Known as the “Beverly Hills of the South,” Buckhead is world-famous for being one of America’s most desirable neighborhoods. Atlanta as a whole is a hub for tech, finance, entertainment and tourism, and Buckhead is where trailblazers from all of those worlds effortlessly converge.
With plenty of delicious dining spots, our MICHELIN Guide Inspectors have carefully selected the best restaurants in Buckhead. Atlas offers a type of cinematic luxurious experience fit for a star. The Chastain is the hidden neighborhood retreat for locals, with vegetables straight from its own garden. Storico Fresco Alimentari serves classic Italian dishes in a way that feels charming and timeless.
What might surprise visitors is the neighborhood’s exceptional Japanese cuisine, with multiple MICHELIN-Starred Japanese restaurants in Buckhead. Atlanta is home to the busiest airport in the world, serving over 100 million passengers each year. With that comes daily direct flights to Japan, so it’s no wonder that O by Brush, Omakase Table and Tomo offer some of the most delicious sushi in the South. The meals are so authentic that by the end of them, diners forget that the fish was flown in from Tokyo. They think that they themselves were flown to Japan.
No matter the cuisine, restaurants in Atlanta take high quality ingredients very seriously, whether it be mouthwatering local Georgia produce, pristinely fresh Japanese fish or Italian olive oil pressed from centuries-old groves.
Below, learn more about Buckhead’s best restaurants and hotels, and hear directly from what the chefs had to say about their neighborhood.
Buckhead's Best Restaurants
Atlas (One MICHELIN Star)
Cuisine: AmericanChef: Freddy Money
Recently celebrating its 10 year anniversary, Atlas has built an extraordinary reputation in parallel with Atlanta’s own triumphant growth. The Buckhead mainstay embodies unpretentious luxury. Original artwork from the likes of Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh adorn the walls, yet the whimsical, refined food is clearly the star of the show. With training from The Dorchester, Chef Freddy Money lets his own personality shine through smiley face foie gras jammie dodger snacks, Dr. Seuss-inspired green eggs and ham and a decadently gold FM Rocher dessert. All of this is centered in the heart of Buckhead at the St. Regis Atlanta, where diners are likely to run into a celebrity or two.
How would you describe Buckhead?
It's got an amazing buzz to it. There's a real density of great restaurants. You can walk 100 meters in most directions and experience a whole array of cuisine at a very high level.
Why did you choose Buckhead?
There's a sense of prestige. With the iconic St. Regis and our space within there, it's a iconic dining room like no other, and we’ve got a duty to reach its full potential. You could be in Paris, London, New York. We have these amazing transient and local guests in search of culinary delights. We try to present something world-class.
Which Atlas dish most represents Buckhead?
Green eggs and ham. It's mushroom, potatoes, egg and ham done in the Atlas way, with a play on temperatures, textures and aesthetics, with a little nod to Dr. Seuss that encompasses a luxurious approach to very familiar flavors.
How do you source your ingredients?
Time and place are important to us. There are some amazing farmers locally, and we go to great lengths to source and showcase the best.
Favorite place to visit in Buckhead?
Our neighbors are doing some of the best sushi in town. I'm partial to a nice steakhouse dinner once a month. There's great places to sit outside for lunch on a sunny day.
O by Brush (One MICHELIN Star)
Cuisine: JapaneseChef: Jason Liang
Drawing inspiration from his own childhood experiences, Chef Jason Liang brings a deeply personal touch to his own interpretation of Edomae-style sushi at O by Brush. After many years honing his craft, he brought his talents to Buckhead, where he continues to elevate Atlanta’s Japanese dining scene—championing both culinary excellence and local fish sourcing.
Does being in Buckhead influence your menu or style?
When it comes to offering, decor and service, we try to elevate everything at a reasonable price. I want to challenge what people think of sushi in the U.S., so we do dry-aging. We adopt charcoal and smoke into a very unique experience. We’ll present our twist on even a California roll.
How is Buckhead different from other culinary destinations?
Atlanta has become a food destination in the South. Buckhead is definitely one of the centers of that and is easy to get to. Buckhead gave us that stage: a center of Atlanta.
Which dish most represents Buckhead?
Buckhead we jokingly say is a little bit flashy. So maybe the chawanmushi with caviar and sea urchin. It’s elevated, but familiar and fun. Caviar not only is luxury, but really completes that iconic dish.
How do you source your ingredients?
Everybody gets fish from Japan nowadays. It’s as easy as buying stuff online. In our restaurant, we try to source things domestically that are high quality, which is very difficult to find. We were sourcing our rainbow trout from Virginia. To me, supporting domestic fishermen with high quality fish is important.
Favorite place to visit in Buckhead?
Atlas. With Chef Freddy, it is mind-blowingly good. We're lucky to have Atlas in the center of Buckhead. That really helped elevate it.
The Chastain
Cuisine: AmericanChef: Christopher Grossman
Tucked in a quiet pocket of Buckhead surrounded by trees, The Chastain is a true neighborhood treasure across from Chastain Park. In the morning, it’s a welcoming café reminiscent of a French patisserie, serving coffee and pastries. At lunch, the mood is relaxed yet refined with top notch ingredients, and by evening, the space transforms into a destination for celebrations and everyday afterschool meals alike. With produce from its own garden and nearby farms, The Chastain offers a rare consistency that guests can count on.
How would you describe Buckhead?
The backgrounds of all the people are very diverse. The movers and shakers, all of the powerhouse business meetings. They're setting their own schedules. They know what they want.
Does being in Buckhead influence your menu or your style?
It has to. [You have to] become aware of who you're cooking for, especially being a neighborhood restaurant. A lot of regulars, I know their names and their kids.
Which dish most represents Buckhead?
The beef tallow tater tots. Fried tater tot crème fraîche, chives, and Osetra caviar. It's light hearted, it's fun. They're all handmade, very decadent and elegant. Meeting of two different backgrounds. To me, that is Buckhead. Everybody’s doing their own thing, and that at the same time, it's elevating.
How do you source your ingredients?
Our philosophy from day one has been to only serve the best of what's in season right now. It’s constant conversations because I have to know what's coming in from the field.
What's your personal favorite place to visit in Buckhead?
I keep going to Lucian for lunch. The elevated experience is still approachable. I can have their decadent omelet and caviar, or I can have their little polenta croquettes.
Storico Fresco Alimentari
Cuisine: ItalianCo-Owner: Pietro Gianni
Now with a decade of history, Storico Fresco Alimentari has become a beloved Buckhead institution where families and friends (many of them regulars) gather over comforting, authentic Italian classics from every corner of Italy. Run by several family members, the restaurant's origin story reflects roots from both Atlanta and Italy: all three of Pietro’s children were born in Rome, while their mother grew up in Buckhead.
Why did you choose Buckhead?
My ex-wife is from here. We lived in Rome with three children, all born in Italy. I always wanted to open a restaurant. I was looking for the cheapest possible place in Buckhead, and this showed up. It was a 70s building…a car dealership, then a gym. Then, Buckhead just boomed. We opened ten years ago and renewed for another ten, so we’re not going anywhere.
Does being in Buckhead influence your style or menu?
For sure. Buckhead residents are by far the most demanding. And here, people dress up and stay for hours.
Which dish most represents Buckhead?
Chitarra Arrabbiata because it’s a crowd pleaser. Everyone loves it, any food pickiness. There's nothing on the menu that's not from Italy. We use imported buffalo mozzarella, the best possible flour and peeled tomatoes. Buckhead really embraced that.
How is Buckhead different from other culinary destinations?
Very different. It's a city that's not a city. Atlanta has no true center. Big cities in Europe tend to have a central focal point. Atlanta is different, because you have Buckhead, the Beltline, West Midtown, Downtown and others.
Where’s your favorite place to visit in Buckhead?
Umi. Le Colonial. Amazing menu, amazing vibe, great service.
Omakase Table (One MICHELIN Star)
Cuisine: JapaneseChef: Leonard Yu
Starting his pop-up in Buckhead in 2021, Chef Leonard Yu has quickly turned Omakase Table into a neighborhood favorite. Flying in daily fresh fish from Tokyo, diners are in for a special traditional Edomae sushi experience. By the end of the meal, guests forget if the sushi was flown in here or if they themselves were flown to Japan.
How would you describe Buckhead?
Buckhead has something to offer everyone, from fine dining to amazing fast-casual restaurants, from staple restaurants around for generations to up-and-coming spots with great energy.
Does being in Buckhead influence your menu or style?
No. I still enjoy the traditional way of making sushi (Edomae). In a time when everything changes so quickly, it’s nice to slow down and embrace the roots of where we come from.
Which dish most represents Buckhead?
Uni gohan. Warm rice mixed with our special uni sauce, served with otoro (fatty tuna). The flavors may appear familiar on paper, but the uni sauce has taken years to perfect and is truly something special.
How is Buckhead different from other culinary destinations?
We love the diversity of homes and hotels here, as it allows us to serve both locals and travelers. Buckhead is full of well-educated, seasoned diners, but also eager and curious guests new to the scene.
How do you source your ingredients?
Toyosu Market in Tokyo. Daily flights to Atlanta allow us to create omakase experiences comparable to those in New York and Los Angeles. The U.S. FDA already has a presence in Japan; they inspect the fish before it’s shipped directly to us. This minimizes the time between when the fish is caught and when our guests enjoy its flavor.
What’s your favorite place to visit in Buckhead?
La Grotta and Lucian Books and Wine.
Tomo
Cuisine: JapaneseChef: Tomohiro Naito
Located in the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Residences, Tomo offers exquisite traditional Japanese dishes with French and Italian influences. The floor-to-celing windows make the experience feel elegant and refined, but the true star of the show is the food itself. For their best experience, sit in one of the four seats reserved exclusively for omakase. On Tuna Tuesday, there’s even a live tuna-cutting demonstration.
Which Tomo dish most represents Buckhead?
Lobster a la Musso, a rich combination of lobster sashimi and uni with yuzu ponzu, white truffle oil and a quail egg.
How is Buckhead different from other culinary destinations?
Its unique blend of extreme affluence, Southern charm and a distinct balance between luxurious residential areas and a vibrant, high-energy commercial core. Also known as the "Beverly Hills of the South," the district of Atlanta offers world-class shopping and dining alongside tree-lined streets with historic mansions and grand estates, all integrated into a walkable, pedestrian-friendly environment.
How do you source your ingredients?
A core principle is our unwavering commitment to serving the best possible ingredients. Our fresh fish arrives daily from Japan's Tsukiji Market.
Favorite place to visit in Buckhead?
Cultural venues like Chastain Park and diverse local restaurants.
Buckhead's Best Hotels
The Burgess Hotel
More hip than ritzy, The Burgess Hotel is a high-end boutique paying tribute to Hong Kong with rooms that are both stylish and tasteful.
Hotel Colee
Colorful and vibrant, Hotel Colee has interiors that are glamorous and contemporary. Room décor is inspired by a monochrome Victorian wallpaper motif and public spaces are eclectic and full of life.
InterContinental Buckhead
Fit for the neighborhood it's in, Intercontinental offers classic luxury. The hotel radiates pure Southern hospitality and luxurious five-star elegance, from its lavish rooms and suites with their oversized marble bathrooms to the Spa Intercontinental to the Windsor Garden.
Kimpton Sylvan
The word “Sylvan” pays homage to Atlanta’s nickname as the “city in a forest.” Set in a 1950s building, Kimpton Sylvan offers comfortable interiors that are crisp and modernist.
The Tess, Autograph Collection
Located moments away from some of the best shopping at Buckhead Village, The Tess is a boutique getaway in the heart of the district. For dining, MICHELIN-recommend Storico Fresco Alimentari is right around the corner.
The Whitley
Feeling like old Europe, The Whitley embodies a style with 18th- and 19th-century antique furnishings. Rooms offer views of Downtown Atlanta and are filled with contemporary luxuries. Topping it off is an expertly-trained staff.
Hero image: Kimpton Sylvan Hotel
