Help me be a cool aunt!
October 4, 2010 2:28 PM Subscribe
Updated restaurant recommendations for Atlanta. I have lived here forever but I do not go out to eat much. My 18 year old niece and her boyfriend are coming next weekend to visit. We will meet for Sat. dinner and would like to know some good restaurants. Needs include:
some healthy offerings - she eats pretty healthy;
not too expensive;
ITP - I live in East Atlanta and they will be in Piedmont Park for the day;
some cool factor - he is going to school in NYC and she in Tallahassee FL
Any ideas? Please be sure any recommendations are still in business! That is why I am asking for updated since some previous posts list closed businesses. Thanks!
Any ideas? Please be sure any recommendations are still in business! That is why I am asking for updated since some previous posts list closed businesses. Thanks!
Would it be weird to have breakfast for dinner?
The Flying Biscuit is awesome.
posted by chicago2penn at 2:33 PM on October 4, 2010
The Flying Biscuit is awesome.
posted by chicago2penn at 2:33 PM on October 4, 2010
Best answer: Let's do this by neighborhood shall we?
EAV
Holy Taco
Glenwood
So Ba
Cabbagetown
Carroll Street Cafe
Agave (might be a bit on the pricey side)
L5P
There are no good places to eat in Little 5. The tourists see to that.
Inman Park
Sauced
Fritti
Krog Bar (More for drinks, but the wine selection is, hands down, the best in the city)
Old 4th Ward
Serpas
Miso Izakaya (no web page, here's a map)
Dynamic Dish
Midtown (Some of these may be on the pricier side, plus Midtown restaurants take themselves too seriously.)
Nam
Tamarind Seed
Top Flr
Baraonda
The Vortex (Cuz sometimes you just want a burger and a cold one, right?)
Buckhead (Dear sweet Jesus on a pogo-stick, I hope you don't go to Buckhead, but if you do...)
Holman & Finch
R. Thomas (An odd 24-hrs, free-range, organic, vegetarian, vegan gnosh spot)
Decatur (Yes, I know Decatur is its own city, hush.)
Cafe Lily
Iberian Pig
Wahoo
Leon's Full Service
All those listed above should give you a reasonable range of price, class, and, most importantly, food options. I'm going to go ahead and recommend Dynamic Dish for no particular reason, just remember the menu changes daily and it's BYOB.
If you want some more in-depth reviews, me-mail me. I eat out a lot.
posted by Panjandrum at 3:18 PM on October 4, 2010 [5 favorites]
EAV
Holy Taco
Glenwood
So Ba
Cabbagetown
Carroll Street Cafe
Agave (might be a bit on the pricey side)
L5P
There are no good places to eat in Little 5. The tourists see to that.
Inman Park
Sauced
Fritti
Krog Bar (More for drinks, but the wine selection is, hands down, the best in the city)
Old 4th Ward
Serpas
Miso Izakaya (no web page, here's a map)
Dynamic Dish
Midtown (Some of these may be on the pricier side, plus Midtown restaurants take themselves too seriously.)
Nam
Tamarind Seed
Top Flr
Baraonda
The Vortex (Cuz sometimes you just want a burger and a cold one, right?)
Buckhead (Dear sweet Jesus on a pogo-stick, I hope you don't go to Buckhead, but if you do...)
Holman & Finch
R. Thomas (An odd 24-hrs, free-range, organic, vegetarian, vegan gnosh spot)
Decatur (Yes, I know Decatur is its own city, hush.)
Cafe Lily
Iberian Pig
Wahoo
Leon's Full Service
All those listed above should give you a reasonable range of price, class, and, most importantly, food options. I'm going to go ahead and recommend Dynamic Dish for no particular reason, just remember the menu changes daily and it's BYOB.
If you want some more in-depth reviews, me-mail me. I eat out a lot.
posted by Panjandrum at 3:18 PM on October 4, 2010 [5 favorites]
Panjadrum has some great suggestions!! I want to add Rosebud in Va Highlands and Woodfire grill on Cheshire Bridge!! Atlanta really has some great places to dine!! Have fun!!
posted by pearlybob at 3:31 PM on October 4, 2010
posted by pearlybob at 3:31 PM on October 4, 2010
Decatur:
Seconding Leon's. You can hang out there for a long time. Excellent drinks, interesting food. The best bartender in the city (Miles) works there. The portions can be a little small.
Cafe Alsace, about three doors up from Leon's.
Farmburger
I can't recommend Cafe Lily. I think the food and the atmosphere are both mediocre.
I dislike the service at Iberian Pig. The food is very good.
Near Georgia Tech, there is Antico Pizza. This is not a place to linger over drinks.
posted by donpardo at 3:32 PM on October 4, 2010
Seconding Leon's. You can hang out there for a long time. Excellent drinks, interesting food. The best bartender in the city (Miles) works there. The portions can be a little small.
Cafe Alsace, about three doors up from Leon's.
Farmburger
I can't recommend Cafe Lily. I think the food and the atmosphere are both mediocre.
I dislike the service at Iberian Pig. The food is very good.
Near Georgia Tech, there is Antico Pizza. This is not a place to linger over drinks.
posted by donpardo at 3:32 PM on October 4, 2010
Whoops. Missed the 18 year old part. Still, all those places have good food.
posted by donpardo at 3:37 PM on October 4, 2010
posted by donpardo at 3:37 PM on October 4, 2010
Another vote for Tamarind Seed.
Also in Midtown is Joe's on Juniper -- great for outdoor dining if the weather is nice, and awesome brunch.
posted by somanyamys at 5:34 PM on October 4, 2010
Also in Midtown is Joe's on Juniper -- great for outdoor dining if the weather is nice, and awesome brunch.
posted by somanyamys at 5:34 PM on October 4, 2010
Response by poster: thanks for all the suggestions esp in my neighborhood! I want to try them all and will pick one of two for the niece and BF.
posted by shaarog at 6:35 PM on October 4, 2010
posted by shaarog at 6:35 PM on October 4, 2010
Tamarind Seed is great and tasty, but a bit too formal in atmosphere for the "cool factor" you're looking for, maybe?
In Decatur, I also recommend Cakes and Ale. Fantastic veggie options from the owners' home garden sometimes, and great food (get the arancini).
On the West Side, I also like Bocado these days for a similar level of nice-but-not-fancy atmosphere plus tasty, interesting food* with a local slant at a not-exorbitant price. Plus if you go that route with the 18 year old, you can cut across the street to get either coffee or drinks at Octane afterwards.
*Including, but by no means limited to, one of the best burgers in the city.
posted by deludingmyself at 6:57 PM on October 4, 2010
In Decatur, I also recommend Cakes and Ale. Fantastic veggie options from the owners' home garden sometimes, and great food (get the arancini).
On the West Side, I also like Bocado these days for a similar level of nice-but-not-fancy atmosphere plus tasty, interesting food* with a local slant at a not-exorbitant price. Plus if you go that route with the 18 year old, you can cut across the street to get either coffee or drinks at Octane afterwards.
*Including, but by no means limited to, one of the best burgers in the city.
posted by deludingmyself at 6:57 PM on October 4, 2010
A little under 3 miles from Piedmont Park, up in the crook of 75 and 85 is the most unusual little place you'd ever expect to find on Peachtree. It's called R. Thomas' Deluxe Grill (site works better in Chrome than Firefox). How did I miss this place for, like, my whole life? They describe it as an oasis and it truly is. Tropical birds, plants everywhere, interesting staff, and the patio looks like it was made from spare parts. Check out the photo gallery. What is this place doing here? On Peachtree? If you want healthy, they don't just have healthy, they've got organic, vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, raw, cultured, and more. The founder has this food-as-healing philosophy you can read about. And if you like meat they've got plenty of that too, and good stuff. Despite the super-lame name, this place is one of a kind and the food is great. If you don't take your niece there, be sure to check it out yourself with friends sometime soon. They're open 24 hours. What an interesting place!
posted by Askr at 8:51 PM on October 4, 2010
posted by Askr at 8:51 PM on October 4, 2010
I've been to Flip several times - depending on when you go, it's not that difficult to get a table. I really like it and everybody I've taken there has too. I always like trying whatever the special milkshake is - they've been interesting. The fun thing to do at Flip is to order one more side dish than you have people at the table and everybody shares the sides.
And can I make an anti-recommendation? I used to remember Einstein's (which is right around the corner from Piedmont Park) being good and the last time I went (a year or two ago) it was just all-around awful.
posted by 100watts at 12:49 PM on October 5, 2010
And can I make an anti-recommendation? I used to remember Einstein's (which is right around the corner from Piedmont Park) being good and the last time I went (a year or two ago) it was just all-around awful.
posted by 100watts at 12:49 PM on October 5, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by supercres at 2:32 PM on October 4, 2010