Anderson's Old Fashion Bar-B-Q, 404.696.8144
You could go there for the great barbeque alone, but Anderson's also serves delicious veggie sides and something that might sound bizarre to a few: a pig ear sandwich. It's a tiny shack where you place your order through a window and wait for your meal, which could include fresh collards, macaroni & cheese, sweet potato soufflé and fruit cobbler. If you're in the mood for a meat feast, check out the King Platter where you get pork and beef ribs, plus chicken.
The Beautiful Restaurant, 404.752.5931
The crowd, which includes college students from the nearby Atlanta University Center, flocks to the no-frills cafeteria for breakfast, lunch or dinner that might include baked chicken, ham hocks, squash, beets, sweet potato soufflé, turkey wings, Cornish hens or baked salmon. On Tuesdays, all meals are $5.99 and include a meat, two sides and a mini corn bread cake. And it really is famous, too: The Beautiful Restaurant has been featured in many magazines, publications and films since opening in 1979.
Busy Bee Cafe
Since 1947, the Busy Bee Cafe has been one of Atlanta's best soul food restaurants. Busy Bee is about as attractive as a soul food joint is going to be--which means recognizable signage, structured parking, even celebrity photographs and table service. With long waits at lunch, the tiny cafe sports a medley: city councilmen, cops, students and soul food junkies. Service is friendly and the restaurant is busy and cheerful.
Carver's Country Kitchen, 404.794.4410
Carver's southern country cooking restaurant is run by a husband and wife team with lines snaking out the door at lunchtime. Make friends at communal tables with the mostly downtown business crowd and blue collar workers from adjacent industrial areas. Pot roast with carrots, meatloaf, ham or deep-fried catfish are complemented by baked broccoli rice casserole, gooey macaroni and cheese, mashed rutabagas and collard greens that will not only make you need a nap, but will put you into a marvelous food coma. When you wake, you'll still be pleased that you made room for the signature Coca-Cola cake or sticky pineapple casserole.
The Colonnade
This hearty, Southern hallmark shows off heavy wood paneling in the main dining room and deep, leather upholstered booths anchoring the edges. Liver, fried chicken, okra or collard greens give the menu the kind of authenticity rare in Atlanta's generally contemporary feeling haunts. Your arteries might not like you after too many trips, but your stomach will be thankful. Arrive for an early dinner and meet ladies who'll remind you of Driving Miss Daisy.
Gladys Knight and Ron Winans Chicken & Waffles
Chicken and Waffles harkens back to 1930s Harlem days when celebrities frequented Wells restaurant in the early morning hours and couldn't decide if they wanted dinner or breakfast. The delicious combination of juicy fried chicken with sweet, syrupy waffles was born, and Gladys Knight has recreated it in Atlanta. Open until 4 a.m. on weekends, stop for lunch, dinner or a late night snack from the musically themed menu.
Mary Mac's Tea Room
This meat-and-three-meets-tea-room establishment began in 1945. After World War II, enterprising women sought to make a living as entrepreneurs in the restaurant industry. Some of these women called their businesses tea rooms as a polite way to elevate the venture. The made-from-scratch breads and fresh vegetables comfort the cravings of generations of Atlantans with southern dishes. The signature pot likker soup and cornbread is complimentary for new visitors.
Paschal's Restaurant at Castleberry Hill
Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders met at Paschal's Restaurant to plan key marches during the 60s. Famous for its fried chicken, Paschal's was founded by brothers James and Robert Paschal, who provided free fried chicken to students arrested for protesting. Originally in the West End district, Paschal's moved to Atlanta's historic Castleberry Hill in 2002. Today, Paschal's Restaurant at Castleberry Hill still hosts Atlanta's leaders for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week.
Silver Skillet
It is morning all day long at the Silver Skillet, a 1956 diner serving deep-south breakfast with fare like country ham, biscuits and gravy. This Atlanta icon is no stranger to publicity, having been featured in several movies, commercials, videos and print ads. Notably, Silver Skillet appeared in the film The Real McCoy; several episodes of I'll Fly Away; the TBS movie The Hank Aaron Story; the music video for Travis Tritt's Here's a Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares; as well as commercials for BellSouth, Goody's, Ford Motor Company and many more. Further publicity of this famous location includes the National Enquirer and numerous other broadcasts and print publications.
Sweet Auburn Bread Company
Check out the shop of Chef/Owner Sonya Jones's, who grew up in the Sweet Auburn district. Her famous sweet potato cheesecake recipe, which President Bill Clinton raved about on a visit to Atlanta in 1999, was featured in one of Rachael Ray's cookbooks. Stop in for salmon croquettes and smoked sausage breakfast sandwiches, plus Sweet Potato n' Molasses and Hummingbird muffins.
Thelma's Kitchen
This hometown favorite relocated from Centennial Park to Sweet Auburn. A Coke cooler, a black-and-white portable, and large plate glass windows are the chief features of this humbly decorated restaurant. Be forewarned as you will have to make some tough decisions between dark meat special or pork chops, rice and gravy or macaroni and cheese, collard greens or lima beans, and most importantly, sweet potato pie or pineapple upside-down cake.