The heavenly deviled egg

A perennial favorite of weekend picnics and potluck suppers, nowadays deviled eggs are showing up on menus all over Atlanta — from simple sandwich-shop sides and gastropub starters to fine dining restaurant creations. Here are half a dozen places to ponder those incredible, edible, yellow-and-white bites.

DECATUR

Cakes & Ale

Cakes & Ale offers a quiet, cozy bistro-like setting, with all the signs of a great little chef-run operation. It's the brainchild of Billy Allin, whose philosophy is "cook unassuming food using the highest quality ingredients" And while Allin's all-American deviled eggs aren't always on the changing daily menu, the wonderful, homemade pickles that accompany them usually are.

• 254 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., 404-377-7994. www.cakesandalerestaurant.com • Map it and review it.

VIRGINIA-HIGHLAND

Belly General Store

Anchored on the corner of North Highland and St. Charles avenues, Belly took over the space once occupied by Fleeman's Pharmacy, a Virginia-Highland landmark. That timeless feel shines through in a variety of treats, including house-made bagels and enticing cupcakes. And all the deli sandwiches come with a pickle and a delectable, old-fashioned deviled egg.

• 772 N. Highland Ave., 404-872-1003. www.bellystore.com.

DOWNTOWN

Maxim Prime

A choice spot for all of Atlanta's wannabe Donald Trumps, Maxim Prime is controversial restaurateur and financier Jeffrey Chodorow's idea of an upscale steakhouse as sponsored by Maxim magazine. So it's no surprise that the "millionaire" deviled eggs are gilded with a combination of white and black truffles, sturgeon caviar and gold leaf.

• 110 Marietta St. N.W., in the Glenn Hotel, 404-469-0700. www.maximprime.com/atlanta.html

WESTSIDE

JCT Kitchen

At JCT Kitchen, chef Ford Fry infuses classic cooking with a Southern flavor in dishes such as fried chicken and shrimp and grits. Fry's JCT bar menu features a hefty burger topped with a fried egg. And his smooth take on deviled eggs layers on the salty goodness of Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Ham from Tennessee.

• 1198 Howell Mill Road N.W., 404-355-2252. www.jctkitchen.com

SOUTH BUCKHEAD

Holeman & Finch Public House

Call it a gastropub or a brasserie, recently opened Holeman & Finch (an offshoot of Restaurant Eugene) offers an exciting take on hearty eating and convivial drinking, with hefty cocktails and meaty offerings. Along with the likes of roasted marrow bones and crispy pig's ears, there's deviled eggs three ways — with pickles, cayenne pepper, and (of course) bacon.

• 277 Peachtree Road, Suite B, 404-948-1175. www.holeman-finch.com.

BUCKHEAD

BrickTop's

Located in Buckhead's newish Terminus building, BrickTop's is a Nashville-based, casual American dining concept that serves up the usual burgers, steaks and seafood. But on the appetizer menu, look for a small surprise: straight-up, creamy deviled eggs, plated with crispy strips of sugary, maple-flavored bacon.

• 3280 Peachtree Road, Suite 100, 404-841-2212. www.bricktops.com