The MICHELIN Guide has finally arrived in Atlanta! Earlier this evening, Georgia's capital became the newest destination in the United States to welcome the Guide and celebrate the culinary excellence of its city. And with 10 Bib Gourmands, 5 new One Stars, and 2 new Green Stars, the Big Peach is as delicious as its moniker suggests.
While we won't give too much away—check out our Inspectors' takes below—the Atlanta selection is brimming with flavor ranging from the haute (think: roasted Onion Tortellini with Gruyère fondue and beef nage) to the everyday (lobster with smoked paprika butter sauce). However, one element that is shared by the majority is their commitment to utilizing and highlighting local produce.
Each spot aims to bring fresh ideas and flavors on the plate including our Green Star restaurants, one of which changes its menu weekly thanks to an on-site regenerative farm. So sit back and enjoy discovering what restaurants took the top distinctions in Atlanta.
One Stars
Atlas
Cuisine: American
When the night calls for a grand celebration, few places fit quite like Atlas. Snuggled inside the posh St. Regis Atlanta, this restaurant is impossibly elegant. Fine art graces the walls—it's home to The Lewis Collection and its works by Japanese-born painter and printmaker Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita—but it's not just the artwork that impresses. Order à la carte from this seasonal American menu with European influences or celebrate with the tasting menu for dishes like tender lobster plated with smoked paprika butter sauce and heirloom summer squash, and poached halibut composed with a trio of beet preparations. Wagyu beef from Australia is a decadent end to the savory courses. Impressive cocktails, a cheese cart and whimsical desserts complete the well-rounded experience.
Hayakawa
Cuisine: Japanese
A local legend for his Japanese cuisine on Buford Highway, Chef Atsushi Hayakawa has begun a new chapter in West Midtown. Located in a sparkling office structure, the slick lair hosts a mere handful of diners per seating. His stage is a backdrop of dark-streaked stone and a silken wood counter; and the use of a microphone to banter with guests amplifies Hayakawa's buoyant personality.
The meal is a procession of small courses and hews toward the structure of kaiseki. After items such as an appetizer trio with clear fish soup, scallop sashimi with miso-mustard sauce and simmered monkfish, it's time for sushi. The chef crafts nigiri from imported fish that needs little embellishment and is amply sized in the tradition of Hokkaido style in deference to the chef's hometown.
Lazy Betty
Cuisine: Contemporary
Betty was far from lazy. Just ask her children, Howard, Anita and Ron Hsu, the co-owners of Lazy Betty, who drew inspiration for their restaurant from their mother's hospitality. Chef Ron Hsu and Chef Aaron Phillips oversee a contemporary tasting menu with clever flavor combinations that highlight regional ingredients. Causa is given a Southern slant with sweet Georgia shrimp, avocado purée and potato foam infused with aji amarillo pepper, while seared Hudson Valley foie gras is sided by Granny Smith apple, sweet potato and dots of pumpkin butter. Cod, poached in a ham hock broth, rests atop fava bean and zucchini succotash with a green tomato relish for an especially flavorful plate. From the pre-dessert lemon sherbet with a coconut crumble to the elegant rosewater panna cotta, they impress to the end.
Mujō
Cuisine: Japanese
Located in West Midtown, Mujō is an intimate setting with a moody elegance. A U-shaped counter crafted of Southern cypress pops in this square room with dark walls and low lighting. This is the domain of Chef J. Trent Harris and his skilled team who make all feel well cared for. Here, tradition has been replaced with a rollicking good time, where the always-surprising interpretation of omakase begins with an array of zensai like a morsel of Florida cobia grilled over binchotan, dressed with a red miso sauce and some local pattypan squash. After some cooked bites, it's time for the raw. Nigiri needs little to impress, while supplemental dishes offer the likes of Hokkaido hair crab, tosazu and mozuku. Regulars know dessert isn't an afterthought; so save room.
One Star Green Star
Bacchanalia
Cuisine: American
Dark wood, a black industrial ceiling set with a constellation of Edison bulbs, and brown leather banquettes give Bacchanalia a handsome sophistication, yet there's nothing too precious about this longstanding spot. The multicourse prix fixe involves a bit of flair, with some dishes arriving on carts or nestled inside glass cloches, and the cheese course is a wonderful surprise. Rather than an expected slice, the team presents a clever take with a crumbly oat date cake and a dot of black garlic sauce surrounded by rings of parmesan. Chilled lobster in a ponzu sauce with bright English peas and horseradish oil is also memorable but it may just be the delicate grapefruit soufflé garnished with spicy pistachio crumble and rose crème anglaise that takes the cake.
Green Stars
The Chastain
Cuisine: American
As one of two new Green Star restaurants in Atlanta, we wanted to hear from the team directly about their sustainable practices: "Our menu is dictated by what is available from our local farm partners, as well as our onsite regenerative farmed (beyond organic) garden. This means the menu often changes throughout the week depending on availability. We have recently joined Georgia Organics to help quantify our local and organic food purchases (currently qualify for gold/top tier). We compost on site, as well as utilize a compost company to reduce waste going into the landfill. We also recycle glass, use compostable carryout containers, and are working on improving recycling further."
Hero image: Andrew Thomas Lee/Lazy Betty
