7 Beloved Georgia Restaurants That Keep Crowds Coming Back
Georgia’s food scene is as rich and diverse as its history.
From soul food joints serving up plates that’ll make your grandma jealous to upscale eateries with innovative twists on Southern classics, the Peach State knows how to feed folks right.
I’ve spent years eating my way across Georgia, and these seven restaurants aren’t just popular—they’re institutions that have earned their place in the hearts (and stomachs) of locals and visitors alike.
1. The Busy Bee Café: Where Soul Food Reigns Supreme
Honey, if walls could talk, The Busy Bee’s would sing the blues, preach gospel, and recite civil rights speeches! Tucked away in Atlanta’s historic Sweet Auburn district, this soul food haven has fed everyone from Martin Luther King Jr. to presidential candidates since 1947.
Last summer, I stood in line for 45 minutes just to get my hands on their fried chicken. Was it worth it? You bet your sweet tea it was! The skin shatters with a perfect crunch while the meat remains juicy enough to make you close your eyes in silent appreciation.
Their smothered pork chops swim in gravy so good you’ll want to bottle it, and the cornbread muffins arrive warm enough to melt the butter on contact. The no-frills interior hasn’t changed much over the decades—and neither have the recipes, thank goodness.
2. H&H Restaurant: Macon’s Musical Culinary Legend
“Mama Louise” Hudson wasn’t just feeding hungry customers when she opened H&H in 1959—she was unknowingly creating a musical landmark. Legend has it she fed the then-unknown Allman Brothers Band on credit when they couldn’t afford to pay, cementing a friendship that would last decades.
My first bite of their fried chicken liver nearly brought tears to my eyes. Not because I’m particularly emotional about organ meats, but because some flavors just transport you to a simpler time. The restaurant’s walls are practically a museum of Southern rock memorabilia, making lunch here as much a history lesson as a meal.
The biscuits? Cloud-like pillows of buttery perfection. The macaroni and cheese? Creamy enough to make you forget your table manners. After sixty-plus years, H&H remains proof that good food brings all kinds of people together around the same table.
3. Weaver D’s Delicious Fine Foods: Automatic For The People
“Automatic!” That’s what owner Dexter Weaver shouts when taking orders at his Athens institution, a phrase so iconic that R.E.M. borrowed it for their album title. My college days weren’t complete without a post-exam feast at this mint-green cinderblock building.
The fried chicken here doesn’t just taste good—it tastes like victory. Crispy, perfectly seasoned, and somehow both light and substantial. The sides aren’t afterthoughts either; those squash casserole and sweet potato soufflés have starred in many of my food daydreams over the years.
What makes Weaver D’s special isn’t just the soul food that feeds your body, but the genuine warmth that feeds your spirit. Mr. Weaver himself might still be behind the counter, greeting regulars by name and newcomers like they’re family he just hasn’t met yet. In a town that’s constantly changing for university crowds, this place remains deliciously, automatically consistent.
4. Mary Mac’s Tea Room: Atlanta’s Living Room Since 1945
The first time I walked into Mary Mac’s, an elderly waitress pinched my cheek and called me “sugar” before I even sat down. That’s the kind of place this is—warm, familiar, and absolutely drenched in Southern hospitality.
The pencil-and-paper ordering system hasn’t changed in decades, and thank goodness for that. Their fried chicken practically falls off the bone, swimming alongside creamy mac and cheese that would make any grandmother nod in approval.
What keeps me coming back isn’t just the food—it’s the complimentary pot likker (the savory liquid left from cooking collard greens) with cornbread they serve to first-timers. The walls are lined with photos of celebrities and politicians who’ve dined here, but everyone gets treated like family, whether you’re Jimmy Carter or just plain ol’ me.
5. Sconyers Bar-B-Que: Presidential-Approved Pork Paradise
When a restaurant’s barbecue is so good it gets flown to the White House (true story: President Jimmy Carter had it served there in 1980), you know it’s something special. Sconyers has been smoking meat in Augusta since 1956, and I swear their hash and rice alone is worth the drive from Atlanta.
The restaurant itself looks like a plantation house dropped into the modern world, complete with rocking chairs on the porch where you can sit while waiting for a table. Inside, the sweet-smoky aroma hits you like a friendly slap on the back.
Their signature dish? The whole-hog barbecue, chopped fine and served with a vinegar-based sauce that’ll make you question every other barbecue you’ve ever eaten. The hash—a South Carolina specialty that’s somewhere between stew and gravy—poured over rice is what I dream about when I’m away too long. Thursday through Saturday only, folks—plan accordingly!
6. Buford Highway: Georgia’s International Flavor Corridor
Technically not a single restaurant, but I couldn’t write about Georgia eateries without mentioning this magical stretch of road. My first apartment was just off Buford Highway, where I quickly learned that some of life’s greatest culinary adventures happen in strip malls.
From Las Delicias de la Abuela’s Colombian empanadas that burst with flavor to the hand-pulled noodles at Northern China Eatery that dance and stretch before your eyes, this corridor packs more global cuisine per square foot than anywhere else in Georgia. The Vietnamese pho at Quoc Huong comes with a plate of herbs so fresh you’d think they were picked seconds ago.
What makes Buford Highway special isn’t just the authenticity—it’s the accessibility. Where else can you have Malaysian breakfast, Korean lunch, and Mexican dinner without moving your parking spot? These family-owned spots aren’t just restaurants; they’re cultural embassies serving diplomacy one delicious plate at a time.
7. Bread & Butterfly: European Charm In Atlanta’s Inman Park
Walking into Bread & Butterfly feels like accidentally stepping through a portal to Paris. This charming café-bistro, with its tiled floors and wicker chairs, makes me want to wear a beret and pretend I’m sophisticated enough to read Sartre (I’m not).
The croque madame here changed my life—or at least my brunch standards. A perfectly fried egg perches atop ham and gruyère like a golden crown, ready to release its runny treasure over the sandwich. Their espresso comes in those thick-walled cups that somehow make coffee taste better, served alongside pastries that shatter into buttery shards.
Unlike the other spots on this list, Bread & Butterfly isn’t decades old, but it’s created an instant classic feel. The big windows let in streams of light perfect for people-watching along the BeltLine. It’s where I take friends visiting from out of town when I want to impress them with Georgia’s range—from down-home Southern to continental chic.