Photograph by Savanna Sturkie
5Church Atlanta
This popular Charlotte restaurant has spawned an Atlanta outpost, and though it’s located in the former Shout space in Colony Square, 5Church aims to be more than a Midtown party scene. The clubby spot is made for a crowd, but chef R.J. Cooper, who came to prominence at Vidalia in Washington, D.C., is ready to cook. Don’t miss his beautifully sliced confit Pekin duck with duck egg and okonomiyaki-style cabbage pancake (above) or his 60-second seared New York strip. 1197 Peachtree Street, 404-400-3669
Photograph by Savanna Sturkie
Ba Bellies
The owners of Atlanta’s beloved straight-shooting Vietnamese restaurant Nam Phuong have spun off a new “Asian-influenced” gastropub, but the Peachtree Corners restaurant is too flashy for its own good. The wok-fired “shaking beef,” served rare over jasmine rice, is reliable, but more experimental menu items are syrupy, over-seasoned, or generic. Charred Brussels sprouts splashed with lime, sticky chicken wings with palm sugar caramel, and overpriced banh mi (inexplicably called “hand held devices”) are reminders of why fusion food rarely works. 6025 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners, 770-710-0565
Photograph by Caroline C. Kilgore
101 Steak
Vinings just landed what is perhaps the city’s most impressive affordable steakhouse. Where else can you get a 12-ounce filet mignon for $46 or a 14-ounce New York strip for $45? (Both will set you back upwards of $60 elsewhere.) Run by the proprietors of Meehan’s Public House, Food 101, and Cibo e Beve, the restaurant is best at prime beef (try the velvety Delmonico cut or the bone-in Kansas City strip), served with sides like loaded baked potatoes and corn brûlée with jalapeños. The wine program, led by Chris Reid, is also top-notch, and the knowledgeable servers are capable of handling wine geeks and novice drinkers alike. 3621 Vinings Slope, Vinings, 770-805-8855
Photograph by Savanna Sturkie
Ton Ton
Are we finally done treating ramen like a fleeting seasonal treat? Chef Guy Wong’s new sit-down restaurant in Ponce City Market showcases many of the same recipes that previously drew long lines at his ramen pop-ups. Whether you find a seat at the busy slurping bar or the intimate dining room, choose among tonkotsu pork broth (occasionally too creamy) with thick slices of pork belly, a saltier and clearer shoyu broth with springy yellow noodles, and a vegetarian version with stir-fried vegetables. Ton Ton also offers two new items of note: a spicy brothless ramen, served dan dan style with minced pork, and mild steamed pork dumplings. 675 Ponce de Leon Avenue, 404-883-3507
