The savviest 7 -- plus the best of the rest
THE FOLLOWING seven restaurants do savvy Southern right — seasonal ingredients, inventive menus and chefs who get the farm-to-table connection.
FIVE & TEN 
1653 S. Lumpkin St., Athens. 706-546-7300. www.fiveandten.com
Look up destination in the dictionary, and there should be a description of Five & Ten, fast becoming one of the South's greatest reasons to visit Athens. Owner Hugh Acheson is the perfect chef: He cooks with energy and invention, and values ingredients above all else. He's also not afraid to take chances or make mistakes (honestly, how bad could one of his mistakes be?). His cooking, and the restaurant, thrive on a low-key Southern vibe but with a bit of an edge. Fresh, seasonal ingredients and enough talent in the kitchen pull off an evening's worth of good things to eat: Frogmore stew, loaded with fat shrimp, fingerling potatoes, corn and spicy andouille in a soulful tomato broth has become a signature. The pickle plate is a Southern marvel and shouldn't be missed — each sweet-and-sour bite full is made in-house. Acheson flash-fries catfish and okra to perfection and uses Red Mule grits, a local Athens mill. He stacks über-fresh heirloom tomatoes with grana cheese in a combination that reminds us that tomatoes should only be eaten ripe, in season and never cold. Along with the discreetly elegant desserts and a staff that actually cares about what's going on in the kitchen, Five & Ten is a sweet reminder of everything that's right about Southern cooking. The wine list is plenty friendly with excellent bottles for $30 or less. Dinner: 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5:30-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Brunch: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sundays. $$$
JCT KITCHEN
1198 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, 404-355-2252, www.jctkitchen.com
Everything about chef-owner Ford Fry's new Southern restaurant, JCT Kitchen, works. He has taken the fundamentals of great French bistro cooking and done with it what all gifted Southern cooks do: Cook great food. Fundamentals are, after all, fundamentals. The restaurant, located at Westside Urban Market in the spot where first Commune, then Sampan crashed and burned (including the lovely Susie Wong's, upstairs), was created by Smith Hanes Design. The interior has been completely transformed — open to light, the walls are bathed in muted tones of khaki; a farm table in the center of the room is home to a server's station stacked with flatware wrapped in blue-and-white dish towels used as napkins and big glass pitchers of water. Fry's menu succeeds on so many levels. And yes, it's easy to liken JCT Kitchen to Watershed: Both restaurants have a laid-back Southern style; both chefs like to cook within the realm of classic Southern cuisine, but with a broad brush stroke of personal interpretation; both offer extremely pleasant dining experiences. But I would hate for Fry to be pigeon-holed into perpetual comparison. He strikes out on his own in many wonderful ways — chicken and dumplings is a loose interpretation of what you grew up on, a red wine braised chicken rich with intense flavor in a demi glace dotted with mushrooms and pillowy potato gnocchi (not exactly grandma's). Or sturdy shrimp and grits made with Anson Mills coarse ground yellow grits, sweet and chocked with bits of corn that seem part creamed corn, part subliminal intoxication. Dessert highlighted by a gingerbread pudding that is part light spice cake, part gooey pudding and smeared with a contrast of tart lemon curd. The comfortable space upstairs, JCT Bar, offers a sweeping view of Atlanta's ever-changing skyline, as well as a darned good beer list (though bourbon and gin are slim pickings). Lunch: 11 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. JCT Bar open 5 p.m.-midnight Tuesdays-Thursdays; 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays.$$$
QUINONES AT BACCHANALIA 
1198 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 404-365-0410. www.starprovisions.com
This restaurant, the third from award-winning chef-owners Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison, has since its opening had a soulfulness that is at once sensuous and sexy yet ladylike. And from the start the kitchen took a fresh, young approach to a lengthy prix fixe menu that could have drowned in its own soberness but didn't. Now Quatrano has morphed the menu into one that approaches, if not entirely encompasses, a canvas of Southern cooking. Focusing on traditional ingredients from the Southeast rather than sticking strictly to conventionally Southern cooking styles, Quatrano and chef de cuisine David A. Carson have created elegant dishes that are as easy to love as a sip of sweet tea on the veranda, and with the same sultry Southernness. Recent musings include pan-roasted gulf snapper, curly crisped at the edges, over thinly sliced fennel in a clear leek-and-garlic broth; Kobe short ribs with house-cured bacon and dazzlingly seasoned lentils; veal sweetbreads served in a tiny cast iron pot over greens of turnips, cippollini and kale. All have a delicate beauty, but are never fussy. As courses move forward, each arrives a little larger and sometimes heavier than the next, until the crest of dessert — perhaps tiny beignets with warm almond milk — brings the meal back to pianissimo. The entire meal can be paired with wines, each selection based on depth and heaviness, not just flavor. Quatrano sets the pace for the region, and if this is where Southern regional cooking is headed, we're in for a smooth ride. 6-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. $$$$
RESTAURANT EUGENE
2277 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-355-0321. www.restauranteugene.com
Chef-owner Linton Hopkins has turned this lovely Buckhead gem into a destination — and a four-star restaurant. From the lively, old-fashioned cocktail list to the well-sourced meats and vegetables, Hopkins cooks by the creed all chefs should: Fresh, local, seasonal. His Sunday supper menu is a testament to the notion that Southern cooking neither be heavy nor pedestrian. Instead dishes such as cracklin' pork osso buco, a gorgeous shank crisped at the edges and fall-from-the-bone tender over Anson Mills grits, transcend their meager origins. Often he uses ingredients — corn, okra, skillet greens — to remind us of the South, but with a whole new attitude: snapper with sweet potato mash served with wilted baby arugula and spiced pecan brown butter. He uses Allan Benton's bacon from Madisonville, Tenn., and shrimp from the Georgia coast, letting ingredients pop from the plate with calculated flavor; nothing appears happenstance. The menu changes often to reflect the seasons, but no matter what time of year, the food cultivates a genteel Southern accent, even if it's a plate of sliced Fuyu persimmon and Beenleigh blue cheese. Dessert is Hopkins' weakest link — it always sounds wonderful, but is often executed clumsily. But on a menu full of top-notch ingredients, seasonal produce and gentle flavors always inspire but never offend the dressy 50-or-older Pano's and Paul's Buckhead crowd. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5:30-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $$$$
SAGA 
1100 Crescent Ave., Atlanta. 404-872-0999. www.sagamidtown.com
Chef Drew Van Leuvan has landed firmly back on planet Earth — after side trips at Spice and Woodfire Grill — with a new venue in Midtown, Saga, an acronym for South Africa and Georgia. Upscale farmstead cooking is winningly combined with specialties from owner Sean Lupton-Smith's native South Africa, such as biltong (think bresaola or salami) and droe wars (think Slim Jim). Lunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Brunch: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. $$$
WATERSHED
406 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. 404-378-4900. www.watershedrestaurant.com
This oddly comfortable space, a converted gas station in Decatur, is an ideal setting for chef Scott Peacock's upscale Southern classics. This is after-church-on-Sunday food, and a blessed reminder of how important cooking used to be to all of us. The vegetable plate is the best in the city, with beautifully seasoned greens, lightly fried cauliflower florets, creamy (but not too sweet) sweet potatoes and cabbage. Savory shrimp grits with hearty slices of Pullman bread to dip or smear have become, like the fried chicken, staples on a menu that is half signature, half seasonal. The spoon bread is downright unlawful and the butter bean hummus (a signature) the perfect dip for a smattering of seasonal raw veggies. Finishing the evening with a slice of wholesome chocolate cake or a plateful of warm cookies is like visiting Grandma's house without having to help with the dishes. There is a laid back ease to Peacock's seasonal cooking, and dinner or brunch here will remind you of long past Sunday suppers. Lunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Afternoon menu: 3-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Brunch: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. $$$
WISTERIA
471 N. Highland Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-525-3363. www.wisteria-atlanta.com
Chef Jason Hill's funky take on contemporary Southern has turned this Inman Park fave into a real destination. His signature black-eyed pea hummus and offerings such as fried catfish over green tomato and eggplant with crawfish ragout show off Hill's range. But a homey dish like the iron-skillet chicken with greens is a big ol' plate that aims to please, and usually does. Things get downright sophisticated with a Vidalia onion tart — a good meal on its on at the bar with a glass of white wine from a list that is friendly and reasonable. The atmosphere is a comforting mix of brick warehouse chic and intown loft, with great art on the walls and a bar that's easy to belly up to for a drink or dinner. 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 5:30-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $$$
The best of the rest
HERE ARE MORE SPOTS to get some South in your mouth. Fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, collards, banana pudding, sweet tea — all await you in the following pages. Whether you're looking for an old fashioned meat-n-three, some great 'cue or a bite of something sweet, these places aim to please.
(All capsule reviews by Meridith Ford unless otherwise noted)
AGNES & MURIEL'S (not rated)
3133 Piedmont Road, Atlanta. 404-885-1000. www.mominthekitchen.com
It's a little bit Seussian, a lot Southern retro chic, with cake-icing-colored walls outfitted with one of the greatest Barbie collections this side of the Mississippi. Agnes & Muriel's serves up new South selections with lots of TLC: fried green tomatoes with remoulade and goat cheese, shrimp and grits, and lots of Southern sides such as green bean casserole and creamed corn. There's not much integrity to the food, but the regulars — and there are tons of them — don't care. They're full when they leave and the friendly staff treats everyone as if they were Ken and Barbie. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays. $$
BUSY BEE CAFE (not rated)
810 Martin Luther King Drive S.W., Atlanta. 404-525-9212. www.thebusybeecafe.com
This tiny joint is aptly named. Go early for lunch, or you may end up standing in line for this busy soulfood/meat-n-two's fried chicken, collard greens and fried okra. Chitlins — the real thing — are here, too, and so is boiled okra (only on certain days) and pinto beans (usually on Thursdays). 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; noon-7 p.m. Sundays. Closed Saturdays. $
CARVER'S COUNTRY KITCHEN (not rated)
1118 W. Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-794-4410.
Good, plain country cookin' is what Sharon Carver fixes at this grocery store-cum-meat-and-whatever. Look for her and husband Robert to be sitting behind the cash register when you stop by for lunch, next to the sign that says "All Men are Idiots and I Married Their King." And expect ample helpings of home-seasoned mashed rutabagas, brown butter beans, green beans and some darned good collards, as well as fried catfish and pot roast. Carver's signatures are pineapple casserole, a gooey crusty mix of sugar, fruit and cheese, and her moist Coca-Cola cake. 11 a.m- 2 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. $
CITY GRILL 
50 Hurt Plaza S.E., Suite 200, Atlanta. 404-524-2489. www.citygrillatlanta.com
This restaurant's soaring marble entranceway, vaulted ceiling and sweeping muraled walls have long been an attraction for the well-heeled business man or ladies' luncheon. There's always a daily lemonade, and the dessert menu boasts a lusciously moist version of Atlanta's premiere sweet treat, Coca-Cola cake. But there's pith to the menu, too — shrimp pop in your mouth over creamy red grits and fried chicken is almost a backdrop for messy, creamy mac and cheese with turnip greens. As good as it is, the menu has lacked spunk and originality of late, a reason for the drop from three to two stars. Still, the wine program is nationally acclaimed, and the city looks mighty pretty from this perch at night. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. $$$-$$$$
THE COLONNADE
1879 Cheshire Bridge Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-874-5642.
The Colonnade serves up addictive classics such as black-eyed peas and fried okra, fried chicken and lima beans, but it's the Parker House rolls that are outrageous. Ladies carry large pocketbooks into the restaurant just to steal them home in a napkin. The scene looks like a Flannery O'Connor novella gone dangerously modern: Red-hatted matriarchs and biker gays are equally at home in a setting that's just a notch above the cafeteria, and the service is all love. There's always a wait, so relax in the bar if you can find room — the drinks aren't that well-made, but they're strong. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays (2:30-4 p.m. in the lounge). Dinner: 5-9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays. $$
FOX BROS. BBQ (inside Smith's Olde Bar) (not rated)
1578 Piedmont. Ave., Atlanta. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com
Two guys from Texas ought to know how to smoke some brisket, and believe me, the Fox brothers do. The good news is that they will have their own spot in Little Five Points this spring on DeKalb Avenue in Asada's old spot. Until then, here it is — the best brisket in the area — tender, moist, meat that literally pulls apart with a teeny weeny nudge and is full of wood-smoked flavor. The edges are gently charred with traces of dry rub in the flavor, and ringed in perfect pink. Ditto the pulled pork, which comes on a plate or in a sandwich. Baby back ribs are a cross between pork roast and bacon, with a sweet, tender center as you get to the bone. Don't miss the Tater Tots and other sides such as mac and cheese and green beans that are part of the duo's catering menu. For now, order from their catering menu (404-414-7095, www.foxbrosbbq.com), or chow on the Bros. brisket, ribs and pulled pork at Smith's Olde Bar on Piedmont Avenue. 3 p.m.-3 a.m. Mondays-Fridays, noon-3 a.m. Saturdays, noon-midnight Sundays. $$
GARDEN PRODUCE & COUNTRY STORE (not rated)
567 Stephenson Road, Stone Mountain. 770-413-0338.
Those in search of the next big thang, here it is. Outside it's a rickety shack spruced up with funky junky herb and flower pots, the decor anchored by gas pumps painted barn red and littered with bullet holes to add flair to the few tables outside. Inside there's room for one comfy table and shelves of Patti Tennis' fig preserves and bread and butter pickles. Next door is the key to why the vegetables — notably field peas and fried okra — taste so good: A garden where Tennis and partner Wayne Germon grow vegetables year round. Germon smokes chicken, pork, ribs and brisket in a wood-fired pit behind the store, but it's Patti's fried catfish, mac and cheese and greens that will have you coming back for more. 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 1-6 p.m. Sundays. $
GLADYS KNIGHT AND RON WINANS CHICKEN & WAFFLES (not rated)
529 Peachtree St., Atlanta. 404-874-9393.
(Second location at 7301 Stonecrest Concourse, Suite 123 at Stonecrest Mall, Lithonia. 770-482-6766.) gladysandron.com
The concept of eating fried chicken with waffles purportedly started in Harlem back in the 1930s, when singers and musicians would hang out at Wells restaurant until the wee hours, not knowing if they wanted dinner or breakfast. The legacy has been kept at Gladys' — proof of which lies in the long lines down Peachtree Street at 2 a.m. on Friday nights. You can get standard meat-n-three fare here, but don't miss the crunchy sweet combination of the main attraction. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-4 a.m. Fridays- Saturdays. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays. $
GREENWOOD'S
1087 Green St., Roswell. 770-992-5383.
Seventeen years after its opening, Greenwood's on Green Street is still cooking up favorites like broccoli casserole, fried catfish and white shrimp with cheese grits. Some of the vegetables don't taste as fresh as they used to, and I just don't get the renowned pies (a reason to drop the restaurant from three to two stars) but the corn bread is so good it will make you want to slap your grandma. Ditto the trout, the rotisserie duck with plum sauce and the meatloaf. Dinner: 5-9 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays. $$
HARLEM BAR (not rated)
262 Edgewood Ave., Atlanta. 404-588-0014. www.harlembaratl.com
Fast becoming the in spot for hip-hop crowds (and sometimes the celebs they're shadowing), Harlem Bar serves up some mean shrimp and grits along with fat, crispy barbecued chicken wings. The right perch at the small bar will give you full view of Cleopatra Jones (or the blaxploitation film du jour) and the cocktail list — with names like Superfly and Banana Pudding — is way downtown. Start with a heap of catfish fingers (do catfish have fingers?) and finish with some sweet potato cheesecake, a Sweet Auburn classic. 6 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 6 p.m.-midnight Sundays. $
LOUISE'S (not rated)
428 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-817-9513. www.louisesatlanta.com
If you're lucky, you'll stop by this meat-n-two on a day when owner Louise Holmes has whipped up a batch of banana pudding. If not, keep asking for it — sooner or later she'll make a batch. And though she skips a few steps on the scratch rule, the result still tastes like a bite of fluffy heaven. The space is spare and cafeteria style — line up for an array of breakfast items or meat and veggies, all dished up in huge portions on hefty, white china plates. If there's a jar of pickles for sale, grab one — Louise and her sister are mighty good pickle makers. Breakfast: 6-11 a.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 6 a.m.-noon Saturdays. Lunch: 11-3 Tuesdays- Fridays; noon-5 p.m. Sundays. $
MARY MAC'S TEA ROOM (not rated)
224 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta. 404-876-1800. www.marymacs.com
Open since 1945, this is a bona fide Atlanta institution. The neatly framed, autographed photos that run up and down nearly every wall attest to that. Johnny Mercer, James Brown, Jimmy Carter and Jesse Ventura have all praised the goodness of Mary Mac's classic Southern food, which includes the likes of meatloaf, fried chicken, catfish and pork barbecue served with two sides. Even if nowadays the cooking can be wildly unpredictable, any Atlantan should make the pilgrimage at least once just to soak up the nostalgia. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. $
— Bob Townsend
MATTHEW'S CAFETERIA (not rated)
2299 Main St., Tucker. 770-491-9577. www.matthewscafeteria.com
Folks in Tucker use Matthew's as a directional marker. For more than 50 years this cafeteria has been serving up fried chicken, black-eyed peas, yellow squash and banana pudding. And though it's lost a little of its luster, it's as popular as ever — a Friday lunch will be packed with families, cops and construction workers. The best: pole beans, squash, fried catfish and corn bread. The worst: roast beef, mashed potatoes and not-from-scratch pies. Breakfast: 5-10 a.m. Lunch: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner 4:30-8 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Closed Saturdays-Sundays. $
REXALL GRILL
3165 Buford Highway, Duluth. 770-623-8569. www.rexallgrill.com
Attached to the Rexall Pharmacy, this old-fashioned, soda fountain-style meat-and-two's popularity is legend in Gwinnett for some of the best home cookin' found away from home. Fresh okra is hand-cut, dredged through cornmeal and lightly fried; macaroni and cheese that will bring back memories of your mother's checkered apron strings. Do not leave without trying the homemade peanut butter cake. Ditto the chocolate. 5:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 5:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Mondays. $
SAM & DAVE'S BBQ1
4944 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta. 770-977-3005. www.lostmountainbbq.com
The red, white and blue painted pig out front is a good harbinger of things to come inside this shoebox-size joint meant more for takeout than lingering. The brisket's slow-cooked until the edges are crowned with a charred, caramelized crust lined on the inside with a pretty pink ring. The smoky pulled pork is served in giant, tender shreds. Don't miss the mac and cheese: Chef David Roberts boils up a batch of rigatoni and drenches it in cream and three kinds of cheese. 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays. $-$$
SAM & DAVE'S BBQ2
660 Whitlock Ave., Marietta. 770-792-2272. www.lostmountainbbq.com
Sam & Dave's BBQ2 (sister to BBQ1 on Lower Roswell Road) is owned and operated by barbecue enthusiasts Sam Huff and David Poe (whose family owned the catering business Stump-n-Sons) and David Roberts, who's busy cooking at both restaurants. Like the original, the the barbecue — pork and beef — has that slow-smoked, striated, pink-ringed madness that turns men, women and children from polite, napkin-using, elbows-off-the-table types into crazed maniacs ready to kill for the closest wet nap. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Closed Sundays. $-$$
SON'S PLACE (not rated)
100 Hurt St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-581-0530.
Lenn Storey opened Son's Place to carry on the tradition of Deacon Burton, his father, whose restaurant next door (now Shaun's) was the soul of soul food in Atlanta, and possibly the South. There's no tall white hat on anyone's head as Deacon always had. But the fried chicken is the real deal, as are cooked-all-day collards and griddle cakes to sop up the pot likker. There's always a friendly hello and goodbye from whoever is working the counter, too, just as Deacon would've done. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. $
SOUTH CITY KITCHEN
1144 Crescent Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-873-7358. www.southcitykitchen.com
This is probably one of the best-known restaurants in the city for serving Southern classics with a modern touch. Opened in 1993, it has garnered a reputation as the place to send out-of-towners when they are looking for a real Southern meal. The fried chicken and stacks of fried green tomatoes with goat cheese almost always satisfy, but other dishes have lost flair. Housed in a renovated bungalow tucked into the quickly changing area around Crescent Avenue, the restaurant generates a vibe, and it's easy to get caught up in the sensation. Lunch: 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5-11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5 p.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays; 5-10 p.m. Sundays. Brunch: 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. $$-$$$
SOUTH CITY KITCHEN VININGS
1675 Cumberland Parkway, Suite 401, Smyrna. 770-435-0700. www.southcitykitchen.com
At the Vinings locale of this intown favorite, you'll find the same fried green tomatoes and she-crab soup as Midtown, but in a sweeping space twice the size, designed by (who else?) the Johnson Studio. With sexy earth tones and an exhibition kitchen ready for its close-up, the Vinings location (anchored in swanky Ivy Walk, actually in Smyrna) boasts every perfectly polished trinket a new restaurant could need or want. It just seems a little all-talk, no-action when it come to the delivering. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays. Brunch 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. $$-$$$
THE SWALLOW AT THE HOLLOW
1072 Green St., Roswell. 678-352-1975. www.theswallowatthehollow.com
The funky setting, in a knotty pine barn, evokes images of Li'l Abner and Daisy Mae (actually, it feels a little like the Tales of the Okefenokee ride that used to be at Six Flags). There's a boat up front filled with ice and beer. Barbecue and lots of other dishes, including a mighty fine portobello mushroom sandwich and some house-made sausage, are cooking behind the line. But honestly, the biscuits here are worth their fluffy weight in gold — 2 inches high and slit in half, then grilled with butter. Little plastic cups of honey come on the side. Lunch: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays. Dinner: 5-9 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays and Sundays; 5-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays (ask about the shows.) $$
SWAN COACH HOUSE RESTAURANT (not rated)
3130 Slaton Drive, NW, Atlanta. 404-261-0636. www.swancoachhouse.com
Located behind the Atlanta History Center in the heart of Buckhead, every deb in the ATL has been raised on this tea room's chicken salad in tiny pastry cups and frozen fruit salad. This Atlanta classic is starting to seem like a fading movie queen, though lunchtime still bustles with tables of ladies in waiting. Pimento cheese and shrimp salad on tea sandwiches taste muted, though the flavors fit the crowd just fine. The room is still lovely, bathed in florals and fresh roses on each table, and the ladies' tea room environment is, sadly, a glimpse of a disappearing South. Lunch: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. $$
THELMA'S KITCHEN (not rated)
302 Auburn Ave., Atlanta. 404-688-5855.
Since Atlanta's queen of soul food Thelma Grundy moved to her new location on Auburn Avenue the food has gotten even better — the fried chicken seems crispier, meatier and moister; collards are slow-cooked with a peppery goodness. Don't miss the sweet potatoes, okra cakes or buttermilk custard pie. And if there's a heap of barbecue chicken in one of those steam table pans — go for it. After moving around so much, let's hope the Auburn Avenue location — in the heart of the historic Sweet Auburn district — ends up being home. Thelma's also serves hearty breakfast fare. Breakfast: 8-11 a.m. Mondays-Fridays. Lunch: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays. $
THUMBS UP DINER
573 Edgewood Ave. S.E., Atlanta. 404-223-0690. www.thumbsupdiner.com
No one in Atlanta does the diner gig the way these guys do: The curved counter, the deco block glass in the windows, the intown address, the empty pastry case, the darned good grub. The waitresses are the sweetest on the planet, and they bring food fast and hot. A diverse clientele bridges the gap between locals in search of a good meal that's priced right and the yuppie crowd's cravings for somethin' good to eat in a groovy setting. Breakfast is served throughout the day, with whole wheat biscuits and homemade berry preserves, stone-ground grits and "the Heap" of fried potatoes. The omelets are fluffy but with backbone, cooked to order; the heaping slices of French toast will change your view of religion and possibly politics. Lunch is also worthy, whether you opt for eggs and bacon, a stuffed spud or a chopped salad. Breakfast and lunch: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays-Sundays. $
SWEETS THANGS:
BLUE EYED DAISY BAKESHOP
9065 Selborne Lane, Palmetto. 770-463-8379. www.blueeyeddaisy.com
Pastry chef Angie Mosier has left this Shangri-La shop inside Serenbe, and former Iris chef-owner Nic Boer has filled her vacancy. Right now things remain pretty much the same — the small counter still brims with cake stands piled high with inviting homemade cookies and inside the glass, pretty cupcakes and rich tres leches cake soaked in milk still have a home. And the lunch counter menu of pimento cheese-and-bacon sandwiches, egg salad and deviled eggs is so simple, yet so good. Indulge in a bottomless cup of coffee and some banana pudding, too. 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays; 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. $-$$
GRANDMA LUKE'S BAKERY AND CAFE
1156 Euclid Ave., Atlanta. 404-584-0444. www.grandmalukes.com
When you order a slice of chocolate layer cake at Grandma Luke's in Little Five Points, baker and part-owner Carl Wilson will come to the counter from the back just to make sure it's cut properly. He'll also tell you to bring the fudgy layers to room temperature before eating, because he uses a lot of butter in his recipes. This is not a light, fine-crumbed cake. It's dense and chocolatey, with a rich cocoa frosting. The owners of this quirky-cute L5P bakery cafe serve breakfast all day, and there's lunch, too, but it's Wilson's cakes you'll remember. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. daily except closed Tuesdays. $
SOUTHERN SWEETS
186 Rio Circle, Decatur. 404-373-8752. www.southernsweets.com
Owner Nancy Cole started baking for corporate clients — many of the yummy goodies you eat at local restaurants are made by her bakery, Southern Sweets. But soon she opened a shop near the DeKalb Farmer's Market. Ever since, folks flock to this warehouse district haunt to munch on lunch and get a slice of golden chocolate layer cake. Amid seven kinds of pound cake, bar cookies and a large assortment of vegan desserts, lunch looms with sandwiches, wraps and salad plates. But don't fill up: A hunk of coconut cream pie awaits. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays. $-$$
SWEET AUBURN BREAD COMPANY
234 Auburn Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-221-1157. www.sweetauburnbread.com
Sonya Jones' bakery, Sweet Auburn Bread Company, has known previous locations, but let's hope the tiny shop on Auburn Avenue downtown will be where it finally makes a home. Jones has parlayed a lot of PR mileage from her famous encounter with Bill Clinton, who raved about her sweet potato cheesecake when, as president, he visited Atlanta. Pretty much anything Jones mixes with sweet potato tastes good — a morning muffin is as moist as cake, full of musky flavor and hints of ginger; her sweet potato pie is the best in the area, with firm, fleshy flavor to the custard and a proper flake to the hand-made crust. And her lemon chess ... oh my goodness! 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays. $
KEY TO RATINGS Outstanding: Sets the standard for fine dining in the region. Excellent: One of the best in the Atlanta area. Very good: Merits a drive if you're looking for this kind of dining. Good: A worthy addition to its neighborhood, but food may be hit or miss. 
Fair: The food is more miss than hit.
Restaurants that do not meet these criteria are rated Poor.
Pricing code: $$$$$ means more than $75; $$$$ means $75 and less; $$$ means $50 and less; $$ means $25 and less; $ means $15 and less.
The price code represents a meal for one that includes appetizer, entree and dessert without including tax, tip and cocktails.
