Photograph by Wedig + Laxton
’80s Throwback: Okay Anny’s
The team behind JoJo’s Beloved has embraced another era: the millennial-friendly late 1980s and early 1990s. Hidden in the back of Politan Row at Ashford Lane in Dunwoody, this colorful, retro cocktail bar goes back to the time of kamikazes and cosmos, with kitschy glassware to boot. The interior features a neon-lit bar with cozy corners and soft seating.
Mezcal Program: Pata Negra Mezcaleria
Simply put, you won’t find a better mezcal selection in Atlanta—and perhaps in Georgia—than at Pata Negra Mezcaleria in Buckhead, the newest creation of chef Octavio Aguirre. With his wife, Roxana, Aguirre has crafted an exceptional journey into the flavors and traditions of Mexican mezcal, opting for small-batch Mexican producers with the highest standards for their bottles. Pata Negra also offers tasting events with food pairings for mezcal and its sister spirit, tequila.
New Coffee Shop: Ash Coffee
Anything touched by Moss Mills—the creative madman behind Junkman’s Daughter—turns into a whimsical delight, so it’s no surprise his new venture into cafe culture in Virginia-Highland has been such a hit. Mills’s partner, Ashley Saunders, has worked some serious magic on the coffee side, with excellent beverage options paired with a wide range of sweet and savory pastries, many with Asian-inspired flavors. On the goods end, Mills has stocked Ash Coffee with crafts from local artists, perfect for browsing while you wait for your latte.
New Beer Garden: Arches Brewing at Atlanta Utility Works
It was a hoppy homecoming this year as the Hapeville brewery relocated to East Point, close to where brewers Jamey Adams and Jeff Dake started under the “arches” of Adams’s colonial home. The move brings craft brews and a suds-friendly menu to a light-strewn patio, home to other libatious and musical happenings, all in a former factory dating back to the early 1900s.
Photograph by Growl Bros
New Night Out: El Malo
This sexy cocktail bar in Reynoldstown slunk onto the scene near the end of 2023 and quickly established itself as one of the hottest late-night destinations in Atlanta. The refined cocktail menu leans heavily toward rum, tequila, and mezcal—the original spirits of the Americas—while dinner and dessert options nod to Cuba and the wider Caribbean. At night, when the bass gets loud and the lights get low, El Malo is where you want to be.
New Boba: Chi Cha San Chen
This award-winning Taiwanese company’s arrival in Duluth this year was a huge deal for boba tea enthusiasts, cementing metro Atlanta as a prime destination for East Asian cuisine. It’s worth a drive from anywhere to visit this airy cafe, where you can select from a huge menu of hand-brewed teas, including a range of signature bubble tea options, all served in cups with charming twine carrying straps.
New Way to Wine: VinoBarrel
What’s not to love about a self-serve wine barrel (ID required) with two taps and self-pay? Spotted at Bottega Italian Market & Pizza in Marietta and Chateau Elan in Braselton, the genius dispenser is the invention of Seth Lytle, an IBM alum, Georgia Tech grad, and grandchild of winemakers. Cheers to ingenuity!
Photograph courtesy of Mujō
Omakase Cocktail: Tea House Negroni at Mujō
Michelin-starred Mujō in West Midtown is best known for its multicourse omakase dining, but its cocktails are equally attention-worthy, with a focus on Japanese ingredients. Take, for example, the Tea House Negroni, made from gin infused with the Japanese green tea hojicha, which adds an umami layer to the classic aperitif.
New Brewery: Crooked Culture
The vibe at this spacious Cumming City Center brewery, which just turned a year old, is laid-back and easygoing. Beer lovers can sit on oversized leather sofas, play games, and sip on brews such as Everybody Has a Tractor—a hazy IPA with Mosaic, Citra, and Columbus hops—and Boots On “the Moon,” a refreshing witbier with coriander and orange. Sour lovers shouldn’t miss the bright, colorful Ken vs. Ryu, a cherry-lime beer that’s perfectly tart and not too sweet. Food trucks are often on-site, but you can also order a pizza from SliceAbility, located just across the street.
Photograph by Caroline Kilgore
Day-to-Night Coffee Shops
If you’ve ever been reluctantly shooed out the cafe door at closing time, you’re in luck: Atlanta coffee shops are increasingly exploring late-night offerings. Cafe Belli, which opened in March in Hapeville, slings premium coffee drinks by day and transitions to handcrafted cocktails by happy hour, all served in a chic, European-style venue. The Reading Room transformed the old Java Monkey space in Decatur with an elegant, pink-accented interior, as popular with midday bookworms and remote workers as it is with the evening wine-bar crowd. Inside Larakin in Midtown, a colorful bar invites daytime passersby inside for an espresso or housemade breakfast sandwich, and later expands into a wine bar, where you can enjoy light dinner options—including a delightful array of tinned fish—on the spacious patio, along with a glass or bottle. Finally, Little Tart Bakeshop in Grant Park jumped into the fun with its “After Dark” menu, served Saturdays and Sundays from 5 to 9 p.m., with a selection of beer, wine, and seasonal craft cocktails. Lately, Atlanta’s cafe culture is an all-day affair.
New Breezy Boozin’: Floridaman
Breaker Breaker in Reynoldstown had already won us over, but then owners Alex Brounstein and Johnny Farrow upped the ante with the addition of a very fun rooftop bar, Floridaman. Open only on the weekends, and only for the 21-plus crowd, Floridaman jibes with its casual seafood-joint sibling downstairs, but offers more of a plein air cocktail scene, with rattan furniture and retro carpet, perfect for enjoying coastal-inspired fare and deliciously boozy drinks.
Vintage Trailer Reuse: Shasta Coffee
If you’re nostalgic for all things ’70s, it’ll be love at first sight as you pull up to this turquoise-tinged Shasta trailer camped outside Phys.Ed Gym in East Point. Owner Nic Griffin has converted its retro interior into a modern coffee-and-tea hub, serving artful pours that have attracted a steady stream of patrons in its first year.
New High Tea: Tulip & Tea
Culinary entrepreneur Asha Gomez’s latest creation, in Conyers, is a love letter to all things tea. Her high tea service, offered on Saturdays, eschews some fussier European-style high tea elements, such as three-tiered cake stands. Instead, it opts for a rotation of well-crafted treats elevated by Indian flavors, including madeleines with spiced cream and chicken curry hand pies, all served among a heavenly array of Gomez’s own floral arrangements.
Photograph by Martha Williams
Tableside Experience: Martini Trolley at Capolinea
Tableside experiences add excitement to a meal, and the martini trolley at Capolinea, inside the Signia by Hilton hotel downtown, stands above the rest. Smoky liquid nitrogen brings dramatic flair while also creating crisp, cold martinis—try the Sicilian, made with gin, vermouth, Marsala, and Amaretto and finished with an almond-stuffed olive.
Revival: The Porter Beer Bar
After 14 years of beer and hot pretzels, The Porter shuttered. But Manny Maloof—owner of nearby Euclid Avenue Yacht Club and Manny’s in Grant Park—and chef E.J. Hodgkinson weren’t ready to say goodbye. They purchased and renovated the beer hall, which finally reopened in Little Five Points in May. The duo expanded The Porter’s draft list and menu, adding new seasonal items while keeping customer favorites, such as salt and vinegar popcorn and goat cheese fritters.
New Local Spirit: Murrell’s Row JamJam Gin
Summer was sweeter this year thanks to the latest creation from Decatur distillery Murrell’s Row, JamJam Gin. Made with 200 pounds of strawberries from local farms, this floral, citrus-noted gin is an ideal base for warm-weather cocktails—but we’ll be drinking it well into winter, too.
See all Best of Atlanta 2024 winners
This article appears in our December 2024 issue.
