Foodee Eats: The Best Lunch in Atlanta

A hipster slider shop, an Indian patisserie, a New York style pizza joint, a dynamite dumpling house. This is where you should be having lunch in Atlanta.

Miller Union

Lunch in Atlanta - Miller Union - Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich

999 Brady Avenue NW, Atlanta, GA (678) 733-8550 millerunion.com Best place to go for: a working lunch with out-of-towners. What they’ve got: The Southern food you want to introduce Yankees to. Fancy takes on down south classics like blacked eye pea hummus, scallion hushpuppies with spicy aioli, fried chicken and buckwheat waffles with maple gastrique. Joining the Best New Restaurants in America lists from Bon Appetit and Esquire, and recognized as Atlanta Magazine’s restaurant of the year, this place is a guaranteed hit. What you should get:

  • Shrimp & andouille gumbo with Carolina gold rice ($15)
  • Fried catfish sandwich, shaved lettuce, pepper vinegar, caper mayo & fries ($13)
  • Housemade pork sausage, potato puree, roasted brussels sprouts, celery-beer mustard ($14)
  • Housemade ice cream sandwich ($6)

Victory Sandwich

Lunch in Atlanta - Victory Sandwich Bar

340 Church Street, Decatur, GA (404) 377-9300 vicsandwich.com Best place to go for: Friday lunch fun with your work friends. What they’ve got: Slider sized sandwiches with the plan: “We make it. You take it.” But you can also chill on their patio or at their industrial chic bar and mingle with the hip crowd. The names of the sandwiches are campy but cool: Cowabunga Dude, Beast on Yeast, Bahn Appetit for Destruction. Bonus: free ping pong. What you should get:

  • The Hambo with prosciutto, mozzarella, arugula, apple, reduced balsamic ($4)
  • Castro with smoked pork, ham, pickle, fontina cheese, yellow mustard ($4)
  • Cheddar popcorn ($3)
  • Root beer baked beans ($3.50)
  • Jack and Coke slushie ($4)

Farm Burger

Lunch in Atlanta - Farm Burger

3365 Piedmont Road, Atlanta, GA (404) 816-0603 farmburger.com Best place to go for: a fast casual burger that’s better than what anyone else has going on. What they’ve got: Quality-focused food that tops other fast casual burger places. Free parking validation, speedy counter order service, and a menu with appreciation for local food culture (like hush puppies as a side). Their outdoor seating area is perfect for enjoying an adult float or milkshake on a sunny day. What you should get:

  • The Farm Burger with aged Vermont white cheddar, caramelized onions, and FB sauce ($8.25)
  • The No. 6 Burger with bacon, sunny side up egg, pepper jack cheese, salsa verde ($10)
  • Beer-battered onion rings with smoked paprika mayo ($3.95)
  • Banana Pudding Milkshake made with vanilla ice cream, FB banana puree, graham cracker crust + housemade whipped cream ($5.95)

Rosa’s Pizza

Lunch in Atlanta - Rosa's Pizza

62 Broadstreet NW, Atlanta, GA (404) 521-2596 rosaspizza.net Best place to go for: feeling like you’re in the Big Apple. What they’ve got: A long line that’s worth it. Their New York style pizza is made with homemade sauces, premium meats, and fresh vegetables, and is one of the best deals in Atlanta. The whole place feels like New York with hectic lines and fun and sarcastic customer service. What you should get:

  • The Special: two one-topping slices and drink ($6.75)
  • The Supreme ($22.75 for a large)
  • Chicken parmigiana hot sub ($6.75)

Spice To Table

Lunch in Atlanta - Spice to Table - Zagat

659 Auburn Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA (404) 220-8945 spicetotable.com Best place to go for: entertaining your palette with exotic flavors. What they’ve got: Savory Indian pastries like caramelized onion and mushroom tarts and green masala goat kati rolls created by Asha Gomez. Their specials rotate with the season, and the Kerala fried chicken has earned praise from Bon Apetit. Mouthwatering desserts are created with traditions from the chef’s homes in the Indian South and the American South. The carrot cake highlights the tang of fresh carrots with clove, cardamom, and black pepper. What you should get:

  • Kerala fried chicken ($13)
  • Chicken curry samosa pocket ($5)
  • Spiced carrot cake ($5)
  • Kerala beef cutlet kati roll with green apple slaw ($9)
  • Any of the seasonal specials

Gu’s Dumplings

Lunch in Atlanta - Gu's Dumplings

99 Krog Street NE, Atlanta, GA (404) 527-6007 gusdumplings.com Best place to go for: the most bang for your lunch time buck. What they’ve got: They’re a smaller noodle-focused spin off of Gu’s Bistro. No MSG, no mediocre ingredients. Just Chef Gu and his wife with 70 combined years of experience using the high quality ingredients and their masterful cooking skills to serve up Atlanta’s very best authentic Szechuan food. What you should get:

  • The lunch special with chef’s choice of meat, rice, and vegetables ($9)
  • Szechuan chicken po’boy ($9)
  • Zhong style dumplings ($6)
  • Spicy crispy beef ($16)
  • Dan Dan noodles ($9)

Poke Burri

Lunch in Atlanta - Poke Burri - The Porch Press

479 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA (404) 913-7667 Best place to go for: a break from the standard lunch. What they’ve got: A small stand in the back of the Global Grub Collective that gives it its hidden gem status. They are riding the wave of sushi burrito and poke bowl popularity RAWsomely with super fresh ingredients and a friendly staff. What you should get:

  • Spicy tuna nachos ($6.50)
  • Tuna poke bowl ($12)
  • Craburitto ($11)
  • Ginger salad ($3)

Bell Street Burritos

Lunch in Atlanta - Bell Street Burritos - Creative Loafing

1816 Peachtree Street, Atlanta GA 404.815.0011 bellstreetburritos.com Best place to go for: getting full for less than 10 bucks. What they’ve got: What the Atlanta Journal-Constitution calls the “Best Burrito in Atlanta” at a fair price. The menu reaches outside the bounds of a typical burrito place with things like a chicken and broccoli rendition of a quesadilla and house made tamales on Fridays. Parking is free and service is fast. What you should get:

  • Those Friday tamales ($4.25) at the Peachtree location
  • The steak and shrimp burrito ($8.25)
  • Guacamole and chips ($4.95)
  • Green chile burrito ($8.25)

Photos: Ozgur CoskunMiller Union, Victory Sandwich, Farm Burger, Dissapore, ZagatGu’s Dumplings, The Porch Press, Creative Loafing

Filed Under: Foodee HQ