The Best New Cheap Eats in Atlanta

How to enjoy the city’s food scene without going broke

BY Atlanta Magazine - April 6, 2017

That photo is you right now. Actually, that’s me right now. But it could be you, and it should be. Those noodles I’m sucking up are loaded with minced pork, scallions, and a soft-boiled egg—and a heaping bowlful costs just 12 bucks. I almost want to put the rim to my lips and slurp down the spicy red puddle at the bottom. (The camera thankfully won’t be there for that part.)

The dish, made by Ton Ton Ramen chef Guy Wong, is called “Invincible Dan Dan Mazemen.” It’s just one of more than 40 of Atlanta’s best new cheap eats. The most buzzed-about restaurants that have opened recently aren’t exactly cheap—Staplehouse, Atlas, Marcel—but you can still enjoy the city’s food scene without going broke. Actually, one of the best ways to get to know a city is combing it for deals, and that’s what I, a recent transplant, along with the help of some local guides with never-ending appetites, did to put this list together. Most of the restaurants featured here are recent arrivals, and most of the dishes—we’re talking belly-filling meals, plus a handful of sweets—ring in at $10 or under.

We also roped some of ATL’s best foodie Instagrammers into this shoot. (Honestly, it wasn’t hard with the promise of all these delicious eats.)

So consider this your guide to the most delicious deals in town, from breakfast bowls to midnight snacks. Go forth, devour, and please report back on Instagram (I’m @juliabainbridge).

Now, I’m off to go find more noodles . . .

Edited by Julia Bainbridge
Written by Carly Cooper, Meridith Ford, Christiane Lauterbach, and Jennifer Zyman.