A sampling of great eats in and around Buckhead!
ANTICO PIZZA NAPOLETANA
The best pizzas linger in memory and spark cravings long after that last piece is gone. Antico Pizza Napoletana’s original Westside location presents several contenders with its straightforward menu of 11 pizzas (five with red sauce, six with white) plus three calzones. San Gennaro makes taste buds swoon with its sweet, spicy, savory and salty combination of sausage, peppers, bufala mozzarella and cippolini onion atop the restaurant’s signature charred-yet-chewy crust. The specialty Sophia pizza is topped with mozzarella, onion, mushrooms and a hint of white truffle oil with sophisticated results. The crowd-pleasing Margherita D.O.P. presents a tantalizing combination of imported tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Lasagna pizza tops red sauce with meatballs, ricotta and Romano cheeses for flavors that are mild yet satisfying. Off-menu items include a pre-packaged salad and imported drinks. You’re welcome to bring a bottle of wine to enjoy alongside your meal with no corkage fee.
Pizza: $19-$27
Calzoni: $18-$19
littleitalia.com
BROOKLYN CAFE
This Sandy Springs institution is never without crowds of satisfied diners, and it’s easy to see why. Join lunching locals over sandwiches and fresh salads such as the petite Caesar with peppery cayenne croutons or the mission fig and crumbled blue cheese with greens. The in-house smoked salmon salad is near perfection, as is the Brooklynfamous Reuben consisting of juicy corned beef piled atop buttery toasted rye. Dinner highlights include the blackened mahi tacos and crab cake salad. Wrap things up with mile-high double chocolate cake or the homemade Key lime pie, each one sliced to feed two or more. And as if the phenomenal grub weren’t enough, it’s all served up by a friendly, whiz-bang staff, making for a delightful meal you won’t soon forget.
Appetizers and salads: $7-$12
Sandwiches and mains: $11-$31
Desserts: $7
brooklyncafe.com
DELBAR BUCKHEAD
A bazaar for the senses, Delbar Buckhead offers a taste of the Middle East with its lavish decor, boisterous vibe, vigilant service and bold spice levels. It’s a winning strategy based on its busy dining rooms, numerous online fans and Michelin recommended status since 2023. Expect a blend of tradition and modernity across menus packed with options. Cocktails taste spirit-forward while alcohol-free options range from spicy to sweet. Adana tops a rich lamb kebab with BY: Wendell Brock, Rebecca Cha, Jennifer Bradley Franklin, Angela Hansberger, Hope S. Philbrick PHOTOS: Sara Hanna, Erik Meadows Note: Prices and menu items may have changed since original publication. HUNGRY FOR MORE? Visit simplybuckhead.com to read all of our restaurant reviews! spicy/herby zhoug and spicy sesame tahina sauces for abundant heat. Falafel balls are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside with an herby punch. Honey harissa chicken coats tender chicken with a sweet/spicy sauce. Sabzi polo is a rice that pairs with anything. The koobideh sandwich at lunch features a blend of lamb and beef. Thick fries are crisped to perfection and sprinkled with a tangy spice blend. Desserts include cardamom gelato, a soothing finish to a zesty feast.
Appetizers: $7-$28
Greens and grains: $8-$23
Meats, $20-$99
Desserts: $8-$13
Lunch sandwiches: $18-$21
Brunch bakery: $9-$24
delbaratl.com/location-buckhead
ECCO BUCKHEAD
Meals at Ecco in Buckhead have the elegance and spontaneity of a spin around the dance floor, thanks to the hyper-seasonal approach to the menu. The kitchen shines in creative interpretations of European cuisine with dishes such as Spanish octopus with Castelvetrano olives, grilled pork tenderloin with beet top risotto, and tortellini stuffed with butternut squash and mascarpone. Perennial favorites such as fried goat cheese with honey and cracked black pepper and the Allora flatbread (with its San Marzano tomato sauce, still bubbling mozzarella, hot sopressata and pepperoni) don’t fail to impress. Paired with expert service, a nicely curated wine list and an atmosphere that’s at once sleek and cozy, this Phipps Plazaadjacent eatery warrants a visit. Bottom line: If you find something you crave, visit soon to get it before it’s gone.
Small plates: $9-$18
Flatbreads: $15-$21
Pasta and mains: $19-$36
Sides: $7-$12
Desserts: $6-$9
ecco-atlanta.com
FLOWER CHILD
Get your groove on at this 21st century health food haven where bright colors, happy smiles and good vibes abound. Whet your whistle with some refreshingly fruity on-tap kombucha (a fermented tea drink) and treat yourself to starters of tart, juicy tomato toast or creamy avocado hummus. You’ll be bowled over by the tantalizing flavors of the Mother Earth bowl, the Glow bowl and other health-friendly bowls, wraps and plates. Menu standouts include the “Forbidden Rice” bowl with grass-fed steak, the Mediterranean quinoa salad and for dessert, the vegan dark chocolate pudding. A limited wine and beer selection is available for those who prefer a cocktail with their quinoa or a tipple with their tofu.
Soups, salads and appetizers: $6.25-$12.50
Bowls, entrees and wraps: $10-$15.50
iamaflowerchild.com
GRINDHOUSE KILLER BURGERS
The Piedmont Avenue location of burgerpreneur Alex Brounstein’s success story is where you go for a superbly flavorful, juice-dripping, napkin-soaking beef patty with all the trimmings. Though you can customize your sandwich, consider the signature “Cowboy” treatment: cheddar, bacon, barbecue sauce and a beer-battered onion ring—for a slim $7.99. To gild the lily, add an order of Frings (that’s fries and rings), and ask for a side of the chipotle ranch dipping sauce. Here you can quaff a draft brew, slurp down a boozy shake, like the banana-flavored Puddin’ Out, or sip a “Snooty” cocktail such as the mezcal-based El Guapo.
Starters and sides: $2.50-$5.50
Burgers: $4.50-$8
grindhouseburgers.com
MADRE SELVA
Located in Uptown Atlanta near the Lindburgh Center area, Madre Selva—“mother jungle” in Spanish—showcases Latin Coastal cuisine in its scratch-made dishes that merge tradition and innovation. It offers a wide array of creative cocktails, a Peruvian ceviche bar with seafood, vegetarian and vegan options, upscale service and an upbeat vibe. If this is jungle fever, you’ll be happy to get it. Peru’s national drink, the pisco sour, is a frothy delight. An octopus appetizer gets zesty with anticuchera, chimichurri and sweet cream sauces. Lomo saltado is the beef stew you wish you’d grown up eating. Raices de la costa, which presents as a smoky cousin to paella, is a seafood and rice dish rich with prawns and calamari. While dinner showcases refined cooking techniques and artful presentations, brunch dishes are casually prepared and styled after Peruvian home cooking. Don’t let anyone steer you away from this place.
Starters: $13-$25
Ceviche: $17-$45
Sides: $3-$8
Mains: $21-$73
Desserts: $14-$16
Brunch plates: $10-$36
Lunch sandwiches: $18-$26
Cocktails: $13-$42
madreselva.restaurant
LITTLE ALLEY
A meal at Little Alley is an escape, an immersive experience no matter where you find yourself seated. Settle in and indulge in the daily rotating selection of ultra-fresh raw oysters served with a trio of housemade sauces and an appetizer of brûléed bone marrow that’s so rich it could double as butter for grilled bread. The main event is an array of prime Angus cuts, both wet- and dry-aged from 28 to 60 days, so guests can choose their steak’s flavor intensity, cut and tenderness. If you’re really going for broke, make it a surf-and-turf with the addition of a flash-fried Maine lobster tail with drawn butter. Whether you’re out for a special occasion, a business meeting to close a big deal or a “just because” meal, this is a carnivore’s paradise, with aged prime beef, ultra-fresh seafood and hearty sides served with gracious, professional service in a luxe atmosphere.
Starters: $17-$28
Steaks: $52-$140
Sides: $11-$12
Desserts: $12-$14
littlealleysteak.com
THE ONE SUSHI +
This glam space wedged in the back corner of Brookhaven’s Town Village is a neighborhood hot spot for Japanese small plates. The freshest fish flown in from Japan’s Tsukiji Market will impress the discerning sushi eater, while colorful rolls with clever names please the occasional dabbler. Sharable offerings and inspired snacks of zesty, yellowtail jalapeño shots and crispy fried bang bang rock shrimp are as fun as they are tasty. The drinking experience is worth celebrating as well, with a large selection of sake, shochu and whisky. We recommend the smoked toro, tender slices of tuna served under a dome of hickory smoke and the bulgogi-like Gangnam-style roll.
Dinner: $6-$37
theonesushiplus.com
TWISTED SOUL COOKHOUSE & POURS
Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours on the westside ranks among Atlanta’s dining stars. The award-winning team that includes Chef/Owner Deborah VanTrece and Executive Chef Robert Butts proves that even the most recognizable dishes can soar above expectations. The dining room sets a casual vibe, but the menu offers familiar and creative dishes that are expertly prepared and artfully presented. There’s something for most any palate. Signature cocktails showcase seasonal ingredients in innovative, well-balanced concoctions such as “Dream of Spring” and “Little Miss Staycation.” The best-selling Southern marinated fried chicken sticks around even when the menu changes every three months. Each piece of the half-chicken has crispy skin and juicy meat, and is cast iron pan-fried to sheer perfection. Hoisin oxtails rank as the second best-seller, for good reason. Tender braised meat falls off the bone, its savory umami touched with sweet Cantonese flair. Layers of flavor and contrasting textures combine for scrumptious results.
Small plates: $6-$22
Sandwiches: $15-$20
Salads: $12-$16
Entrees: $24-$42
Desserts: $12
Cocktails: $14-$17
twistedsoulatl.com
PHOTOS: Sara Hanna, Erik Meadows
