Credit: Virginia Willis
Southern cheese straws get a better-for-you makeover
This popular nibble for holiday gatherings is typically piped through a cookie press into textured wafers or short rods. But for this version, no cookie press is required.
Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee/Madeira Park
The AJC’s 10 best new restaurants of 2025
AJC dining critics reviewed and rated more than 30 restaurants in 2025 while visiting many more. These 10 stood out as the best new restaurants of the year.
Credit: Angela Hansberger
4 standout dishes to try in December
From sashimi to mango shrimp, explore four standout dishes at Atlanta-area restaurants this December.
Credit: Handout
The Darling Oyster Bar opens new location in Savannah and more from the coastal dining scene
Peek inside the Darling Oyster Bar's second location now open in Savannah, learn about one of Georgia's historic businesses and more in December's coastal dining dispatch.
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
NFA Burger at Avalon offers 1 table a night that benefits Giving Kitchen
The new full-service NFA Burger at Avalon has one table each day set aside where the reservation fee goes directly to owner Billy Kramer's favorite nonprofit, Giving Kitchen.
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
NFA Burger’s full-service Avalon restaurant chases fast-food perfection
NFA Burger at Avalon in Alpharetta opened in May. Much like the burger itself, the restaurant is a study in simplicity and exactitude.
Credit: Handout
12 cookbooks to brighten your holidays and beyond
Make your holiday season bright with 12 cookbooks featuring simple, resourceful recipes and entertaining ideas.
Credit: Courtesy of Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group/Linda Xiao
Homemade snacks make informal entertaining easy
Take inspiration for setting out an informal holiday spread from two cookbooks: one influenced by Italian culture and another grounded in French culture.
Credit: Handout
How a Christmas movie inspired a reluctant baker to sell ‘yamalicious’ treats
A love of sweet potatoes and inspiration from a Christmas movie inspired Mableton resident Karen Ervin to found Yams Foods.
Credit: Handout
Cocktails to kick off the holiday season
A selection of the most festive cocktails in town for the holiday season.










