Atlanta Guide 2025

First things first. For a complete guide to all my Atlanta travels, you would do well to check out the guides for the two years past. 2024 and 2023. Those are going to be a little more robust.

It’s been a trend to travel to Atlanta every summer to housesit for one of my brothers while he has far more exotic travels with his family. I’m okay with that because I love Atlanta, and this allows me to stay for weeks at a time and really immerse myself in the different neighborhoods. Now every time I take a trip, I make an updated guide to share with you where I went and what I think you should or shouldn’t spend your money.

Restaurants We Tried This Time

Banshee

Neighborhood: East Atlanta Village

I took a gamble on Banshee, not knowing much about it, other than asking my local ATL friend, and it got her thumbs up of approval. I describe it as a grungier Coro. It’s dark and a little moody, but the kitchen is serving up a small and focused menu of small plates. On our trip, we had the Fry Bread with their famous pepperoni butter (so well-known that they sell it), the Beet-Pistachio Terrine, Steak Txuleta, and Korean Beef Cheek Agnolotti. Every dish was such an exciting mixture of flavors and textures, which always delights me. We shared all the small plates and left more than satisfied; we didn’t even have room for dessert.

I could live off the Fry Bread and Pepperoni Butter alone.

Would highly recommend if you are looking for something unique and exciting, but are ok with a limited menu of options to choose from.

Cuddlefish

Neighborhood: Dunwoody (North of Atlanta)

Cuddlefish was pretty brand spanking new to the area, so again, another gamble we were taking, especially since it was taking us out of the city. I was intrigued that it was a cafe, a coffee shop, and a hand roll restaurant. That was something I hadn’t seen before. The menu mixes both Japanese and Taiwanese flavors, as shown in the pictures below, with a mix of both hand rolls and Taiwanese Chicken Nuggets. Firstly, the service was excellent. We had a friendly and helpful server who walked us through the menu and even how to handle the rolls properly (there is a layer of plastic you peel off seaweed for sanitary reasons). The rolls were honestly some of the best I’ve had, with the exception of Mosonori back in Orlando, but they were also completely different. They were little works of art, loaded with toppings that will require you to slightly unhinge your jaw, and pick up the droppings like a hungry raccoon, but it’s so worth it.

The Deer and The Dove

Neighborhood: Downtown Decatur

The Deer and the Dove is often on lists for some of the top restaurants in the Greater Atlanta area, and we had never been, so it was time to mark it off the list. It’s a very cozy restaurant within Downtown Decatur (which, spoiler alert, has terrible parking), and other than a few patrons at the bar, we had the entire dining room to ourselves at 5 PM.

While I don’t usually like to fill up on bread at the beginning of the meal, I couldn’t resist trying their Housemade Salted Yeast Rolls. The rest of the meal included a seasonal Burrata, Coffee Dusted Seared Venison, Halibut, and a side of Beef Fat Potatoes, literally some of the best potatoes I’ve ever consumed.

Every dish was immaculately put together, and while this isn’t a cheap place for dinner, it was well worth the splurge, more so than the Kimball House, which we tried on our previous visit. If you are in the area with a reason to celebrate, this spot should be considered.

Banjo Coffee Co.

Neighborhood: Avondale Estates

One morning, I needed a quick spot for coffee and a breakfast burrito to meet up with my ATL pal Rebecca, and she suggested Banjo. It’s a small shop with some inside seating, but the bulk of it is in on their large patio. The breakfast burrito was solid, it reminded me slightly of Papi’s back home (a little thinner tho).

Galette

Neighborhood: Avondale Estates

I had driven by this bakery several times on our trip, and the outside looked like it was from another time, and it immediately caught my attention. After asking my local friends for the deets, they all said it was good, you just had to get there early and on the days it is open. We grabbed a few different pastries, both sweet and savory, and ate them there. They were all delicious, I would have loved to try more. The only not great item is the coffee offering, which was watery cold brew. But that’s ok, it’s a bakery, not a coffee shop. Just know that and get your coffee fix for the morning elsewhere.

Sammy’s

Neighborhood: Adair Park (Southwest of Downtown Atlanta)

My friend Kristine told me to hit up Sammy’s while on my visit to ATL, and I always listen to her food recs. It’s a simple sandwich shop where every item on the menu has “sam” in the name. We went for a late lunch, and the place was packed out. We barely snagged a small corner table, and the line just kept growing as we waited for our food. Proof our cities need more SIMPLE SANDWICH SHOPS. I got the Summer of Sam (Pimento Cheese, Tomato, Basil), and my husband got the Miami Sami, their take on a Cuban. Both sandwiches were good and affordable ($10 for mine, $14 for the other), but what was outstanding was the Strawberry Matcha. I’m jealous Atlanta has this spot. I want it in Orlando.

El Tesoro

Neighborhood: Edgewood or West End

This was a repeat for us, because really good burritos in Orlando are hard to come by, so we wanted to indulge while we could. We got the Puerco Verde Burrito (roasted and pulled pork shoulder) and the Pork Chorizo y Papas Burrito (chorizo and potato). Let me tell you, these burritos are huge. I don’t think I’ve ever fully finished one, on top of that, they are packed with flavor and so satisfying. Their tacos are good too, so if you are having a craving I would suggest this place to satisfy it.

LanZhou Ramen

Orlando may be rich in Asian cuisine, but we still don’t have exceptional soup dumplings, in my opinion. We stopped at LanZhou specifically for their soup dumplings. These dumplings STAY IN TACT. Even after taking a bite, a waterfall of oil doesn’t gush out, and they don’t tear apart (ahem, Zen Dumpling). The skin wasn’t overly thick either, if that is what you are thinking. We got some other dishes (pan-fried pork dumplings, dry-fried string beans), and we were pleased with everything, including the service.

Evergreen Butcher + Baker

This wasn’t my first trip to Evergreen, but it is a repeatable spot when coming to Atlanta. The pastries are delicious and well-made, so much so that they have been featured in the NY Times as one of the best bakeries in the US. The space is small, so if you go on the weekend, expect a little line that will move quickly. One of my favorites is the cardamom bun, but you can’t go wrong here. There is nowhere to sit and enjoy your pastries; this is a grab-and-go situation.

Coffee Spots We Tried This Time

Postern Coffee

Neighborhood: Doraville (outside Atlanta)

Postern is inside a place called Minhaw Spirits. It’s a coffee shop/bar/small plates eatery, it would seem. I only went for a coffee, so I can’t speak to much else, but rumors are that the food is fantastic. It’s a trek out of the city, we just happened to be in the area, so while it was a great vibe and drink, I would only go if you are nearby.

The Postcard

Neighborhood: Buckhead

I needed a matcha fix, so I headed up to Buckhead to visit The Postcard. This is a tiny cafe that was recommended, and when I walked in I saw Haan bags on the counter and I knew I was in the right place. Their blueberry matcha was spot on. The parking is within the strip mall they are in, so it should be a relatively easy stop.

East Pole

Neighborhood: Poncey-Highland + Armour Yards

East Pole had a Carrot Cake latte I had to try and it was delicious without being overly sweet. The staff at their East Pole location was so nice I was taken aback. It’s getting rarer and rarer to come across friendly and personable baristas. So for coffee and service 10/10!

New Things We Tried This Visit

Center for Puppetry

Neightborhood: Midtown

If Sesame Street, The Muppets, Fraggle Rock, and the like were a part of your childhood, you will want to carve out some time to visit the Jim Henson exhibit at the Center for Puppetry. The exhibit is most of the museum, and it’s full of sweet nostalgia, including artifacts, interviews, and of course, the puppets. The cost is $16.50 and is well worth spending an hour or two in a cute childlike bubble. It's also worth noting that, because the museum is in Midtown, they have a dedicated parking lot.

Fernbank Museum

We had some time to kill before a dinner reservation, and we realized we had never visited the Fernbank Museum not far from Emory. Its multiple stories with different exhibits, some even have critters to look at. The cost was $26 per person for adults, and honestly I think it leans more towards a childrens museum. I’m glad we did it, but I do think the price is a bit high and I wouldn’t go back unless I was taking kids.