Modern Southern$$$buckheadMon-Fri 11:00-22:00, Sat 10:00-22:00, Sun 10:00-21:00
South City Kitchen's Buckhead room in Atlanta runs refined Southern cooking from the Fifth Group with shrimp and grits, buttermilk fried chicken and a she.
Signature: Shrimp and grits, Buttermilk fried chicken, She crab soup
Order: Shrimp and grits with andouille gravy, then the buttermilk fried chicken.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable. The brunch service runs the cult fried chicken and waffles; the bar takes walk-ins.
Steakhouse$$$$west-midtownSun-Thu 17:00-22:00, Fri-Sat 17:00-23:00
Ford Fry's West Midtown steakhouse in Atlanta opened 2017 and is a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick. Order the the dry-aged ribeye, pommes anna and a martini.
Signature: Dry-aged steaks, Pommes Anna
Order: The dry-aged ribeye, pommes Anna and a Martini.
Tip: The lounge takes walk-ins with the full menu. Reservations on Resy; weekend bookings fill ten days out.
Korean Barbecue$$$buford-highwayMon-Sat 11:00-22:00, Sun 11:00-21:00
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.
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.
Korean$$buford-highwayMon-Thu 10:30-20:40, Mon-Thu 10:30-20:30, Fri-Sun 10:30-20:30, Fri-Sun 10:30-21:10
So Kong Dong in Doraville, Atlanta's Buford Highway corridor, runs Korean comfort food: soondubu (silken tofu stew) at clay-pot temperature.
Signature: Soondubu jjigae, Galbi, Bulgogi
Order: The soondubu jjigae with seafood or beef. Order an egg on the side; crack it into the bubbling stew.
Tip: Lunch is busy with H Mart shoppers; dinner is quieter. Cash and card; family-friendly with high chairs.
Mexican$buford-highwayDaily 07:00-00:00
El Taco Veloz on Buford Highway in Doraville, Atlanta has run a 24-hour taqueria since 1991 with al pastor, carne asada and lengua on hand-pressed corn.
Signature: Tacos al pastor, Carne asada burritos, Lengua tacos
Order: Three al pastor tacos and a Mexican Coke. Lengua tacos for the adventurous order.
Tip: Open 24 hours; the late-night hot sauce bar runs five salsas. The Cobb Parkway and Roswell locations close earlier than Doraville.
Basque$$$west-midtownDaily 17:00-22:00
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.
Signature: Wood-grilled txuleton steak, Pintxos, Tortilla espanola
Order: The whole txuleton steak (for two) with pommes frites; pintxos to start.
Tip: Pintxos hour 16:00-18:00 Sunday through Thursday is the bargain entry to the kitchen. Resy reservations open 30 days out.