There are some rules you must understand if you’re to fully appreciate Atlanta’s rich soul food scene. For starters, macaroni and cheese is a vegetable. Next, if you order fried fish, you already know that’s a 10- to 15-minute wait. And lastly, the more crust the merrier when it comes to a proper peach cobbler serving. Need a refresher with these laws? No problem. The following comfort food institutions are happy to share their down-home cooking skills. Also check our our cornbread and peach cobbler power rankings.
THE SPOTS
A place can be considered a classic eatery based off its tenure, its taste or, in the case of this award-winning ATL icon, a delicious combination of the two. All of that said, the slights you’ve heard about Busy Bee are correct. The (closed-until-further-notice) dining room is too tight. The Saturday takeout line does stretch to Conyers. Yes, your bill will run $50 for two people. Still, no matter how many times we’ve complained under our breath—we’re well over 100 visits by now—we’ve never left unhappy. The best soul food restaurant in the city has its challenges, yes, but cooking excellent fried chicken, fish, and sides isn’t on that list.
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Head to Tom, Dick & Hank in College Park when you want BBQ to go along with your soul food. Hangout on the big patio with a well-battered whiting sandwich or a smoked turkey leg so perfectly seasoned it doesn't need any sauce or gravy. Or catch the Hawks on the bar screens inside the dining room while eating some of the best smoked wings and cornbread in the town. Plus, it’s a serious takeout spot—great if you’d rather mourn the Falcons’ latest game from the comfort of your couch.
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Near the airport, this is a great first stop when you touch down in Hartsfield and are in need of a delicious, hearty meal. Even if you’re not flying anywhere, you should keep Lickety Split on your rotation because you won’t find anyone in the wider metro doing Southern food as well. The crunchy, savory and a well-seasoned burger are both contenders for best in town. Savory greens, and delicious creamy coleslaw round out the menu. The sweet shouldn't be skipped either. It’s made with a sugary, bready crust, and served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
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With an eye on culture, Durtybird Southern Kitchen has a spacious dining room decorated with huge photos of iconic scenes from favorites like Boomerang, Love Jones, and A Different World, and a small bookstand in the front featuring both Obama memoirs. These touches, along with friendly service, make this Jonesboro restaurant a great place for a meetup. Whether it’s for dinner, where your hungry crew can dive into plates of golden fried chicken, cinnamon-y yams, and kale greens with a vinegary kick, or for lunch when they have a $12 plate special, Durtybird is a go-to if you’re in ClayCo and looking for very solid soul food.
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Red Rice Soul Food is a family-run counter-service spot in East Atlanta serving cartons full of soul food made for feeding a crew. The owners are genuinely excited about the food and want you to join their flock of regulars, so don’t be surprised if you’re handed a thick slice of cornbread to try on the spot. No acting required—it’s actually great, and so is pretty much everything else. What sets this place apart is the red rice—a delicious tomato-based Gullah Geechee classic that anchors almost every order and makes this spot feel different from your usual soul food run. Many items are cooked-to-order here, so order online to skip the wait.
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The hot bar at The Standard Kitchen By GH begins with a SweetGreen-style salad assembly station. That immediately sets this place apart. Get a thick piece of herby salmon to top your DIY salad, or go for the vegan meatloaf covered in thick tomato sauce. If you’re here for butter and sugar, you can get that too, like honeyed yams. The cafeteria-style restaurant is also a strong lunch or dinner stop when you’re craving classics like juicy baked chicken with peppers or oxtails in savory gravy over rice.
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Folks who frequent this MLK Drive mainstay know that you either come with patience or you don’t come at all. We usually see lines 25 deep at 3:45 in the afternoon. The reason no one ever storms off before their turn is because they know that when they finally make their way to the front and see the pork chops, fried chicken, and gravy-soaked liver, their sacrifice wouldn’t have been in vain. But even with the tasty meats, the best thing about A1 might be its sides. The yams melt in your mouth. The mac and cheese is baked to perfection. If it wasn’t for the 30-minute wait, you’d be tempted to order seconds.
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If you want fried chicken but don’t have the energy or time for a full sit-down meal, swing by Delilah’s Soul Food at Chattahoochee Food Works on the Upper Westside. It’s perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. The fried chicken is juicy and flavorful with a shatteringly crispy crust, and the sides hold their own—the mac and cheese is gooey and well-seasoned, while the cornbread is extra moist and sweet like cake. Even though Chattahoochee Food Works has a trendy, buzzy vibe, Delilah’s feels more comforting. Expect to be greeted with old-school charm, a smile, and some easy-going banter when you pick up your food.
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With black-and-white images of Civil Rights pillars like Coretta Scott King towering over the tables and the O’Jays’ “For the Love of Money” coming through the speakers, you think you know what’s in store at this ATL classic—a soul-soothing scene filled with catfish, candied yams, and cornbread. And that’s exactly wh—wait a second, is that Snoop Dogg you hear now? And hold up, is that really a robot dropping off the plates? Yep and yep. Thankfully, this mix of trendy and traditional works because the food is so damn tasty.
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Folks line up in the drive-thru at Annie Laura’s in Riverdale and leave with heavy containers full of hearty takes on old-school classics. It’s an easy go-to when you can’t be bothered to get out of the car, and the food more than holds up. The proteins shine—the seasoning on the fried chicken soaks into the meat, and the golden fried whiting is good enough to be hot-sauce optional. But the star here is the turkey wing, covered in creamy gravy on top of a bed of rice or dressing (we suggest the slightly sweet dressing because it’s fantastic). As for the sides, the yams are sweet and soft without turning mushy, and both the collards and cabbage stay sturdy, though they could use a touch more salt.
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