Whether it’s a fresh lunch option or a place you've seen getting ready to open in your neighborhood, great new restaurants have been popping up all over the city. We took a closer look at five of the up-and-coming spots.
Check them out.
A Mano
Old Fourth Ward
This classy new Italian restaurant is more farm-to-table than red-sauce joint. The antipasti, primi and secundi course options are heavy on seafood and fresh vegetables, the pasta is made in-house, and the list of fine alcoholic drinks is long. Dinner prices run $15-20 for most dishes until you get to the sides and desserts (which are not worth missing either), so come ready to pay for great food and a special experience.
Mulavi
Midtown
The extensive Mediterranean-focused menu is complemented by craft cocktails and beers, and regional wines at this upscale new sit-down restaurant. The burgers stand out because of patties made with a special mix of onion, salt and pepper, and cooked to perfection, with a lamb option available too. While the kabob plates and some meat entrees can run above $20, most wraps, burgers and other dishes stay closer to $10.
Lean Draft House
West End
The first business to open on the new Westside Trail segment of the Beltline, the combo beer and taco bar features a large patio for people-watching and a motorcycle-decorated interior. Tacos include standards like shrimp and carnitas, but get more creative with catfish, and chorizo plus yuca. They cost either $3.5 or $4 per, which is about what you'll also pay for great items like the yuca fries and elote. Nachos, queso and the heavy-duty salad are all just a few bucks more. And don't forget about the 20 beers on tap.
Upbeet
Westside/Home Park
Simple, healthy bowls based on grain or greens come loaded with proteins, more greens, and assorted condiments and a long list of dressings. You can make your own choices or pick from dozens of designed variations, mostly for under $15. Health-conscious smoothies, smoothie bowls, yogurt bowls and "superfood lattes" and toast also come in meal-sized portions, for between $5 and $10.
Miss Gogi
Doraville
The Atlanta area has a lot of Korean food options, but not much of the barbecue style available without a long drive to the suburbs. While still a bit of a trip from the central city, Miss Gogi has a few special approaches that make it worthwhile wherever you live. Everything gets cooked consecutively on the same griddle by the staff, with finished meats and items placed on small metal racks above to stay warm. The all-you-can-eat option is $29.99 per person and comes with a mix of beef and pork cuts. The juices and delicious grilled scraps blend together by the end, when the waiter knocks you into a food coma with a griddled serving of kimchi fried rice with melted mozzarella.
