5 Atlanta Southern Food Restaurants to Try

1879 Cheshire Bridge Rd.

A mainstay since 1927, this reliably good family restaurant serves crispy fried chicken, pot roast and other hearty fare in a humble yet welcoming environment. Ample portions will keep you fueled throughout the day. However, any true connoisseur of Southern cuisine knows to save room for dessert. Homemade pies perfect for sharing—coconut icebox pie, anyone?—are made in limited quantities and go fast.

1001 Piedmont Ave. N.E.

This Midtown café offers some of the best biscuits in Atlanta, a notable achievement with so many good places to eat. (There are other locations as well, including in nearby Kennesaw and Norcross.) Breakfast options include grits, omelets or organic oatmeal pancakes served with warm peach compote and maple syrup. But since you’re in the South, why not try the Southern Scramble complete with two scrambled eggs, spicy collard greens and cheddar cheese grits?

1106 Crescent Ave. NE

As a contemporary seafood restaurant, Lure is renowned for its innovative menu and excellent service. Lure's menu is a destination for foodies of all stripes, from the most daring to the most traditional, thanks to its eclectic blend of classic American and worldwide coastal traditions. Lobster mac and Carolina fish are two of the main courses offered, and they're prepared to perfection here.

224 Ponce de Leon Ave.

Comfort foods made from scratch and sweet tea — the so-called “table wine of the South” — will delight diners in the one-time tearoom that Mary McKenzie opened in 1945. Though the boarding house days are long gone, you can still feel the care put into running this genteel establishment. While fried chicken is always a good choice, consider ordering the country-fried steak, cornbread stuffing with gravy, fried okra and peach cobbler at Mary Mac's Tea Room.

652 N. Highland Ave. N.E.

Don’t mind the modest surroundings because you’re in for a culinary revelation. Vegetables such as collard greens, corn and potatoes are important ingredients of what’s considered good Southern food in Atlanta (and beyond), and you’ll get your fill of them in a way that’s tasty and good for you with this restaurant’s spin on soul food. All dishes are vegan—no meat and dairy—so you can chow down on barbecue (aka kalebone, a wheat-gluten protein), brown rice with gravy and cornbread, all without (much) guilt.