braised meats and seasonal plates. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Signature: Braised short rib, Tasting menu
Order: The slow-braised short rib; the chef's tasting on Friday and Saturday.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable; the lounge bar takes walk-ins with the full menu.
Chef Linton Hopkins' Peachtree Road room in Buckhead, Atlanta opened 2004 and runs a refined Southern tasting menu with farm-driven cooking. James Beard Best Chef Southeast 2012.
Signature: Tasting menu, Heirloom grains
Order: The seasonal tasting menu with the Anne Quatrano grain pairings.
Tip: Reservations on Resy. Holeman and Finch Public House, next door, is the casual sibling; their burger is the cult spillover.
Umi in Buckhead's Charles H. Candler building, Atlanta runs a modern Japanese kitchen with sushi, robata and wagyu service since 2013. Long the city's polished sushi destination.
Signature: Sushi, Wagyu, Black cod
Order: Sushi omakase at the counter; the miso black cod from the kitchen.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable. Dress smart casual; the room runs Buckhead-elegant.
Chef Christopher Grossman's St. Regis Buckhead room in Atlanta opened 2015 and holds a Michelin Star since 2023. The room hangs Picasso, Chagall and Warhol.
Order: The seasonal tasting menu with the wine pairing.
Tip: The Picasso, Chagall and Warhol on the walls are the secondary draw; ask the maitre d for the art tour.
Bones steakhouse in Buckhead, Atlanta opened 1979 and remains the city's classic white-tablecloth chophouse with Wine Spectator Grand Award wine list and dry-aged beef.
Order: The dry-aged bone-in ribeye plus the Lobster Savannah seafood supplement.
Tip: Jackets preferred. Closed Sundays. Reservations a week ahead on OpenTable; the bar takes walk-ins with the full menu.
Chef Gerry Klaskala's Buckhead institution in Atlanta opened 2000 and runs a slow-cooked New American menu of braised meats and seasonal plates. Closed Sundays.
Order: The slow-braised short rib; the chef's tasting on Fridays and Saturdays.
Tip: The lounge bar takes walk-ins with the full menu; OpenTable for reservations.
Chef Linton Hopkins' Peachtree Road room in Buckhead, Atlanta opened 2004 and runs a refined Southern tasting menu. James Beard Best Chef Southeast 2012.
Order: The seasonal tasting menu with grain courses from Anson Mills.
Tip: Holeman and Finch Public House, next door, is the casual sibling; their burger is the cult spillover.
Chef Fuyuhiko Ito's modern Japanese counter in Buckhead, Atlanta opened 2013 with sushi, robata and wagyu. Long the city's polished sushi destination before Mujo arrived.
Order: Sushi omakase at the counter; the miso black cod from the kitchen.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable. Dress smart casual; the room runs Buckhead-elegant.
Heirloom Market BBQ in Atlanta merges Korean and Southern BBQ since 2010: gochujang-marinated pulled pork, brisket and the Korean pork sandwich on a steamed bun.
Signature: Korean pork sandwich, Spicy Korean pork, Brisket
Order: The Spicy Korean Pork sandwich; the brisket Brunswick stew is the secondary play.
Tip: Cash and card. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Get there early; the brisket runs out by 14:00 most weekends.
Jennifer Levison's Souper Jenny on East Andrews Drive in Buckhead, Atlanta opened 2002 with daily-changing scratch soups, salads and sandwiches at a lunch-only counter.
Signature: Daily soups, Sandwiches
Order: Two daily soups served sample-style and half a sandwich.
Tip: Lunch only Monday to Saturday. Order ahead online; the line moves fast.
Brash Coffee's Buckhead location in Atlanta opened 2018 with a precise espresso programme and house-roasted beans. The flat white is the most polished pour in the city.
Signature drink: Espresso macchiato
Tip: Limited seating; built for grab-and-go. The Westside Paper location keeps the same standards with more tables.
Linton Hopkins' Holeman and Finch Bread bakery in Buckhead, Atlanta runs naturally leavened sourdough, viennoiserie and a pastry programme attached to Restaurant Eugene.
Tip: Wholesale-leaning; the public retail counter runs Wed to Sat. Phone ahead for whole loaves on Friday and Saturday morning.
Worth the queue: Country sourdough loaf
Henri's Bakery in Buckhead, Atlanta has run since 1929 with French pastries, European cakes and the po'boy sandwich that became the cult lunch order.
Tip: The po'boy with daily-baked French roll is the order; cakes book ahead for celebrations. Counter ordering.
Worth the queue: Po'boy sandwich
Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop in Buckhead, Atlanta runs Southern pies daily: pecan, sweet potato, key lime and the cult I Love You Pie (sweet potato custard topped with cinnamon).
Tip: Reserve whole pies 48 hours ahead for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The signature 'I Love You Pie' is the year-round favourite.
Worth the queue: I Love You Pie (sweet potato custard)
Brash Coffee in Atlanta roasts in-house since 2018 with a tight single-origin menu. The Buckhead and Westside Paper cafes share a meticulous espresso programme.
Tip: Whole bean retail at both cafes. The flat white is the most precise in the city. Roasted weekly on Tuesdays.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala
How they serve: Espresso, Pourover, Whole bean retail
The Painted Pin in Buckhead, Atlanta runs an upscale bowling alley with a wine bar pouring Old World and growers' Champagne since 2014. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
Signature pour: Daily by-the-glass selection
Wine focus: Old World, growers' Champagne
Food: Snacks and pizza
Tip: The wine bar is the under-the-radar part; bowlers fill the lanes after 19:00. Reservations on Resy; book bar seats specifically.
Le Bon Nosh in Buckhead, Atlanta opened 2020 as an all-day French cafe with a serious wine programme that converts to a dinner room. Biodynamic and natural French focus.
Signature pour: Loire reds by the glass
Wine focus: French, biodynamic
Food: All-day European cafe and dinner
Tip: Walk-ins welcome at the bar all day; dinner reservations on Resy. The Loire programme is the most polished in town.
Blind Pig Parlour Bar in Buckhead, Atlanta runs a speakeasy with cold-pour cocktails and a 1920s aesthetic. Hidden entrance behind a private-club door on Roswell Road.
Signature drink: Classic cocktails
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: Reservations on Tock; no walk-ins on weekends. Password posted on the website each week; ID required at the door.
Souper Jenny in Atlanta's Buckhead cooks six soups a day under $14: chicken tortilla, the dad's turkey chili, plus daily-changing seasonal sides.
Try: Daily-changing soups, sandwiches, salads
Tip: Chicken tortilla soup is the default. Servers are local theatre actors; you get a show with the cup.
Toast on Lenox is Atlanta's high-glam Buckhead brunch destination: lobster sweet potato waffles, Biscoff french toast, gold-and-green dining room.
Order: Lobster sweet potato waffles and the Biscoff french toast.
Tip: Black-owned, woman-owned Buckhead room; reserve a week ahead for Sunday brunch or expect a 45-minute wait.
Landmark Diner in Atlanta's Buckhead has run a 24/7 New York diner menu since 1994: pancakes, Greek classics, milkshakes, a side comedy lounge.
Try: Pancake stacks, Greek omelettes, 24-hour breakfast
Tip: Full bar runs until 02:00; after that it's coffee and pancakes. Comedy in the side lounge Wed-Sat evenings.
Bucket Shop Cafe in Atlanta's Buckhead has poured the late shift since 1982: lemon pepper wings, burgers, draft beer until 03:00 most nights.
Try: Lemon pepper wings, burgers, draft beer
Tip: Holding down Buckhead's late-night since 1982. Kitchen runs to 02:30; the bar carries the last half-hour.
Velvet Taco in Atlanta's Buckhead stays open until 03:00 on weekends: globally inspired tacos, weekly specials, a take-it-down-the-block walk-up window.
Try: Globally inspired tacos, rotating weekly special
Tip: Order the weekly Taco of the Week board; it's a one-week-only menu pull, often the best thing in the building.