Atlanta Essentials
By Corey Dade, FrontDoor.com | Published: 11/26/2008
Grab a bite or sip a latte in one of Atlanta's many cafes and restaurants.
Food and Drink Essentials: Best Places to ...
BUY GROCERIES
Dekalb Farmers Market, 3000 E. Ponce De Leon Ave., Decatur
You can find your staples from the four food groups in any chain supermarket, or hunt for ethnic and exotic specialties, from goat to organic granola to pomegranates, in the seemingly endless aisles of this 140,000-square-foot warehouse. The produce is the freshest anywhere because it comes directly from growers, keeping the prices competitively lower than traditional retail grocers. Free samples abound, so pour yourself a cup of delicious coconut juice while you shop. Grab some of the hot food for lunch. Avoid Saturday and Sunday afternoons if you can -- it gets very crowded, but that makes for fun people-watching.
HAVE BRUNCH
Thumbs Up Diner, 573 Edgewood Ave. SE
If you can stand the wait, due to a small dining area, the food won't disappoint. Go down-home with catfish and eggs or healthy with grilled tofu. The best is the Sassy Scramble. Two tips: Food is cooked to order, so save time by perusing the menu before sitting; and avoid Sunday brunch time, when churchgoers file in after services and push wait times to more than an hour.
GRAB A LATE-NIGHT BITE
Landmark Diner, 60 Luckie St NW or 3652 Roswell Road NW
Open 24 hours. The Luckie Street location is closer to the nightclubs near downtown and midtown. Standard fare of burgers and sandwiches and an impressive menu of entree salads.
Cafe Intermezzo, 1845 Peachtree Rd NE
A classier option, modeled after a 19th-century, Eastern European coffee shop, with a huge, delicious assortment of desserts prepared on site.
SIP A LATTE
Joe's East Atlanta Coffee Shop, 510 Flat Shoals Ave.
In East Atlanta Village, the staff is fast and friendly. Many locals work from their laptops all day, thanks to the comfy second-hand couches and recliners and free Wi-Fi.
HAVE SOUL FOOD
Son's Place, 100 Hurt St. NE
Classic meat-and-three (meal of one meat and three sides, typically veggies) restaurant on Dekalb Avenue that serves up Southern favorites cafeteria-style, where you point and pick out your food. Lunch hours only.
ENJOY SEAFOOD
Six Feet Under, 437 Memorial Drive SE
The restaurant, with views of the historic Oakland Cemetery across the street, is a reference to the dead -- but the food couldn't be more lively. Amazing selection of seafood with a Southern twist. Try the whole fried okra as a side.
EAT JAMAICAN FOOD
Calypso Cafe and Grill, 58 Walton St. NW
Locals rave about this downtown lunch spot that serves up Caribbean favorites like jerk chicken, jerk tofu, fried plantains and coco bread at great prices. Expect slower service during busy times.