Atlanta, Georgia

Bangladeshi

• Panahar Bangladeshi Cuisine
  • Bangladeshi food is pretty much exactly like Indian food from what I could tell. Even so, this is really good. Wicked hot vindaloo, a bunch of different naan to choose from, tender tandoori lamb, and a mango lassi are all I need to keep me happy. It seems like every time you come here, you'll get a coupon for 25% off too! Amazin'! STAY AWAY FROM ANYTHING INVOLVING THE WORD "GOAT" THOUGH. It's like chewing on old tires. 3375 Buford Hwy NE Ste 1060 Atlanta, GA 30329 (404) 633-6655

Bistro

• Apres Diem
• Eclipse di Sol
  • This lovely little place on Highland, just off North Avenue, isn't quite as good as it used to be. The former executive chef was a pastry chef by training, so the menu featured a panoply (so to speak) of fresh breads, items constructed around fresh breads, and, of course, pastries. However, there is a new chef in town, and he seems to have turned it into an upscale Applebees -- though the brunch menu hearkens back to the Eclipse di Sol of old. I cannot tell you how sad I am that I never got to try the homemade raspberry ice cream sandwich (which always sold out by 5PM); even the white chocolate strawberry/rhubarb tart can't make up for it.

Burgers and Fries

• Varsity, The
  • An Atlanta institution since 1703, The Varsity serves up hot dogs, hamburgers, greasy fries, and Frosted Oranges all day, every day. Bills itself as "the world's largest drive-in", but I've always eaten inside. Visitors to the city are required by municipal ordinance to eat here at least once and "get their oil changed", as the Tech students say. Locals only eat there when taking visitors along. It's on North Avenue, right next to the 75/85 overpass (West Peachtree exit if northbound). Hot dogs are not 100% beef.

Chinese & Dim Sum

• Oriental Pearl Restaurant
  • Great place to come for dim sum on the weekends. They have a great variety of things to choose from and lots of yummy seafood. Unlike most of my dim sum experiences, I'd say about half of the waiters here speak english. Makes it a little less intimidating! This place won't break the bank and it's really fun for kids. Dim sum is only on weekends and goes until early afternoon, around 2:00 PM I think, but I'm not totally sure. 5399 New Peachtree Rd Atlanta, GA 30341 (770) 986-9866

Ice Cream & Gelato

• Paolo's Gelato Italiano & Desserts
  • Pretty good gelato served to you by a scary child molesteresque man. I think it's a little pricey and the cones are gross, but the gelato is yummy and comes in a lot of fun flavors. 1025 Virginia Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30306 (404) 607-0055

Italian

• Brio
  • Upscale-esque joint over in the Alpharetta-Norcross continuum. Don't be fooled; it's a chain, and they have no idea what the fuck "risotto" is supposed to be like.
• Scalini's
  • An upscale homestyle Italian restaurant, Scalini's offers fine dining with perfect atmosphere at a reasonable price. The eggplant parmesan, along with being one of their best dishes, is famous for inducing labor in pregnant women. You're pretty well guaranteed to enjoy anything you order, and won't break your wallet in the process.

Japanese

• Minato
  • A small Japanese steakhouse tucked away behind a golf shop, Minato is a deception in and of itself. Walking in you'd never guess that such a fantastic restaurant would be hidden in such dismal surroundings. You're immediately greeted by a nice blend of atmosphere and fine food. Top-notch sushi starts the menu, accompanied by traditional steak, chicken, and seafood dishes. A touch on the expensive side, but well worth it for the size of the portions and quality of the food. The sushi, miso soup, and bento box are outstanding.
• Sakanaya
• Sushi Yoshi
• Yakitori Jinbei

Korean

• Cho Dang Tofu
  • The dish of choice in this fine Korean establishment is a bubbling hot tofu stew called soon dubu. You can choose from many different meats, dumplings, and some vegetarian options to add to your soup, which is already chock full of silky soft tofu! When it gets to your table, it's literally boiling and you crack a raw egg in before it cools down too much. The soup has varying levels of heat, ranging from mild with a white broth to red hot blazing balls hot with a deep red broth. Many different plates of panchan (Korean side dishes) accompany the meal, along with a whole little fried fish (so good!) and black and white rice and plenty of delicious pickly kimchee. Very inexpensive, I think each person's meal was around $7.50. 5907 Buford Hwy NE Atlanta, GA 30340 (770) 220-0667

Malaysian

• Malaya

• Penang
  • On Buford Highway, this is one of the best Malaysian restaurants in the city, although the service has declined in the past few years. Still, the food is perhaps the most authentic Malaysian in Atlanta.

• Top Spice
  • A moderately decent Malaysian restaurant that's somewhat Americanized, with somewhat higher prices. More atmosphere, a bit more expensive, but not as good as most places on Buford Highway.

Mexican

• Willy's
  • A "California style" burrito shop, and local alternative to the corporate juggernaut that is Moe's. Tasty and cheap, but my own burritos are superior. Amazingly busy at lunchtimes; people have been known to phone in orders while standing inside the restaurant to avoid waiting in line. Multiple locations.

Pizza

• Fellini's
  • A chain of pizza restaurants which reside exclusively in converted old filling stations with garages. The pizza's good, cheap, and usually fast. You can get whole pizzas, but nearly everyone orders by the slice. Try the Special or the White. Several brews on tap, or do it up traditional style and gulp down all thr root beer you can drink (sadly, Coca-Cola finally terminated production of their "Ramblin'" brand, so now there's just Barq's). Located all over the damn place.
• Savage Pizza

Southern

• Fat Matt's Rib Shack
  • This place is famous enough on its own for their ribs, but man, their pecan pie almost better than the meat!
• Fat Matt's Chicken Shack
  • Located adjacent to the co-named rib shack, the chicken shack is the other half of the Fat Matt restaurant duo. No frills dining at its absolute finest, with excellent fried chicken and catfish options available with a variety of side dishes. The chicken is tender and juicy, portions range from "snack" size to full meals, and the prices can't be beat.
• Flying Biscuit Cafe
  • Look no further for all your lesbian upscale Southern cooking needs. Trendy, popular, tasty, and not very expensive, the Flying Biscuit is -- well, in my opinion it's really just a decent place to eat, though it has attained near-legenday status. They don't do "cookin'" so much as "a New South interpretation of traditional cuisine". Which means you don't get cheese grits, you get grits with spinach and gruyere. Two locations, one in Gay Central at 10th and Piedmont, and the original on McLendon, over in Candler Park (just east of Little 5). The original has an attached bakery, which is pretty awesome.
• Mary Mac's Tearoom
• OK Cafe
  • Decent Southern-style dinner fare. Chicken, chicken fried steak, ham. Blackeye peas, green beans, creamed corn (sweet corn, not field corn, so it's North Georgia Southern). Cornbread or biscuits? Sweet tea to drink. My only complaint is that their version of Southern boils down to "Salty. No, saltier." and this is coming from someone who grew up on field peas cooked with ham hocks. At Northside and West Paces Ferry.
• Silver Dollar Cafe
  • On Monroe, just south of 10th. Seems like an awesome little meat-and-2-veg type place, but I've never eaten here because they ONLY TAKE CASH and I never have any on me.

Spanish

• Sala

Thai

• Danthai Restaurant
  • There is not one bad thing on this menu that I've sampled as of yet! My only beef with the place is the absence of thick rice noodles in dishes like pad see iew. Instead, they use a thin rice noodles, almost like a rice fettucini, but the flavors are still incredible. The owners are incredibly friendly and happy to explain anything on the menu if you're confused Try everything. Seriously. Especially the penang curry, golden basket appetizer, larb (ground meat salad yum!), tom ka gai (coconut milk soup with lots of lemon grass), and basil noodles. 851 Oak Rd Lawrenceville, GA 30044 (770) 985-1719

Vietnamese

• Pho Hoa
  • Pho Hoa is the Wal*Mart of pho joints, but it's still decently tasty, and a good place to start. In the ever-so-appropriately named Asian Square on Buford Highway. Be aware that at any time approaching "mealtime", or at any time during the weekend, it is nigh impossible to park here. Try off-hours.
• 700 Other Pho Joints
  • The area surrounding the length of Buford Highway which extends through DeKalb County and the town of Chamblee is affectionately known these days as Chambodia, and in the past year or three a panoply of pho places has opened up along its length, adding to the multiculti sensory experience of the street. Most of them have names like "Pho 75" and "No. 1 Pho". I am attracted to and terrified by them all, but have yet to eat at any of them.

Groceries

• Buford Farmer's Market (Pan-Asian, Mexicano)
• DeKalb Farmer's Market (Every Vegetable Ever)
• Gwinnett International Farmer's Market (Pan-Asian, Mexicano)
  • Another typical ethnic market where everything is five times less expensive and five times more interesting than what you can get at Kroger. I'm a fatty, of course I sampled their food court, of course it's delicious. 3825 Shackleford Road Duluth, GA 30096 (770) 921-8288
• Super H Mart (Korean)
  • If you like meat, and you especially like inexpensive meat that isn't just inexpensive because some thing is wrong with it, then this is the place for you!! They also have a great food court and a myriad of other Asian food delights. 2550 Pleasant Hill Rd. Duluth, GA 30096 (678) 543-4000
• Tomato (Japanese)