Rough Draft Atlanta’s Best New Restaurants of 2025
Rough Draft s dining squad Beth McKibben and Sarra Sedghi spent the last year eating at dozens of new restaurants across Atlanta Multiple meals and debates later they narrowed a lengthy list of contenders down to just stellar restaurants and one collaboration that kept capturing their attention in Restaurants in contention opened between Oct and Oct and reside within Rough Draft s coverage zones in the cities of Atlanta Brookhaven Tucker Sandy Springs and Dunwoody along with a limited from greater metro Atlanta This year s award winners brought something extra special to the Atlanta dining scene Your next favorite dish might come from a sandwich shop doubling as a area hub a fine dining establishment leaning into Alpine ingredients a strip mall spot dedicated to an Italian grandmother s legacy or a tiny counter-service restaurant whipping up made-to-order meals perfect for a dinner party Introducing Rough Draft s Best New Restaurants of along with the winners of our inaugural Readers Choice Awards and a trio of special awards for Best New Bar Best Collaboration and Neighborhood Spirit Overall Winners Avize Brady Ave Westside Atlanta Hay-smoked duck Provided by Avize Avize is a culinary exploration of Chef Karl Gorline s Bavarian heritage and the Alpine-bordering countries of Germany France Switzerland and Italy For Gorline Avize isn t a literal interpretation of Alpine food traditions Instead the menu pays homage to these cuisines through foraged ingredients such as serviceberries and vegetables grains and herbs harvested weekly from the restaurant s Bremen GA farm The only physical indication Avize leans Alpine is in the dining room where a taxidermied white mountain goat named Truffles is given pride of place Gorline gussies up rustic dishes of venison duck and schnitzel whipping gamey proteins fish and root vegetables into elegantly presented plates that are almost too pretty to eat Begin with the dandelion greens salad studded with seasonal citrus or the venison tartare Gorline gets cheeky with his lemon pepper wet riff on frog legs For the main event order hay-smoked duck fermented carrot Bolognese or the fallow deer crusted with black sesame atop a serviceberry jus accompanied by eggplant and chicory While wine pairing suggestions come listed with each dish tap in Avize Director of Hospitality and sommelier Taurean Philpott for further advice As with the food wine at Avize favors Alpine producers Moody and cozy with a playlist jockeying between s New Wave and old and new-school hip hop Avize makes fine dining fun and approachable With the more casual vibes of Bar Avize next door serving martinis on silver plates and everything from fries and oysters to adult chicken nuggets topped with caviar this Brady Avenue restaurant is the total package Danbi Seasonal Kitchen Clairmont Road Brookhaven Guajillo coconut salmon Provided by Danbi Seasonal Kitchen Don t be fooled by Danbi Seasonal Kitchen s appearance this Brookhaven strip mall spot offers far more than meets the eye Although the sleek technology-forward interior minimal staff and no-tipping plan suggest a standard fast-casual operation the actual product is on the same caliber as finer dining institutions Chef Jack Kim has worked a wide range of restaurant jobs and it shows With the exception of the cookies and brownies on the counter those are baked ahead of opening hours Kim makes everything to order The menu s foundation on healthy seasonal ingredients proves that food can be good for you and taste good too The smoothies for example don t contain an excess amount of sugar instead highlighting the god-given flavors in each ingredient The frothy beet smoothie gets its sweetness from Fuji apples and maple syrup with the main ingredient s earthy flavor at the forefront Everything is good here but the Guajillo coconut salmon especially shines This is one occurrence where you do want to order salmon at a restaurant The fish itself maintains that ideal doneness with just a hint of medium-rare and the accompanying curry-like sauce Brussels sprouts and miso-glazed kabocha sauce almost outshine the main dish If you re feeding a large party order everything to go and serve it at home Madeira Park N Highland Ave Poncey-Highland Courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee It s been years since Steven Satterfield opened Miller Union now a Michelin-recognized restaurant for the James Beard-award-winning chef But in Satterfield and Miller Union partner Neal McCarthy and Dive Wine founder Tim Willard opened Madeira Park in Poncey-Highland They transformed the former cafe at the old Highland Inn into a lively wine bar where people pack the dining room and patio nightly The wine list a constantly evolving project for Willard and sommelier and General Manager Jade Palmer features familiar favorites boundary-pushing vintages and collector wines Pro tip Ask for the book an off-menu hand-written list of limited-run and rare wines curated by Palmer Fortified wine lovers will find a healthy selection of vermouth sherry port and Madeira including bottled-aged pours of Terrantez dating back to and a century-old Sercial And while Philip Weltner keeps cocktails low-ABV by dialing into fortified wines try the Bijou with sweet potato shochu vermouth and sherry heavy hitters like the Sazerac and Rob Roy round out his drinks list Bar snacks include salads oysters ham and cheese beignets and beef tartare with entrees featuring the seasonality of ingredients for which Satterfield is known Led by Chef Ollie Honderd order a bistro steak with crowder peas and caponata or the daily fish en papillote seared in brown butter complemented with French filet beans Sammy s Northside Dr Adair Park TheSamuel Courtesy of Kelly Irwin Jason Furst and Chef Sam Pinner have created a buzzy neighborhood hub in Sammy s a compact coffee and sandwich shop at Abrams Fixtures in Adair Park Lines form early for coffee and bacon egg and cheeses in the morning In the afternoon the lines return for sandwiches chock-full of ingredients You ll meet Furst at the counter greeting you with his sterling smile Hospitality courses through his veins and through his long flowing locks and full beard Pinner works the smoker out front tending to the pork butts for Uncle Sam s sandwich and the Miami Sami served on bread sourced from Pan American Bakery For the Reuben Pinner brines the pastrami and finishes it on the smoker topping the sandwich with Southern-style coleslaw based on his mother s recipe Every Friday evening Sammy s transforms into a bar teeming with people ordering High Life ponies and martinis from Furst paired with smashburgers whole smoked wings and barbecue specials from Pinner Sammy s already feels like it s been around for years in Adair Park with people huddled around tables sometimes with small stockpiles of sandwiches Yes they re just that good It can be hard to find a seat at peak hours even outside an indication that Furst and Pinner must be doing something right Season Marietta Lemon St Marietta Provided by Season You would have no idea Season just celebrated its first anniversary Situated in a standalone building on Lemon Street the breakfast and brunch restaurant has the aura of a place that s been open for decades The restaurant runs like an extremely well-oiled machine with an attentive staff thrumming at both the back and front of the house There s a smaller separate coffee menu for diners who can t function sans-caffeine The specialty and seasonal drinks are just as detailed and visually impressive as items from a neighborhood coffee shop You also won t go wrong just ordering a French pressed coffee It s not an exaggeration to say that everything on Season s food menu makes for a solid meal The savory dishes like the chorizo chilaquiles and tamale huevos rancheros truly shine here Chef Nick Jennings makes Season s red chorizo in house and sausage lovers who don t try it are quite frankly doing themselves a disservice Those whose tastes steer sweeter should opt for the maduros-stuffed buttermilk pancakes or French toast served with blueberry compote duck ham Virginia maple syrup and cinnamon sugar Other must-orders include the pork belly grilled cheese croque madame and selection of biscuit sandwiches Come early or make reservations If not be prepared to wait for a table A meal at Season however is worth it Tipsy Thaiger Atlanta St Roswell Provided by Tipsy Thaiger Birdie Niyomkun Phudith Pattharakositkul and Candi Lee want Tipsy Thaiger to reflect their love for entertaining Here you ll find homestyle Thai staples mingling with Thai street foods and finer dining Thai dishes within the cozy environs of one of Roswell s largest part historic dining rooms Kicking off with a cocktail is the move including with the gin-based Green Curry Sour or Thaiger Martini mixed with vodka and yellow rice sake The Mango Sticky Rice mixes rum with clarified mango and a float of salted coconut foam With a food menu divided into gab-glaam bar bites small plates and gab-kao shareable entrees served with rice order everything family style starting with the jackfruit dip and Thaiger salad comprising beets tomatoes and aromatic herbs tossed in Thai dressing with fried shallots The unctuous chili jam clams are a must which sees middleneck clams coaxed open as they re briskly stir-fried in a creamy sweet and spicy sauce Never skip ordering she-crab fried rice for the table to complement entrees of -hour braised Hung-Le short rib or the daily domain fish which can come fried poached or seared For a decadent dessert opt for the Thai tea toast a hunk of toasted brioche covered in Thai tea cream and peanut crumbles served with coconut ice cream to cut the sweetness Tipsy Thaiger gently nudges you out of your Thai food comfort zone and that s a good thing while also introducing you to the depth and breadth of Thailand s foodways and hospitality traditions In other words it s a triumph Top Five Readers Choice Winners overall Tipsy Thaiger Roswell Enso Izakaya Avondale Estates Lucky Star Star Metals Brasserie Margot Midtown Madeira Park Poncey-Highland Best of Brookhaven Dunwoody Sandy Springs and Tucker Brookhaven Danbi Seasonal Kitchen Clairmont Road Brookhaven Coq au vin Provided Danbi Seasonal Kitchen Don t be fooled by Danbi Seasonal Kitchen s appearance this Brookhaven strip mall spot offers far more than meets the eye Although the sleek technology-forward interior minimal staff and no-tipping procedures suggest a standard fast-casual operation the actual product is on the same caliber as finer dining institutions Chef Jack Kim has worked a wide range of restaurant jobs and it shows With the exception of the cookies and brownies on the counter those are baked ahead of opening hours Kim makes everything to order The menu s foundation on healthy seasonal ingredients proves that food can be good for you and taste good too The smoothies for example don t contain an excess amount of sugar instead highlighting the god-given flavors in each ingredient The frothy beet smoothie gets its sweetness from Fuji apples and maple syrup with the main ingredient s earthy flavor at the forefront Everything is good here but the Guajillo coconut salmon especially shines This is one affair where you do want to order salmon at a restaurant The fish itself maintains that ideal doneness with just a hint of medium-rare and the accompanying curry-like sauce Brussels sprouts and miso-glazed kabocha sauce almost outshine the main dish If you re feeding a large party order everything to go and serve it at home Brookhaven Readers Choice Confab Kitchen Bar Dunwoody Yaba s Bagels Ashford Dunwoody Road Dunwoody Provided by Yaba s Bagels Lena Abdallah and Ahmed Nashif bet on Atlantans affinity for bagels when they opened Yaba s Bagels this summer Yaba means father in Arabic For Abdallah the Dunwoody bagel shop is more than just a business it also serves as an homage to her father who used to own bakeries in New York Abdallah grew up understanding that a good water bagel depends on the precisely timed kettle boiling process to bring about the signature textures crispy on the outside soft and chewy on the inside Yaba s respect for the bagel-making process which includes boiling the dough twice before baking comes through in the first bite But Yaba s Bagels isn t your standard New York-style bagel shop Sure you can get staples like bagels and lox or a bacon egg and cheese but the signature bagels infused with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors and ingredients are the real move at Yaba s Based on Abdallah s father s recipes order the Levantine za atar bagel with a thick spread of labneh drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with za atar The Souk sees your bagel of choice we suggest sesame topped with a spread of tahini and date syrup garnished with dates and toasted walnuts For a little sweet and savory action the Yaffa on an onion or salt bagel piles on grilled halloumi arugula and tomato It s finished with pomegranate molasses Bagels aren t the only shining stars at Yaba s The deli sandwiches are every bit as good including the Reuben stuffed with hot pastrami melted Swiss cheese and sauerkraut Order this sandwich on a za atar bagel Grab one of Abdallah s cheese danishes or apple turnovers for the road Dunwoody Readers Choice Cuddlefish Sandy Springs Nonna Dora Italian Eatery Hammond Dr Sandy Springs Beef lasagna Provided by Nonna Dora Italian Eatery When you find yourself sipping on Parmigiana sauce from a spoon like it s a luxurious stew or bisque you know you re in the midst of a transcendent dining experience Thank Nonna Dora for that whose namesake shaped chef-owner Patrizio Alaia s childhood and cooking philosophy Every menu item from the cheesy frittatine to the -percent beef meatballs carries his grandmother s influence Antipasti and pasta make up greater part of the menu It s hard to go wrong here but if you re not into tomato-based sauces opt for the pesto Parmigiana or ultra-rich mushroom lasagna There s also a small selection of pizzas salads and meat and fish-based main courses branzino saltimbocca and a breaded chicken cutlet Denying yourself a post-dinner cannoli frolla Neapolitan pastry stuffed with ricotta and candied orange cubes or tiramisu is a criminal offense Make the meal feel extra European by pairing it with an Italian soda Come in on Saturdays and Sundays for brunch including for lemon ricotta pancakes polenta and shrimp and an Italian version of an English breakfast Sandy Springs Readers Choice Mister Pizza Tucker Nicky s Undefeated Main St Tucker Italian hoagie Provided by Nicky s Undefeated Greater Philadelphian-owned Nicky s Undefeated brought yet another strong tenant to Tucker s Main Street in It s a restaurant and bar serving top-rate sandwiches cheesesteaks don t ask for a Philly wings and pizza that also doubles as a Philadelphia Eagles hub The hoagies and melts come served on super-soft Liscio s rolls straight from South Jersey so no sharp corners will distract your mouth from the pile of meat and cheese inside Bring a crowd because the menu at Nicky s is best divided and conquered Order garlic parmesan wings cheesesteak egg rolls and mozzarella squares for the table Then split a sandwich Hoagies and cheesesteaks are the name of the challenge here But we also recommend Nicky s fried chicken cutlet sandwiches like the Rocky Balboa chicken Parmesan Crazy Betty Buffalo chicken with mozzarella and more Buffalo sauce and Meadow Soprano a fried chicken and kale Caesar hybrid privileged with Pecorino Romano The slow-roasted Italian pork sandwich with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe and a couple of jumbo pizza slices more accurately described as quarters also get the job done Save room for dessert including Via Veneto Italian ice Bassetts ice cream or pistachio ricotta cake There s no vibes at Nicky s just a clean well-lighted place with a good attitude huge portions and a modest bill It works and frankly shouldn t be questioned Stop by Sunday and Monday nights to catch NFL games on one of the big-screens Non-Eagles fans are welcome at Nicky s but allegedly shouldn t vocalize that fact or take offense to the anti-Packers and Chiefs art taped to the counter window Tucker Readers Choice Nicky s Undefeated Best New Bar Lucky Star Howell Mill Road Star Metals Provided by Lucky Star Lucky Star became the latest restaurant from Chef Jason Liang Momonoki Cuddlefish Brush Michelin-starred O by Brush when it opened at Star Metals As a breakfast to happy hour and beyond kind of place Liang returns to his Taiwanese roots at this restaurant and the comforting street foods of his childhood While you should absolutely come for Liang s food try the beef noodle soup and gan mian dry noodles stay for cocktails from beverage director Kirk Gibson You might recognize Gibson from his days at The Pinewood in Decatur and Cardinal in Grant Park Maybe you attended one of his pop-ups years ago at Brush or in Candler Park during Little Bear chef Jarrett Stieber s Eat Me Speak Me days At Lucky Star Gibson lets loose his bartending skills and passion for cocktail science and experimentation He goes all in on techniques like fat-washing and clarification or using a sous vide machine or liquid nitrogen to extract the flavors and textures he s after for drinks Cocktails come mixed with syrups and tinctures made from seasonal and foraged ingredients Look for cocktails like a painkiller made with freshly juiced white corn a coconut-washed rum Manhattan or a Sidecar made with yuzu juice and salted yuzu syrup For Lucky Star s clarified espresso martini Gibson distills down cold brew steeped in vodka in a Buchi Rotavapor which boils off the alcohol leaving behind the roasted floral notes of the coffee Gibson then re-dilutes the cold brew mixture to proof and finishes the cocktail with white creme de cacao and creme de peche With everything batched and ready to go cocktails arrive within minutes of ordering even if the ingredients comprising these drinks took hours or days to create Gibson and his squad make cocktails at Lucky Star seem effortless Gibson has definitely hit his stride here A word to Atlanta cocktail enthusiasts prioritize grabbing a seat at the bar to geek out with Gibson during one of his weekly cocktail omakase services You ll thank us later Best Collaboration The New SouthVarious locations Provided by The New South Yes please do believe the hype around Atlanta s first all-Black chef collective Current members include Robert Butts Demetrius Brown Gary Caldwell Carlos Granderson India Johnson Chryssie Lewis Dene Lynn Jon nae Jae Smith Rodney Smith Charmain Ware and Christan Willis Independently each member is already impressive since forming in these chefs have headlined food festivals competed on food television shows reported new restaurants and hosted ticketed dinners When The New South works in tandem however these chefs produce something that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the city Their alchemy is potent and undeniable You can catch The New South in action at one of the collective s quarterly eight-course dinners where you ll find bites such as infused sweet watermelon juice hard cups or sofrito braised lamb with plantain gnocchi pickled fresno lamb demi glaze microgreens and charred onion dust or dukkah smoked Kobe beef with broccoli onion puree and pickled green tomatoes Since there are more chefs than courses at this point not all of The New South members contribute to a meal But you ll find countless of them attending New South dinners to patronage and infuse the event with infectious positive vitality And even when they re not hosting dinners together this collective shouts out members making strides on their own In other words it s impossible not to root for The New South and its chefs Society Spirit Award Minhwa Spirits Van Fleet Cir Doraville James Kim L and Ming Han Chung R Courtesy of Colette Collins Part distillery part coffee shop and part tavern Minhwa Spirits greatest asset might be the commitment to metro Atlanta chefs and food producers In addition to cocktails incorporating the distillery s award-winning soju chai-infused gin and makgeolli owners Ming Han Chung and James Kim have cultivated a region of collaboration at Minhwa You ll find resident chefs doing stints in the kitchen including Lino Yi TKO Korean Lazy Betty who right now handles lunch dinner and brunch There s regular coffee system from Postern Coffee and pastries from small-batch bakery Sugar Plus Air Minhwa also hosts numerous collaborative events throughout the year ranging from pop-up nights with Dhaba BBQ Karly s Kitchen Mighty Hans Salty Smiles and Soupbelly to dumpling and makgeolli Korean rice wine workshops to regular makers markets and K-pop bingo nights Resident cat Hoshi was even named after a K-pop singer known for his feline appearance Chung and Kim see Minhwa Spirits as a sort of jumak a Korean tavern that provided lodging nourishment and alcohol to travelers during the Joseon Dynasty Serving the neighborhood lies at the heart of everything on offer at Minhwa Spirits right down to constantly providing space and opportunities to endorsement local chefs bartenders and artists The post Rough Draft Atlanta s Best New Restaurants of appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta
