From regional Thai to community barbecues, these are our favorite places in the past year or two
What started out as a pop-up store in Thailand with avid fans has now become one of the must-see dining destinations in the city. Decorated with luxurious murals, lush green walls and flower pots hanging from the ceiling, Talat Market remains vigilant and offers a daily changing menu based on a successful concept: Thai technology, Georgian ingredients. In practice, this means dishes like yum phonlamai, a salad based on any seasonal fruit (peaches, melons, blueberries), with the salty flavors of lemongrass, mint, coriander, scallop pine and fish sauce, Trendy concoction; yum khao tod, a crispy rice salad with homemade red pepper sauce; meat salad laab, featuring different ingredients such as duck heart and sunlight; crispy mussel pancakes; and many, many more. The drinks are as carefully prepared (and gorgeous) as the plates. When Parnass Savang and Rod Lassiter finally opened the physical store in the unlucky month of April 2020, they only provided roadside services and found that they sold out every night. Obviously, people are full of desire for what they are cooking-and there is no sign of abating. 112 Ormond Street, 404-257-6255, talatmarketatl.com
American restaurants are a form that is difficult to improve-but what if it can be improved? It may look like this place in the Atlanta Dairy Complex. It avoids retro kitsch and instead adopts a colorful aesthetic mix: this is a restaurant with stylish wallpaper, 70s lighting, and wall hangings. With a picture of the prince, there is a bartender hanging a strong cocktail on the curved counter at the back. (Think about it, maybe the old-fashioned restaurant lacks something.) It originated from a partnership between Big Citizen (the team behind Bon Ton and Lawrence) and the King of Pop, where soft services are available for use alone or mixed into spirits . The bar manager Jac Campbell is in charge of these drinks and other drinks, while Sarah Hagamaker makes exquisite layered cakes to welcome customers in. Like the restaurant’s designer, Justin Dixon, the newly opened chef who recently moved to other ranch, is a refreshing restaurant concept: his often outstanding interpretations cover not only classics (English breakfast, patties with pimento cheese and bacon jam), but also Including "Buford Highway style" delicious mushroom empanadas and chicken wings made with chili oil, peanuts and limes. 777 Memorial Drive, 404-331-0909, wonderkidatl.com
Buford Highway has long lacked a Thai flair-so when Tum Pok Pok opened in the same BuHi shopping mall as Food Terminal and Saigon Tofu, it became a welcome addition to our city's most cosmopolitan corridor. However, this is not just a Thai restaurant in Atlanta-it is easily one of the best restaurants in the city. The owner Adidsara Weerasin focuses on food in the Isan region in northeastern Thailand, which not only borders Laos, but also has some commonalities in cooking: heat, funk and a lot of salads, including minced meat salad called larb. Weerasin's lard-pork or chicken, seasoned with lime juice and chili peppers, ginger, peanuts and green onions, served with glutinous rice and cabbage leaves-provides a world of exhilarating flavors. The same goes for her various flavors of som tum, a hot and fashionable salad made from chopped raw green papaya. Weerasin himself comes from southern Thailand and has been introducing nighttime specialties that reflect the region, such as crab omelet and kua kling: a dangerously hot but delicious minced pork with red curry paste and chopped lime leaf. 5000 Buford Highway, 404-990-4688, tumpokpok.com
This Buckhead wine bar opened in the summer and feels like a response to the long and lonely months of the past. Or it just feels like a sigh of relief: in this chic but inviting restaurant on the corner of busy Buckhead, sharing a plate and a bottle of wine with old or new friends, what could be sweeter than this Woolen cloth? As a fan of painter Lucian Freud, co-owner Katie Barringer is responsible for arranging beautiful art books on one wall of the restaurant (read carefully! They are on sale), and her partner Jordan Smelt (previously at Cakes & Ale and Bread & Butterfly) , Is a kind of person who kindly guides customers through the large wine list. The cellar may be spacious, but the storage room is not spacious: Chef Brian Hendrickson focuses on an elaborate menu consisting of small plates, a few main dishes and a bowl of French fries, only lemon sorrel Mayonnaise is worth a try. The dishes change with the seasons, but you can expect things like buttered raw hamachi and thinly sliced black radish, vinegared buttermilk dressing on the table, ricotta cheese with truffles and maitake mushrooms, and sweet beurre monté. Butter sauce, stripes, roast duck-there are some rich things here, but nothing is overwhelming; Hendrickson knows how much fun can be brought about with a touch. 3005 Peachtree Road, 404-549-2655, lucianbooksandwine.com
The "neighborhood" in the name is more than just a gimmick: this place has become a legitimate place to travel for those who are fortunate enough to live near the intersection of Second Avenue and Hosea L. Williams and know that it is worthy of "reminder to devotees". (The name also nodded at this restaurant at the junction of East Lake and Oakhurst communities.) Fans flocked to (sorry) for the chicken, salted it for a day to enhance its softness, and then coated Kale pesto; sirloin with coffee and pepper; pork ribs and cider vinegar pulled pork; and creative aspects like kale fried rice. Opening in July 2020, Richards and partner Joshua Lee calmly responded to the pandemic, inviting diners to open the takeaway window and maintain social distancing on the joyful street terrace. That pleasant outdoor scene (and the smell wafting from the big green egg smoker in front) summons passers-by to immediately become a top player in a city where there is no shortage of barbecue joints. 2358 Hosea L. Williams Drive, 404-205-5913, lakeandoakbbq.com
Jarrett Stieber has proven time and time again that he is one of Atlanta's most creative geniuses. After becoming famous with the pop-up drama "Eat Me Speak Me", Stieber finally entered the physical store with Little Bear. The show opened in Summerhill in February 2020. Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and Stieber immediately found the success he deserved. Haha jk! In fact, everything was a disaster almost immediately. However, Stieber turned to a takeaway-only model, survived the pandemic, and finally welcomed diners to sit in the bright and modern Little Bear restaurant in May last year, enjoying his quirky, anti-traditional, Jewish/Sichuan-style cooking. The fascinating menu changes with the seasons, and temporary treasures (recent night: Georgia shrimp with fig sweet and sour and assorted peppers; eggplant peaches, ricotta, chili sauce and "herbs") add some repeating favorites, such as Chicken drumsticks with Dandan yogurt and Manischewitz vinegar, and a striking black and white cake. The cocktail plan and wine list are as thoughtful and rude as the food. 71 Georgia Avenue, Tel: 404-500-5396, littlebearatl.com
Chastain and its opening chef both have a deep pedigree: once known as the long-term meeting place for the Red Barn Inn and Buckhead boys, the building became a horseradish barbecue in 1994 under the leadership of Scott Peacock, the latter is modern A key figure in the culinary renaissance of the South. The current head, Christopher Grossman, has worked for French Laundry, Aria and Atlas, but part of the surprise of the menu he offers here is how approachable it feels-especially for those who like comfort food and think they have all tasted NS. It works because it is not complicated: turkey wings, flawless cheeseburgers, macaroni and cheese, hot chocolate cookies under the lid of melted ice cream. What sets it apart is Grossman's thoughtfulness, superb technology, excellent wine and cocktail plans in the restaurant, and central ingredients sourced from local farms and beautiful on-site gardens. (Part of the original stone carvings of the building are now used to store the homegrown vegetables.) Dinner is not the only game here: Chastain's shady terrace is a lovely place for breakfast and lunch, offering exquisite pastries made in-house by Grossman's Atlas Alumni Christian Castillo. Who says simple and boring? 4320 Powers Ferry Road, 404-257-6416, thechastainatl.com
Drive along the Buford Highway towards Norcross, and before you reach the parking lot of Nur Kitchen, you will hear the sirens of about a thousand incredible restaurants-but if this is what you want The best restaurant on the subway, it is best to cover your ears with your hands, stare at the road, and come here hungry. This Middle Eastern restaurant opened in a compelling South Korean shopping mall in 2019, but with the appearance of Shay Lavi in 2021, it made its way on the food map. Lavi is an outstanding talent whose product range continues to emerge, winning fans through his catering business Let's Eat and in the kitchen of the delicious but short-lived downtown restaurant Rozina Bakehouse. He is a magician with classic dishes such as hummus and parmesan. His eclectic background-Ravi was born in Israel and has Turkish and Libyan descent-provides the eastern Mediterranean range of this restaurant A wide view, its inspiration "extends from Turkey to the port of Jaffa." This means excellent main menu items such as schnitzel, shakshuka and mussel sandwiches with garlic sauce, which are staples on the Turkish Riviera. 7130 Buford Highway, 678-691-3821, nurkitchenusa.com
Charming design, intoxicating cocktails and ambitious menu-created by former St. Cecilia and King Duke chef Brandon Chavannes-conspired in the direction of the attractive new Kimpton Sylvan Hotel where this restaurant is located An accidental stampede was created on the Internet. The concept is the "mid-century dinner club", but don’t think about the soggy shrimp cocktail anymore: here, the classic app has been beautifully remodeled, and the front side is served with fermented acid. Cocktail sauce of orange and warm Indian spices. A native of Atlanta who was born in Norwegian and Jamaican immigrants, Chavannes seasoned his food with dexterous hands and global influence: grilled lobster with sake vinasse, exquisite celery ceviche with serrano ham and pecorino cheese, and Carefully prepared high-end steaks are enjoyable, but one of the restaurant’s secret weapons is its exquisite pasta selection (for example, lobster pasta, Calabrian peppers, basil, and heirloom squash). Some people may prefer a quiet lunch on the terrace rather than dinner in a noisy restaurant, but the Kimpton Hotel has other five o’clock options: the verdant Willow Bar and the rooftop lounge St. Julep, both All are supervised by Chavannes. 374 East Paces Ferry Road, 470-531-8902, thebettyatl.com
Even according to Clarkston's standards, this small place from Woinshet Legesse Emory (aka Chef Winnie) is very humble and is an international miracle with the heart of Ethiopia. This personable chef was born in Addis Ababa and worked in a series of hotels and restaurants in the United States before his independent debut. When it comes to time-tested authenticity, her interpretation is very delicate: Emory’s combination kitfo (minced beef seasoned with mimitita mixed with brightly colored peppers and fried with purified butter) and fitfit (shredded minced meat soaked in hot sauce) Injera) is one of the best dishes we eat all year long, and many of her vegan or vegetarian main dishes are easy to compete in the major leagues. (It's not just all vegetables and beans: fans of au courant plant protein such as jackfruit, vegan beef and chicken products will find them here.) This is only half of it: Chef Winnie is also good at curry and fish tacos , Philadelphia cheese steak and custom creations, such as Ethiopian spiced quesadillas stuffed with chicken and vegetables. There may not be much scenery, but her outdoor tables are as popular as the small restaurant she rules. Chef Winnie's has no strangers. 4238 East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Tel: 404-228-9152, chefwinnieskitchen.com
The whole world will stop to taste one or three special tacos. Supremo built it as a taco truck for a late-night trial run at 8Arm. The company is co-owned by Supremo partner Nhan Le. It eventually took a place on Memorial Drive, although the counter service and takeaway only mode meant that it retained some street vibes—and helped it survive the pandemic, when Supremo was less affected by lockdowns and mandatory requirements than most people. And when its legion fans found great comfort in its amazing handmade tortillas. Supremo was often sold out during pandemics, and it is still the case: in particular, popular foods like lamb barbacoa and chili de arbol, chicken mole poblano, black beans with pumpkin and tomatoes, aguachile tostadas, tacos, etc. .. In fact, did you know that it’s best to get here early for safety's sake. Chef Duane Kulers' reverence for traditional SoCal-Mexican food trucks and the rich flavors that the kitchen draws from meat, vegetables and magic sauces will surely reward repeated visits. 701 Memorial Drive, 404-965-1446, supremotaco.com
Initially, Pho was made with beef. However, in 1939, government restrictions on the sale of Vietnamese meat led to the popularization of pho ga, a complex Vietnamese soup made from chicken. "Things got very intense," Andrea Nguyen wrote in The Pho Recipe, as purists condemned the version they considered illegal. But poultry still exists. Fortunately, chicken brings a completely different level of complexity to the cooking process, which involves scorching the spices (onion, ginger) and slowly simmering them with star anise and other spices until the broth used to be. Become a miraculous panacea. In Philadelphia, a Vietnamese couple became famous for themselves and their chicken soup through Café Pho Ga Thanh Thanh; their son Tony Le opened this cozy little cafe in the Norcross shopping mall , Thereby expanding the family heritage. Do you know something. Expect a bowl of fragrant white or dark meat, golden soup, and noodles of your choice (some of which are homemade), served with a plate piled with bean sprouts, pepper flakes, lime and vanilla. Happily, the chicken tradition continues to spread: Le and business partner Vinh Nguyen added a second location in Duluth, and if you happen to be in Las Vegas, Nevada, another third of the work is in progress. in progress. 5495 Jimmy Carter Boulevard, Suite A2, 678-691-0503, phogatonytony.com
Photo courtesy of Buenagent
Anyone who is not sure about Cubano-a sandwich, in the hands of unskilled people, may be salty, greasy, and heavy-needs to hurry up to a suitable Cuban bakery. Do we have any advice for you? The good guys behind this cute button operation, Manny Rodriguez and Stacey Titch, opened their food truck for the first time in 2016 and leaped to a cramp in the busy Decatur shopping mall in 2020 Storefront. They did not neglect the details of making the iconic Cuban sandwich: Poro ham is delicious, mustard is fragrant, Mojo roast pork has a charming citrus flavor, and melted Swiss cheese and pressed crunchy bread enhance this creation. To close to the perfect level of pizza. (By the way, the comparison of pizzas is not something we do casually here.) Cuban and other sandwiches (medianoche, pan con bistec) are not the only products of Buena Gente: the glass dessert box is filled with chicken empanadas and pan con bistec. Pomegranate pie, arroz con leche to tres leches cake. This is superb Cuban baking, reminding us that today and tomorrow can be as good as we are. 1365 Clairmont Road, 678-744-5638, buenagenteatl.com
This article appears in our October 2021 issue.