Where to Eat in Atlanta: Fried Chicken and Local Classics

If you are wondering where to eat in Atlanta, start with three classics: Southern fried chicken and pot likker with cornbread at Mary Mac's Tea Room on Ponce de Leon Avenue, and a chili dog at The Varsity on North Avenue. Then add the newer favorites, such as Gu's Dumplings and Ticonderoga Club at Krog Street Market and Gunshow in Glenwood Park. Every restaurant below is inside the City of Atlanta and was confirmed open on its own website.

What is Atlanta known for eating?

Atlanta is known for Southern fried chicken, pot likker with cornbread, and the chili dog. Those three dishes anchor the city's old-line dining rooms, and they are easy to order on a single afternoon in Midtown and Downtown Atlanta.

Pot likker is the savory broth left in the pot after greens have simmered. It is sipped, and cornbread is for dunking. Fried chicken needs no introduction, and the chili dog belongs to The Varsity on North Avenue, which has been family owned and operated since 1928 and calls itself the world's largest drive-in.

The list below starts with those classics and then widens to the restaurants that show where Atlanta cooking has gone since.

How we chose

We started with the dishes Atlanta is known for, then looked for the restaurants most tied to them. Each pick had to be inside the City of Atlanta limits by its Atlanta street address and open according to its own official website or official page. We dropped anything we could not confirm that way. Hours and menus change, so treat every time below as typical and check the restaurant's site before you go.

One trap to know: an Atlanta mailing address does not always mean the City of Atlanta. Some well-known restaurants with Atlanta addresses sit outside the city limits, so they are not on this list.

The classics

1. Mary Mac's Tea Room (Midtown, Ponce de Leon Avenue)

Mary Mac's Tea Room at 224 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE is the place to start for fried chicken, mac and cheese and collard greens. Its website lists daily hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Order the fried chicken with a side of collards, and if it is your first visit, ask for the free cup of pot likker with cornbread that the restaurant offers new guests. It calls itself the last of the sixteen tea rooms that once dotted intown Atlanta in the 1940s, which makes lunch here a small piece of local history. Official site: marymacs.com.

2. The Varsity (Midtown, North Avenue)

The Varsity at 61 North Avenue in Atlanta is the chili dog landmark, family owned and operated since 1928. Its website typically lists hours of Sunday through Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., with closures on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Order a chili dog (hot dog, chili and mustard), the hand-battered onion rings and a Frosted Orange, which The Varsity lists as one of its most popular items. The pickup line is (404) 881-1706; check thevarsity.com before you go.

3. Ria's Bluebird (Grant Park, Memorial Drive)

Ria's Bluebird at 421 Memorial Drive SE is a breakfast-focused neighborhood spot. Its site lists hours of Thursday through Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and it is closed Wednesdays.

Go for a late Southern breakfast and read the menu on the site before you leave. If you are driving, Ria's Bluebird has a modest lot of its own, and its FAQ says the spots next door at 415 Memorial Drive are free, which saves a lap around Grant Park looking for a street spot. Official site: riasbluebird.com.

4. Atlanta Breakfast Club (Downtown, Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard)

Atlanta Breakfast Club at 249 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard is a Downtown breakfast room with Southern plates on its menu. The official page lists Crispy Fried Chicken and Waffles, Peach Cobbler French Toast and Gulf Shrimp and Grits.

Order the chicken and waffles if you want fried chicken before noon; the Atlanta Breakfast Club menu typically lists it at $14.95. The restaurant also offers online ordering, which helps on busy weekend mornings near Centennial Olympic Park. The page does not list hours, so check atlantabreakfastclub.com first.

The new Atlanta favorites

5. Gu's Dumplings (Krog Street Market, Inman Park)

Gu's Dumplings at Krog Street Market, 99 Krog Street NE in Atlanta, is a Szechuan dumpling and noodle counter. Its website highlights Zhong Style Dumplings and Chengdu Cold Noodles, so order both.

Typical hours are Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Official site: gusdumplings.com.

6. Ticonderoga Club (Krog Street Market, Inman Park)

Ticonderoga Club at 99 Krog Street NE, Suite W, is a cocktail bar with a food menu to match. It is typically open Thursday through Monday, 5 to 11 p.m.; it is closed on Tuesday and its website says never Wednesday.

The menu changes with seasonal availability and the chef's whim, so read the current menu on ticonderogaclub.com and order a cocktail with whatever the kitchen is excited about.

7. Gunshow (Glenwood Park, Garrett Street)

Gunshow at 924 Garrett Street SE works differently from other Atlanta restaurants. The chefs present dishes tableside from an open kitchen, and cocktails arrive on a rolling cart. You pick what you want as the plates pass.

Its website lists typical hours of Wednesday through Saturday, 6 to 9 p.m., and recommends reservations. Parties of 9 to 18 can book a ten-course family-style meal, listed at $110 per person on the official site. Book at gunshowatl.com.

8. Miller Union (Westside, Brady Avenue)

Miller Union at 999 Brady Avenue NW cooks seasonal, farm-to-table Southern food. Its website lists dinner hours of Monday through Thursday 5 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5 to 10 p.m., closed Sunday.

The menu follows the season, so order whatever the vegetable plates and mains look like that week. Official site: millerunion.com.

9. Staplehouse (Old Fourth Ward, Edgewood Avenue)

Staplehouse at 541 Edgewood Avenue SE in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward is a neighborhood restaurant with al fresco dining and a Market menu. Typical hours on its website are Thursday noon to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday noon to 9 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday.

Start with the Market menu and sit outside when the weather is good. Official site: staplehouse.com.

10. Poor Calvin's (Midtown, Piedmont Avenue)

Poor Calvin's at 510 Piedmont Avenue NE takes online reservations and is typically open Monday through Thursday 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 to 11 p.m., and Sunday 3 to 10 p.m. Its website highlights in-house desserts such as the Suspension Cake.

Save room for dessert. Official site: poorcalvins.com.

What does a one-day Atlanta eating route look like?

A one-day Atlanta eating route can cover breakfast, fried chicken, a chili dog and dumplings without leaving the city.

1. Breakfast: Atlanta Breakfast Club in Downtown or Ria's Bluebird in Grant Park.
2. Lunch: Mary Mac's Tea Room for fried chicken, collards, and the first-visit pot likker with cornbread.
3. Afternoon: a chili dog and a Frosted Orange at The Varsity on North Avenue.
4. Dinner: Gu's Dumplings at Krog Street Market, then a cocktail next door at Ticonderoga Club (Thursday through Monday).
5. Splurge night: reserve Gunshow ahead for Wednesday through Saturday.

The Varsity and Mary Mac's are both in Midtown and within a short ride of each other. Krog Street Market sits at the edge of Inman Park. For more places to eat, browse the food and dining listings.

Where should I eat first?

If you only have one meal, make it Mary Mac's Tea Room. It covers fried chicken, collards and pot likker in a single sitting. If you only have a snack, make it The Varsity.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I eat in Atlanta for Southern fried chicken?

Mary Mac's Tea Room at 224 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE in Midtown is the classic choice, and its website lists fried chicken with mac and cheese and collard greens. Atlanta Breakfast Club in Downtown also lists crispy fried chicken and waffles.

What is pot likker?

Pot likker is the savory broth left in the pot after greens have simmered, usually served with cornbread for dunking. Mary Mac's Tea Room in Atlanta offers new guests a free cup with cornbread.

What should I order at The Varsity in Atlanta?

Order a chili dog, onion rings and a Frosted Orange at The Varsity, 61 North Avenue in Atlanta. The Varsity lists the Frosted Orange as one of its most popular items and has been family owned and operated since 1928.

Do I need a reservation at Gunshow in Atlanta?

Yes, Gunshow's website recommends reservations. It is typically open Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 924 Garrett Street SE in Glenwood Park.

Where can I eat at Krog Street Market in Atlanta?

Krog Street Market at 99 Krog Street NE has Gu's Dumplings for Szechuan dumplings and noodles and Ticonderoga Club for cocktails and dinner. Check each website for current hours.