10 Georgia Dishes Worth the Trip
Mia Orino, chef and co-owner of Filipino restaurant Kamayan ATL in Doraville, moved to Atlanta in 2018 with her husband, Carlo Gan. She was quickly in awe of how varied the food scene is. “We drive for food, and it’s really diverse here. Back then, people were not as aware how diverse it is, you just have to look for it,” she says. Orino and Gan opened their restaurant in 2022, but they still take the time to explore the state’s culinary gems.
It’s not just Atlanta, either, that houses an array of dishes for any palate at some of the top Georgia restaurants.
For food enthusiasts, Georgia is a treasure chest containing all sorts of culinary delights. Thanks to Georgia’s fertile landscape and mild climate, farmers can grow myriad produce, from peaches to okra, and many of the state’s chefs make use of this seasonal bounty. Similarly, fishermen catch shrimp and crabs just off the coast, which means we don’t need to go very far to enjoy the best of what the sea has to offer. Access to so many locally sourced ingredients and a melting pot of cultures has made Georgia one of the best states for gourmands. Whether you want a high-end, MICHELIN-starred meal or a decadent bite in a setting with no frills, here are 10 dishes that Georgian chefs think are worth traveling for.
Pollos Asados Authentico Sinaloense in Doraville, Georgia
1. Grilled chicken at Pollos Asados Autentico Sinaloense in Doraville
Located on Buford Highway in Doraville, Pollos Asados Autentico Sinaloense is true to its name and serves succulent grilled chicken prepared in the style of Sinaloa, a state in Mexico. For Orino, it’s close to her restaurant, but the chicken is also a hit for her staff. “Everybody eats chicken. We have it for lunch, and the whole chicken can feed a family of four and still have some left over,” she says. Pollos Asados’s building is easily distinguished by its red and yellow accents, and a row of smokers welcomes guests with an aroma of smoky chicken on the grill. The juicy, smoke-kissed chicken comes in whole, half, or quarter portions and is served alongside salsa, tortillas, salad, rice, and beans. The portions are large, so plan on sharing and maybe even taking some home with you.
Fresh Air Barbecue in Jackson, Georgia
2. Pulled pork at Fresh Air Barbecue in Jackson
Located in Jackson, about an hour southeast of Atlanta, Fresh Air Barbecue has the unique distinction of being Georgia’s oldest pit barbecue restaurant still in its original location. The restaurant opened in 1929, and what it lacks in frills it makes up for with delicious barbecue and reasonable prices (a barbecue sandwich is less than $4). Orino and Gan visit Fresh Air frequently on the way to their lake home, and Orino was immediately smitten with its retro charm, found in its red brick walls, old photographs, and wooden accents. “It’s very nostalgic,” she says. “You could see three generations eating together.” While Orino enjoys the Brunswick stew, the star is the pulled pork, which is smoked overnight and served in house-made barbecue sauce. Gan can’t leave without a slice of something sweet, whether that’s a slice of key lime or pecan pie. “It’s just the feeling of going there. Everybody knows everyone,” says Orino.
Climmie's H&M Bar-B-Que and Soul Food in Thomasville, Georgia. Photo by Discover Thomasville
3. Oxtails at Climmie’s H&M Bar-B-Que and Soul Food in Thomasville
The meat-and-three is a traditional Southern combination that seems to have fallen by the wayside, but Tyler Bailey, the chef at Liam’s in Thomasville, knows where you can find it. Bailey grew up in the City of Roses, leaving only briefly for a stint in Atlanta. One of his favorite restaurants in town is a relative newcomer: Climmie’s H&M Bar-B-Que and Soul Food. Owned by Climmie Mosley, a pit master, and his wife, Ashley Mosley, Climmie’s got its start as a backyard pop-up at the couple’s home on Saturdays and Sundays. After operating as a pop-up, the couple finally opened a brick-and-mortar in town in 2021. “They have all the Southern hits,” says Bailey of the restaurant that serves fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread. His favorite dish there, however, is the braised oxtail with rice and brown gravy, which comes with two sides. “It’s the more comforting things that I grew up eating that you don’t really see on Southern restaurant menus,” he adds.
Pho Dai Loi in Forest Park, Georgia
4. Bún bò hué at Pho Dai Loi in Forest Park
Though Bailey is usually found in Thomasville, he occasionally takes weekend jaunts to the North Georgia mountains, and one of his favorite stops is Pho Dai Loi in Forest Park. Forest Park is part of Clayton County, which has one of the largest Vietnamese populations in Georgia outside of Atlanta, and Pho Dai Loi is a family-owned restaurant that’s been open since 1997. It has expanded to other locations, but this is the original. It’s a casual atmosphere with a minimalist design made cozy with wood accents and traditional Vietnamese decor. Guests go for signature dishes like pho and spring rolls, but Bailey favors the bún bò hué, a rice noodle soup with a rich, spicy broth, pig’s blood, pig feet, and boiled beef. “It’s my favorite bowl of noodles,” he says of the flavorful, complex dish.
Spirits Tavern in Dahlonega, Georgia. Photo by Spirits Tavern
5. Gooey burger at Spirits Tavern in Dahlonega
For Sean Fritchle, the executive chef of the Mountain Top Lodge, it’s hard to beat Dahlonega. He’s called the area home since he was a child, having left a couple of times only to come back. Now he and his wife are raising a family there. “The weather’s nice, the people are great. There’s really good community,” says Fritchle. When he and his wife go out for dinner without the kids, they head to Spirits Tavern, a bar on Main Street known for its elevated American fare and live music. Standout dishes include the trash pile (a bunch of tater tots topped with chopped beef, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese) and cocktails like the blood and fire sour with bourbon, blood orange puree, and lemon juice. When Fritchle goes, he orders the gooey burger, topped with a trio of cheeses (white American, pepper jack, and gouda), mac ‘n’ cheese bites, and secret sauce. Don’t forget a side of tater tots accompanied with comeback sauce for dipping.
Roundabout Deli in Dahlonega, Georgia
6. Maestro sandwich at Roundabout Deli in Dahlonega
Owned by husband and wife team Greg and Marsha Cornelius, Roundabout brings a nostalgic vibe to Dahlonega. Vinyl records plaster the walls in the petite space where the deli counter stands front and center. “In the morning, they do biscuits and breakfast pastries and croissants and cinnamon rolls,” says Fritchle. “Then they flip over to sandwiches.” The sandwich menu is tight and includes cold sandwiches, a hot section, and a “Cubano Corner” section with twists on the classic sandwich. Fritchle’s go-to order is the Maestro, their version of an Italian with Genoa salami, ham, capicola, provolone, garlic aioli, lettuce, tomato, and basil balsamic vinaigrette. “It’s heated and super melty,” says Fritchle.
Staplehouse in Atlanta, Georgia
7. Seasonal fare at Staplehouse in Atlanta
Located in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, Staplehouse was the product of a dream held by chef Ryan Hidinger, who passed away in 2014. Under the guidance of his sister, Kara Hidinger, and her husband, chef Ryan Smith, the restaurant opened in 2015 and was quickly revered for its seasonally driven tasting menu. In 2024, it was awarded a MICHELIN star. The restaurant has evolved in the years since opening and now serves a tasting menu at a communal table as well as lunch service in their market and cafe. For Fritchle, the tasting menu is an inspiration with its innovation and seasonal approach found in ever-changing dishes like the oyster with popcorn butter or the wagyu steak with sunchokes. If you can’t catch one of their communal dinners, plan on visiting for lunch when they serve wood-fired pizzas in creative combinations like jamón ibérico, pesto, whipped ricotta, and eight-year balsamic.
Brochu's Family Tradition in Savannah, Georgia
8. Whole chicken dinner at Brochu’s Family Tradition in Savannah
When Annie Coleman, the pastry chef behind Flora and Fauna, moved to Savannah in 2022, she was pleasantly surprised by the food scene. “It’s definitely more robust and has a lot more depth of quality and variety than I was expecting,” she says. Coleman grew up in Beaufort, South Carolina, and had visited Savannah often, but noted that Savannah has grown in the past decade. One of Coleman’s go-to dishes in the city is the chicken dinner at Brochu’s Family Tradition. Found in the Starland District, not far from Flora and Fauna, Brochu’s specializes in golden, crispy fried chicken spiced with chamomile. The whole chicken dinner includes a fried thigh, a charred breast, chicken salad, biscuits, gravy, honey butter, pickles, and a house-made sunchoke hot sauce. “I like that it’s not overly breaded,” says Coleman. “I feel like I’m biting into it and getting chicken in every bite.”
PhatGirlz in Pooler, Georgia
9. Meatloaf at PhatGirlz in Pooler
Sometimes the best eats hide in unsuspecting places – like gas stations. That’s what Coleman discovered when she visited PhatGirlz, a soul-food restaurant that resides in a Chevron near the outlet mall in Pooler. Helmed by Willa Dukes, a single mother chasing her dream of cooking delicious soul food, the restaurant specializes in classics like barbecue ribs and fried shrimp. Coleman, however, is a fan of the meatloaf. “I’m not really a meatloaf person, but I really love this one,” says Coleman. It’s served thick and smothered in a savory brown gravy and comes as a combo with mashed potatoes, green beans, and macaroni and cheese.
The Grey in Savannah, Georgia
10. Anything at The Grey in Savannah
When Orino moved to Atlanta in 2018, she and Gan took a trip to Savannah to dine at The Grey. Owned by Johno Morisano and chef Mashama Bailey, the restaurant resides in a former Greyhound bus station built in 1938 and has racked up national accolades since it opened in 2014, including a James Beard award for Best Chef Southeast in 2019. “I love when you don’t demo something and you turn it into something beautiful and useful,” says Orino. “In our culture, we never throw anything away. We try to preserve, and they turned this space into something really beautiful and kind of sexy, too.” It’s hard to pinpoint just one dish on The Grey’s menu, which changes frequently with the seasons, but it’s known for its thoughtful approach to Southern cuisine with dishes like foie and grits (made famous on Bailey’s appearance on Netflix’s “Chef’s Table”) and whole fish topped with salsa verde. Brunch serves playful dishes like crab beignets and duck pastrami served with potato rosti.
