Traditional Atlanta Foods: What to Eat (and Where) in the ATL

Atlanta’s food scene is often described as “the capital of the New South,” but the city’s most traditional foods are deeply rooted in Southern, Black, and immigrant cuisines that have shaped Atlanta for generations. Whether you live here or are visiting, knowing what counts as “traditional Atlanta food” helps you order confidently and explore the city like a local.

Below is a practical guide to classic Atlanta dishes, how they fit into local culture, and where you’re most likely to find them around the city.

What Makes a Food “Traditional” in Atlanta?

In Atlanta, a food feels truly “traditional” when it:

• Has longstanding roots in Southern and Black Southern cooking
• Shows up at family gatherings, church events, and local diners
• Is served at institutions that have been around for decades
• Reflects Atlanta’s role as a transportation hub and migration crossroads

That’s why when people talk about traditional Atlanta foods, they’re often referring to:

• Soul food and Southern classics
• Barbecue and smoked meats
• Fried chicken and meat-and-three plates
• Peach and pecan-based desserts
• Regional favorites like chili-slathered hot dogs and lemon pepper wings

Classic Atlanta Soul Food

What “Soul Food” Means in Atlanta

Soul food in Atlanta is more than a restaurant style; it’s a tradition tied to the city’s Black history and culture. Expect:

• Rich, slow-cooked meats
• Hearty vegetables (often simmered with smoked meat)
• Cornbread or biscuits
• Plenty of seasoning, but not always a lot of heat

Typical soul food plates in Atlanta include:

• Fried chicken or smothered pork chops
• Collard greens (usually cooked with smoked turkey or pork)
• Macaroni and cheese, often baked into a casserole
• Candied yams
• Black-eyed peas, lima beans, or okra
• Cornbread or yeast rolls

Where You’ll Commonly Find It

You’ll see soul food:

• At long-running meat-and-three diners
• At Sunday buffets after church
• In neighborhoods such as West End, Cascade, Southwest Atlanta, and Atlanta University Center area
• At family-owned restaurants scattered throughout the city

When you look at a menu, anything described as “meat-and-three,” “soul food,” “country cooking,” or “home cooking” is usually in this tradition.

Fried Chicken: A True Atlanta Staple

Why Fried Chicken Is Central Here

Fried chicken is one of the most recognizable traditional Atlanta foods. Locally, it isn’t just fast food—it’s:

• A Sunday dinner standard
• A common choice for family reunions and tailgates
• Served everywhere from hotel brunch buffets to neighborhood cafés

Atlanta-style fried chicken is typically:

• Crispy on the outside, juicy inside
• Often marinated or brined before frying
• Served with hot sauce on the side, plus biscuits or waffles at brunch

Where Atlantans Eat It

You’ll find fried chicken:

• At soul food and meat-and-three restaurants across the city
• In airport restaurants and hotel dining rooms, often labeled “Southern fried chicken”
• At brunch spots in Midtown, Buckhead, and Old Fourth Ward, sometimes paired with waffles

Tip: If you see “Southern fried chicken” or “buttermilk fried chicken” on an Atlanta menu, that’s usually the dish locals think of as traditional.

Meat-and-Three: The Classic Southern Plate

How It Works

The meat-and-three is a traditional way Atlantans (and Southerners in general) order a meal:

1. Pick one meat (like fried chicken, meatloaf, turkey, or pork chops)
2. Add three sides (often vegetables, casseroles, or starches)
3. Get bread (cornbread or roll) included

Typical sides in Atlanta:

• Collard greens
• Green beans
• Mashed potatoes and gravy
• Mac and cheese
• Candied yams
• Fried okra
• Corn, squash, or broccoli casserole

Where You’ll See Meat-and-Three

You’ll find meat-and-three plates at:

• Older diners and cafeterias around the city
• Downtown and Midtown lunch spots catering to office workers
• Neighborhood restaurants in areas like East Point, College Park, and Decatur

If the menu uses phrases like “plate lunch,” “blue plate special,” or “meat-and-two/three,” you’re in the right place.

Barbecue in Atlanta: Pork, Ribs, and More

Atlanta’s Barbecue Style

Atlanta doesn’t have one single “official” barbecue style, but traditional offerings in the city typically feature:

• Pork ribs (spare or baby back)
• Pulled pork sandwiches or plates
• Chicken (smoked or grilled)
• Sometimes beef brisket, depending on the restaurant

Common characteristics:

• Sauces range from sweet and tomato-based to vinegary
• Meats are usually smoked low and slow
• Sides often mirror soul food: slaw, baked beans, potato salad, collard greens, cornbread

Where to Experience Traditional Atlanta Barbecue

You’ll encounter barbecue:

• At roadside-style shacks in and around the Perimeter
• In neighborhood joints in places like East Atlanta, Kirkwood, College Park, and along major corridors
• At festivals, tailgates, and community events throughout the year

Ordering tip: A “pulled pork plate with two sides” and a sweet tea is about as traditional as it gets in many Atlanta barbecue spots.

Hot Dogs, Chili, and Atlanta’s Late-Night Traditions

The Atlanta Chili Dog

One quirky, traditional Atlanta food is the chili-slathered hot dog, often topped with:

• Chili
• Cheese
• Onions
• Sometimes mustard

These are classic late-night and lunch-counter foods that have been served in the city for decades.

You’ll most often find them:

• At historic hot dog stands and diners
• In and around Downtown and Midtown
• Near Georgia State University, government buildings, and older office corridors

Many long-time residents grew up grabbing chili dogs and burgers from the same small counters their parents and grandparents used.

Lemon Pepper Wings: A Modern Atlanta Classic

How Wings Became “Atlanta”

While chicken wings aren’t unique to Atlanta, the lemon pepper wing—especially “lemon pepper wet”—has become one of the city’s most iconic local foods.

What to know:

• Lemon pepper dry: Wings tossed in a lemon pepper seasoning
• Lemon pepper wet: Wings coated in lemon pepper plus a buttery or saucy base
• Often eaten with ranch or blue cheese and celery, plus fries on the side

Where Atlantans Eat Wings

Traditional wing experiences in Atlanta include:

• Wing spots in strip centers all over the metro area
• Sports bars near major venues like Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena
• Neighborhood bars and grills from Buckhead to College Park
• Takeout-focused wing joints across Southwest Atlanta, East Atlanta, and beyond

Locals often pair wings with:

• Fried rice (an Atlanta takeout habit)
• French fries with extra seasoning
• A soda or sweet tea

If you’re in Atlanta and haven’t tried lemon pepper wet wings, many residents would say you’re missing a key local flavor.

The Peach State on a Plate: Peaches and Peach Cobbler

Peaches in Atlanta Culture

Even though actual peach farming now happens more in rural parts of Georgia, Atlanta fully embraces the peach as a symbol. You’ll see peach flavors:

• On dessert menus citywide
• In summer specials at restaurants
• At farmers markets in and around the city

Peach-Based Traditional Desserts

Common traditional desserts include:

• Peach cobbler – baked dessert with spiced peaches and a biscuit or pastry topping
• Peach pie – classic double-crust or lattice pie
• Peach ice cream – often a seasonal treat

Where you’ll typically find them:

• Soul food and Southern restaurants
• Bakery counters in neighborhoods around Atlanta
• Buffet-style restaurants on Sundays and holidays

Ordering tip: When a restaurant lists a “cobbler of the day” in summer, in Atlanta it’s often peach.

Pecans, Pies, and Southern Sweets

Pecan Traditions

Georgia is widely associated with pecans, and Atlanta leans into that heritage. Traditional Atlanta sweets often include:

• Pecan pie
• Pecan pralines or candies
• Pecan-topped cobblers and cakes

These desserts are especially common:

• Around Thanksgiving and winter holidays
• At family-owned restaurants
• At local bakeries and farmers markets

Other Traditional Southern Desserts Around Atlanta

You’ll frequently see:

• Banana pudding – layered dessert with vanilla wafers, bananas, and pudding
• Red velvet cake – often frosted with cream cheese icing
• Sweet potato pie – a holiday and Sunday-dinner classic

Dessert sections at traditional restaurants are usually brief but filled with these Atlanta-favorite options.

Vegetables, “Fixings,” and Sides: The Unsung Heroes

How Veggies Are Served Traditionally

In Atlanta, vegetable sides are as important as the main dish. Many are cooked low and slow, seasoned generously, and sometimes simmered with meat.

Common vegetable and side dishes:

• Collard greens
• Turnip or mustard greens
• Fried okra
• Stewed okra and tomatoes
• Black-eyed peas
• Lima beans
• Cabbage
• Cornbread (sometimes sweet, sometimes not)

Where to Focus If You Want a “Real” Southern Plate

If you want a traditional spread, consider:

• Choosing one classic meat (fried chicken, pork chops, turkey, or meatloaf)
• Adding three or four different sides
• Including cornbread or biscuits if available
• Finishing with cobbler, banana pudding, or a slice of pie

This approach mirrors the way many Atlanta families eat at Sunday lunches, reunions, and holiday gatherings.

Sweet Tea and Local Drinks

Sweet Tea: The Default Southern Beverage

In much of Atlanta, sweet tea is the standard drink with traditional foods.

Key points:

• If you just say “tea,” servers often ask “sweet or unsweet?”
• Sweet tea is usually pre-sweetened and served over ice
• It’s commonly paired with barbecue, fried chicken, and soul food

Other Traditional Beverage Choices

Alongside sweet tea, you’ll often see:

• Lemonade, sometimes mixed with tea (often called an “Arnold Palmer”)
• Soft drinks (especially cola products, given Atlanta’s connection to a major soda brand)
• Locally brewed beers at bars and modern Southern restaurants

Quick Reference: Traditional Atlanta Foods at a Glance

Where to Start If You’re New to Traditional Atlanta Food

If you’re exploring Atlanta and want a simple game plan:

1. Have a soul food lunch

   • Order fried chicken or smothered pork chops
   • Pick three sides (collards, mac and cheese, candied yams are a classic trio)
   • Get cornbread if available

2. Try barbecue on another day

   • Get pulled pork or ribs with slaw and baked beans
   • Order a sweet tea to drink

3. Sample wings, Atlanta-style

   • Choose lemon pepper wet or lemon pepper dry
   • Add fries and a dipping sauce

4. End one meal with a peach or pecan dessert

   • Peach cobbler in warmer months
   • Pecan pie or banana pudding any time of year

By following this pattern, you’ll cover most of the core traditional Atlanta foods that locals associate with home, history, and everyday eating.

Practical Tips for Eating Traditional in Atlanta

• Look for daily specials. Many restaurants list “meat-and-three” or “plate specials” on a board or separate menu.
• Go earlier on Sundays. Soul food spots and buffets can get crowded after church services.
• Ask about preparation. If you’re watching ingredients (salt, pork, dairy), many places will tell you how sides are cooked.
• Explore beyond the tourist core. While Downtown and Midtown have options, you’ll find some of the most traditional spots in neighborhoods like Southwest Atlanta, East Point, College Park, and Decatur.
• Embrace leftovers. Portions are often generous, and taking food home is normal.

Traditional Atlanta foods blend family recipes, regional ingredients, and long-standing local habits. Whether you’re here for a few days or planting roots, focusing on fried chicken, soul food sides, barbecue, wings, and peach or pecan desserts will give you a genuine taste of how Atlanta eats.