40 editor picks in Atlanta.
40 cheap eats places in Atlanta, editor-picked. the best low-budget spots in Atlanta: the places editors actually return to. All Atlanta food.
Linton Hopkins' Holeman and Finch Bread bakery in Buckhead, Atlanta runs naturally leavened sourdough, viennoiserie and a pastry programme attached.
TipWholesale-leaning; the public retail counter runs Wed to Sat. Phone ahead for whole loaves on Friday and Saturday morning.
Sarah Dodge's Little Tart Bakeshop in Atlanta opened 2010 and runs a French-leaning pastry programme with bostocks, kouign-amann and naturally leavened bread.
TipKrog Street Market and Decatur sister stalls run the same morning bake. The bostock with bitter orange marmalade is the move.
The General Muir at Emory Point in Atlanta opened 2013 with hand-rolled, kettle-boiled New York bagels and a full Jewish deli menu under chef Todd Ginsberg.
TipBagels often sell out by 13:00. Reuben and pastrami sandwiches anchor the lunch counter. Buckhead sister location runs same hours.
Lee's Bakery on Atlanta's Buford Highway runs the city's most-argued banh mi: BBQ pork combo for $6, coconut bubble tea, generous portions. Family-friendly.
OrderVietnamese banh mi sandwich
TipOrder the BBQ pork combo with a coconut bubble tea. Cash works fastest at the counter.
LanZhou Ramen on Atlanta's Buford Highway hand-pulls noodles to order: classic Lanzhou beef noodle soup, knife-cut variations, Michelin recognition.
OrderHand-pulled noodles in beef broth
TipWatch the noodle-puller through the window. Order the classic Lanzhou beef noodle soup; it's why the line exists.
Alon Balshan's bakery in Morningside, Atlanta opened 1992 and runs European-style breads, viennoiserie and a prepared-foods counter. Booking recommended.
TipThe almond croissant is the canonical morning order. Prepared-foods counter does Friday-night roast chicken and sides.
Brash Coffee's Buckhead location in Atlanta opened 2018 with a precise espresso programme and house-roasted beans. Order the espresso macchiato.
TipLimited seating; built for grab-and-go. The Westside Paper location keeps the same standards with more tables.
PERC Coffee opened the Virginia Highland cafe in 2021 with its in-house Savannah-roasted beans, a custom pink espresso machine and a precise pourover bar.
TipOpen 07:00-18:00 daily. Whole bean retail; ask staff about the seasonal single-origins coming off the Probat.
Bellwood Coffee in East Atlanta Village, Atlanta runs a third-wave cafe inside The Victorian plant shop with house-roasted beans, espresso. Family-friendly.
TipOpen 07:00 weekdays, 08:00 weekends. Limited counter seating; the shared plant-shop space is the move on weekday mornings.
El Rey del Taco in Doraville, Atlanta runs Mexican tacos, tortas and aguas frescas out of a 24-hour Buford Highway counter since 2002. Open daily 09:00-02:00.
OrderTacos al pastor
TipTacos al pastor with a side of grilled onions is the canonical first order. The horchata is fresh-made daily.
Eddie Hernandez's Taqueria del Sol in Atlanta runs Southern-Mexican tacos and chiles rellenos at counter speeds. The West Midtown location opened 2003.
OrderTacos and chiles rellenos
TipThe fried-chicken taco with peach salsa and the chiles rellenos with corn pudding are the cult orders. Counter ordering; no reservations.
Mamak in Doraville, Atlanta runs Malaysian-Chinese street food inside Asian Square on Buford Highway: nasi lemak, roti canai, curry laksa and Hainanese.
OrderNasi lemak and roti canai
TipClosed Thursdays. The roti canai with curry dip and the nasi lemak are the canonical first orders; weekend lunches fill fast.
Lee's Bakery on Buford Highway in Atlanta runs Vietnamese banh mi and pastries since 1996. The $6 banh mi remains one of the city's best food values.
OrderBanh mi
TipCash and card. The classic banh mi dac biet (special sandwich) with pate and cold cuts is the move; baguettes baked in-house daily.
Quoc Huong Banh Mi on Atlanta's Buford Highway sells ten varieties at $5 each: grilled pork, combo, vegetarian, all on house-baked airy baguette.
OrderVietnamese banh mi, 10 varieties
TipCash only and closed Thursdays. The grilled pork is the most-ordered; the combo loads on three meats.
Buena Gente Cuban Bakery in Decatur presses real Cuban sandwiches for $14: lechon in housemade mojo, $5 croquetas and guava pastelitos to start.
OrderCuban sandwiches, croquetas, guava pastelitos
TipSandwiches start at 11:00 only; before then it's pastries and Cuban coffee. Closed Mon-Wed.
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.
TipThe po'boy with daily-baked French roll is the order; cakes book ahead for celebrations. Counter ordering.
Five Daughters Bakery at Ponce City Market in Atlanta runs the Hundred Layer Doughnut, a three-day fusion of croissant and doughnut with 144 buttery layers.
TipTop items often sell out by mid-morning Saturday. The classic Hundred Layer Doughnut is the marquee order; rotating seasonal fillings change weekly.
Grant Park Coffeehouse on Georgia Avenue in Atlanta runs a neighbourhood cafe with Ethiopian-sourced beans, breakfast plates and a wide work-friendly room.
TipFree WiFi and study rooms. The patio is pet-friendly; opens at 07:00 weekdays, 08:00 Sunday.
Spiller Park Coffee at Ponce City Market in Atlanta opened 2016 from a partnership including chef Hugh Acheson. The honey latte is the cult order.
TipCounter ordering. The Toco Hills cafe has more seating; PCM runs the food-hall foot traffic. Try the Toco Hill beans for retail.
Chrome Yellow Trading on Edgewood Avenue in Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta runs a third-wave espresso bar paired with a shortlisted goods shop in a renovated 1923.
TipTight space; counter and one communal table. Good for solo work in mornings, less so at peak weekend hours.
East Pole Coffee in Morningside, Atlanta roasts its own beans and runs a third-wave cafe with espresso, pourover and a small pastry programme since 2017.
TipWork-friendly mornings before 11:00; weekend service runs busier. Beans sold for retail.
The Reading Room in downtown Decatur, Atlanta opened 2024 as a writer's-nook coffee shop and afternoon wine bar with drip coffee, matcha and an afternoon.
TipFree WiFi and a bookish ambiance built for laptop work. Wine service kicks in late afternoon; sandwiches and pastries through the day.
Reuben's Deli on Broad Street in downtown Atlanta has run a NY-style counter since 1986: pastrami reubens, the Atlanta Dog with chili and slaw.
OrderAtlanta dog and pastrami reuben
TipYell your order from the doorway; only eight tables. Closed Sunday. The pastrami reuben is the first-timer order; ask staff about the secret-menu Old Tuesday.
Hankook Taqueria on Atlanta's Westside puts Korean BBQ inside taco shells: tongdak crispy chicken with spicy aioli, lettuce, Monterey Jack under $14.
OrderKorean-Mexican fusion tacos and burritos
TipTongdak crispy chicken tacos are the move; ask for extra spicy aioli. Closed Sundays.
Belen de la Cruz in Atlanta's Westside bakes Argentinian empanadas for $3.80 each: beef, chicken, vegetarian, gluten-free, plus dulce de leche pastries.
OrderArgentinian empanadas
TipThree empanadas plus a dulce de leche pastel makes a $15 lunch. The chimichurri travels well in a takeaway tub.
El Taco Veloz on Buford Highway in Doraville, Atlanta has run a 24-hour taqueria since 1991 with al pastor, carne asada and lengua on hand-pressed corn.
OrderThree al pastor tacos and a Mexican Coke. Lengua tacos for the adventurous order.
TipOpen 24 hours; the late-night hot sauce bar runs five salsas. The Cobb Parkway and Roswell locations close earlier than Doraville.
Southern Baked Pie Company in Buckhead, Atlanta runs Amanda Wilbanks's Gainesville-born pie line from a chic Peachtree counter: caramel pecan.
TipReserve whole pies 48 hours ahead for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The caramel pecan and original buttermilk are the year-round picks.
Condesa Coffee in Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta runs a third-wave cafe with Counter Culture beans, breakfast burritos and a wide work-friendly room.
TipPatio is dog-friendly. Brunch service runs Saturday and Sunday with the cult breakfast burrito.
Muchacho on the Beltline in Reynoldstown, Atlanta runs a Mexican-leaning cafe with breakfast tacos, cafe de olla and a beer programme that switches.
TipBeltline patio. Breakfast tacos until 14:00; tortilla press visible from the counter.
Dancing Goats Coffee in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward roasts Batdorf and Bronson beans across a third-wave menu. Order the single-origin pourover.
TipLargest seating of any third-wave cafe in O4W; the Decatur and Ponce locations match the bean program.
Pho Dai Loi 2 on Buford Highway in Atlanta has run Vietnamese pho and bun since the 1990s. The pho tai (rare beef) is the canonical first order.
OrderPho tai
TipCash and card. Open every day; lunch hours quieter than dinner. Pho dac biet (everything bowl) is the upgrade order.
Atlanta Breakfast Club on Ivan Allen Jr Boulevard in downtown Atlanta runs all-day Southern breakfast: crispy chicken biscuits, chicken and waffles.
OrderCrispy chicken biscuits and chicken and waffles
TipNo reservations; the line builds before 09:00 weekends but moves fast. The crispy chicken biscuits with grape jelly are the canonical first order.
Arepa Grill on Atlanta's Buford Highway runs Venezuelan arepas under $13: pabellon with shredded beef, sweet plantain, cheese, plus deep-fried churros.
OrderVenezuelan arepas with stewed meats
TipOrder the pabellon arepa: shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantain, cheese. The fried churros come three to an order.
Yalla at Krog Street Market in Atlanta runs Middle Eastern fast-casual: $12 shawarma pita with fried eggplant and tahini, falafel, fresh laffa bread.
OrderMiddle Eastern shawarma, falafel, kebabs
TipChicken shawarma pita with fried eggplant and tahini for $12 is the sleeper. Eat on the market patio.
Kamal Grant's Sublime Doughnuts in West Midtown, Atlanta opened 2008 with hand-fried, filled doughnuts. Open daily 06:00-22:00. At 535 10th St NW.
TipOpen until 22:00 daily. The A-Town Cream is the canonical order; rotating seasonal flavours change weekly.
This Is It Southern Kitchen in Cascade and West End, Atlanta runs takeaway-counter soul food: fried chicken, ribs, wings and Southern sides since 1985.
OrderWings and ribs
TipDrive-through and walk-up. The whole wings with a side of mac are the move. Multiple locations across Atlanta.
Pielands in Atlanta's Virginia Highland does NY round slices and 16-inch square Noni pies: pesto, marinara, house-pulled fresh mozzarella, fold-friendly.
OrderNew York-style pizza by the slice
TipThe Green Granny square slice with pesto and house-pulled mozzarella is the move; standard NY cheese is the cheap default and folds correctly.
Jennifer Levison's Souper Jenny moved from East Andrews to the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead in 2016, with daily-changing scratch soups.
OrderTwo daily soups served sample-style and half a sandwich.
TipOpen Mon-Sat 11:00-16:00, Sun 11:00-15:00. Inside the Atlanta History Center; museum admission not required for the cafe.
Revolution Doughnuts in Decatur, Atlanta runs scratch-fried doughnuts with both traditional and vegan options. Counter ordering since 2012. Family-friendly.
TipThe vegan brown butter glaze is the cult order. Sells out by 12:00 weekends. Cash and card.
Thumbs Up Diner on Edgewood Avenue in Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta runs all-day breakfast and burritos since 2002. Open daily 07:00-15:00. At 573 Edgewood Ave SE.
OrderBurrito and pancakes
TipCash and card. No reservations; line builds by 09:30 weekends. The Heap with chorizo runs the heaviest breakfast in town.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Enjoy lunchtime dining at 6 locally owned award-winning restaurants, experiencing the best of Southern food today. See Victorian houses in Atlanta's first suburb and i...
Guided tour · 2 hours
Taste the best of Atlanta’s street food without the streets, or the humidity, in Atlanta's largest food hall, Ponce City Market. Enjoy a filling lunch over 5 restauran...
Guided tour · 3 hours
Enjoy a walking tour of Atlanta's vibrant food scene in the company of an Atlantan who is passionate about local food, the city, and its history.