Hugo's Oyster Bar in Roswell, north of Atlanta, runs a daily oyster selection, raw bar plates and Gulf-leaning seafood in a converted converted historic Roswell building.
Signature dishes: Oysters, Crab cakes, Lobster roll
Must order: A dozen oysters across the daily selection plus the crab cakes.
Tip: Happy hour 16:00 to 18:00 Tuesday to Friday runs half-price oysters; reservations on OpenTable for dinner.
Address: 10360 Alpharetta St, Roswell, GA 30075, Atlanta
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.
Ford Fry's West Midtown steakhouse in Atlanta opened 2017 and is a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick. Pre-war Paris referenced in the room, dry-aged beef on the menu.
Signature: Dry-aged steaks, Pommes Anna
Order: The dry-aged ribeye, pommes Anna and a Martini.
Tip: The lounge takes walk-ins with the full menu. Reservations on Resy; weekend bookings fill ten days out.
Yet Tuh on Old Chamblee Tucker Road in Doraville, Atlanta is the corridor's canonical Korean barbecue room since 2008, with charcoal-grill tabletop service and twelve banchan.
Signature: Charcoal-grill galbi, Banchan spread, Soondubu jjigae
Order: Galbi (marinated short rib) cooked at the table, with the full banchan service.
Tip: Reservations recommended on weekends. The charcoal-grill (sutpul) is the upgrade over gas tables; ask at booking.
So Kong Dong in Doraville, Atlanta's Buford Highway corridor, runs Korean comfort food: soondubu (silken tofu stew) at clay-pot temperature, galbi and bulgogi.
Signature: Soondubu jjigae, Galbi, Bulgogi
Order: The soondubu jjigae with seafood or beef. Order an egg on the side; crack it into the bubbling stew.
Tip: Lunch is busy with H Mart shoppers; dinner is quieter. Cash and card; family-friendly with high chairs.
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 tortillas.
Signature: Tacos al pastor, Carne asada burritos, Lengua tacos
Order: Three al pastor tacos and a Mexican Coke. Lengua tacos for the adventurous order.
Tip: Open 24 hours; the late-night hot sauce bar runs five salsas. The Cobb Parkway and Roswell locations close earlier than Doraville.
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: Wood-grilled txuleton steak, Pintxos, Tortilla espanola
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.
