The Michelin Guide has finally arrived in Atlanta! Earlier this evening, Georgia’s capital became the latest destination in the United States to welcome a guide and celebrate its city’s culinary excellence. And with 10 Bib Gourmands, 5 new One Stars, and 2 new Green Stars, Big Peach is as delicious as its title suggests.
Although we won’t give away too much — check out what our inspectors have to offer below — the Atlanta lineup is packed with flavors that range from the fancy (think: roasted onion tortellini with Gruyère fondue and sirloin beef) to the everyday (lobster with smoked paprika) sauce. Butter). However, one element that the majority have in common is their commitment to using and highlighting local products.
Each venue aims to bring new ideas and flavors to the plate including our Green Star restaurants, one of which changes its menu weekly thanks to the on-site regenerative farm. So sit back and enjoy discovering the highest-rated restaurants in Atlanta.
One star
atlas
Cuisine: American
When the night calls for a big celebration, there are few places that fit quite like Atlas. Located inside the luxurious St. Regis Atlanta hotel, this restaurant is very elegant. Fine art adorns the walls – it’s home to the Lewis Collection and works by Japanese-born painter and printmaker Leonard Tsuguharu Fujita – but it’s not just the artwork that impresses. Order a la carte from this seasonal American menu with European influences or celebrate with the tasting menu dishes like tender lobster coated in a smoked paprika butter sauce and summer squash, and poached halibut made from a trio of beet preparations. Wagyu beef from Australia is a great end to a delicious meal. Great cocktails, a cheese cart, and exotic desserts complete the overall experience.
Thomas Espinoza/Atlas
Hayakawa
Cuisine: Japanese
A local legend for his Japanese cuisine on Buford Highway, Chef Atsushi Hayakawa is starting a new chapter in West Central. Located in a glittering office building, this hideaway hosts only a few diners per seat. His stage is a backdrop of dark-striped stone and a silkwood table. And using the microphone to joke with the guests adds to Hayakawa’s cheerful personality.
The meal is a procession of small courses and heads towards the kaiseki structure. After dishes like the trio of appetizers with clear fish soup, scallop sashimi with mustard and miso sauce and braised monkfish, it’s sushi time. The Nigerian chef is made from imported fish that needs little decoration and is large in size in the tradition of Hokkaido style out of respect for the chef’s birthplace.
Photo: Courtesy of Hayakawa
Lazy Betty
Cuisine: Contemporary
Betty was far from lazy. Just ask her children, Howard, Anita and Ron Hsu, co-owners of Lazy Betty, who took inspiration for their restaurant from their mother’s hospitality. Chef Ron Hsu and Chef Aaron Phillips curate a contemporary tasting menu with clever flavor combinations that highlight regional ingredients. Zucchini is given a Southern flair with sweet Georgia shrimp, avocado puree, and potato foam infused with aji Amarillo peppers, while seared Hudson Valley foie gras is juicy alongside Granny Smith apples, sweet potatoes and dots of pumpkin butter. Cod, poached in pork broth, is placed over fava beans and zucchini with green tomato relish for a particularly delicious dish. From the lemon sorbet with crumbled coconut before dessert to the panna cotta made with rose water, it impresses to the last.
Andrew Thomas Lee/Lizzy Beatty
Mojo
Cuisine: Japanese
Located west of the city centre, Mujō is an intimate venue with moody elegance. A U-shaped table made of southern cypress is featured in this square room with dark walls and low lighting. This is the domain of Chef J. Trent Harris and his skilled team who make everyone feel well taken care of. Here, tradition has been replaced with a good time, where the always surprising interpretation of omakase begins with an array of zenzai such as a mouthful of grilled Florida cobia over binchotan, topped with red miso sauce and some local pateban squash. After a few cooked bites, it’s time for the raw. Nigiri doesn’t need much to impress, while complementary dishes offer the likes of Hokkaido hair crab, tosazu, and mozuku. Regulars know that dessert isn’t an afterthought; So save room.
Andrew Thomas Lee/Mojo
One star green star
Bacchanalia
Cuisine: American
Dark wood, a black faux ceiling with a bank of Edison bulbs, and brown leather banquettes give Bacchanalia a handsome sophistication, yet there’s nothing too precious about this vintage spot. The multi-course pricing system involves a bit of flair, as some dishes arrive on carts or are placed inside glass bottles, and the cheese platter is a nice surprise. Instead of the expected slice, the team offers a clever meal of date cake, oat crumbles and a dot of black garlic sauce surrounded by parmesan rings. The chilled lobster in ponzu sauce with bright English peas and horseradish oil is also unforgettable, but it may just be the delicate grapefruit soufflé adorned with spicy pistachio crumble and rose anglaise cream that takes the cake.
Amanda Green/Bacchanalia
Green stars
Chastain
Cuisine: American
As one of two new Green Star restaurants in Atlanta, we wanted to hear from the team directly about their sustainable practices: “Our menu is determined by what is available from our local farm partners, as well as our on-site regenerative farms (that go beyond organic produce)” Garden. This means that the menu often changes throughout the week depending on availability. We recently joined forces with Georgia Organics to help quantify our local and organic food purchases (currently eligible for Gold/Tier Level). We compost on site, as well as utilizing a “compost company to reduce waste going to the landfill. We also recycle glass, use compostable containers, and are working to improve recycling further.”
Photo: Courtesy of Chastain
Hero Portrait: Andrew Thomas Lee/Lizzy Beattie
. “Professional creator. Lifelong thinker. Reader. Beer buff. Troublemaker. Evil problem solver.”