Attn Atlanta Residents- where to eat?

[PoppyJ]

I am going with my DH to Atlanta this weekend for a business trip. We are staying near the CNN Center. We already have dinner plans for all but one night. Any foodie places near the CNN Center (we won't have a car) that I should go to while DH is in meetings? Best breakfast, lunch, and dinner places in the area?

TIA

[dixie]

Soooo many great restaurants in Atl, but I'm not as familiar with downtown as midtown and Buckhead...you won't go hungry because there's a food court in CNN Center - but its all chain stuff I think, there's a Jock's and Jill's there too (sports bar)...I'm sure someone else knows some fabulous places within walking distance! I'm trying hard to picture the city blocks and what's close....City Grill maybe? I think it would be a several block walk....sorry, I've lived here all my life and am just a nightmare when it comes to directions.

[stefania4]

I had dinner a few years ago at a downtown place called Dailey's; it was fantastic (dressy place). I've heard that Rolling Bones is good for casual barbecue, and I've also heard good things about the Pacific Rim Bistro. I'm sure there are many more, I'm just not downtown all that much.

If you can get to the Midtown area, your choices are incredible. Tierra, on Piedmont near the Botanical Gardens, is absolutely amazing South American food. Vickery's, on Crescent, is a fun/funky (but somewhat pricey) bar & restaurant with great food. Zocalo at 10th & Monroe is upscale Spanish, and Gordon Biersch (Peachtree and... 8th, maybe?) is a brewery with excellent food.

[cocoa'smom]

I agree with the other posters - not that familiar with downtown restaurants (the locals don't go down very often). Check out this website: www.accessatlanta.com. Go to restaurants and search for downtown. I found McCormick & Schmidt's Seafood which is right in CNN Center - I've been to their other location - it was very good. Also Rays in the City, Pacific Rim Bistro and Luxe are downtown. But, I really wouldn't suggest walking to any of those places at night. You'd be better off getting a cab to a Midtown restaurant. There's tons of places in Midtown that are not far at all. The Globe is a hot new restaurant. Two Urban Licks, Rathbun's (in Inman Park), Toast, Spice - all excellent. If you're free during the day, you could take Marta (the subway) to Atlantic Station. It's a new development with an IKEA and lots of shopping and restaurants. Most of the restaurants there are chains, but good chains - upscale. I feel totally comfortable taking Marta during the day. Check with your hotel on the best way to get around by Marta.

It's supposed to be beautiful this weekend - 75+ degrees. During the day its definitely safe to walk around CNN Center/Centennial Olympic Park - at night, I wouldn't feel as comfortable.

[lhall]

I'll second the recommendation for Dailey's. I've been there for both lunch & dinner. Good food and service.

Leigh

[SusanMac]

Anyone been to Shout, downtown?? I'm hosting a business dinner for 25 people there in a few weeks. Please tell me it's good :-) (but I do need honest reviews!)

[Basil87]

Azio's (Italian food) is right downtown, as is:
Atlanta Grill (in the Ritz-Carlton)
Park 75 (in the Four Seasons hotel)
Nikolai's Roof (in the Hilton)
Sun Dial Bar & View (in the Westin...note that this place slowly spins around so you get panaromic views of downtown and beyond)

Table 1280 just opened and is getting fabulous reviews. This chef is gaining national and international acclaim.

ENO in Midtown (easily accessible by a semi-long walk or cab or train) is a food and wine-lovers delight.

Rathbun's is gaining national and international acclaim, so you may want to check it out.

If you haven't had a chance to eat the cuisine of Emeril or Wolfgang Puck, they have restaurants in Atlanta, too.

Have a great time eating!

[Basil87]

I just wanted to add that I think, for the most part, you're safe taking the train and walking on main streets as long as you use common sense. Stay in well-lit areas, keep your eyes open and wits about you, and you should be fine. Sure, it's a city, but it's not like there are gangsters lurking in the shadows around every corner. All the places that I've seen named so far are located in relatively populated areas. Yes, be cautious as always, but don't be needlessly afraid.

[cocoa'smom]

For SusanMac....I wouldn't consider Shout downtown really - its more in the heart of Midtown (not that far apart, though). I haven't been, but friends have and had a good time. Here's a review from Atlanta City Search:

Part of the red-hot Here To Serve Restaurants group (which also includes Prime, Noche and Goldfish), Shout is the heavily buzzed-about sister restaurant to the wildly popular Twist at Phipps Plaza. The restaurant, with its theme of "Food, Fun & Flirt," opened in February of 2005 inside Colony Square, and quickly emerged as one of Midtown's hippest hangouts. Designed by Johnson Studios, the massive 18,000 square foot restaurant has seating for 600, divided into three distinct areas: a main dining room with semi-private booths and views of the kitchen and Peachtree St, a sushi bar that also does carry-out, and a section upstairs called "Shout Out" that has a second kitchen as well as a covered outdoor patio with a bar and private cabanas. The menu, designed by Executive Chef Ian Winslade (formerly of Bluepointe), is equally eclectic, offering up a diverse range of tastes to suit almost any appetite. From Thai beef salad with rice vermicelli and Indian tandoori chicken with cucumber mint gazpacho to Italian pizzas and Moroccan spiced cornish hen over yellow peppered chickpeas with goat cheese, the menu is like taking a culinary trip around the world. But the best sights on this hipster vacation are likely to be found near the bar, where some of the city's most beautiful people sip specialty martinis and flirt the night away.

[stefania4]

Perhaps my experience was atypical, but I wasn't impressed with the Sun Dial. The service was fine but the food was, well, typical hotel food and not worth what we paid for it.

Also, unless there are two locations, Emeril's is in Buckhead (near the 400 entrance at Lenox).

[PoppyJ]

Our plane was four hours late so we missed dinner on the first night. We tried to eat lunch at Shout on Saturday, but it was closed. Ended up at Houlihans- not bad, but not great either. We went to Morton's for dinner that night. I am not a steak eater so that didn't leave me with many options, but the chocolate cake was so good. We had breakfast at the Four Seasons on Sunday and that was very nice. I ordered hot chocolate and it came with side dishes of whipped cream, shaved white chocolate, and shaved milk chocolate. Talk about fancy.

The eating highlight was Zocalo's. My DH and I ditched his business dinner and took a taxi to Zocalo's. Fun place and tasty food. I guess we were lucky because we walked in and got a table right away. According to the waitress, there is usually an hour wait.

Thank you for the recommendations.