Sports & Game Day Atlanta

West Midtown · pizza, neapolitan, italian

The original Hemphill Avenue pizzeria Giovanni Di Palma opened in 2009 and built Little Italia around, with a Bib Gourmand. Worth knowing: its own site claims a Michelin star from 2023, and the guide lists a Bib Gourmand, which is what we publish.

See Morehouse football at B.T. Harvey Stadium, then eat at The Busy Bee Cafe about 0.6 mile from the campus address.

Midtown

See Yellow Jackets football on the Midtown campus, then eat at Antico Pizza or a Midtown restaurant about a mile away.

Downtown · bbq

A South Downtown smokehouse built around brisket, ribs, chicken wings, and chopped pork. The room includes a full bar and sits within walking distance of the stadium and arena district. Reservations are available through the official site.

See Clark Atlanta football at CAU Panther Stadium, then eat at The Busy Bee Cafe about 0.2 mile away.

See Georgia State football at the Hank Aaron Drive stadium, with Little Bear and Wood's Chapel BBQ about a quarter mile away.

Kirkwood · $ · vegan bakery, cafe

100% vegan bakery and cafe in Kirkwood with gluten-free options.

Plan an August trip to the TOUR Championship at East Lake, with Gene's BBQ about half a mile from the club.

See Morehouse basketball at Forbes Arena, with The Busy Bee Cafe about 0.6 mile from campus and a West End brewery a short drive away.

East Lake · $$$ · bbq, viet-cajun

Gene's mixes smoked meat with Vietnamese and Cajun flavors in sticky ribs, lemon pepper wings, smoked chicken, and seafood dishes. The East Lake room is built for dinner and weekend hangs, with a covered patio and the kitchen closing at 10 p.m.

Summerhill

See Georgia State basketball in Summerhill, then eat at Little Bear or Wood's Chapel BBQ less than half a mile away.

Vinings · $$ · bbq, korean-southern fusion

Chef-owners Cody Taylor and Jiyeon Lee bring Southern smoke and Korean flavors together in spicy Korean pork, brisket, and kimchi sides. The small room has limited seating and a strong takeout trade. Heirloom holds a Bib Gourmand in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide American South selection.

Midtown · $$$ · cocktails, small plates

A rooftop cocktail bar above the Moxy and AC hotels in Midtown, a few blocks west of Piedmont Park.

Summerhill · contemporary american

A small dinner-only room in Summerhill with a Bib Gourmand and a contemporary American menu that changes with what the kitchen has.

Midtown

Watch Yellow Jackets baseball in a campus ballpark, then head to Midtown for pizza or a rooftop drink.

Midtown

Catch Yellow Jackets basketball on campus, with Midtown restaurants and a rooftop bar about half a mile away.

Downtown

Make a Falcons or Atlanta United game a full day out, with restaurants within a mile and a Midtown bar that shows the games.

West Midtown · $$

Original West Midtown taproom.

West End · $$ · wood-fired pizza

BeltLine-adjacent taproom with a fire-pit patio ... casual and kid-tolerant by day, bar scene by night. Multi-segment: bars and family-friendly.

Smyrna · $ · bbq

Smyrna's oldest restaurant has served pork, beef, chicken, Brunswick stew, and its family sauces since 1968. The dining room and recipes remain intentionally old-school under second-generation ownership.

Midtown · $$ · american, brewpub

A brewpub, sports bar, and event room at Piedmont Park's 10th Street and Monroe edge.

Midtown · $$$ · southern

Modern Southern restaurant known for brunch, in a converted Midtown bungalow.

Downtown

Catch the Hawks, or the Dream from 2027, then eat at one of two Broad Street restaurants less than half a mile from the arena.

Downtown · $$ · stir-fry, vegan, gluten-free

First vegan + gluten-free stir-fry concept in the Southeast; Black-owned.

Lindbergh · $$

Large-patio brewery taproom with a live music stage, dog-friendly.

Vine City · $$ · soul food, southern

Serving since 1947 and, in its own words, one of Atlanta's most iconic Black-owned restaurants, with both a Bib Gourmand and a James Beard America's Classics award. Fried chicken, smothered pork chops and collards, west of downtown.

Midtown · $$ · tex-mex

Tex-Mex chain with several ATL locations (Downtown, Midtown); Buckhead location temporarily closed after a fire.

Plan a Braves day at Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta, with Heirloom Market BBQ a short drive away in Vinings.

Summerhill · $$ · bbq

Wood-smoked brisket, pork, chicken, and turkey share the menu with tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and quesadillas. The Summerhill room adds a large patio, game room, private dining, pickup, delivery, catering, and tequila-focused drinks.