Pioneering television personality, chef and author Julia Child once said, “People who love to eat are always the best people.” I have to agree. In my career as a journalist, often writing about food, I’m always struck by how good food, from the supremely simple to the over-the-top elegant, can bring people together. With that in mind, we’re closing out 2026 with The Food & Drinks Issue: Under-the-radar foodie finds, chefs’ tables and flavor-forward offerings.
Buckhead and the surrounding neighborhoods are an embarrassment of riches when it comes to culinary offerings, so finding things to fill the pages of our cover story wasn’t the hard part: Narrowing it down was. Nicole Letts writes about over-the-top delicious martinis and secret menu items only available by request; Carly Cooper finds places around town that offer compelling complementary bites and sips to accompany a meal; Lia Picard shares tips for introducing a child to the pleasures of upscale dining and offers recommendations for where to take a pint-sized dinner guest; Managing Editor Giannina S. Bedford leads readers on a tour of chefs’ tables; and Denise K. James profiles a trio of tastemakers doing innovative things.
The rest of our pages are packed with reports from our team of journalists. From articles on a new mahjong studio and the historian behind Preserving Georgia to go-to items for a gift exchange and tips for how to use AI effectively and ethically, this issue has lots to explore.
As we approach the new year, we hope this edition of Simply Buckhead will inspire you to explore some of the local restaurants and drink destinations on our pages. We bet it will have you making plans to celebrate local flavors with some of the best people in your own life.
