Atlanta: Where to Eat, Play & Stay

The Starling Atlanta Midtown, Curio Collection by Hilton

I’ve stayed at this hotel and visited friends staying here, I basically recommend the Starling to everyone who visits Atlanta. So I’m very familiar with this hotel and what it offers. There’s so much to explore at the Starling, from their restaurant and cocktail bar to their spa and pool.

Plus, the Starling is located in the heart of downtown and is connected to Politan Row and Colony Square. You can learn more about both of these places in the “Where to eat” and “Where to play” sections.

The Starling is a great hotel for those working while in Atlanta because they have coworking spaces throughout. And the hotel is located right next to a WeWork space.

The city is very diverse with international cuisines like Mexican, Chinese, Greek, and Nigerian. However, Atlanta is a city located in a southern state, and like many southern states, soul food is a staple.

Coming from a North Carolinian family, I’ve grown up with soul food like mac and cheese, fried chicken, and biscuits. So Atlanta’s soul food feels like home, and I highly recommend you indulge.

Georgia is also known as the “Peach State”, so expect to see some peach-flavored things in food and drinks.

Flavor Rich Restaurant

I have to start this list off with the best-of-the-best for brunch, and that’s Flavor Rich. Flavor Rich was originally just a food truck, but since 2022 they’ve had a restaurant in Suwanee. When dining here, ask for CeCe and tell her I sent you, she’ll seriously hook you up. I’ve had the best grits in my life here, and their Georgia peach cobbler french toast is insane! They make mimosas, sangrias, and a couple of other alcoholic beverages. Also, the honey butter they use in the food is made in-house.

You can’t make reservations, but I HIGHLY recommend getting on their waitlist for weekend brunch via Yelp. They open up their waitlist at 9 am and it can get lengthy after 10 am.

Toast on Lenox

I’ve been to Toast many times, and almost every time the food, drinks, and customer service are on point. I say almost because, during my visit in January 2023, the hostess was unorganized, even though we had a reservation. But so far, that was my only bad experience.

Even though they have two locations (Buckhead and Midtown), I’d recommend making reservations for the weekend. Especially on holiday weekends, because they can get packed.

The Garden Room

I absolutely loved my experience at the Garden Room, but also want to guide you on what to expect:

1. Getting reservations to this restaurant feels nearly impossible, however, I have the cheat code. On OpenTable, set up an alert when there’s a table available for your day(s), time(s), and party size. When a table becomes available, be prepared to book ASAP, also the Garden Room opens reservations 30 days out.
2. The food served (at least for dinner) are small dishes, so don’t come hungry.

All in all, the service, food, and drinks at the Garden Room were amazing. I also loved the ambiance and aesthetics. My best friend and I got some beautiful shots taken in front of their mural thanks to a server!

Atlanta Breakfast Club

I’ve ordered food from ABC through Uber Eats, and I’ve been to their restaurant. The location gives diner vibes and I’ve heard there can be a wait for dining, but I didn’t experience that. This could be because I arrived pretty early on a Monday (it was actually Juneteenth). Their food is delicious, especially the Georgia Peach chicken and waffles, it was the perfect blend of sweet and savory.

ABC also has another restaurant called ABC Chicken and Waffles-Nitro Coffee Counter. It’s not far from ABC, in fact, it’s only about a 5-minute drive.

Rreal Tacos

This is an authentic Mexican restaurant with two locations in Midtown and another in Chamblee. I always judge Mexican restaurants based on whether they make al pastor tacos with pineapples, and Rreal tacos do. Their margaritas are also delicious, I got their passionfruit margarita which I loved.

Garden Parc

Brunch buffet and good vibes, what more could you ask for? Garden Parc is the ultimate brunch experience with two different brunch vibes on two different days, including:

• Saturday — Bottomless appetizers, DJ, plus hookah and cocktails for purchase. They boast Saturdays as their “cocktail party” which usually appeals to a younger crowd
• Sunday — Bottomless buffet, one-hour complimentary bottomless mimosas, and a live band. Their Sundays are geared towards the conservative crowd and feel grown-and-sexy

You truly can’t go wrong with either day, it just depends on the type of vibe you’re looking for.

I went to their 3:15 pm Sunday brunch and really enjoyed myself, the ambiance, music, and service were impeccable. Instead of a traditional buffet where you get up and serve yourself, they serve everything at your table. And if you want more of a specific item, you just let your server know. The live band was great, and they eventually let a DJ finish off the brunch.

Dress up in your finest because everyone who attended the brunch I went to was dressed up. Anyone under the age of 21 isn’t allowed, and parking is limited so they recommend using rideshare.

Southern Fire Kitchen

A great spot to grab southern comfort food, but come early as they don’t accept reservations and get busy very quickly. We arrived as soon as they opened and were immediately seated but noticed it got crowded not too long after. The restaurant isn’t that big and the tables are close to one another, so keep that in mind. All in all, the service was amazing, and the food and drinks were delicious.

Belle & Lily’s Caribbean Brunch House | APT 4B | Ms. Icey’s Kitchen & Bar

I grouped these restaurants together because they’re owned by the same folks.

• Belle & Lily’s merges Caribbean cuisine with brunch classics, like their St. Lucian Breakfast and Mango French Toast. I did actually try their Mango French Toast and passionfruit mimosa, which were both delicious.
• APT 4B is dubbed a funky and contemporary Afro-Caribbean restaurant. I went during their brunch hours, but they also have happy hour and dinner service. I loved the atmosphere here and the service was good. The food and drinks were good (although a bit pricey), especially their turkey wing and stuffed french toast.
• Ms. Icey’s Kitchen is where Southern meets Caribbean, I went for dinner and loved all the food I tried. I’d highly recommend ordering their skillet cornbread and mini beef patty. The atmosphere and music had me feeling like I was in Jamaica.

The Bando

I’m sure Atlantans will probably roll their eyes at me for putting this on my list, but oh well 🤷🏾‍♀️. Dubbed a “food museum” the Bando is home to the “crack” wings. – wings dusted with a sweet and savory powder. I tried these wings and strawberry hot wings, both were delicious. Also, the interior is a dope museum commemorating Black culture and art (e.g. The Source magazines and VHS tapes).

Now, back to why Atlantans might tell you to steer away from this place:

1. It’s impossible to know when they’re open — I didn’t have this issue, however, I’ve seen it a lot on TikTok
2. They run out of specific wings, especially their crack wings. Again, I was fortunate enough to not deal with this issue
3. Not the best wings in Atlanta — I can’t speak about this honestly. Especially since my hometown doesn’t have many (good) wing restaurants

The Sivas

A restaurant, bar, and hookah lounge, I love the atmosphere at Sivas. I’ve been a couple of times and the music is always good (e.g. 2000s and today’s rap, Afrobeats, reggae). The two times I’ve visited I’ve tried their wings, sangria, lamb chops, and green tea shots. All of these were good, but beware that this place is a bit pricey. I personally like sitting at the bar and interacting with the bartenders. But they also have seating upstairs and on their patio.

Please note: The Sivas location in Midtown is currently under construction.

C&S Seafood & Oyster Bar

With locations in Sandy Springs and Vinings, C&S has a wide variety of seafood options to choose from. They also have a delicious brunch option on the weekend. I’ve visited a few times and tried their raw and chargrilled oysters, shrimp & waffles, shellfish platter, and more. Everything was delicious (including their drinks), and the service was always amazing.

Hugo’s Oyster Bar

Created by the same people who run C&S Seafood & Oyster Bar, Hugo’s is a Cajun seafood restaurant. It gets pretty busy here, especially on weekends so consider making reservations. I got their crispy fried catfish with red beans & rice, and it was INSANELY delicious! I usually don’t finish my entire plate, but I inhaled this dish.

Red Pepper Taqueria

A modern taqueria Mexican restaurant with 100+ tequilas and a sports bar combined. Red Pepper has delicious tacos, I really love that they have authentic al pastor tacos with pineapples and corn tortillas. I’ve only tried their mango margarita, but it was delicious.

They have locations in Brookhaven, Buckhead, Decatur, and Dunwoody, but I’ve only been to their Brookhaven location. I went during Cinco de Mayo and the service wasn’t great, however, the manager ended up comping our entire meal. I ordered from Red Pepper through Ubereats a couple of times and everything was perfect, from the packaging and presentation.

5Church

With locations in Midtown and Buckhead, 5Church is a modern American restaurant. I went to their Midtown location for brunch and tried their sushi tots and chicken & waffles. Both were delicious, and I also tried their yummy sangria. Their interior looks nice, but I ended up sitting on their patio which was beautiful.

Roc South Cuisine

Roc South serves Southern-style cuisine, think fried chicken and mac & cheese. I’ve dined in twice, and takeout another time, and the food was good each time. I really enjoy their white sangria when I dine in.

Food Terminal

I haven’t been to any of their locations (Chamblee, Midtown, Sandy Springs, or Alpharetta) but I can’t wait to! I’ve only ordered food through Ubereats and my go-to is their grandma’s BBQ pork rice. It’s so good and filling, I also love their presentation and packaging. I’ve also tried their mango with sticky rice and honey butter shrimp garlic noodles, which were delicious too!

FūDO

A great restaurant to get a wide range of Asian cuisines like sushi and dumplings. I tried two sushi rolls and a cocktail, and everything was so good. I like the ambiance in the restaurant, especially because you can see the sushi rolls being made.

Breakfast at Barney’s

A breakfast/brunch restaurant that serves comfort food like pancakes, chicken & waffles, mac & cheese, and soul rolls. I went here solo and was immediately sat at the bar. Based on reviews, this is a rarity because there’s always a line outside, so I got lucky. They also don’t accept reservations, so keep that in mind when planning to come here.

I loved the color scheme and decor in the restaurant, and the service at the bar was amazing. I ordered their 24-karat gold pancakes and strawberry lemonade mimosa, which were both good.

Slutty Vegan

I feel like this is a must if you’re coming to Atlanta, especially since this is where it all started. If you’ve never tried a vegan burger, this is a good place to start because they have many options. I haven’t stepped foot in their restaurant, thanks to Ubereats, but I do want to make a trip.

Rock Steady

This restaurant and bar celebrates the African diaspora as a whole. The food is inspired by African and Caribbean dishes and flavors. While their bar plays hip-hop, Afrobeats, reggae, and more. I love the ambiance in the restaurant and bar, and the food was good, please try their jerk lamb eggrolls! Also, if possible, eat at the restaurant first, then head to the other side of the building for their bar.

Just Brunch

The perfect place to grab brunch any day of the week, in fact, their motto is “where every day is the weekend.” Just Brunch is located outside of Atlanta, in Duluth, but it’s worth the drive! I got their frose and cone’bread waffle stack, which were so good! I rarely finish my meals but I finished this one, and the frose had a good amount of alcohol 🥴.

Gypsy Kitchen

A great place to get your Spanish tapas fix, Gypsy Kitchen provides Greece, Lebanon, Morocco, Israel, and Spanish flavors. I came here with a friend after another tapas place in Buckhead was unfortunately closed. However, I ended up loving the food, drinks, and service here!

Rosé Bistro & Champagne Bar

A Parisian-style restaurant, Rosé Bistro & Champagne Bar offers French dishes for brunch, lunch, and dinner. The venue itself is super cute and definitely Instagram-worthy. However, the inside of the restaurant is pretty small, but they also have outdoor seating. I went for a late lunch/early dinner and ordered their “Exotic Southern Chicken” which was BOMB! And for drinks, I tried their “Rosé Champagne Punch” and “A bit of R&R”, which gave Pisco sour vibes.

Gocha’s Breakfast Bar

The name is pretty self-explanatory, but Gocha’s is a breakfast/brunch spot that serves southern-style dishes. This includes their delicious “Georgia Peach Stack”, but they also have traditional breakfast dishes like steak and eggs. I went for Sunday brunch and it was very packed, so I’d advise making a reservation through Yelp.

Feels ATL

An R&B tribute concert series that happens every Thursday (but monitor their Instagram for updates on dates and artist tributes). During the evening, different Atlanta-based artists perform their favorite songs from the selected R&B artists’ discography.

I went for their Aaliyah tribute and really enjoyed myself with my best friend. If you don’t want to stand during the event, I’d suggest buying their “Premium” or “VIP experience. Both tickets come with a complimentary bottle of wine or champagne, and you can buy food.

National Center for Civil and Human Rights

Dedicated to the achievements of the civil rights movement, this museum also highlights the broader worldwide human rights movement. Since it’s a fairly small museum, it shouldn’t take you long to explore the entire space. And it’s next to the World of Coca-Cola museum, so you can spend a day visiting both.

Gurl Mobb Museum

Atlanta has tons of pop-up Instagram-worthy museums like the Trap Museum and Gurl Mobb Museum. All the rooms here (20+) are tailored for women to take their selfies/content (e.g. hair and makeup room, tea time room, and more).

Atlanta Botanical Garden

A must for nature lovers, this botanical garden is perfect for families, friends, and couples. I loved how peaceful and tranquil I felt walking through the garden, especially around the Earth Goddess. Check their calendar as there are always events happening, I visited during the Juneteenth weekend.

JoJo’s Beloved Cocktail Lounge

Some call this a speakeasy, but I consider it a cocktail lounge because it isn’t hidden like a typical speakeasy. Regardless, I liked the ambiance here, it was giving 70-80s nostalgia with the neon signs, vinyl records, and color scheme. The drinks were delicious and they serve mocktails too, I ordered their woo woo girls cocktail. Reservations are highly recommended as it’s a small venue and can get crowded quickly.

Colony Square

Located in Midtown, Colony Square is a complex featuring office spaces, shops, and restaurants, and holds events frequently. There are many places to eat, and things to do and see in Colony Square including:

• Politan Row: a food hall providing a mix of local food and beverages and a bar. My favorite food vendors are Pretty Little Tacos (which is Black woman-owned) and Zaddy’s (also Black woman-owned)
• JoJo’s Beloved: See my review above ↑
• Saint + Council: See my review under the “where the eat” section
• 5Church: See my review under the “Where to eat” section
• The Starling, Curio Collection by Hilton: See my review under the “where to stay” section
• IPIC Theater: If you’re looking for a premium, luxurious movie experience, then head here! You can order food and drinks from the comfort of your seat (these aren’t basic movie concession stand food/drinks either)

The Blind Pig Parlour Bar

A seasonal pop-up cocktail lounge themed based on different holidays and seasons. I went for their summer jungle/tropic pop-up and Valentine’s Day pop-up. The drinks were delicious and the snacks they had on the menu were yummy.

HBCU Homecoming

October is HBCU homecoming season in Atlanta, and I was able to partake in the Morehouse-Spelman festivities in 2022! I didn’t go to an HBCU, but I’ve always wanted to experience the homecoming celebrations. There are many fun-filled, action-packed events at Clark Atlanta University, Georgia State University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College to enjoy.

High Art Museum

A popular art museum in Atlanta, it’s family-friendly, and many events happen here, including HIGH Frequency Friday. This event, in particular, happens every month on the first Friday. HIGH Frequency Friday is basically one big party with drinks, a DJ, and an opportunity to look at the art.

Jeju Sauna Spa

A traditional Korean Bath House in Duluth, Georgia that offers saunas, body scrubs, massages, and more. And the best part is the prices are reasonable, in fact, only paid $35 for the basic admission fee. But any additions (e.g. massages and body scrubs) will be charged to the watch key that’s given to you to wear.

Piedmont Park

You definitely can’t visit Atlanta without passing by Piedmont Park at some point. Many events are held here, but you can visit anytime to take a walk, have a picnic, and more.

Underground Atlanta

This area is filled with shops and entertainment. If you’re in Atlanta for the first Friday of the month, then check out their First Friday event! It’s filled with artwork you can purchase, music, drinks, food, and more.

Pop The Cork Wine Tours

I’ve been on many wine tours (including in Spain and Portugal) but nothing beats going on a Black-woman-owned wine tour! My friend coordinated everything for the tour and told the owner I was celebrating my birthday. We met the owner in person before our tour and she handed everyone celebrating a birthday a card! The level of detail was truly unmatched, they even gave the birthday folks a complimentary drink.

Everyone on our tour was a vibe, some people came solo, and others with their spouse or friend(s).

The Interlock

A great area to eat, play, stay, and work — some of my favorite spots in this area include:

• Bellyard Hotel: Although I haven’t stayed here (yet) this is still a great place to work, grab a drink, and some food
• Saint Germain French Cafe & Bakery: Definitely gives Parisian vibes, and is my favorite place to work remotely. They offer ample seating, free Wi-Fi, and delicious pastries and coffee/tea

The Groove

If you’re like me and LOVE/grew up on R&B music, then you must hit up The Groove. It’s an R&B dance party that plays R&B-only music all night. I went when they collaborated with The Jumpoff Series — another dance party experience and had the time of my life!