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SeafoodDecatur
Kimball House in Decatur, Atlanta opened 2013 inside a converted 19th-century train station, with the city's deepest oyster selection and a James Beard.
OrderTwo dozen oysters and the absinthe drip service.
TipReservations on Resy; the bar takes walk-ins until late. Sunday Happy Hour 17:00-18:30 is the under-the-radar bargain.
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Modern AmericanOld Fourth Ward
Staplehouse in Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta opened 2015 inside a converted carriage house and runs a chef's tasting under the nonprofit Giving Kitchen umbrella.
OrderThe chef's tasting menu; the menu rotates with the seasons.
TipProfits fund The Giving Kitchen, supporting Atlanta hospitality workers in crisis. Reservations on Tock 30 days out.
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Soul FoodDowntown
Paschal's in Atlanta has served soul food since 1947, when brothers Robert and James Paschal opened on Hunter Street. Located in Downtown. Priced at $$.
OrderFried chicken plate with collard greens, mac and cheese, candied yams.
TipThe current Castleberry Hill location since 2002 expanded with a banquet space; the original Hunter Street site is preserved at Clark Atlanta.
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SouthernMidtown
Mary Mac's Tea Room in Atlanta opened 1945 and runs Southern Sunday dinner classics in a four-dining-room compound on Ponce de Leon, with the same recipes.
OrderPot likker with a side of cornbread, then fried chicken with three sides.
TipOrder the pot likker as a starter; it comes free with cornbread. No reservations Monday through Thursday lunch; OpenTable for dinner and weekends.
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Soul FoodDowntown
Busy Bee Cafe in Atlanta opened 1947 on MLK Drive and won the James Beard America's Classics Award in 2022 for its decades of soul food service near the AUC.
OrderFried chicken with two sides; the oxtails on lunch special when available.
TipCash and card. Lunch and early dinner only Tuesday to Sunday; line forms before noon weekends.
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New AmericanBuckhead
Chef Gerry Klaskala's Buckhead institution in Atlanta opened 2000 and runs a slow-cooked New American menu of braised meats and seasonal plates.
OrderThe slow-braised short rib; the chef's tasting on Friday and Saturday.
TipReservations on OpenTable; the lounge bar takes walk-ins with the full menu.