Georgia food is more than peaches and sweet tea. The state has a James Beard Award–winning restaurant in a converted bus terminal, one of the best craft barbecue traditions in the South, a legitimate wine region in the mountains, and a rum distillery in the Black Belt making single-origin spirits from Georgia sorghum and cane.
The 7 spots below represent the state's strongest food and drink experiences, from Atlanta to South Georgia.
Jump to: Atlanta · Savannah · Athens · Planning Notes
Atlanta
Ponce City Market & Skyline Park Must-see
Fulton County · Atlanta
A 2.1-million-square-foot former Sears warehouse converted into Atlanta's premier food hall, retail market, and office complex. The Central Food Hall on the first floor has 20+ vendors representing the full range of Atlanta's food scene — from chef-driven restaurants to regional specialty producers. The rooftop Skyline Park includes a miniature golf course, carnival rides, and panoramic views over the Midtown skyline.
On the BeltLine's Eastside Trail — easy to combine with a walk through Inman Park or Old Fourth Ward. The food hall is free to enter.
Mary Mac's Tea Room Worth the detour
Fulton County · Atlanta
A Southern meat-and-three restaurant that has operated continuously since 1945 in Midtown Atlanta — one of the oldest surviving restaurants in the city. The format is traditional: you pick a protein and three sides from a rotating daily menu of vegetables, cornbread, and pot likker. Fried chicken, pot roast, and the side of sweet pickled watermelon rinds are the institutional standards.
A cultural landmark as much as a restaurant. The dining room has hosted every Georgia governor since 1945.
Savannah
The Grey Must-see
Chatham County · Savannah
A modern Southern restaurant inside a fully restored 1938 Greyhound bus terminal — original stainless counters, curved glass, and Art Deco details intact. Chef Mashama Bailey earned a James Beard Award here, the first Black female chef in the South to do so. The menu draws from Georgia's agricultural traditions (Sea Island peas, Lowcountry rice, Georgia shrimp) with technique that elevates the ingredients.
Chef Mashama Bailey won the 2022 James Beard Outstanding Chef award — the highest individual honor in American dining. Reservations required, often weeks in advance.
Leopold's Ice Cream Must-see
Chatham County · Savannah
A Savannah institution since 1919, still owned by the founding family — one of the longest-running ice cream parlors in the United States. The original ice cream recipes are unchanged. The Tutti Frutti, Rum Bisque, and seasonal peach are the local standards. The shop on Broughton Street is decorated with Hollywood memorabilia from Stratton Leopold, the family member who became a major film producer.
A required Savannah stop. Lines are long on summer weekends but move quickly.
Athens
Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Worth the detour
Clarke County · Athens
Athens's most nationally recognized brewery — the Tropicália IPA is distributed nationally and a benchmark of the East Coast hazy IPA style. The taproom in downtown Athens operates in a converted 1950s commercial building with a full draft list including seasonal and small-batch releases. Athens has a strong overall craft brewing scene; Creature Comforts is the flagship.
Athens is about 70 miles east of Atlanta. The taproom is worth a stop when visiting the University of Georgia area.
Planning Notes
Plan your visit: Explore city guides for every destination in this article: Atlanta, Savannah.
