10 dishes celebrating peak-season sweet potatoes at metro Atlanta restaurants

Pulled from the earth, sweet potatoes are not the most beguiling of foods; they are often misshapen with cracks and scuffs under caked-on soil. But the tuberous root vegetable is a staple around the world. Its flesh can be orange, purple or white and it is nutrient-dense, fiber-rich and full of vitamins and antioxidants. It excels in versatility, pairing easily with savory spices and sweeter flavors.

Sweet potatoes are often served safely, in their own oven-baked jackets or baked into a pie with a topping of scorched marshmallow. But there are so many inventive ways to enjoy sweet potatoes, and metro Atlanta chefs really flex their culinary muscles with this spud. Here are lots of ways — from hummus to sushi — to experience these jewels from underground.

Sweet potato caramelle at La Grotta Ristorante Italiano

La Grotta chef Drew Van Leuvan stuffs purple sweet potato into pasta parcels with twisted ends that resemble delicately wrapped pieces of fancy confections. Cooked in a brown butter sauce, they get a drizzle of saba, a rich and plummy Italian grape syrup. Crispy sage adds herbal crunch, and he finishes the adorable bundles with a sprinkling of crushed amaretti cookies. It’s dinner in the form of dessert.

2637 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 404-231-1368, lagrottaatlanta.com

Braised sweet potato at Koshu Club

Reminding me of the many versions of sweet potatoes I tasted in Japan, the memory of Koshu Club’s side of sweet potato fondant lingers. Tender, yet crispy-edged, thick rounds of sweet potato are slow-braised to melt-in-your-mouth eminence, their sweetness cut by a tart sauce pooled around the grouping of tiny towers. A flurry of precisely and minutely cut emerald chives tops each and elevates with soft, earthy allium flavor that enhances but doesn’t overpower.

99 W. Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta. 404-806-1404, koshuclubatl.com

Sweet potato greens at Musulyn’s International Restaurant

At Musulyn’s, chef Carmenia Tyrus makes a craveable sweet potato curry. She reserves the spinachlike sweet potato leaves for her beloved Liberian dish, where they are chopped, sautéed and seasoned with spices — cayenne, Scotch bonnet, garlic — and blended smoked herring. She adds goat meat, smoked chicken and turkey and serves the rich and hearty greens with a flavorful side of rice for a meal as soulful as it is sustainable.

6129 U.S. 278 NW, Covington. 470-444-1135, musulynsinternational.com

Sweet potato cake at Mule Train

The menu at South Downtown’s Mule Train buckles into seasonal ingredients local to Georgia. Pastry chef Miranda Vick uses Woodland Gardens sweet potatoes in her sweet potato cake, served in large slices. She said, “The warming spices and brown butter make the cake feel like the perfect fall dessert,” and I agree, especially with the creamy brown butter meringue topping.

87 Broad St. SW, Atlanta. muletrainatl.com

Seared Japanese sweet potatoes at Clockwork pop-up at Babygirl

Don’t let the simplicity mislead you. Chef Jared Warwick’s seared Japanese sweet potatoes have a fluffy, soft interior and an outside sear, served with balancing black garlic and fig preserves made from Warwick’s family fig trees. Toasted hazelnuts add crunch. Lemon balm comes in with zing. And purple shiso leaves from forager Daniel Elkind add bright, complex herbal notes that you won’t soon forget. Clockwork is open Thursday-Saturday evenings at Babygirl.

2371 Hosea L. Williams Drive SE, Atlanta. eatclockwork.com

Dak Kalbi at Spring 2nd Branch

Served in a sizzling cast-iron plate, tender boneless chicken simmers alongside earthy cabbage, the soft crunch of rice cakes and tender hunks of sweet potato in a rich stir-fry with onion and the grassy, peppery tones of perilla leaves. Chef Brian So’s dish delivers Korean comfort with a bit of heat and gentle sweetness and you can order it topped with cheese.

113 Church St., Marietta. 770-575-3454, spring2ndbranch.com

Sweet potato hummus at Sweet Potato Cafe

No compilation of sweet potato dishes would be complete without including the restaurant dedicated to the root vegetable. One of the many notable dishes incorporating the tuber at Sweet Potato Cafe is an appetizer that transforms a roasted sweet potato into a creamy hummus with a hint of spice. Blended with tahini, garlic, lemon, cumin and ginger, it tastes much like the Mediterranean staple, with the pizzazz of the South. It’s both familiar and unexpected, served with pita chips or fresh vegetables.

5377 Manor Drive, Stone Mountain. 770-559-9030, thesweetpotatocafe.net

Sweet potato rolls at Nova Sushi Bar and Asian Bistro

At Nova Sushi, they take the same crisp, golden sweet potato you can order as an app and wrap it in seasoned sushi rice and roasted nori (seaweed). What you get is the starchy rice, expertly balanced with vinegar and sugar, and the tender sweet potato coated in a delicate, light tempura batter. A scattering of sesame seeds and a drizzle of eel sauce complete the savory, sweet roll that proves vegetarian sushi is every bit as good as fish-filled rolls.

Two locations: Buckhead and Midtown. novasushiatl.com

Hamachi Tiradito at Tio Lucho’s

Nikkei is the fusion of Japanese techniques and Peruvian flavors. I love that the hamachi at Tio Lucho’s changes with the seasons. Order in the fall for sashimi-thin slices of hamachi paired with roasted, pureed and prettily piped sweet potato, rounds of radish slivers and chalaca (an onion, tomato and pepper relish) in a bright leche de tigre sauce. Huacatay (black mint) lends a tarragon-like kick to round out the colorful plate.

675 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-343-0278, tioluchos.com

Bussin’ Cornmuffins at Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen & Bar

One of the best fall orders from Virgil’s is a bowl of gumbo with the “Bussin’ Cornmuffins.” Sweet potato puree keeps the inside of the muffins remarkably moist, adding subtle, natural sweetness that cuts through the dark, heavy roux of seafood gumbo. The warm spices mirror the Cajun/Creole seasonings in a bowl, while the coarse meal gives the essential crisp edge for soaking up every bit of the smoky broth. Alternatively, the honey and “butta drizzle” make the muffins a fine dessert.