The dining scene in Atlanta is buzzing with the newest and trendiest restaurants, but it’s the old standbys — the most iconic Atlanta restaurants — that perennially fill your tummy.
Culturally significant restaurants in Atlanta come in all shapes and sizes. There’s the crusty diner and the tourist-friendly landmark, etc.
Iconic Atlanta restaurants you need to try
The city’s rich history only adds to the culturally significant places to eat in Atlanta.
Here are some of them:
Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar
794 North Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30306 (404) 876-7249
Atkins Park bar, as it is called locally, is an Atlanta icon like no other. Atkins is Atlanta’s longest continuously operated restaurant.
Atkins began as a deli in 1922 and has long been the bedrock of the Poncey-Highland community dining scene in Midtown.
The Colonnade
1879 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324 (404) 874-5642
The Colonnade restaurant on Cheshire Bridge Road, where it has been since 1962, is a part of old Atlanta in every way. The simple menu full of locally grown-and-bought whole dishes harkens back to a time when good food was just good food and the niceties between wait staff and customer was what made the experience.
Not much has changed. And that’s why The Colonnade is one of the must culturally significant restaurants in Atlanta.
Busy Bee
810 M.L.K. Jr Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30314 (404) 525-9212
Busy Bee has cultivated a beloved relationship not just with southwest Atlantans, but various movers, shakers and visiting celebrities who pass through town.
More recently, national political figures like Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden have used the restaurant as a backdrop to make announcements on their national tours.
Mary Mac’s Tea Room
224 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308 (404) 876-1800
You don’t even have to look at the menu, just glance at the wall of celebrities and world leaders that have passed through the doors at Mary Mac’s Tea Room for home-coooked fried chicken, pot likker and more.
This place is also a tourist attraction in Midtown Atlanta, pulling in thousands of visitors to the city each year.
Majestic Diner
1031 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 (404) 875-0276
Majestic Diner has been satisfying Atlanta foodies since the late 1929. Not just another greasy spoon, this 24-hour restaurant in Midtown is the place to go for authentic burgers and breakfast.
Paschal’s
180 Northside Dr SW #B, Atlanta, GA 3031
What’s cooking in Atlanta?
Atlanta is having a restaurant renaissance. Hot chicken is the rage in Atlanta’s dining scene right now. But so are chicken and waffles.
Fast-casual is also the dining trend du jour around metro Atlanta restaurants. The concept involves mixing the quick accessibility of fast food with the casual dining experience. Food in Atlanta is also adapting to the various tastes of the migrants that come here to live.
Read more: 5 essential soul food spots in Atlanta
Patrons typically order off a menu board like they would at a burger joint, but the convenience of sitting down to leisurely enjoy their food has made the segment a popular one with the restaurant industry.
The craze hasn’t escaped metro Atlanta’s food and drink scene, which has seen a fast-caz explosion in recent years.
