8 Georgia Cities Where Good Food is Easy to Find
Georgia’s culinary traditions run deep, and every city has its own unique flavors to offer. Although Atlanta and Savannah are well-known for their thriving food scenes, Georgia’s smaller cities serve up just as much deliciousness. From classic Southern comfort food to international cuisine, these hidden gems are brimming with must-try dishes that make them well worth a visit.
Places like Athens, College Park, and Senoia are packed with beloved local spots where chefs take Southern flavors to the next level. Conyers and Madison offer cozy, small-town dining experiences with rich history and welcoming hospitality. Meanwhile, Duluth stands out as the go-to destination for some of the best Korean food in the state, with a variety of restaurants serving everything from sizzling barbecue to bubbling stews. These cities prove that great food in Georgia isn’t just found in the usual places – it’s everywhere.
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1. Athens
Downtown Athens is known as a magnet for great restaurants, bars, and shops, but two other areas of town have emerged as hubs for vibrant flavors and creative dining experiences. The Five Points Neighborhood is a charming 1920s-era neighborhood that offers a taste of Athens' vibrant culinary scene. From long-time favorites like Cali-N-Tito’s and The Expat to newer spots like ZZ & Simone’s and Bar Bruno, the area showcases a diverse range of dining options, including Italian bistro dishes and Latin American fare. Local gems like Independent Baking Company and Condor Chocolates are perfect for a morning or midday treat, while The Pine Bar and The Root offer cozy spots for evening dining and drinking. Five & Ten, a Five Points staple, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025, with UGA alum Pete Dale reviving classic dishes and introducing exciting new creations.
The Southern Mill Development is quickly becoming a must-visit destination, offering an array of dining experiences all within a five-minute radius of the city’s first boutique hotel, Rivet House. On the first floor of the hotel, Osteria Olio serves modern Italian cuisine with a Southern twist, focusing on seasonal, made-from-scratch dishes. Just steps away, Puma Yu’s, helmed by James Beard semifinalist Pete Amadhanirundrt, delights with its vibrant Thai flavors and extensive drink menu. Nearby, White Tiger Gourmet offers vegan and vegetarian barbecue in a historic setting, while the original Maepole serves healthy, customizable bowls. For coffee lovers, Buvez and Sunroof Coffee both offer cozy atmospheres for a perfect caffeine fix.
2. ATL Airport District
Atlanta’s dining scene is unmatched in the Southeast for its variety of cuisines and price points, from cheap eats to high-end MICHELIN-starred restaurants and everything in between. Outside of well-known hotspots like Buckhead, Midtown, and West Midtown, the ATL Airport District (College Park, Hapeville, and Union City) has a ton of restaurants just minutes from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and most, if not all, are Black-owned.
Head to College Park, where The Real Milk & Honey is a brunch favorite known for its over-the-top dishes like deep-fried salmon hash; shrimp and grits; and the lobster, egg, and cheese biscuit. Just two blocks away, Tom, Dick, & Hank serves up fusion barbecue and soul food like smoked wings, barbecued crab legs, and mac and cheese. Bole Ethiopian Restaurant offers popular Ethiopian meat-based dishes as well as vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
In Hapeville, Lickety Split Southern Kitchen & Bar thrills visitors with traditional, home-cooked Southern food like fried green tomatoes, smothered chicken, and catfish, along with sides like collard greens, candied yams, and fried okra. Pit Boss BBQ and Spirits is a must-stop for barbecue fans. And nearby Buttersweet Bakery treats visitors with an array of gourmet cupcakes, tarts, cookies, and cakes.
In Union City, This Is It! Southern Kitchen & Bar-B-Q is a staple for Southern comfort food, earning rave reviews for its tender ribs, flavorful collard greens, and creamy mac and cheese. The Green Manor Restaurant is the place to go for a traditional Southern buffet in a historic mansion.
Before boarding your flight, check out the nearby Delta Flight Museum, where you can learn about the airline’s history from a crop-dusting operation to a global airline serving more than 290 destinations on six continents. The newly renovated museum, housed in historic hangars, features interactive exhibits, including an in-depth look at the first 747-400 ever built.
3. Conyers
Film fans are discovering the shops and restaurants in historic Olde Town Conyers as they look for locations that were featured in “The Originals,” a spinoff of “The Vampire Diaries” TV series filmed in nearby Covington. More than just New Orleans-style architecture, the Conyers entertainment district is home to several restaurants that have been used as filming locations, such as Celtic Tavern, Whistle Post Tavern, and The Pointe Tavern.
Just steps away, many more restaurants serve up diverse menus ranging from Gullah Geechee soul food at Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen & Bar to authentic Thai cuisine at Thai Palace & Sushi. Stop in for breakfast or lunch at Iron Skillet Southern Kitchen, and enjoy homestyle favorites like country fried steak, crispy chicken and Belgian waffles, and fresh vegetables. For sizzling fajitas, zesty tacos, and refreshing margaritas, head to Las Flores Olde Town Mex Grill.
After your meal, you can browse stores in the entertainment district with your adult beverage specialty cup provided by the bar servers. Do you love a good ghost story? Don’t miss the ghost tours on Friday and Saturday nights that take guests back to the 1800s and reveal local legends and hidden treasures around town.
4. Duluth
This north Atlanta suburb delights visitors with the variety of restaurants around the Duluth Town Green and throughout town, but for an immersive journey into authentic Korean cuisine and traditions, the Seoul of the South Food Tour, presented by Explore Gwinnett, is a must. This four-hour guided shuttle tour takes guests to four authentic Korean eateries, from traditional family restaurants and sizzling Korean BBQ spots to cozy cafés and pastry shops. Sarah Park, a South Korean native and Gwinnett County resident, leads the tours, using her experiences and gift of storytelling to immerse attendees into the rise of Korean culture in Gwinnett. The tour is more than just a culinary adventure, it’s a celebration of how cuisine connects communities and preserves cultural heritage. Guests leave not only with to-go boxes and full stomachs but also with a newfound appreciation for Korea’s rich culinary traditions.
5. Ellijay
Ellijay, the Apple Capital of Georgia, draws thousands of visitors each fall, but the appeal of this small northwest Georgia mountain town extends well beyond harvest season. Welcoming visitors with its hiking trails, wineries, and historic downtown, its foodie scene is booming with farm-to-table experiences, rooftop dining, and local bakeries. The Shack of Ellijay serves a selection of bubble teas, from peach-coconut to cotton candy, and an Asian-fusion menu featuring poke and noodle bowls. For excellent coffee and pastries served surrounded by books, visit Mountain Town Coffee at Hemlock Bazaar, nestled in a restored 1940s building. End the day back in town at The Roof, a rooftop bar with panoramic views of downtown Ellijay and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. If you enjoy learning where your food comes from, don’t miss a stop at the farm store at Ellijay Mushrooms, a family-owned sustainable mushroom farm whose shiitake and oyster mushrooms can be found in stores, restaurants, and markets throughout the Southeast.
6. Madison
Known far and wide for its picturesque small-town charm, Madison’s historic downtown also is brimming with new restaurants. Start the day at Betty Gene’s, which serves Southern breakfast and lunch reminiscent of the meals families enjoyed in the 1970s. The menu is full of crowd-pleasers like omelettes, burgers, and biscuits, along with classic cocktails, wine, and beer. Recreate childhood memories with a Coke float and a slice of apple pie a la mode for a truly nostalgic meal. Nearby, The Dining Room is a fine dining farm-to-table restaurant housed in a restored late 19th-century space. Chefs create nightly prix fixe menus based on seasonal offerings from celebrated local farms and producers, expertly paired with wines from the restaurant’s extensive and thoughtfully curated wine list. For a casual lunch or dinner, tuck into a booth at Hart & Crown Tavern, a British-inspired pub, to try the pork belly BLT, shepherd’s pie, or pork schnitzel paired with a signature cocktail, draft beer, or whiskey.
Madison is also home to the new Georgia Safari Conservation Park, which TIME Magazine named one of The World’s Greatest Places of 2025. At the park, guests can board authentic safari trucks and ride alongside free-roaming animals like zebras, rhinos, and antelopes, or stay overnight in authentic safari tents with stunning views of the park’s expansive savanna. To fuel your visit, be sure to stop by Farmview Market, a combination grocery store, farmers market, butcher shop, and cafe to pick up some locally sourced foods and essentials.
7. Senoia
As the primary filming location for “The Walking Dead,” Senoia draws visitors who want to step into their favorite scenes and see the town that once was overrun by zombies. Fans love peeking behind the scenes on tours with Georgia Locations Scout and Georgia Tour Company and shopping for memorabilia at The Woodbury Shoppe.
As the TV show’s popularity grew, so did downtown Senoia, which now has more than two dozen dining or drink options within a two-block radius. Take your tastebuds on an international tour from Mess Hall on Main Street, a micro-food hall featuring hibachi, empanadas, coffee, and Italian ice, and then to Lisa’s Creperie, serving authentic French crepes, and Borgo Italia, a family-owned Italian trattoria. From Bistro Hilary to Nic & Norman’s, Pearl & Pine Brewery, and more, TWD fans and the culinarily curious will not be disappointed by the array of delicious choices in Senoia.
8. Thomasville
Thomasville represents the very best of Small Town U.S.A., with a historic downtown shopping and dining district that appears to have been taken from a Norman Rockwell canvas. You’ll certainly work up an appetite and a thirst, and the town’s impressive culinary scene will more than deliver. Nom on made-from-scratch bagels at Empire Bagel and Delicatessen in flavors like poppy seed and pimento cheese. Visit Liam’s Restaurant Lounge & Cheese Shoppe for charcuterie boards and meat-centric mains or Jonah’s Fish & Grits for an array of expertly prepared seafood. Find a table at Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop & Restaurant to indulge in cheese-topped burgers and craft cocktails. Stock up on the signature Thomasville Tomme to take home.
The best way to sample the many delicious, locally owned Thomasville, Georgia, restaurants is to sign up for one of the Taste of Thomasville Food Tours. Not only will you sample some of the best places to eat in Thomasville, but you'll hear a good bit about the history that makes this town in the southwestern portion of the state such a unique destination. Afterward, stop at Farmer's Daughter Vineyards + Tasting Room to sample their award-winning red, white, and rose wines and craft wine cocktails.
