Best Chef: Brian So
Brian So is still riding a high several months after his Marietta, Georgia restaurant, Spring, earned a Michelin star. It’s not slowing down either. So opened Spring with his business partner, Daniel Crawford, in 2016 and was quickly revered for his minimalist approach to seasonal ingredients paired with an excellent wine list. It’s hard not to order the entire tight menu, but definitely don’t skip the chicken liver and foie gras parfait. So’s upcoming second restaurant, Spring 2nd Branch, slated for an opening in May, will bring his twist on Korean food to Marietta Square.
Brian So’s Georgia Recommendations:
I like to order the pork jowl when they have it on the menu.
Jang Su Jang, Duluth
It has a broad Korean menu and I’ve been going there since I was a kid.
They do an incredible job whether you go for pastries in the morning or a special occasion dinner
The Wing Cafe & Tap House, Marietta
I like to meet up with my friends here, drink cheap beer, and eat a bunch of chicken wings.
I grew up eating Lao food, so Molli [Voraotsady]’s food always brings back good memories.
Best Mixologist in Georgia: Ally Smith
When Ally Smith describes her approach to cocktails at Puma Yu’s, a lively Thai restaurant in Athens, she says they’re sustainably focused—and she makes drinks that she wants to drink. Smith owns Puma Yu’s with her partner in business and life, chef Pete Amadhanirundr, and knows how to craft an alluring cocktail with bold, bright flavors. She often incorporates cordials and infusions made with ingredients that would otherwise be thrown away, like the As You Wish, with reposado tequila, fennelcello, and orange liqueur. “My inspiration changes often, but my drinks are always strong,” says Smith.
Ally Smith’s Georgia Recommends
Hidden Gem, Athens
It has a perfect late-night vibe, an incredible spirits selection, and good cocktails. @hiddengemglobalhq
I go here when I need to find inspiration. Everything (owner) Miles Macquarrie does is innovative and interesting.
The cocktails here are Japanese-forward with super out-of-the-box flavor combinations.
When I want to go out for a nice drink, I end up here.
Pete and I find ourselves here a lot when we want a glass of wine, and they have good snacks.
The Best of Georgia
Best New Restaurant: Nàdair, Atlanta
Kevin Gillespie’s most personal venture yet, Nàdair brings Scottish-meets-Southern fare to Atlanta’s Woodland Hills. With views of a nature preserve, the green-and-tartan-clad dining room sets the backdrop for dishes like spice-lacquered pork shoulder and vegetarian haggis pie stuffed with mushrooms.
Best Tried & True: Miller Union, Atlanta
Miller Union recently celebrated its 15th anniversary thanks in large part to James Beard winner Steven Satterfield’s beautiful use of locally sourced produce. Seasonally driven dishes shine in the dining room set in a former warehouse—you can’t go wrong with the ever rotating vegetable plate.
Best Brisket: Socks’ Love Barbecue, Cumming
Steven Hartsock turned a barbecue passion into a full-time career and now slings the state’s best brisket out of his restaurant in Cumming. It’s smoky and tender and pairs perfectly with a side of his macaroni and cheese. sockslovebrands.com
Best Unexpected Cocktails: Oldknow Bev. Co., Clayton
Founded by Mary Catherine Matheny and Ryan Warner Wood, Oldknow sells canned spirited seltzers made with their own gin and vodka, but it also has a sweet lounge in downtown Clayton. There, in a vintage-industrial setting, they whip up interesting, seasonally inspired cocktails like an old fashioned made with fig-infused vodka.
Best Over-the-Top Breakfast: Hen Mother Cookhouse, Johns Creek, Alpharetta
Guests may wait an hour or more to delight in chef-owner Soraya Khoury’s breakfast at Hen Mother Cookhouse. Standout dishes include the extra-thick pancakes, a biscuit sandwich with crispy fried chicken and pimento cheese, and French toast topped with silky whipped custard—don’t forget a cinnamon roll (weekends only).
Best Neighborhood Wine Bar: Late Air Wine, Savannah
Plan on lingering a bit when you visit Late Air Wine in Savannah’s Starland District. The intimate, plant-filled wine bar channels European charm and features a stellar list of natural wines served alongside clever small plates.
Best Viral Birthday Cake: Dottie’s Market, Savannah
When former Vice President Kamala Harris visited Dottie’s Market in Savannah, she ordered a slice of the chocolate salted caramel birthday cake—and it’s continued to sell out ever since. They make the dessert comprising thick chocolate cake layered with salted caramel buttercream twice a day for lunch and dinner—but if you want a slice, plan to get there early.
Best Transportive Experience: Avize, Atlanta
Dining at Avize is like dining in the Alps without leaving Atlanta. Dark green and wood accents set a cozy tone, while a stately (very real) taxidermic mountain goat brings home the Alpine feel. So does chef-owner Karl Gorline’s menu with dishes like flammkuchen (a creamy, cheesy flatbread) and schlutzkrapfen (half-moon shaped pasta) in a brown butter sauce.
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Lia Picard
Lia Picard is a lifestyle journalist based in Atlanta where she writes about food, travel, interior design, and style. Her work appears in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Garden & Gun, and Conde Nast Traveler among other publications.