Food & Dining

A local’s guide to Atlanta Beltline restaurants: The Southeast Trail

Plus, recommendations for where to eat and drink from the AJC’s restaurant critic.
After passing through Krog Street Tunnel, Beltline-goers will quickly notice that the restaurants are much more spread out along the Southeast Trail. (Bob Andres/AJC 2020)
After passing through Krog Street Tunnel, Beltline-goers will quickly notice that the restaurants are much more spread out along the Southeast Trail. (Bob Andres/AJC 2020)
By
45 minutes ago

Separated from the Atlanta Beltline’s most popular segment by the train tracks that run along DeKalb Avenue, the Southeast Trail feels a world apart from the bustling crowds just to the north.

After passing through Krog Street Tunnel, an Atlanta landmark in its own right, Beltline-goers will quickly notice that the restaurants are much more spread out along the Southeast Trail. The first bar, 97 Estoria, sits by itself about a quarter-mile from the next, Breaker Breaker. There are multiple long, quiet stretches where everyone can spread out, though that seems to encourage folks on scooters and e-bikes to push their vehicles to maximum speed.

The mixture of restaurants on the Southeast Trail is split between widespread chains and locally owned, independent places, but there are still plenty of options to eat and drink. Many of the chain locations are clumped in the Madison Yards development near the middle of this Beltline segment.

The Southeast Trail offers a bit of peace and quiet without sacrificing much in terms of food and drink options.

Restaurants and dining with direct Beltline access

Popular dive bar 97 Estoria is located just across the street from the Beltline and Krog Street Tunnel. (Henri Hollis/AJC)
Popular dive bar 97 Estoria is located just across the street from the Beltline and Krog Street Tunnel. (Henri Hollis/AJC)

Krog Street Tunnel Zone

After passing through the Krog Street Tunnel, the Beltline transforms from a crowded, partylike atmosphere to a more relaxed, peaceful neighborhood walk. The lone restaurant in this zone, 97 Estoria, is located just across the street from the tunnel.

Breaker Breaker specializes in boozy cocktails and fried seafood. (Courtesy of Justin Dombrowski and Naomi Smith)
Breaker Breaker specializes in boozy cocktails and fried seafood. (Courtesy of Justin Dombrowski and Naomi Smith)

Reynoldstown Zone

This section of the Southeast Trail runs mostly through a quiet residential neighborhood, connecting Wylie Street at the north end with Memorial Drive to the south. Two large, social restaurants with great patios bookend this zone: Breaker Breaker and Muchacho, which also offer separate cocktail bars.

Travel + Leisure listed Michael Lennox’s Muchacho in Reynoldstown as one of the best breakfast spots in the nation. (Courtesy of Gabi Valledares)
Travel + Leisure listed Michael Lennox’s Muchacho in Reynoldstown as one of the best breakfast spots in the nation. (Courtesy of Gabi Valledares)

Madison Yards Zone

Madison Yards is a shopping center abutting the Southeast Trail anchored by an AMC movie theater and a Publix grocery store. Most of the restaurants in this development are chains, though it’s also home to local, independent restaurants like Girl Diver, serving Mediterranean cuisine, and the newly opened Casa Coya, a Peruvian restaurant.

The Glenwood location of Chick-fil-A sits just off the Atlanta Beltline’s Southeast Trail. (Henri Hollis/AJC)
The Glenwood location of Chick-fil-A sits just off the Atlanta Beltline’s Southeast Trail. (Henri Hollis/AJC)

Glenwood Zone

Located just over I-20, the Glenwood neighborhood is home to a cluster of places to eat, drink, get coffee and more. Here, the Beltline fades away and feels more like a typical neighborhood sidewalk.

Glenwood’s 3 Parks Wine Shop frequently holds tastings and other events. (Henri Hollis/AJC)
Glenwood’s 3 Parks Wine Shop frequently holds tastings and other events. (Henri Hollis/AJC)
Gunshow is one of Atlanta’s most enduring destinations for truly avant-garde cooking. (Courtesy of Angie Mosier)
Gunshow is one of Atlanta’s most enduring destinations for truly avant-garde cooking. (Courtesy of Angie Mosier)

Best places to eat on the Atlanta Beltline’s Southeast Trail

Restaurants are more spread out along the Southeast Trail than the Eastside section just to the north, but this segment has several interesting, well-regarded places to eat.

Located at the southern end of Southeast Trail, Gunshow is one of the best restaurants in Atlanta and has consistently held that status since it opened in 2013. The unique service style is a bit like ordering dim sum; creative chefs bring their dishes to the table to display, and diners decide whether to order the dish or not. It’s a high-energy dining experience fueled by deeply interesting cooking and excellent cocktails. Be forewarned: Dinner at Gunshow is so compelling, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement and blow your budget.

Emmy Squared, also in the Glenwood Zone, is a solid option for pizza, while Vickery’s is a great place to enjoy the classic Southern food that is harder to find in Atlanta these days.

Farther north, Muchacho and Breaker Breaker both have wonderful patios and fun beverage programs. They could probably be successful based on those factors alone, but both serve good food, too.

Tiger Sun, a reservation-only cocktail bar with an omakase-style service format, draws themes from classic films and cult-favorite movies. (Courtesy of Luke Beard)
Tiger Sun, a reservation-only cocktail bar with an omakase-style service format, draws themes from classic films and cult-favorite movies. (Courtesy of Luke Beard)

Where to drink on the Atlanta Beltline’s Southeast Trail

At the mouth of Krog Street Tunnel, 97 Estoria is a popular late-night hangout where much of the crowd spills over the large patio in good weather. This is a dive bar, not a cocktail bar, with simple drinks served in volume and at high speed by bartenders with expertise in crowd control.

The rooftop of Breaker Breaker is home to the restaurant’s 21+ bar called Florida Man. The cocktails here are the same ones you’ll find downstairs, and the bar serves a limited menu of snacks pulled from Breaker Breaker’s menu. But the vibe is delightfully tacky in a tongue-in-cheek way, and the drink service is more direct.

Tiger Sun, the cocktail bar linked to Muchacho, offers a much more focused drinking experience. The 18-seat, reservation-only bar serves drinks omakase-style, so patrons sign up to have at least four beverages. The menu, refreshed quarterly, is themed according to a classic movie, like “Pulp Fiction” or “Goodfellas.” The latest menu, just recently introduced, is based on “Back to the Future.”

In the Glenwood Zone, it’s always worth popping into 3 Parks Wine Shop, where they frequently hold tastings and offer wine flights. The shop is small but well-curated, with wines available at a variety of price points. And don’t sleep on the cocktails at Gunshow, which are just as creative as the food, or at Vesper, which shares its name with a cocktail recipe popularized by James Bond.

About the Author

Henri Hollis is a restaurant critic and food reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he covers Atlanta’s restaurants, chefs and dining culture. As part of the AJC’s Food & Dining team, he reviews new restaurants, reports on industry trends and explores metro Atlanta’s culinary scene through the neighborhoods and people that shape it.

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