Does Atlanta Have a Chinatown? A Local’s Guide to Asian Districts Around the City

Atlanta doesn’t have a single, traditional “Chinatown” like you might see in New York or San Francisco. Instead, the metro area has several major Asian business districts—especially along the I‑85 corridor in Doraville and Duluth—where you’ll find dense clusters of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and other Asian-owned restaurants, markets, and shops.

If you live in Atlanta or you’re visiting and wondering where to go for authentic Chinese food, groceries, and cultural experiences, you actually have multiple “Chinatowns” in practice, even if most aren’t officially called that.

Atlanta’s Closest Thing to a Chinatown

The “Atlanta Chinatown Square” in Chamblee/Doraville Area

The most commonly mentioned “Chinatown” near Atlanta is the Atlanta Chinatown Square, a Chinese-focused shopping complex just outside the city.

While not a large neighborhood, it’s a compact plaza that feels like a mini-Chinatown, with:

• Chinese restaurants and bakeries
• Asian grocery options
• Bubble tea and dessert spots
• Services like herbal shops, salons, and travel agencies

This is often the first stop locals suggest when someone asks, “Where is Chinatown in Atlanta?”

Buford Highway: Atlanta’s Real Multicultural Food Corridor

If you’re looking for the most diverse, concentrated stretch of Asian culture in metro Atlanta, head to Buford Highway.

What Buford Highway Is Known For

Buford Highway runs through cities like Brookhaven, Chamblee, and Doraville, just northeast of Atlanta. It’s famous for its:

• Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Mexican, Central American, and other international restaurants
• Large Asian supermarkets and specialty food stores
• Bakeries, dessert cafés, tea shops, and late-night spots
• Storefronts with Chinese and Korean signage

From an Atlanta resident’s point of view, if there were a Chinatown, Buford Highway might be the widest version of it—just mixed with many other cultures.

Types of Places You’ll Find

Along Buford Highway, you can expect:

• Chinese restaurants ranging from regional Sichuan and Cantonese spots to casual takeout
• Dim sum restaurants, especially on weekends
• Chinese BBQ and hot pot
• Asian supermarkets carrying Chinese, Taiwanese, and pan-Asian products
• Herbal shops, bubble tea bars, and Asian dessert houses

Duluth and Gwinnett County: Suburban Asian Hubs

Beyond Buford Highway, the Duluth and Gwinnett County area has become one of metro Atlanta’s strongest Asian commercial clusters, often compared to a suburban Chinatown/Koreatown mix.

What to Expect in Duluth

In Duluth and nearby suburbs, you’ll find:

• Large pan-Asian shopping centers
• Chinese and Taiwanese restaurants and dessert cafés
• Korean BBQ, Korean bakeries, and cafés
• Specialty bubble tea shops and snack bars
• Asian beauty and skincare stores

The vibe is modern and suburban, with many plazas that are packed on weekends and evenings.

How Atlanta’s “Chinatown” Differs from Other U.S. Cities

If you’re used to a dense, historic Chinatown in the downtown core, Atlanta will feel a bit different.

Here’s a quick comparison:

So instead of one historic Chinatown, Atlanta has a network of Asian commercial hubs spread across the northeast side of the metro area.

Where to Go in Atlanta If You Want a “Chinatown” Experience

Here’s how to choose where to go based on what you’re looking for.

1. For First-Time Visitors: Buford Highway Area

If you’re new to Atlanta or just visiting and want to experience our version of “Chinatown” in a single trip, Buford Highway is your best starting point.

You’ll find:

• Chinese restaurants and hot pot
• Dim sum and dumpling houses
• Asian bakeries and bubble tea
• Large Asian grocery stores

Parking is generally plentiful but busy, especially during peak meal times. Expect most places to assume visitors arrive by car.

2. For Groceries and Everyday Shopping

Living in Atlanta and want to stock your pantry with Chinese staples?

Look along:

• Buford Highway (Brookhaven, Chamblee, Doraville)
• Pleasant Hill Road and nearby corridors in Duluth / Gwinnett County

You’ll typically find:

• Fresh produce used in Chinese and other Asian cuisines
• Noodles, sauces, oils, and spices
• Frozen dumplings and buns
• Asian snacks, candies, and drinks

Many Atlanta residents do regular weekly or monthly grocery runs to these areas, even if they live elsewhere in the city.

3. For a Day or Night Out

If you’re planning a food crawl or evening outing:

• Start with snacks or appetizers at a Chinese bakery or dumpling spot
• Have hot pot, BBQ, or family-style Chinese for your main meal
• Finish with bubble tea or Asian desserts nearby

Both Buford Highway and Duluth areas lend themselves well to this kind of multi-stop outing because many shops and restaurants sit in the same plazas or next door to each other.

Practical Tips for Visiting Atlanta’s “Chinatown” Areas

Getting There

Most of Atlanta’s Asian districts are not in walkable downtown. To reach them, people typically:

• Drive and park in shopping center lots
• Use ride-share services (especially helpful if you plan to visit multiple spots)
• Connect via MARTA bus routes where available, often starting from MARTA rail stations on the north side

If you’re staying downtown or in Midtown without a car, check how long a ride-share to Buford Highway or Doraville/Duluth will take. Travel times can vary significantly with traffic.

Language and Menus

• Many restaurants have English-language menus or picture menus.
• Some spots may have signage primarily in Chinese or Korean, but staff are generally accustomed to English-speaking customers.
• It’s common for local Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese communities to frequent these areas, so you’ll often hear multiple languages spoken.

Payment and Hours

• Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, but keeping a bit of cash on hand can be useful for smaller shops.
• Hours vary. Some bakeries and markets open earlier; some dessert cafés stay open late.
• Dim sum places are often busiest on weekends at brunch/lunch time.

How Locals Talk About “Chinatown” in Atlanta

You might hear Atlanta residents say things like:

• “Let’s go up to Buford Highway for Chinese.”
• “There’s a small Chinatown plaza up near Doraville.”
• “Duluth has tons of Asian plazas now.”

Most people use “Chinatown” loosely to refer to:

• A specific Chinese-heavy shopping center, or
• The broader Asian commercial stretches where Chinese businesses are a big part of the mix.

So if you ask, “Does Atlanta have a Chinatown?” you’ll usually be pointed to Buford Highway, Doraville, and Duluth, instead of a single, formally designated neighborhood inside the city limits.

If You’re New to Atlanta or Planning a Visit

Here’s a quick, action-focused summary:

• Is there an official Chinatown inside the City of Atlanta?
  No. There’s no large, historic Chinatown neighborhood downtown.

• Where should I go for a Chinatown-like experience?

  • Buford Highway (Brookhaven–Chamblee–Doraville stretch)
  • The Chamblee/Doraville area, including Atlanta Chinatown-style plazas
  • Duluth and surrounding parts of Gwinnett County

• What can I do there?

  • Eat authentic Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and other Asian cuisines
  • Shop at Asian grocery stores and markets
  • Explore bakeries, dessert cafés, and bubble tea shops
  • Experience one of the most international-feeling parts of metro Atlanta

If your goal is to find Atlanta’s version of a Chinatown, think less about one historic street and more about a cluster of vibrant suburban corridors, with Buford Highway and Gwinnett’s Asian plazas at the top of your list.