LemonHearted

View Original

Atlanta Guide 2023

Lindsey Thompson

One would have to stay in Atlanta for a few months to put a dent in their food scene, but I did my best in a couple of days. I stayed in the Summerhill area, which has easy access to several noteworthy East side restaurants and coffee shops while still being close enough to Midtown that you can get there using back roads. These are the spots I visited on my most recent trip.

COFFEE

Perc Coffee

I tried Perc Coffee for the first time a few years ago in their Savannah location, before the bright pops of color and bold branding were a part of their aesthetic. Still, even then, in their industrial space off the beaten path in the hostess city of the South, the coffee was good. (See the last photo of me posing with my coffee back in 2017). I would also like to add that not only was Perc Coffee my favorite, but in world where lattes are getting to be $9, here, even with the oat milk upcharge, lattes run around 6.50.

My favorite drink is the Good Times Latte (vanilla, lavender, habanero sugar), and if you’re hungry, definitely grab their breakfast crunchwrap.

Chrome Yellow

Chrome Yellow is a familiar spot I’ve visited before on the East Side. Coffee here is solid, but parking is a big pain. It’s better for a quick grab and go if you are in the area.

Bellwood Coffee

Bellwood marries what we love in one beautiful space: Coffee + Plants. I was concerned with the hybrid model that the coffee would be a secondary thought and not be as good, but it was solid, as was the fantastic biscuit breakfast sandwich.

Valor Coffee

A friend who saw I was in Atlanta sent me Valor’s Instagram profile to add to my coffee touring. I just so happened to be North of Atlanta doing an antique mall day, so we did a little detour to check out their Dunwoody location. Everything about the aesthetics of this spot is pleasing, especially the color pop tile. I didn’t get coffee, so I opted for a matcha colada, which was delicious. While it’s outside the city, I would stop if you find yourself near one!

Con Leche

Con Leche is another solid spot I try to visit when in ATL. It’s super tiny with no seating inside, all the seating is outdoors, so if you are going for a coffee hang, dress weather appropriately.

EATS

Emerald City Bagels

I wanted to love Emerald City Bagels, but I didn’t. The bagels were tough and chewy like they hurt your mouth while you chew kinda tough. We also waited a solid half hour to get our food. This place is clearly loved as it was bustling, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Try at your discretion.

Muchacho

I loved Muchacho, and wanted to go multiple times during my visit. The patio is huge and well designed, so much of the seating is covered with fans. We went for breakfast, and I got the Rosemary Latte and the Johnny Utah breakfast burrito. I loved them both, and I would recommend this spot for the vibe, quality, and prices. Their parking lot is small, so if you go and it's full go across the street and park in the Publix parking garage.

Bona Fide Deluxe

I had Bona Fide Deluxe on my maybe list as I had seen raves mixed with the popular “overpriced” comment. I’m getting a little numb to things being considered overpriced when I know this is our new norm. This spot is known for substantial deli sandwiches, and while some will say you can go to Publix, I never have trouble finishing a Pub Sub, and at Bona Fide, they bested me. I got the Cold Cut ($18) and loved it. I could not finish it, so I suggest splitting a sandwich if you have a dining partner. What was stellar was a not-always-on-the-menu item of potato wedges smothered in a spicy and creamy zhoug sauce, topped with tangy feta. If you go and they have them - GET THEM.

Estrellita

Estrellita is a tiny Filipino restaurant in Grant Park. They don’t take reservations, so try and go earlier to secure a table. We tried the Lumpia, the Lechon Kawali (Pork belly with skin on), and Crispy Pata (Pork hock slow-brined, deep fried, then chopped into bite-size pieces). I was familiar with everything except the Crispy Pata, which, thankfully the server explained the portion size ahead of time so we could alter how much food we were ordering. Everything was delicious, we had very hospitable service, and my favorite item was the pork belly.

Talat Market

While we mainly had all good meals in Atlanta, Talat took the prize for the best overall food experience on this trip. The Crispy Rice Salad had us scraping every last morsel of goodness off the plate. I can't remember the proper menu names of some items, but I believe we got some oysters from their raw bar, pork ribs, fried octopus, and a yellowtail crudo. Flavor beyond flavor in each dish, everything working in harmony, making your mouth happy with each bite. It's an intimate dining room, and we got a front-row seat to the expo window, which was fun to watch. Our service was also fantastic. It reminded me in many ways of one of my favorite restaurants in D.C., Thip Kao. This is a spot you want to visit.

Planta

Planta has locations in Florida but none in Orlando, so I decided to try them out while in Atlanta. This restaurant is all vegan and tends to get rave reviews. The space itself is beautiful, very tropical, and modern. The service was good; several staff members took care of us well. We tried several shareable dishes, and they all had great flavor; I was especially fond of the avocado lime tartare and the 1,000-layer crispy potatoes. The drinks, on the other hand, while beautiful, were all absurdly weak. I looked back at the menu afterward to ensure alcohol was listed in the ones I bought. So call it a scam or them caring about my health, but they got their $15 x 2 worth of juice and ice from me. If you are vegan this is a great spot to enjoy an elevated meal. If you aren’t vegan, you’ll enjoy it but question the prices of everything.

Kimchi Red

Kimchi Red is not in Atlanta, but outside in the suburb of Alpharetta. Yelp named this spot the best fried chicken in the country, so I investigated. When you get an accolade like that I feel like it sets you at a disadvantage right off the bat, but I wanted to investigate. We got there just half an hour after it opened, and the wait was already 40 minutes (granted, we had a somewhat large party). The space is small, so peak times will mean you will wait.

Ordering was a bit confusing as our party had only two separate orders, but one was told they couldn’t order certain items off the menu (which included some of the wing dishes) without reason. Despite that, I knew we would share these enormous piles of wings, so it was no matter, just odd.

We got the Snow Cheese, Garlic Honey Butter, and Red Buldak, topped with spicy ramen and egg (we got a few non-wing appetizers). So, what’s the verdict on the best fried chicken in the country? We have amazing Korean Fried Chicken in Orlando, so I was a little torn with the title best in the country. The wings were undoubtedly good, but not wait for 45 minutes in the parking lot good. Also, particularly with the Snow Cheese wings, I prefer what we have here at 92 Chicken; they have much more flavor. Despite my personal preference, if you find yourself in Alpharetta with a Korean Fried Chicken craving, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Little Tart + Big Softie

Very close to our home base in Summerhill is Little Tart and Big Softie. Little Tart is a small bakery with another location inside Krog Street Market. We went for breakfast one day for a small assortment of pastries. It was a very easy morning breakfast with decent coffee, I would recommend. Right next door is Big Softie, a tiny little soft serve shop offering oat milk soft serve. The soft serve wasn’t anything groundbreaking, pretty standard, and honestly, the regular soft serve could have been creamier, but the winner was the sweet and salty cornflake streusel as a topping. I went back twice for it.

Lloyd’s Pizza Party

Full disclosure: I didn't eat anything at Lloyds. I wanted to, but we had just eaten, but I wanted to check this place out and get a drink. I wanted to stuff myself, but my stomach told me not to tempt a 3am bathroom episode.

The inside is so well done, it's very 80's early 90's nostalgia like the Pizza Hut came back from the days of yore when wood paneling and brown pleather were all the rage. It felt like someone's home with a bar, and I loved it. I only got a drink, but the food is supposed to be good, so I'd recommend it for the vibes, and what locals have told me is a delicious artichoke dip.

Chatahoochee Works

We made a brief pit stop at Chatahoochee Works to pop into Brash, another great coffee spot in Atlanta, and while we weren’t hungry, we did pick up some really delicious cookies from Monster Cravings. This is on the West side of Atlanta, so if you are in the area this can be a spot you can explore. The building itself is quite large, with long corridors that have shops in them (a lot weren’t open), with communal seating throughout.

NOT FOOD

CLOTHING WAREHOUSE

Every trip to Atlanta for me includes a stop in Little Five Points. The first stop is always the Clothing Warehouse. Lots of vintage here, prices vary, and while on this trip all I got was a simple necklace, it’s definitely a great spot to search, especially for vintage tees.

Bellows Film Lab

Bellows has locations in Chicago, Miami, and Atlanta. This was my first trip, and of course, the first thing anyone would notice is how colorful and eye-catching the space is. What looks like a photo spot itself is a film lab where you can send your film rolls, get large prints, and buy cameras and film. The back room of this location is also an art gallery. This was a great spot to pick up film for my vintage 1977 Polaroid OneStep Land Camera. If you aren't a photographer or into photograpy, there won't be much here for you other than the gallery or just taking in the space.

Criminal Records

I’ve seen a lot of different shops pop-up in Little Five Points over the years of visits, but thankfully Criminal Records has stuck around. The shop not only has records, CDs, and even some cassettes, but they also have other merchandise and even a comic book section.

Jurassic World Exhibition

Depending on when you visit, this Jurassic World Exhibition may or may not be there, but I went because my husband wanted to check it out. Upon entering, I realized it was geared more towards children, as we, as a childless couple, were the only people in there without toddlers in tow. I can't say I recommend it at the price of $35.99 as an adult unless you are a huge fan of Jurassic Park. The interactive walk-thru will take up to 45 minutes. If you do have kids, it wouldn't be too scary for them unless they are extremely sensitive to sound.

HIGH MUSEUM OF ART

I usually visit this museum on my trips, and now and then, your visit might sync up with an exhibit that will likely never make it to Orlando. The price with no discounts is $18.50 and is worth the cost.

Ponce City Market

Ponce City Market could fit our food halls in one wing of their large building. Filled with not just food stalls but shops, as touristy as it may feel, this is always an excellent spot to check out. It’s usually packed on the weekends, but if you can manage to go during the week, it’s easier to tour.

Other places we went: