Nishant & Laura's

Atlanta
Guide

Our running list of favorites — the spots we keep returning to and the ones worth seeking out.

Restaurants
Staplehouse Old Fourth Ward

The most thoughtful tasting menu in the city. Book months ahead — worth every minute of the wait.

Tasting menuSpecial occasion
Lazy Betty Poncey-Highland

Elegant and inventive without being precious about it. Incredible value for what you get.

Tasting menuNeighborhood gem
Chai Pani Decatur

Indian street food done right. The dahi puri alone is worth the drive to Decatur.

IndianCasual
Ponce City Market Food Hall Old Fourth Ward

Nine Pines pizza and a beer on the roof after the farmers market. A near-perfect Saturday.

Food hallWeekend ritual
Fred's Meat & Bread Old Fourth Ward

Breakfast sandwiches that make everything better. The smash burger is equally non-negotiable.

BreakfastSandwiches
Heirloom Market BBQ Smyrna

A Korean-Southern BBQ mashup that shouldn't work but absolutely does. The kimchi collards are the move.

BBQKorean fusion
Talat Market Summerhill

Thai food unlike anything else in the city. The menu changes constantly and it's always brilliant.

ThaiCreative
Coffee
Brash Coffee Reynoldstown

Our home base. Single-origin pour-overs and a thoughtful rotating menu. Feels like a neighborhood institution even though it's relatively young.

SpecialtyPour-over
Condesa Coffee Inman Park

Consistently excellent espresso. Good light and a long bar make it a great place to work.

EspressoWork-friendly
Octane Coffee Grant Park

The OG of Atlanta specialty coffee. The Grant Park location is quieter than Westside and our preference.

SpecialtyClassic
The Sentient Bean Savannah

Worth mentioning even though it's not Atlanta — best coffee on the Savannah trip, hands down.

Day tripSavannah
BeltLine & Biking
Eastside Trail Old Fourth Ward to Piedmont Park

Our most-walked stretch. Friday evenings, farmers market Saturdays, or a long Sunday ride — it never gets old.

WalkingBikingWeekend
Westside Trail West End to Bankhead

Less crowded than the Eastside, more industrial and gritty in the best way. Great for longer rides.

BikingRunning
PATH400 Buckhead to Lindbergh

Connects north Buckhead down to the Eastside trail. Good for getting real mileage in without hitting roads.

BikingLong rides
Atlanta Cycling Virginia-Highland

Our go-to for bike maintenance. Honest, fast, and they don't make you feel bad for asking questions.

BikesShop
Parks & Outdoors
Piedmont Park Midtown

The center of gravity on weekends. The farmers market on Saturdays is non-negotiable from spring through fall.

ParkFarmers market
Freedom Park Inman Park / Poncey-Highland

Connects to the BeltLine and feels like a real neighborhood park. Great for a quiet morning run.

ParkRunning
Stone Mountain Park Stone Mountain

The walk-up trail is harder than it looks and the view from the top is genuinely great. Go on a weekday.

HikingViews
Kennesaw Mountain Kennesaw

Best real hiking near the city. The upper summit trail gives you proper elevation gain and tree cover.

HikingDay trip
Bars & Nightlife
Clermont Lounge Poncey-Highland

Atlanta's most legendary dive. The Blondie is an institution. Go once, you'll understand everything.

Dive barInstitution
Ticonderoga Club Krog Street Market

Small, excellent cocktails, great wine list. The kind of bar that rewards regulars.

CocktailsWine
Monday Night Brewing West Midtown

Local brewery with a great taproom and yard. The Drafty Kilt Scottish ale is the one.

BreweryLocal
The Lawrence Midtown

Classic midtown bar that never disappoints. Good happy hour, comfortable without trying too hard.

Neighborhood barHappy hour
Kishore Home · Private family site