Each month, Rough Draft’s dining team, Beth McKibben and Sarra Sedghi, share their favorite restaurant dishes from dining on the clock, along with a few restaurant discoveries and cool pop-ups to put on your radar. In 2025, that translated to 42 recommended dishes and drinks to try, which we’ve compiled into a handy map.
Tamales huevos rancheros at Season (2025 Best New Restaurant)
301 Lemon St., Marietta
The tamale huevos rancheros sees two handmade tamales atop refried lentils and salsa roja with two thick slices of bacon and two sunny eggs.
Paella at Ticonderoga Club
Krog Street Market, Inman Park
Considered by The Club as a Chef David Bies “signature,” the paella incorporates Spanish Calasparra short-grain rice tossed in fragrant saffron, to which chorizo, shell-on white shrimp, and whole clams and mussels are added.
Thai basil burrito at Paper Plane
816 S. Central Ave, Hapeville
Scrambled eggs, chunks of Thai basil chicken sausage, and sautéed peppers and onions come tossed in a zesty Thai basil sauce before being packed into a lightly fried, tightly wrapped flour tortilla.
Little Gem and baby kale salad at The Porter Beer Bar
1156 Euclid Ave., Little Five Points
The Porter’s Little Gem and baby kale salad comes topped with watermelon radishes and crisp cucumbers tossed in a house-made green goddess dressing and crumbles of tangy parmesan cheese.
Duck at The Wrecking Bar Brewpub
292 Moreland Ave., Inman Park
A menu favorite of Wrecking Bar regulars, the duck changes seasonally. Past versions have seen duck marinated in chili fish sauce and sprinkled with bonito flakes, served on a salad of padron peppers, garlic corn, and bok choy with butternut squash puree. A soft-boiled egg adds a rich creaminess to the dish.
Wedge salad at Gene’s
2371 Hosea L Williams Dr., East Lake
Gene’s in East Lake gives the classic wedge salad a fresh, zesty twist with fried shallots and garlic, a generous sprinkling of chives, and sprigs of dill amped up with basil oil and dressed in jalapeno ranch.
Tacos barrio bravo at Pata Negra
1777 Peachtree Road, Brookwood Hills
The tacos barrio bravo come loaded with savory scrambled eggs, spicy chorizo, and home fries cradled in hand-made corn tortillas during weekend brunch. (Think breakfast hash in a taco garnished with crumbles of queso fresco and avocado mousse.)
Lamb pilaf at Bey Mediterranean
1035 Alpharetta St., Roswell
The lamb pilaf comes served as a fragrant mound of basmati rice cooked in lamb jus, spiced with cardamom, and laced with sweet sultanas. The rice is then crowned with shredded lamb shank, fresh parsley, and slivers of shaved almonds. A ramekin of savory lamb jus accompanies the dish.
Green tea castella at Bread Museum
3473 Old Norcross Road, Duluth
The green tea castella, a Japanese sponge cake flavored with honey, is filled with vanilla buttercream and garnished with a bright red sugared strawberry.
Pesto e Pomodoro at A Mano
587 Ralph McGill Blvd, Old Fourth Ward
The pesto e pomodoro sees rigatoni tossed in a zesty sun-dried tomato pesto mixed with sautéed rapini leaves and stems, fennel fronds, and crumbles of feta cheese.
Manti and guyurou laghman at Laghman Express
3070 Windward Plaza, Alpharetta
Start with an order of Uzbek-Uyghur manti (savory lamb dumplings) accompanied by a garlicky yogurt dipping sauce. Then order guyurou laghman, a traditional hand-pulled noodle dish with beef and a medley of stir-fried vegetables spiced with cumin, red pepper flakes, and coriander
Chargrilled oysters at Shuckboyz pop-up
Garnished with melted chipotle gouda cheese, collards, and lemon pepper-soaked Spam bits, Jeremy Smith and Cameron Lukkar dubbed these charcoal-grilled mollusks Oysters Magic City.
Red joojeh kebabs at Koochini Persian Kitchen
3781 Presidential Pkwy, Northeast Atlanta
The beet-marinated red kebabs are notably juicy, even for a jujeh kebab, and flexes a little bit of heat not often experienced in Persian cuisine.
Shrimp and grits at Peckish
225 Rogers St., Kirkwood
Succulent, almost crunchy shrimp adorn a gouda grit cake with a delightfully crispy surface. The creamy Cajun sauce, sauteed vegetables, and saffron threads on top bring everything together.
Huevos motuleños at Machete Grill Taco Factory
2566 Shallowford Road, Atlanta
The huevos motuleños is a traditional breakfast dish from the Yucatan. Two fried tortillas come layered with refried beans, ham, peas, salsa, and queso fresco and are topped with a fried egg. The dish is served with fried plantains.
Related: Rough Draft Atlanta’s Best New Restaurants of 2025
Readers’ Choice | Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Tucker | Best New Bar | Best Collaboration | Community Spirit Award
Pesto pasta at Nonna Dora (2025 Best New Restaurant)
1100 Hammond Dr., Sandy Springs
Slightly al dente spaghetti comes tossed in pesto speckled with ground pine nuts and basil leaves, given a bit of crunch from crispy string beans. Nonna Dora opts for Grana Padano rather than Parmesan, a crumbly cheese with a robust bite, buttery texture, and nutty flavor.
Southern Krakow duck at Beksa Lala
The smoked duck breast tastes like sausage atop a mild buckwheat waffle served with fenugreek whip, bilberry syrup, and braised chard. The tart bilberry syrup plays up the savory notes elsewhere in the dish, so go ahead and pour it over everything.
Strawberries and cream cake at Your Dekalb Farmers Market
3000 E Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur
An effervescent, spongy, and minimally sweet cake complemented by whipped cream and a layer of strawberry segments.
Peaches and cream pound cake at Whoopsie’s
1 Moreland Ave., Reynoldstown
Two mini rounds of delicately moist pound cake are sandwiched together with semi-sweet whipped cream and slivers of fresh peaches (or seasonal fruit). Another layer of peaches and cream tops the cake.
Shrooms and grits at La Semilla (vegan)
780 Memorial Dr., Reynoldstown
A creamy bowl of jalapeno-spiked yellow grits come topped with cornmeal-battered Lion’s Mane mushrooms, quick-fried to allow for a crispy coating without the mushrooms losing tenderness, which mimics the texture of shrimp.
Muhammara and cheese manoushe at Levant Oven
1275 Powers Ferry Road, Marietta
The muhammara and cheese Lebanese flatbread comes layered with melted cheese and muhammara, a zesty pepper spread often served as a dip made from roasted red peppers, pomegranate, molasses, walnuts, olive oil, and bread crumbs. Muhammara combines a fragrant blend of smokiness, savory tang, and subtle sweetness with a hint of heat.
Wedge salad at Small Fry
777 Memorial Dr., Reynoldstown
Gorgonzola, herby dressing, pepperoni crumb, pepperoncinis, and clumps of fresh vodka sauce turn a regular lettuce wedge into something dynamic, like a slice of pizza or deli-style Italian sub without the glob of bread.
Ham and cheese beignets at Madeira Park (2025 Best New Restaurant)
640 North Highland Ave., Poncey-Highland
Similar to the size and shape of croquettes, the cheesy interior maintains a porky essence throughout.
Chicken tikka boti at Dosa Boti
1210 Canton St., Roswell
The chicken tikka boti comes stuffed with vegetables and apricot chutney wrapped in a dosa.
Friday night burgers at Sammy’s (2025 Best New Restaurant)
565 Northside Dr., Adair Park
The compact smashburger is given a little zhuzh with mayo, melty American cheese, pickle chips, and red onions sandwiched within a toasted brioche bun.
Chicken shumai at Canton House
4825 Buford Hwy, Chamblee
While Sarra’s regular move here is the shrimp shumai, there’s something special going on with the combination of chicken and seasoning in the chicken shumai.
Hama Hama oysters at Kimball House
303 E. Howard Ave., Decatur
The Hama Hama oysters from Washington may not have intense salinity, but the fresh, clean taste and minerality of these oysters transports you to the Pacific Ocean.
Related: Rough Draft Atlanta’s Best New Restaurants of 2025
Readers’ Choice | Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Tucker | Best New Bar | Best Collaboration | Community Spirit Award
Chilaquiles at La Mixteca Tamale House
Buckhead, Underwood Hills, Suwanee
La Mixteca keeps its chilaquiles add-on options tight, the basic dish comes with eggs of any style, avocado, queso fresco, onions, cilantro, and jalapeños. But consider adding spicy green salsa, shredded chicken, and a sunny egg, mixing in the yolk to give the chilaquiles a creamier texture.
Reuben on a za’atar bagel at Yaba’s Bagels (2025 Best New Restaurant)
4780 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody
At lunch, order the Reuben on a za’atar bagel stuffed full of savory hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut.
Croissants from delivery service Viennoiseries After Dark
Butter + love = Paris. That’s the motto for Viennoiseries and the founding principle behind Chloë Chadet’s cottage bakery operation. This includes buttery, flaky croissants delivered after dark to homes throughout metro Atlanta, perfect for a late-night snack.
Sopa de pollo roja at Communidad Taqueria
655 Highland Ave., Old Fourth Ward
This hearty soup with an aromatic red broth infused with chiles and tomatoes resembles pozole. Chicken asada, corn, fried tortilla strips, and white beans pack the savory broth, to which you add shredded cabbage, radishes, and fresh cilantro.
Matcha tonic at White Windmill Cafe & Bakery
Buckhead, Doraville, Duluth
While not the drink for everyone, especially if you don’t enjoy matcha without milk or syrup, the fizzy carbonated water aerates the earthiness of matcha. You can also add boba.
Patatas bravas at La Metro
Ponce City Market
Resembling thinly sliced steak fries, the patatas bravas are seasoned with garlic, salt, smoked paprika, and fresh parsley. The potatoes are parboiled, then hit the fryer just long enough to crisp the outside, leaving the flesh inside tender and fluffy. The addition of a spicy tomato dipping sauce gives these Spanish fries an edge.
Cream tea at Zen Tea
Chamblee
The move at Zen is the tea and cream for one, which comes with a 16-ounce pot of tea and three seasonal scones accompanied by lemon curd, preserves, honey, and fresh clotted cream.
Salmon at Danbi Seasonal Kitchen (2025 Best New Restaurant)
Brookhaven
The salmon entree at Danbi is appropriately flavored with a slight bit of medium-rare heat that lets the flesh fall apart in your mouth. The accompanying vegetables included miso-glazed kabocha squash, which boasted a rich fermented flavor.
Carrot cake from At Heart Panaderia
Baker Teresa Finney’s carrot cake is pure artistry, incorporating flavors like salted caramel and orange cream.
Squash pancakes at Pure Quill Superette
Edgewood
Chef Hudson Rouse cooks shredded butternut squash in French butter on a flat top until a wafer-thin patty forms (similar to hash browns). He then pours the pancake batter over the squash patty. As a mild-tasting fall squash carrying hints of warm spices, the butternut squash lends a touch of nutty earthiness, while not over-amplifying the sweetness of the pancake batter.
Mountain trout cru at Avize (2025 Best New Restaurant)
Westside Atlanta
Tender slices of North Georgia trout come marinated in yuzu topped with teeny dollops of diced celery. A thin celery ribbon provides a soft crunch, with pops of salinity from trout roe and hints of savoriness from blistered shishito. The cru is finished table side with fermented apple cider ponzu.
Special ceviche at Cuzco Peruvian Cuisine
Brookhaven
The special ceviche comes topped with calamari. The textures and flavors are like eating snapper sashimi with ponzu sauce after a deep-sea fishing trip.
Akami tuna crudo at Celestia
Spring Quarter, Midtown
The akami tuna crudo is dressed with soy vinaigrette and topped with a light salad of avocado and onions.
Green chile corn pudding at Lewis Barbecue
Ansley Mall, Piedmont Heights
When Sarra saw “green chile” and “corn pudding” together, she knew her palate was in for a good time. Every bite felt like being wrapped up in a hearty, slightly sweet, and smoky cornmeal duvet. She told a manager at Lewis that she wanted the corn pudding served at her funeral.
Tinga de pollo mulita at El Tesoro
Wild Heaven Brewery at Lee + White, West End
The mulita, a popular Tijuana street dish, served as a quick-ish meal that was satisfying without inducing a food coma. A seared cheese casing with the crunch and zing you’d encounter on a fresh slice of New York-style pizza, and a mild thrum of spice and smokiness in the background.