6 Charleston restaurants to enjoy in Atlanta right now, no road trip required
Imagine spending the day at a selection of storied Charleston, South Carolina, restaurants right here in Atlanta.
As Southern food cities, Atlanta and Charleston both hold their own. So it’s no wonder a handful of eateries based in the Holy City have found their way to our metro area. These six restaurants are popular in Charleston, and now, they’re popular options in Atlanta.
Why are Charleston restaurants expanding to Atlanta?
While the Charleston metro area is creeping toward 1 million residents, the Atlanta metro area has a population of almost 6.5 million, so a successful restaurant in Charleston could have a wider fan base in Atlanta.
Steve Palmer, founder of the Indigo Road Hospitality Group, which includes Oak Steakhouse, Indaco and O-Ku, is an Atlanta native who chose to bring his concepts to our swiftly growing area.
“Atlanta was a natural next step,” Palmer said. “Alpharetta was a growing area, with Avalon at the center of a lot of the growth, which led to opening Oak Steakhouse there. With O-Ku, we had the opportunity to expand to the Westside almost 11 years ago. Similar to Avalon, the area was growing.”
According to Lewis Barbecue general manager Taj Kelly, the company searched for six years before landing at the back of Ansley Mall. “It took years to find the perfect location on the Atlanta Beltline,” Kelly said.
Atlanta offers a growing, diverse dining audience
While Charleston has been an incubator for the food and beverage industry for a while, the restaurants that expand to Atlanta find a broader, more diverse market.
“Our restaurant in Atlanta is the biggest, and we have Bar Lewis across the breezeway with six new menu items,” Kelly said.
“Both cities are known for their Southern hospitality, and restaurants are an opportunity to expand on that hospitality,” said Palmer. “Atlanta, of course, has a much larger population, which allows for even more diversity of cuisine, and it’s very exciting to be a part of that.”
6 Charleston restaurants you can visit in metro Atlanta
Here are six restaurants with Charleston addresses that you can try right now in Atlanta, no traveling needed.
The Daily Cafe
Atlanta locations: Buckhead, Inman Park and West Midtown. shopthedaily.com
Original Charleston location: Downtown Charleston on upper King Street
Open from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. during the week and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends, the Daily Cafe divides its menu into Early Risers (breakfast) and Latecomers (lunch). But don’t be fooled: The whole menu is served all day.
What to get: Order one of the toasts — avocado, whipped feta or with soft scrambled eggs — on fresh sourdough; a bowl with chicken shawarma or veggies with hummus; or the plant-based “brisket” tacos. Pair your meal with the monthly special latte, a matcha or a custom smoothie.
Why it’s special: Since the Daily Cafe prioritizes serving whatever is fresh from local farmers and purveyors, the menu changes with the season and never feels stagnant.
O-Ku
Atlanta location: 1085 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta. 404-500-2383, o-kusushi.com.
Original Charleston location: Downtown Charleston on King Street
O-Ku offers a variety of fresh sushi options as well as omakase or osusume tasting menus, entrees and small plates.
What to get: For a perfect a la carte experience, start with a wild mushroom or O-Ku salad small plate, then order a crudo flight or caviar service, followed by the sushi and sashimi moriawase (chef’s choice of fresh fish).
Why it’s special: O-Ku has won multiple awards for its cuisine since the Charleston restaurant opened in 2010. It offers omakase and osusume multicourse tasting menus and a rooftop patio.
Lewis Barbecue
Atlanta location: 1544 Piedmont Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-939-9567, lewisbarbecue.com.
Original Charleston location: Upper Charleston peninsula on Nassau Street
Lewis is known for Texas-style barbecue, with perfectly smoked meats cooked over pecan or oak wood.
What to get: Order Lewis’ Central Texas beef brisket by the pound or on a sandwich, the Texas hot guts sausage (a tasty blend of beef and pork smoked on site), and either the green chile corn pudding or the creamy macaroni and cheese. Save room for house-made banana pudding.
Why it’s special: Founder John Lewis is not a rookie when it comes to his Texas-style barbecue. The El Paso native relocated to Charleston in 2015 and opened the doors to his award-winning restaurant in 2016, later expanding to Atlanta and Greenville.
Oak Steakhouse
Atlanta location: 950 3rd St., Alpharetta. 678-722-8333, oaksteakhouse.com.
Original Charleston location: Downtown Charleston on Broad Street
Oak’s seafood starters and entrees are just as popular as the steak, and the restaurant works with regional suppliers to get fresh oysters, grouper and more.
What to get: For the ideal Oak dinner, start with the raw seafood tower (regular or grand, depending on your table size), then get the best of both worlds with a surf and turf plate, featuring beef tenderloin and Gulf shrimp. Order a few family-style sides and a glass of wine from the restaurant’s extensive list, then finish the meal with the Oak chocolate cake with caramel gelato.
Why it’s special: Open since 2005, Oak Steakhouse is considered a mainstay of the Charleston dining scene. Even as Oak expands to multiple cities, menus are carefully tailored to each location such, as the bone marrow steak tartare exclusive to Atlanta.
Indaco
Atlanta location: 725 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE. Atlanta. 404-205-5183, indacorestaurant.com.
Original Charleston location: Downtown Charleston on King Street
Indaco is known for handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza, as well as the family style prix fixe menu for the table. The restaurant also offers special menus, including Red Sauce Sundays, Aperativo Hour weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. and a decadent weekend brunch.
What to get: For dinner at Indaco, try the tagliatelle with pork and farm egg, lobster ravioli with ricotta and chile butter or the wood-fired BLT pizza. After the meal, get the dessert martini flight paired with either tiramisu or zeppole.
Why it’s special: You can visit Indaco any day of the week for a quick breakfast or lunch. During cafe hours — Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — you can get grab-and-go items, coffee, pastries and small plates.
Brown Dog Eatery
Atlanta location: 202 Bradley St., Carrollton. 678-890-1002, browndogeatery.com.
Original Charleston location: Downtown Charleston, initially on Broad Street, then on Calhoun Street
Though the Brown Dog Eatery is no longer affiliated with the Brown Dog Deli in Charleston, the Carrollton restaurant retains its Lowcountry inspiration. Hot entrees and wood-grilled meats are unique to the Atlanta location, and are offered in addition to deli options.
What to get: For lunch, go lighter with the Carroll County Cobb or Tex-Mex chipotle chicken salads, or indulge with a bison burger or whistle stop BLT with fried green tomatoes. During dinner hours, you can’t go wrong with the wood-grilled pork loin chop, wood-fired salmon or Geechie boy shrimp and grits.
Why it’s special: Brown Dog Deli founder Wes Denney is a native of Carrollton and opened the Carrollton restaurant in 2016. “I knew the town needed more than just a deli — they needed a fine dining option,” he said.
The best dishes to order in Atlanta for a Charleston dining experience
- Shrimp and grits — Brown Dog Eatery in Carrollton for the Geechie boy shrimp and grits with andouille sausage and Creole tomato au jus.
- Oysters and raw bar — Oak Steakhouse in Avalon for the shellfish tower, featuring fresh raw oysters, lobster and shrimp.
- Brunch — Indaco for Panettone french toast, the burrata Benedict or a crispy chicken biscuit with seasonal jam.
- Breads and produce — The Daily Cafe for freshly baked sourdough and tortillas, fresh eggs and dairy and Southern veggies like tomatoes, market greens and pickled onions.
