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Eating Well in Atlanta
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items I didn’t just dine in Atlanta—I worked there. Bartending and serving means you see which kitchens actually care, which chefs show up every night and where the industry goes when they’re hungry. This is my insider’s list of places whose dishes and dri...
Map
Sections
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Decatur
OTP (Outside The Perimeter)
Decatur
Decatur punches way above its weight for a small city. The food scene here rivals anywhere in metro Atlanta, and these are my absolute favorites from my years living in metro Atlanta.
The neighborhood craft beer bar where I used to work. Still the best rotating taps and food in Oakhurst. Insider Tip: Order the Chinese Breakfast (any time of day) with an extra sunny-side-up egg and don’t forget the Sriracha! And chat up the locals ...
Steinbeck's
Found Arepa Mia when they were literally a hole-in-the-wall in Decatur. So glad they’ve expanded—these Venezuelan sandwiches are a delight!
Arepa Mia
Met chef-owner Terry Koval years ago at a Georgia Organics conference, bonding over his snout-to-tail approach to cooking. His 2023 James Beard Award-winning Deer & Dove (Michelin Guide recommended) delivers extraordinary food. Expensive? Yes. Wo...
The Deer and The Dove
I resisted this donut shop when it first opened—seemed like a fad, and I try to limit my intake of sweets. But peach season hit and Revolution made fresh donuts filled with macerated Pearson peaches. And, damn me, I LOVE Pearson peaches, so I caved. ...
Revolution Doughnuts & Coffee
Before their brick-and-mortar, Emerald City boiled-and-baked their NY-style bagels in a shared kitchen where I happened to work. I’m picky about bagels, and EC’s Jalapeño-Asiago proved its worth. Now I grab at least a baker’s dozen whenever I’m in At...
Emerald City Bagel
This neighborhood pub just off Decatur Square initiated me into grown-up brews. With more quality beers and brew styles than anywhere I’ve been, Brick Store is my favorite for really-effing-good pub food and beer education. The bartenders and servers...
Brick Store Pub
Living in Decatur led to an affair with Kimball House: Just me, my server, food and drinks too delicious to spare any attention for dining companions.
Kimball House
OTP (Outside The Perimeter)
I grew up in Duluth and returned in my adulthood. Living OTP used to mean fewer options for excellent food—not anymore. Here are my favorites from the ’burbs.
As a pescatarian, I struggle to find flavor in Cuban vegetarian options. Not at D’Cuban! Their black beans and rice are flavor-packed—made from scratch using a generations-old family recipe. The tostones are delicious and the sweet plantains are a mu...
D'Cuban Cafe
When O4W Pizza expanded to Duluth, I knew my hometown’s food scene was on the upswing. Whether at the original location or downtown Duluth, this wood-fired pizza is crispy, cheesy and flavorful—just like good pizza should be.
O4W Pizza
Taking over half of the old Parson’s building on Main Street, this brewery is flooded with natural light and owned by some of the team from Kimball House and Brick Store Pub in Decatur. No surprise the beer and food are fantastic. And — lucky me — it...
Good Word Brewing & Public House
I love pie. I love it so much, I’d choose pie over nearly any cake — and always asked for pie on my birthdays.
It’s the crust that matters most, and Crave Pie Studio bakes the best pies with the flakiest, most tender crusts filled with anything you ...
Crave Pie Studio