3 New Atlanta Restaurants You Should Check Out
Plus, a hotel revamp in Midtown's Colony Square.
I’ve been traveling for a few months and let me just tell you, Atlanta has really stepped up its Latin food offerings while I’ve been gone. These are a few I tried and loved. Still waiting for that super authentic Cuban spot within city limits. Buena Gente is one of my faves, BUT it’s a bakery not an actual restaurant.
Read on, bookmark these restaurants and make a couple reservations, whether you’re visiting Atlanta for a weekend or live in the city year-round.
D Boca N Boca - This new Summerhill darling has killer guac with pepitas, a salsa sampler that includes mango (yum), mezcal cocktails, tacos and elevated dishes like cauliflower steak with cashew chipotle dressing and a local bird (need to find out what the bird is—didn’t order this) with poblano-style mole. One thing I’d love to see on the menu is Mexican wines.
El Valle - Another newish restaurant I just got around to trying, this Mexican spot in Midtown has a really interesting menu that includes corn soup, fried soft-shell crab with polenta, branzino wrapped in an hoja santa leaf and killer desserts. We tried two of three, the sticky toffee pudding and the deconstructed Mexican s’more with churro puffs and house-made marshmallow. Need to go back for the horchata panna cotta with hibiscus syrup and fresh berries. Cocktails are also super creative—they have a carajillo named Amores Lejanos!—and I LOVE that they do have some Mexican wines on the list.
Also tried Tio Lucho’s last week, which is Peruvian cuisine in Poncey-Highland. I used to live right behind this restaurant and now I’m kind of kicking myself for moving out of the neighborhood since the whole strip is poppin’ with cool, new spots and coffee shops (East Pole Coffee Co., Jinya Ramen, Fishmonger and Sea Legs—a wine bar that’s opening soon). I ordered a Pisco sour at Lucho’s, because why wouldn’t I? It was a Pisco sour. It was great. And then I shared the ceviche mixto, mushroom ceviche and lomo saltado with a friend.
Other new Atlanta restaurant openings (cheese, BBQ, Japanese) are on this Eater list.
AD BREAK :)
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Where to Stay
I am of the belief that Atlanta still has a long way to go in elevating its hotel game. Savannah, which is a much smaller city, has hipper boutique hotels, amenities and bath products. Do you agree or disagree?
I stayed two nights at the Starling Atlanta Midtown (FKA the W Midtown) and had a lot of opinions. Would I stay there again? Maybe, depending on the reason, but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
What I liked:
The location is great. The hotel is attached to Politan Row—you can access the food hall from the Starling’s second floor.
Had dinner in the lobby lounge and restaurant, Lantana. Was pleasantly surprised about the food—it was REALLY good. Had a salad and a steak (both shared with a friend) and a couple Negronis. We sat outside, which was nice minus the bugs that are unavoidable in the South. The indoor lounge area was a little loud for dinner (there was a full-blown DJ and dancing by the time we finished our meal), but it was Saturday night so I get it.
The hotel hosts a weekly workout series called #SweatSwimSpa, which I didn’t get to experience, but would definitely sign up for in the future. It’s a free fitness class on Saturdays taught by local instructors. After class, participants have access to the rooftop pool (I didn’t care for it, but on a hot day any pool is better than no pool) and spa facilities and can enjoy a free cocktail at Lantana, too.
Ahhhh, the spa. I got a 90-minute de-stress massage with Tamiko who was AMAZING. I asked for the dry brush add-on (you can also add CBD if you’d like for an additional cost). It was my first time dry brushing and I love that I got to take the brush home with me. I believe Tamiko has been with the spa since the W days—definitely ask for her when making your appointment. The spa hasn’t been updated since the hotel rebrand but it will be one of the areas that’ll be renovated soon.
Last, there’s a 27th floor ballroom space with 360-degree city views. Just beautiful. You don’t have to do much with a space like this because Atlanta’s greenery provides all the color and decor you need. A wedding or high school reunion up there could be really fun.
Now for what I didn’t like:
The elevators at the Starling are OLD. And they take forever. I’m talking a 15-minute wait on busy days, which just doesn’t work for a lot of people (me included).
The lobby bar crowd was rowdy, which is fine. I just like something a little more low-key. On the bright side, seems like a fun place to meet people/make friends.
As for the rooms, I had a great floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city on the 21st floor (or 22nd, can’t remember), but my bed faced the window instead of the TV—a strange setup, maybe? IDK. The amenities were the same tiny Aveda products you find in a lot of hotels—not my favorite. I feel like a hotel really ups the ante when they have better products for their guests. Collabs with local artists/creators/wellness brands are always a yes for me.
I’m sure soundproofing is expensive, but I could literally hear the people next door to me doing, well, everything. That’s always kind of creepy and awkward.
Again, this might not be my first choice hotel to book in Atlanta, but if I needed to be close to Midtown, the location can’t be beat. Have you visited this hotel? What did you think? Would you stay again?
A few more pics I took at the Starling below:
