Sips & Spaces Designed to Make You Feel Like an Atlanta Local
A feast for the eyes and the palate.
1. SUPERICA | 99 Krog Street, Atlanta, GA 30307
VIBE: Located in the fully restored ‘Atlanta Stove Works’ factory, Superica offers a fresh take on Tex Mex. The interior, much the same as the original explorers found it, is a colorful collection of curios that make you feel like you’ve left the big city and arrived in the Old West. From the large marquee letter sign out front to the expansive bar and live music, Superica promises a good ol’ (west) time.
MUST ORDER: If you go for brunch, the hot cakes are an absolute must. For any other time of the day, you can’t go wrong with any of their fresh margs. If you order the “puffy tacos” you’ll have to let us know if they live up to their transformative reputation.
2. LINGERING SHADE SOCIAL CLUB | 660 Irwin Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30312
VIBE: Alongside Atlanta’s Beltline, Lingering Shade is the perfect spot for before or after-dinner drinks. The quaint, bistro-style bar and patio offers craft cocktails, beer, an extensive wine list, and southern apps & small plates.
MUST ORDER: The Pimento Cheese Crab Dip.
The Vidalia Onion Dip is also another crowd pleaser–as long as you don’t plan on kissing anybody in said crowd. It is heavy on the onion… and on the breath.
*Pro Tip: Bottles of wine are 1/2 price on Monday and Tuesday.
3. LADYBIRD GROVE & MESS HALL | 684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30312
VIBE: Named after the patron saint of outdoor beautification, Lady Bird Johnson, Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall is a “basecamp for the urban explorer”. Situated right off mile marker 9.25 on the Atlanta Beltline, the communal tables, screened windows, and large pebble patio evoke the feeling of a summer camp cafeteria. Bring your pup and be prepared to stay a while. It is easy to lose track of time at Ladybird.
MUST ORDER: The “Bee’s Knees” cocktail made with gin, lemon, and honey cocktail is quite literally ‘the bees knees’. It is light, tasty, AND gives $2 to the C.S.K. elementary “bee cause project”. ‘Cause who doesn’t love giving back while throwing back?!
4. RED PHONE BOOTH | 17 Andrew Young International Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA 30303
VIBE: Located in the iconic ‘Dailey’s building’ in downtown Atlanta, Red Phone Booth is a 1920’s speakeasy that you can only enter through– yep you guessed it– a red phone booth. It is one of the best kept secrets in Atlanta and we certainly aren’t going to be the ones to spoil it. But if you’re lucky enough to score the secret code, you’ll enter an upscale world right out of the Prohibition Era.
MUST ORDER: You really can’t go wrong with a flat bread pizza and any one of their insanely fresh cocktails–all made with fresh squeezed juice and hand-chipped ice.
5. THE CONSULATE | 10 10th St. Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia, 30309
VIBE: The product of an adventurous chef and a detail obsessed interior designer, The Consulate is an edgy, yet timeless display of decadent dining and design. Though it is in the heart of Midtown, it is purposely tucked away, so you have to know where look (hint: it is right next to the Federal Reserve). The owner’s wanted a place that was tough to find, like the ingredients used in their unique, globally inspired dishes.
MUST ORDER: The menu is rotated quarterly to reflect a new country of inspiration. The Consulate offers a wide selection of globally influenced wine, beer and cocktail program based on scarcity and quality.
6. CLERMONT LOUNGE | 789 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
VIBE: Located in the basement of the Clermont Motor Hotel on Ponce De Leon, the Clermont Lounge is an Atlanta landmark. It is the oldest strip club in Atlanta and hasn’t really changed since it first opened in 1965. Velveteen wallpaper and ripped band posters cover the walls while black duck tape holds the bar together. The unremarkable interior allows you to appreciate it for the one-of-a-kind experience that it is. You never know who you might see at the Clermont Lounge. Celebrities like Bill Murray, Robert De Niro, Kid Rock, Jennifer Lawrence, and Morgan Freeman have been known to frequent the Clermont Lounge.
MUST ORDER: A PBR for $3.50. If you’re lucky, you might get to see Blondie crush your empty can with her breasts.
Pro tip: If you drop something on the floor, it’s best to leave it there.
7. CAPE DUTCH | 1782 Cheshire Bridge Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA
VIBE: Sophisticated and intimate with a large open kitchen and a real wood burning open faced grill, Cape Dutch offers a delicious South African-inspired cuisine and atmoshphere. In addition to an extensive list of worldly wines and cocktails, the menu highlights items like steak, whole fish, and Cornish hen, prepared in an African-style ‘braai’, also known as a grill.
MUST ORDER: Start with the Lemongrass Mussels and work your way to the Tomahawk Ribeye with pomme frittes, and a glass of 2017 Pinotage, Barista South African wine and you, my friend, are in for a delicious night.
8. VICTORY SANDWICH BAR | 913 Bernina Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
VIBE: Reclaimed wood walls, steel park benches, ping pong table and garage rock that echoes through the dining room are all part of the retro-industrial vibe at Victory Sandwich Bar.
MUST ORDER: Obviously, Victory Sandwich Bar has great sandwiches and snacks, but a must-try is their Jack-and-Coke slushie. Be careful- they sneak up on ya!
9. THE COLONNADE | 1879 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324
VIBE: Established in 1927, The Colonnade is the second oldest restaurant in Atlanta. However, Chef Ryan Cobb is on the culinary cutting edge, serving up old-school southern food and kangaroo filets…?
MUST ORDER: Diners Drive-ins, and Dives’, Guy Fieri, swears by the Kangaroo Filet (yes…you read that right) with spicy sweet-and-sour sauce or the Knuckle Sandwich filled with lobster and marinated tomatoes on a focaccia roll. Call us boring but we prefer to play it safe with the chicken fried chicken, side of macaroni & cheese and the peach cobbler for dessert.
10. S.O.S TIKI BAR | 340 Church Street, Decatur, Ga 30030
VIBE: Brought to you by the same culinary geniuses over at Victory Sandwich Bar, S.O.S Tiki Bar serves up local foods and tropical moods. The carved tiki heads, hula girls, and comfortable booth seating, make S.O.S Tiki Bar a perfect weekend escape.
MUST ORDER: The crispy coconut shrimp, with EXTRA spicy pineapple sauce paired with a frozen Piña Colada never disappoints.
11. MARY MACS TEA ROOM | 224 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
VIBE: The quintessential southern standard for true southern fare. Mary Mac serves up made-from-scratch home cooking with genuine southern hospitality. In fact, in March of 2011 The Georgia House of Representatives created Resolution 477, in which Mary Mac’s was officially declared to be Atlanta’s Dining Room. So there you have it– if you want to dine like an Atlanta local, Mary Mac’s Tea Room should definitely be a top your list.
MUST ORDER: FRIED CHICKEN….all the way.
Pro Tip: If it is your first time at Mary Mac’s, be sure to ask for your complimentary cup of ‘Pot Likker’…mmm mmm.
12. LITTLE TROUBLE | 1170 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, GA 30318
VIBE: More than a bar, but less than a full-on dining experience, Little Trouble is a new Westside staple. The moody lounge serves stiff drinks, an impressive Japanese whiskey selection, and all the late-night eats you crave. Don’t miss out on the iconic neon “LT” sign photo-op that has already taken over Instagram.
MUST ORDER: “The Backhanded Compliment”… if not for the name, for the refreshing taste of vodka, pear, and lemon.
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