Cooks and Soldiers in West Midtown, Atlanta opened 2014 with a wood-fired Basque menu of pintxos, plancha plates and the prized txuleton steak from Castro and Castro Spain.
Signature dishes: Wood-grilled txuleton steak, Pintxos, Tortilla espanola
Must order: The whole txuleton steak (for two) with pommes frites; pintxos to start.
Tip: Pintxos hour 16:00 to 18:00 Sunday through Thursday is the bargain entry to the kitchen. Resy reservations open 30 days out.
Address: 691 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Chef Edward Lee Schubert's West Midtown sushi counter in Atlanta opened 2021 and earned a Michelin Star in 2023 for the city's most refined omakase service.
Signature: Sushi omakase, Edomae nigiri
Order: The chef's omakase: roughly two-hour, eighteen-course service.
Tip: Two seatings nightly. Counter only; no a la carte. Drinks programme includes rare sake and an unusually deep Burgundy list.
Poor Calvin's in Midtown Atlanta opened 2010 with chef Calvin Phan's mash-up of Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese plates. Lobster pad Thai has been a city signature for over a decade.
Signature: Lobster pad Thai, Crispy whole snapper, Black pepper steak
Order: Lobster pad Thai, the dish that put Calvin Phan on the city's map.
Tip: Cash and card. Reservations on OpenTable; Saturday night books a week ahead. Casual atmosphere despite the price.
The Iberian Pig in downtown Decatur, Atlanta runs Spanish tapas and Iberico-leaning plates since 2009. The pork belly cubano sandwich became its long-running calling card.
Signature: Pork belly cubano, Patatas bravas, Bacon-wrapped dates
Order: The pork belly cubano, bacon-wrapped Medjool dates and patatas bravas.
Tip: Reservations on Resy. Buckhead and Glenwood Park sister locations stay open later than Decatur.
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.
Chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips' Candler Park tasting room in Atlanta opened 2019, earned a Michelin Star in 2023 and runs an inventive prix-fixe menu nightly.
Signature: Tasting menu, Caviar-topped course
Order: Chef's tasting menu, with wine pairing.
Tip: Reservations open 60 days out on Tock; the chef's counter seats six and books fastest.
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.
Chef Edward Lee Schubert's West Midtown sushi counter in Atlanta opened 2021 and earned a Michelin Star in 2023 for the city's most refined omakase service.
Signature: Sushi omakase, Edomae nigiri
Order: The chef's omakase: roughly two-hour, eighteen-course service.
Tip: Two seatings nightly. Counter only; no a la carte. Drinks programme includes rare sake and an unusually deep Burgundy list.
