Pick these 8 restaurant dishes around Atlanta for peak-season apples

Apple season hits its peak in Georgia between September and mid-October, with Ellijay, the state’s self-proclaimed apple capital, drawing crowds north for the Georgia Apple Festival usually on back-to-back weekends, this year scheduled for Oct. 10-11 and Oct. 17-18.

Varieties like Gala, Jonagold, Rome and Granny Smith are hitting their stride right now, and Atlanta chefs are pairing the harvest with foie gras, fish, flatbread and more. Here’s how eight local restaurants are celebrating the season.

1. Foie gras candied apple at Southern Belle and Georgia Boy

Culinary whimsy takes center stage at Southern Belle and Georgia Boy with chef Joey Ward’s foie gras candied apple. Masterfully disguised as a carnival treat, a smooth foie gras exterior conceals a rich, spiced apple pie center, all wrapped in a glossy North Georgia apple cider glaze. It’s pure childhood wonder reimagined through hyper-seasonal Georgia flavor.

1043 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-698-3961, georgiaboyatl.com

2. Pork chop with apple at Lucian Books and Wine

Seared to a deep caramel, a thick pork chop finds its counterpoint in a cool remoulade spiked with crisp apple and fennel, set against a savory pork jus. It’s an artfully considered plate, fitting for a spot where the staff can seamlessly match your meal to a pour of wine and you can walk out the door with a fresh fall read under your arm.

3005 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 404-549-2655, lucianbooksandwine.com

3. Insalata di stagione at Il Giallo Osteria & Bar

Mixed greens and arugula share the bowl with green apple, toasted walnuts, cranberries and goat cheese, all tossed in an apple-honey vinaigrette. The salad is crisp, varied in texture and unmistakably autumnal. As my helpful server said, this is a salad where the apple does the heavy lifting; it’s not just along for the ride.

5920 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. 404-709-2148, ilgialloatl.com

4. Tarte Tatin and truite au crabe at Café Alsace

The quaint Decatur bistro keeps its classic French cooking refreshingly unfussy. Buttery caramelized apples bake upside down under a crisp, golden crust before getting doused in warm caramel sauce and fresh whipped cream. The kitchen brings that same fruit-forward touch to the truite au crabe, stuffing butterflied trout with crabmeat and baking it in foil alongside fennel root, sweet apples and a bubbly potato gratin.

121 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. 404-373-5622, cafe-alsace.com

5. Apple bacon brie flatbread at Bar{n} Booze {n} Bites

Tart Granny Smith apples deliver a crisp, bright crunch against salty bacon and melted brie, finished with fresh herbs over a toasted crust. It’s a warm, savory-sweet flatbread built for sharing on the patio as the autumn air cools down.

5521 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. 470-545-0409, barndunwoody.com

6. Hamachi kama with apple ponzu at NoriFish Sushi & Izakaya

The hamachi kama, or yellowtail collar, is prized for being the fattiest, most tender cut on the fish. At NoriFish, it gets grilled or torched until the skin turns crisp and charred while the interior stays buttery. Instead of a traditional citrus-soy dip, NoriFish pairs it with a sweet-and-tangy apple ponzu, adding a crisp, modern contrast to all that richness.

Sandy Springs and Buckhead locations, norifishsushi.com

7. Autumn Breeze at the Betty

The modernized supper club inside Kimpton Sylvan Atlanta in Buckhead has rolled out a new fall menu, and its signature cocktail leans hard into the season. High West bourbon lays a warm, oaky foundation for a seasonal blend of crisp apple, aromatic cloves and cardamom, all deepened by the velvety sweetness of crème de cassis. A splash of fresh lemon brings a bright, balancing lift to this spice-laced cocktail, beautifully finished with a delicate dried apple slice.