The Best New Cheap Eats in Atlanta

Dessert

Photograph by Josh Meister

Strawberry Shortcake Milkshake
My Fair Sweets
Ten bucks for a shake might not seem like a steal, but owner Kandace Marie’s over-the-top creations come with toppings like whole doughnuts, mini cupcakes, and upturned ice cream cones. It’s no wonder they’ve attracted a fan base that includes celebs like Usher. The Technicolor strawberry shortcake milkshake comes with a tamer topping of fresh strawberries—okay, and whipped cream. And sprinkles. $10, 231 Mitchell Street, 404-228-3681

Irani Cafe High Tea
Botiwalla
Meherwan Irani serves high tea for two every weekday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. It’s an almost insane steal, considering you get a pot of ginger- and cardamom-spiced masala chai, Parle-G cookies (an Indian staple that’s part vanilla wafer, part Ritz Cracker), crunchy slices of tea rusk toasts, and maska pav (soft, semi-sweet rolls grilled like Texas toast) served with butter and spicy pepper jelly. The cute silver setup doesn’t hurt, either. $7, 675 Ponce de Leon Avenue, 470-225-8963

Photograph by Caroline C. Kilgore

Banana Pudding
B’s Cracklin’ Barbeque
You could eat a small bowl of this quintessential Southern dessert made with vanilla pudding, ripe bananas, and vanilla wafers, but go ahead and order a pint for the table. B’s version is a true classic, firm under the spoon and not too sweet. $7, 2061 Main Street, 678-949-9912

Zeppole
Colletta
Zeppole sounds fancy, but it’s just Italian for “doughnuts.” The little balls of deep-fried dough, served hot and sprinkled with powdered sugar, are popular in Rome and Naples, where they’re typically eaten in March in celebration of St. Joseph Day. But at $8 for five fluffy ricotta-flavored zeppole served with ginger-cranberry chutney, you can inhale them any time. $8, 900 Third Street, Alpharetta, 678-722-8335

Mango Shaved Snow
SnowVille Shavery
Shaved snow is a Taiwanese creation, a kind of cross between ice cream and shaved ice that delivers a hit of flavor before evaporating on your tongue. What makes it so unique? The base contains milk instead of just water; flavor is added before it’s frozen, instead of squeezed on top afterward; and a machine spins the cylindrical block and shaves the ribbons superfast and crêpe paper–thin. The mango flavor is just tart enough, and you can add toppings like fresh fruit, mochi, or boba for extra texture. $6, 2100 Roswell Road, Marietta, 470-263-8170

White Cloud Cookie
Summer Memory Station
The counter at this pan-Asian bakery looks unassuming enough: clean and bright, with a menu listing bubble teas and crêpe cakes. But look around the room, and you’ll see teenagers blowing smoke out of their mouths and giggling. No, they’re not high; they’re eating cookies. The now almost-famous White Cloud Cookie is really a paper coffee cup full of chopped chocolate and vanilla wafers sitting in liquid nitrogen, and as you pop each cold, sweet square into your mouth with a toothpick, a dense white fog emanates. It’s a pretty cool—and cheap—party trick. $6, 2180 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 770-559-5304

This article originally appeared in our April 2017 issue.