Cocktails

Look beyond the warehouse atmosphere and you’ll find staffers who give helpful service and shelves that can contain some pleasant surprises—including, say, the Antica Formula Carpano vermouth that bartenders love and that’s sold out at every other store.

Atlanta’s hometown liquor store. If you went to college here, this was likely the first place you bought a bottle of Smirnoff or Jägermeister.

A godsend for the parched and hungry traveler, Hartsfield-Jackson’s best restaurant features Duane Nutter’s Southern-meets-global cooking (thyme-roasted pork belly, salmon hot pot, pulled duck sandwich) and smart, skillfully made cocktails that aren’t too cutesy or clever.

The loud, boisterous restaurant created by Drew Belline and JCT Kitchen’s Ford Fry matches creative carbs (toast, pasta, pizza) and a smartly edited list of Old World wine varietals.

Owner and chief mixologist Jerry Slater runs this food-industry favorite that conjures a Southern vibe with its brick-lined room (a former train depot), punch served in crystal bowls, and small plates like candied bacon Cracker Jacks and smoked pimento cheese with cauliflower pickles.

Lucky Decatur is home to the metro area’s best all-around neighborhood pub, a versatile stomping ground with a sunny dining room serving creative casual bites, a winding come-hither bar, and a chill courtyard patio.

“Strong, Rich & Strange” may describe Don Draper, but it’s also the best name ever for a drink list category.

Twenty-four-year-old David Durnell wins our vote as the city’s rising-star bartender.

The original Octane on Marietta Street may be the best study hall in town, with beer, wine, and booze for the twenty-one-and-over set and coffee drinks for everyone.