A sampling of great eats in and around Buckhead!
5CHURCH BUCKHEAD
5Church Buckhead, a funky upscale restaurant on Peachtree, offers helpful servers, modern local art, a 21+ sunroom patio and selfie-ready spaces. Menu items meld Southern roots and global influences. Addictive baked oysters boast a texture akin to pasta and a parade of earthy and spicy flavors. Sushi tots contrast crunchy/soft textures and sweet/spicy flavors in each bite. The lamb burger tops meat with red onion marmalade, gorgonzola, arugula and a secret sauce, a combination that marries earthy and tangy notes. The shrimp and grits has a great sauce-to-grits ratio, so each forkful carries sophisticated, spicy flavor without losing the stone-ground grits’ creamy texture. Grilled salmon is cooked to order and available on the brunch, lunch and dinner menus with some variations. Chicken and waffles reigns at brunch for good reason, pairing fluffy ricotta waffles with crisp, juicy, fried chicken. Desserts are sinfully good.
Cocktails: $6-$18
Starters: $14-$28
Salads: $12-$33
Entrees: $14-$39
Prime steaks: $51-$160
Sides: $4-$20
Desserts: $4-$13
buckhead.5church-atlanta.com
THE AMERICANO
Celebrity chef Scott Conant, the Scottsdale, Arizona-based culinary talent behind The Americano at InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, seems to have cracked the code for ongoing success in Atlanta. The eatery walks the line between steakhouse and Italian, so must-try dishes include fork-tender, olive oil-poached octopus; wedge salad dressed with crunchy bacon lardons, creamy buttermilk blue cheese dressing and tangy marinated tomatoes; any of the prime steaks cooked to your preferred temperature; and creamy polenta topped with roasted seasonal mushrooms (hello umami!). Chef watchers may know one of the dishes that put Conant on the culinary map is the beautifully simple pasta pomodoro. It’s essentially three ingredients: tomatoes, basil and fresh, daily made pasta. The simplicity of the dish’s elegantly al dente pasta, cloaked in velvety tomato sauce, studded with basil and sprinkled with salty, creamy Parmesan, is a wonder to behold. Whether he’s in the kitchen or managing from afar, Conant has the Midas touch.
Appetizers: $18-$24
Salads: $16-$19
Raw bar: $21-$175
Pasta: $32-$52
Steak: $42-$140
Entrees: $34-$52
Sides: $9-$18
Dessert: $9-$16
theamericanoatlanta.com
CARMEL
Carmel, situated in Buckhead Village, gives off major vacation vibes, thanks to the breezy Smith Hanes-designed interiors and the coastal-oriented menu. Start with cocktail classics with a creative twist, such as the Negroni Sour and Acapulco Way, a riff on a margarita. Inspired by some of the world’s best coastal culinary regions, the menu at Carmel leans into ultra-fresh seafood and wood-fired dishes. Favorites from the starters include feather-light milk buns with whipped togarashi butter, hamachi crudo accented with passion fruit and just-spicy-enough morita chili, and a plate of crispy fries topped with crème fraiche, béarnaise sauce and a generous portion of briny caviar. Entree standouts include the whole, perfectly grilled lobster with lemon and buttery brioche crumbs; delicate diver scallops with verdant spring peas, fragrant leeks and decadent brown butter; and a sleeper hit: the fall-apart tender, hearth-roasted chicken with, tangy chimichurri. A smart wine list and thoughtful service round out the experience. Next time you need a little getaway, look closer to home.
Raw: $18-$165
First wave: $8-$26
Mains: $36-$175
Sides: $12-$14
Desserts: $10-$14
carmelatl.com
CANOE
Dining at Canoe feels like a vacation. Nestled on the shores of the Chattahoochee River, it serves upscale food and pampering service surrounded by manicured gardens, flowing water and birds. Celebrating its 27th anniversary in 2022, Canoe offers more than 300 bottles of wine, 40 by the glass. Beers range from well-known international brands to local craft brews. Creative cocktails are updated often and include riffs on classics. The food menu is driven by ingredients at the peak of flavor, so changes are frequent. While salmon, steak, chicken, rabbit and kangaroo are menu constants, presentations vary. Meats are cooked to perfection and paired with impressive sides such as tender brie ravioli, crusty vegetable tart, savory bread pudding or other creations. The signature dessert is popcorn-flavored ice cream layered with peanut Cracker Jack, Chantilly cream and salted caramel sauce for a satisfying combination of textures and flavors.
Cocktails: $9-$15
Appetizers: $9-$22
Burgers and sandwiches: $14-$19
Entrees: $16-$48
Desserts: $11
canoeatl.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 honey-roasted 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
LE COLONIAL
Le Colonial’s website describes this upscale French-Vietnamese restaurant as “a luxurious escapist oasis,” and we’d agree. Amidst potted palms, starched white tablecloths and whirring vintage fans, glitzed-up diners are transported back to 1920s Vietnam and enjoy the culinary synthesis of the era. Favorite street fare such as banh mi thit nuong (chargrilled pork sandwich) and pho bo (beef noodle soup) get the white glove treatment with the culinary team’s skillful way with Asian herbs and spices. Classic favorites of crispy pan-seared chicken dumplings, garlicky beef rice noodle rolls and curried green papaya salad will have you hankering for a one-way ticket to Saigon.
Small plates: $12-$24
Soups and salads: $10- $18
Large plates: $14-$60
Sides: $4-$11
Desserts: $12-$14
lecolonialatlanta.com
NEWK’S EATERY
This Mississippi-based chain has popped up in the Atlanta market, and though it looks like a fast-food joint, it tastes like homemade. Salads—from shrimp remoulade salad to a delicious steak-and-blue-cheese version to oldfashioned chicken salad—are a standout. At this casual, family-friendly, crowd-pleasing spot you can also get sandwiches, pizzas and mac and cheese but, refreshingly, no burgers. We are pretty crazy about the sausage-and-pepperoni pie, with its thin crust and warm and gooey toppings. And who can resist a crispy rice treat with chocolate and peanut butter? Not us.
Salads, sandwiches and pizzas: $7-$11
newks.com
OAXACA
Photo-ready dishes pop out of the open kitchen at Oaxaca (wah-hah-kah) in Chamblee. Vibrant colors and abundant garnishes advertise the robust aromas and flavors packed into each creation. Rooted in Oaxaca, Mexico’s indigenous culinary traditions, a variety of moles and salsas dot the food menu while mezcal reigns over the cocktail list. The popular Agave Rising Sun pairs tequila with crisp cucumber, sweet pineapple and tart lime juices. Guacamole arrives studded with herbs, flowers, nuts and radishes. Tetela de pato showcases duck confit, black beans and Oaxaca cheese in a triangular masa nestled atop tamarind mole. Enchiladas divorciadas smother its chicken-stuffed tortillas in green and red sauces divided by a stripe of sour cream. Green mole pipian covers braised wagyu short rib in an herb-nut sauce. The restaurant’s modern decor has an outdoorsy vibe, and high-volume music pumps up the energy; the aesthetic flows from the dining room onto a covered patio.
Drinks: $5-$16
Tacos: $7-$8
Starters: $8-$19
Entrees: $17-$45
Sides: $7-$10
Desserts: $15
oaxacaatl.com
OK CAFÉ
Just as we send diners to Bone’s for the definitive steakhouse experience, we suggest OK Café as a classic diner with a strong Southern twang. The offerings here are anchored in time and tradition: Root beer floats and cherry lemonade are called Black Cows and Pink Ladies. Meat-and-twos and veggie plates laden with silken collards and exquisite mac and cheese are meant to be washed down with sweet ice tea and sopped up with a perfect corn muffin. Fat slices of meatloaf encrusted with tomato sauce, roast turkey with cornbread dressing and gravy, chicken pot pie with an adorable little “OK” stamped onto its puff-pastry blanket—this stuff draws a crowd. If you don’t want to play the waiting game, you’d better arrive before 11 a.m. or between the lunch and dinner rush. After a quarter-century, OK Café never goes out of style.
Appetizers: $4-$8
Burgers and sandwiches: $4-$13
Mains: $12-$16
okcafe.com
SOUTHBOUND
A “welcome to the neighborhood” vibe lingers throughout Southbound in Chamblee, whether you sit at the bar stocked with artisan spirits, on a comfortable chair in the main dining room or under an umbrellaed picnic table on the patio. Weathered wood, exposed bricks and dangling light bulbs give the space casual elegance. The menu presents Southern comfort food with some creative international flavors and influences. Variety means there’s something for just about any preference, diet, budget and hunger level. The menu changes about three times a year, but popular favorites remain, including the double-stack burger, Southern ramen, smoked short rib, Chamblee hot chicken and wild Georgia Shrimp.
Small plates: $4-$18
Mains: $14-$33 Sides: $4-$6
Desserts: $6-$9
southboundatl.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
