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
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
FISHMONGER WEST MIDTOWN
Don’t let Atlanta’s landlocked location deter you from going all-in on seafood. It’s superfresh at this homegrown eatery, founded by Nhan Le and Skip Englebrecht. Embrace the casual vibe with well-crafted cocktails and freshly shucked oysters, all sourced from around the South. Prepare to get a little messy with an order of head-on, peel-and eat shrimp coated in New Bae Seasoning, served with much-needed sopping toast or a petite lobster roll drenched in warm butter. Or copy former U.S. president Obama’s order of Caesar salad, given an extra kick and interest from Calabrian chiles and briny bottarga, topped with blackened grouper. There’s nothing fancy or pretentious about this eatery; it turns out consistently tasty dishes. Even the reviewers from Atlanta’s first Michelin Guide are fans.
Salad: $13
Sandwiches: $16-$32
Oysters: $18-$22
Crudo: $18
Sides: $5-$8
Dessert: $8
fishmongergroup.com
GYPSY KITCHEN
Take your taste buds on a nomadic journey at Gypsy Kitchen in the Buckhead Village District, where you’ll find abundant flavors plus an upbeat vibe. Small plates dominate the menu, true to the Spanish tapas experience. The eclectic assortment ensures there’s something to please just about anyone, with abundant vegetarian options as well as diverse omnivore plates. Don’t miss tirokroketes, a trio of crisp cheese balls served with spicy-tart almond romesco sauce. Grilled octopus is cooked to tender perfection. Roasted mushrooms and whipped goat cheese toast surely makes avocado toast green with envy. Moroccan spiced lamb skewers are pleasantly spicy. Sumac honeyroasted carrots offer a healthy way to satisfy sweet cravings. The bar menu presents wine, beer and creative cocktails including gin and tonic on draught with an exclusive tonic. Sangria is offered in both red and rosé versions, with shareable carafes available for an authentic Spanish experience.
Cocktails: $9-15
Small plates: $9-20
Meat & cheese: $8-48
Mains: $25-65
Desserts: $10-12
gk-atl.com
KR STEAKBAR
Atlanta chef Kevin Rathbun’s only Buckhead restaurant feels custom-tailored for the community. A contemporary nocturnal cubbyhole where small plates rule, wine flows and the air bristles with excitement, the fashionable “steakbar” concept finds Rathbun and chef de cuisine Jessica Gamble fusing two venerable concepts: meat and Italian. Here, nearly everything speaks with a perky Mediterranean lilt: amari-kissed cocktails, steak doused with espresso sauce, heavenly olive-oil cake with almond brittle and citrus cream. Hidden touches, like the speakeasy style bar behind the kitchen and a patio that feels like a sunken garden, make us want to continue to explore this romantic spot.
Antipasti: $6-$19
Pasta: $12-$16
Entrees: $18-$68
krsteakbar.com
PRICCI
Opened in 1991, Pricci is the Italian jewel in Buckhead Life Restaurant Group’s crown. This Buckhead institution still aspires to (and delivers) exceptional service, superlative Italian cooking and a vibe that’s both elegant and inclusive. Nothing says buon appetito like silky burrata Pugliese (cream filled mozzarella), tangy parmesan and anchovy-rich Caesar salad and aromatic steamed cozze (mussels in tomato-garlic sauce). Barbera-braised short rib ravioli, pecorino-sauced cacio e pepe and pizzas of all varieties are favorites, but if you’re extra peckish, order the Dutch-imported 16-ounce veal chop. Mangia bene, but don’t forget to try Pricci’s world-class tiramisu.
Appetizers and salads: $8-$26
Pizza and pastas: $17-$27
Entrees: $24-$46
Desserts: $6-$15
buckheadrestaurants.com
ROSHAMBO
Roshambo is owners Chris Hall, Ryan Turner and Todd Mussman’s “love letter to Atlanta.” The decor honors the city, including a triplelayered wall of the Atlanta skyline and a collection of plates adorned with local icons. Lunch, dinner and weekend brunch menus present something for everyone, whatever the craving and definition of “comfort food.” Daily specials expand the weekday options. The Magnolia plates two eggs any style with creamy heirloom grits, crispy bacon, turkey sausage and a hearty biscuit. Shrimp and grits is a popular standard that evolves with added seasonal ingredients. The best-selling faux cheval burger is packed with juicy umami. Bucket O’Chicken, which serves up to four, showcases crispy-juicy segments of fried bird alongside two sides like collards and mac ’n cheese. Chicken shawarma has strips of spicerubbed poultry with hummus, pita, cucumber and tomato salad plus tzatziki sauce. Butter cake, a merger of bread pudding and caramel apples, is so popular it can sell out.
Cocktails: $10-18
Starters: $9-17
Salads: $9-25
Sandwiches: $16-21
Mains: $18-34
Daily plates: $21-45
Bucket O’Chicken: $68
Sweets: $10
roshamboatl.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
VALENZA
There’s something alluring about the Italian way of life—and of dining. It’s marked by family and friends enjoying unhurried meals made with ingredients grown nearby and crafted with care. A meal at Valenza, in the heart of Brookhaven, embodies those ideals. You can’t go wrong with the spaghettini, topped with fist-sized meatballs made of tender veal, pork and beef and a tart sauce of San Marzano tomatoes and red wine; mezze maniche pasta tubes tossed with a silky ragu made of tender pork shoulder, Umbrian lentils, white wine and roasted red peppers topped with crunchy breadcrumbs; or wood-grilled octopus served on wedges of panelle (Sicilian chickpea fritters) with mint, Castelvetrano olives, pine nuts and pea shoots. Each dish is as pretty as it is delicious, and everything is served in such a welcoming atmosphere that you’ll want to become a regular.
Antipasti: $8-$24
Primi: $20-$28
Secondi: $24-$44
Sides: $10
Desserts: $10
valenzarestaurant.com
YUZU
Chamblee is to Atlanta what 1980s SOHO was to Manhattan: edgy and on the verge, which is why traditional, sedate Yuzu is such a welcome respite in its midst. Veteran restaurateurs Anna and Kenny Kim run their dining room with efficiency and grace. With a flash of his Masamoto knife, Chef Kim delivers top-notch sushi and sashimi such as chu-toro, escolar and salmon, as well as mouthwatering rolls (we highly recommend the special spicy rainbow roll and the crunchy dragon roll). With dishes such as tempura udon, charred salmon skin salad, Japanese ceviche and an impeccable teriyaki chicken, there’s something for everyone at this authentic sushi bistro.
Appetizers, salads: $4-$14.50
Special plates: $13.50-$17.80
Sushi plates, rolls: $8.50-$16.50
Dinner entrees: $13.50-$15.90
yuzusushiatlanta.com
Note: Prices and menu items may have changed since original publication.
BY: Wendell Brock, Rebecca Cha, Jennifer Bradley Franklin, Angela Hansberger, Hope S. Philbrick
PHOTOS: Madelynne Grace, Erik Meadows
