It’s been a busy first half of the year on the metro Atlanta restaurant scene — more than 100 restaurants, bakeries, dessert shops and food halls have opened since January, with at least that many set to open by the end of 2023.
Need a refresher on some of what you’ve missed? Here are 10 restaurants that have opened over the past few months that are getting all the buzz.
Credit: Bona Fide Deluxe
Credit: Bona Fide Deluxe
Bona Fide Deluxe. This sandwich shop from the team behind popular East Atlanta restaurant Banshee serves sophisticated and fun jumbo-sized sandwiches (along with a few other tasty items). Highlights include the vegan eggplant parm; the OKie Hoagie made with smoked top round, griddled onions and American cheese; and the Hot Italian, which sees meats and cheese topped with Calabrian chili mayo. Enjoy the sandwiches and one of Bona Fide Deluxe’s cocktails inside or at a picnic table on the grassy outdoor space next to the restaurant.
1454 La France St. NE, Atlanta. 404-228-2391, bonafide-atl.com
Credit: Courtesy of Carmel
Credit: Courtesy of Carmel
Carmel. Restaurateur Tal Baum stays busy — Carmel is her sixth metro Atlanta restaurant (plus, she’s set to open a second location of her Middle Eastern concept Rina in Alpharetta later this year). Inspired by Baum’s upbringing on the Mediterranean coast, with influences from California and the Yucatan Peninsula, Carmel’s menu includes a handful of tortas and salads served alongside main dishes like turnips and lentils and Georgia wagyu New York strip steak. Beverage director Demario Wallace’s cocktail list highlights Latin American spirits, including sipping rums, organic mezcals and pisco.
3009 Bolling Way NE, Atlanta. 470-355-7245, carmelatl.com
Credit: Courtesy of the Creamy Spot
Credit: Courtesy of the Creamy Spot
The Creamy Spot. You likely won’t even miss the cream at the Creamy Spot, which offers a variety of plant-based scoop and soft serve ice creams, frozen pops and other sweet treats from a walk-up window in the MET development in Adair Park. Owner Wendy Golding, who also owns frozen pop business GOAP (Greatest of All Pops) uses locally-sourced ingredients in her recipes, which include ice cream flavors like Dough Boy (cookie dough), Pecan Tan (butter pecan) and Plain Jayne (maple vanilla).
680 Murphy Ave. SW, Atlanta. 404-738-6310, thecreamyspot.com
Credit: Matt Wong
Credit: Matt Wong
Humble Pie. The newest concept from chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips of Lazy Betty touts its selection of gourmet pizza, including an option with Cajun shrimp. But the menu goes far beyond that, with highlights including French onion hand pies and a mouthwatering selection of house-made sweets like a spiced apple buckle cake and a chocolate mudslide pie. The restaurant’s high ceilings and tall windows provide a nice view of the bustling Westside neighborhood.
1115 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 404-458-6765, humblepieatl.com
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Kamayan ATL. Mia Orino and her husband, Carlo, made a name for themselves serving up Filipino comfort food including chicken adobo, pancit and fried egg rolls known as lumpia with their pop-up, Kamayan ATL. The couple, who were named James Beard Award semifinalists in 2022, made their brick-and-mortar dreams come true earlier this year with a permanent spot on Buford Highway. Don’t sleep on the restaurant’s Sunday brunch, which offers dishes like longsilog, sweet sausage served with fried rice and egg.
5150 Buford Highway NE, Doraville. 678-231-2122, kamayanatl.com
Credit: Josh Swinney
Credit: Josh Swinney
La Panarda. Just down the street from her Cascade Heights restaurant Oreatha’s at the Point, chef Deborah VanTrece opened this Italian concept in place of the short-lived Serenidad. The seasonal Italian menu, inspired in part by VanTrece’s time in the coastal city of Pescara, features dishes like Berkshire smoked pork cheek carbonara with black ink pasta and cod piccata with angel hair. Don’t miss the complimentary stuzzichini (bruschetta of the day) and aperol spritz served before each meal.
2317 Cascade Road, Atlanta. 404-343-1342, lapanardaatl.com
Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee
Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee
Marcus Bar & Grille. Located in Old Fourth Ward just off the Eastside Beltline, celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson’s first Atlanta venture has been embraced by the community since opening in March. Samuelsson peppers his modern Southern menu with twists, from his deviled eggs with a garnish of chicken cracklings, to a Caprese salad with fried green tomatoes, pickled watermelon and burrata. Just as fun is the decor, complete with a retro roller skate-embellished wall and exposed golden brick.
525 Edgewood Ave. SE, Atlanta. 470-890-1700, marcusbarandgrille.com
Oaxaca. Cesar Hernandez, who owns Oaxaca Tacos & Tequila Bar in Lawrenceville, pays tribute to his Oaxacan roots with his newest project, along with co-owner Luis Damian. Look for dishes including tlayudas, thin, crispy tortillas topped with vegetables and meat; tetelas, a triangular empanada-style dish stuffed with ingredients like braised duck and Oaxaca cheese; gorditas with pork belly or pork chorizo with potatoes; tostadas; burritos with fried shrimp; and more than seven kinds of tacos including carne asada, al pastor and pollo ala tinga.
5255 Peachtree Blvd., Atlanta. 770-450-4805, oaxacaatl.com
Credit: Peche
Credit: Peche
Peche Modern Coastal. While French-inspired Peche’s focus is on seafood (highlights include halibut Oscar, seafood bouillabaisse and a lobster roll with tarragon aioli), the menu also boasts several other protein options, including duck a la orange and le poulet, a pan-seared chicken with cauliflower puree and spring vegetables. A wide selection of sparkling wines complements the seafood offerings.
5155 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners. 770-674-1098, pecheforum.com
The Sober Social. Get the cocktail bar experience without the alcohol at this Castleberry Hill spot, which offers a completely zero-proof menu. Try the bar’s take on an espresso martini with the Social Live Wire or the Socially Brunch’n, a non-alcoholic bellini. Also look for drinks made with canna and kava, as well as teas and coffee drinks. A menu of house-made sweets and pastries includes muffins, cookies and croissants.
141 Mangum St., Atlanta. 404-343-3800, thesobersocialbar.com
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