What Food Is Atlanta, Georgia Known For? A Local’s Guide to Essential Eats

Atlanta’s food scene mixes Southern comfort, Black culinary traditions, and global influences into something you won’t find anywhere else. Whether you live in the city or you’re planning a visit, understanding what food Atlanta, Georgia is known for helps you eat like a local—not just like a tourist.

Below are the dishes, flavors, and food traditions that truly define Atlanta, plus where and how you’re most likely to experience them around the city.

The Core of Atlanta Food: Southern Comfort, ATL Style

Atlanta food is rooted in Southern cooking, but the city’s identity goes beyond “classic Southern.” You’ll see:

• Soul food from long-running family restaurants
• Modern Southern from chef-driven spots in Midtown, Buckhead, and along the BeltLine
• Global twists on Southern staples in neighborhoods like Edgewood, Decatur, and West Midtown

At its heart, Atlanta is known for:

• Fried chicken
• Soul food vegetables and sides
• Peach-focused desserts and drinks
• Barbecue
• Hot chicken wings (especially lemon pepper)
• Biscuits and breakfast plates
• Southern seafood boils and Lowcountry-style dishes

Let’s break down each of these so you know what to look for and how they show up across the city.

Fried Chicken: The Unofficial Main Dish of Atlanta

If you ask what food Atlanta is known for, fried chicken comes up almost immediately.

What makes Atlanta fried chicken special?

Atlanta-style fried chicken often focuses on:

• Crispy, well-seasoned breading
• Juicy meat, usually brined or marinated
• Classic sides like collard greens, mac and cheese, and cornbread

You’ll find it in:

• Soul food restaurants all over the city
• Buffet-style “meat and three” spots
• Brunch menus from Midtown to Inman Park

Pro tip: In Atlanta, fried chicken is not limited to lunch or dinner. Sunday brunch with fried chicken and waffles, biscuits, or grits is a major local ritual.

Soul Food Plates and “Meat and Three” Tradition

Atlanta is widely known for soul food—hearty, home-style meals that connect strongly to Black Southern culture.

Typical Atlanta soul food meal

You’ll often see menus set up as:

• One meat + two or three sides, plus bread
• Optional dessert like peach cobbler or banana pudding

Common mains:

• Fried chicken
• Smothered pork chops
• Baked or fried fish
• Oxtails or turkey wings in some spots

Common sides (“vegetables” on menus, even if they aren’t all vegetables):

• Collard greens
• Candied yams
• Macaroni and cheese
• Black-eyed peas
• Green beans
• Cornbread dressing
• Rice and gravy
• Cornbread or rolls

These plates are standard across many neighborhoods—West End, Cascade, South Atlanta, and beyond.

Peaches and Peach Desserts: Georgia on a Plate

Georgia is the Peach State, and Atlanta leans into that reputation.

How peaches show up in Atlanta food

You’re likely to find:

• Peach cobbler – a top dessert in many soul food restaurants
• Peach pie and peach tarts – at local bakeries and diners
• Peach sweet tea or lemonades – especially at casual spots and food trucks
• Peach jams or sauces – sometimes used in brunch dishes or glazes

During peach season (typically summer), Atlanta farmers’ markets and local groceries feature fresh Georgia peaches, which sometimes end up in seasonal menus at neighborhood restaurants.

Lemon Pepper Wings and Atlanta Wing Culture

If there is one answer people give to “What food is Atlanta known for?” in modern pop culture, it’s often Atlanta wings—especially lemon pepper.

Why wings are a big deal in Atlanta

Atlanta has a strong wing culture, shaped by:

• Dozens of wing joints and sports bars
• A tradition of ordering wings for parties, game days, and late nights
• A local preference for lemon pepper, both dry and “wet” (tossed in a buttery lemon pepper sauce)

Popular flavors around the city include:

• Lemon pepper (dry or wet)
• Hot, mild, or medium buffalo-style sauces
• Honey hot or honey lemon pepper
• Garlic parmesan

Wings often come with:

• Ranch or blue cheese
• Celery and carrot sticks
• Fries, sometimes dusted with extra seasoning

In Atlanta, wings are eaten everywhere—from neighborhood spots on the Southside and Westside to more polished sports bars in Midtown and Buckhead.

Barbecue: Atlanta’s Mix of Styles

Atlanta doesn’t follow just one barbecue tradition. Instead, the city blends elements from Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Texas.

What you’ll typically find at Atlanta barbecue spots

Common meats:

• Pork ribs and pulled pork
• Beef brisket
• Smoked chicken
• Sausages

Typical sides:

• Baked beans
• Coleslaw
• Potato salad or mac and cheese
• Brunswick stew (a Georgia favorite made with meat, tomatoes, and vegetables)

Sauces vary, but you’ll often see:

• Tomato-based, slightly sweet sauces
• Mustard-based options at some spots
• Spicy or vinegar-forward versions

Barbecue is popular citywide—inside the Perimeter and in surrounding suburbs. Many Atlantans grab barbecue plates for family gatherings, tailgates, and weekend takeout.

Biscuits, Grits, and Big Southern Breakfasts

Atlanta is known for serious breakfast plates, especially in diners and local breakfast chains.

What to expect at an Atlanta-style breakfast

You’ll commonly see:

• Biscuits – fluffy, often served with butter, jelly, gravy, or stacked as a sandwich
• Grits – plain, cheesy, buttery, or with shrimp and gravy for a bigger meal
• Country-style breakfast plates with:
  • Eggs any style
  • Bacon, sausage, or country ham
  • Hash browns or home fries
  • Toast or biscuits

Brunch culture is also strong, particularly in Midtown, Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park, and West Midtown, where restaurants put creative spins on:

• Chicken and waffles
• Shrimp and grits
• Biscuit sandwiches with fried chicken, pimento cheese, or hot honey

Southern Seafood and Lowcountry Influences

While Atlanta isn’t coastal, it’s known for Southern-style seafood, especially:

• Shrimp and grits
• Fish and grits
• Fried catfish or whiting
• Lowcountry boils or “seafood boils” with shrimp, crab legs, sausage, corn, and potatoes

You’ll see these dishes:

• On soul food buffet lines
• At coastal-inspired restaurants
• In casual seafood spots, particularly on the Southside and in areas with strong Gullah-Geechee or Lowcountry influence

Classic Southern Sides and Condiments You’ll See Everywhere

Part of what defines Atlanta’s food isn’t just the main dishes, but the sides and extras that come with almost everything.

Common sides and extras in Atlanta restaurants

These show up across soul food restaurants, diners, barbecue joints, and even hotel buffets around the city.

Sweet Treats and Desserts Atlanta Is Known For

Beyond peach cobbler, Atlanta has a sweet side that locals know well.

Commonly loved Atlanta-area desserts include:

• Peach cobbler – warm, often with ice cream
• Banana pudding – frequently made with vanilla wafers and whipped topping
• Red velvet cake – a special-occasion favorite
• Sweet potato pie – especially around fall and holidays
• Pecan pie – tying into broader Georgia traditions

Many of these are served in family-owned restaurants, community bakeries, and church events throughout the metro area.

The Influence of Atlanta’s Diverse Communities

Atlanta is also recognized for its global food scene, which blends into what the city is “known for.”

Key influences you’ll notice

• Black American and Caribbean: Jerk chicken, oxtails, plantains, and fusion wings and seafood
• Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese: Particularly strong food corridors in Doraville, Duluth, and along Buford Highway, easily reachable from the city
• Mexican and Latin American: Tacos, tortas, pupusas, and more across neighborhoods on the west and south sides and in the suburbs

While these dishes aren’t “traditional Southern,” they shape the modern identity of Atlanta food, especially for locals who blend soul food with international flavors in their weekly eating.

Farmers Markets and Local Produce in and Around Atlanta

If you want to see where much of the fresh Southern produce comes from, Atlanta offers several reliable public markets:

• Your DeKalb Farmers Market

  • 3000 E Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030
  • Known for: Fresh produce, global ingredients, seafood, baked goods

• Atlanta State Farmers Market (Forest Park)

  • 16 Forest Pkwy, Forest Park, GA 30297
  • Known for: Wholesale and retail produce, Georgia-grown fruits and vegetables including peaches in season

These markets help support the seasonal fruits and vegetables you see reflected on menus and in local home cooking.

How to Eat Like a Local in Atlanta

If you’re trying to experience the food Atlanta is known for, focus on:

• At least one soul food meal

  • Look for a “meat and three” plate with fried chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese, and cornbread.

• A lemon pepper wing order

  • Try both dry and wet if available.

• A Southern brunch

  • Consider shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, or a biscuit sandwich.

• A barbecue plate

  • Aim for pulled pork or ribs plus Brunswick stew and a classic side.

• A peach dessert

  • Peach cobbler is the most iconic Atlanta choice.

This combination gives you a clear sense of what food Atlanta, Georgia is truly known for—from long-standing traditions to modern favorites.

Once you’ve tried these, you’ll have a solid foundation for exploring the city’s many neighborhoods and their unique takes on Southern and global food.