We're relieved that Sammy's in Adair Park is actually living up to its name and making incredibly good sandwiches. And while you’re not swimming in choices, the six-option menu comes in clutch for a variety of situations. If a filling lunch is the game plan, the hearty Uncle Sam should be the move. It’s a buttery slider with so much smoked pork that it spills out the sides.

A perfect taco requires finesse in the meat department. If it’s bland or dry, not even copious amounts of salsa can save it. Machete Grill Taco Factory understands that. Bite-sized al pastor pieces flaunt a slight char and a smoky taste that turn the standard onion and cilantro toppings into non-essential role players. The crispy battered white fish taco is further incentive to keep this Chamblee spot in rotation the next time you want takeout or a chill meal in a simple setting.

From the same team behind The Deer & The Dove, also in Decatur Square, Fawn, positions itself as a wine and amaro bar—but the emphasis clearly leans toward the amaro. Grouped by country, a broad amaro selection (including pours infused with things like pineapple) almost baits you into ordering the tasting flight. You should. The menu is mainly small plates, with just a few larger dishes, and features seafood prepared in ways you won’t easily find elsewhere.

Whisk on Camp Creek Parkway feels like a beachy spa—wicker lights, seashell tones, and enough leafy plants to suggest a eucalyptus facial is coming. Beneath the breezy look is a high-energy brunch spot that knows how to feed a crowd with big portions and food that’ll lure you back for more. R&B plays, smiling servers zip around tables, and there’s steady chatter from neighborhood folks, travelers straight off of Hartsfield flights, and anyone after a scenic brunch.

Ride down Cleveland Avenue in East Point and you’ll spot a bubble gum-pink house. That’s the Vegan House of Pancakes—a family-run, pickup spot slinging moist, fluffy pancakes on weekends. Even without eggs, dairy, or inside dining, these are the kind of pancakes to plan your Saturday errands around. Wait on the porch for your order. Stacks come out fast, topped with powdered sugar, jammy strawberries and cream, or sweet blueberry compote.

You used to know a neighborhood was changing when a brewery popped up. Now in Atlanta, it’s an omakase restaurant. Enter Ryokou, a 10-seat counter from the team behind Omakase Table, serving a $205 tasting menu in Adair Park. It’s where you should go for a hip, omakase experience—think Cleo Sol soundtracking dinner and camera-ready courses that keep you guessing. The first of nine courses is plated inside a zen garden with a mini rake.

When you head to this fast-casual operation in Decatur, take heed of the New Zealand paraphernalia on the wall—particularly the poster telling you to be a “tidy Kiwi” and throw away your trash. This will be a bit of a challenge because Heaps’s savory meat pies are bursting with gooey well-seasoned fillings and have more flaky layers than the plot of Inception. Choose any pie from the display case, it won’t disappoint.

With a lively scene and top-tier coastal Peruvian, Madre Selva re-energizes this old Lindbergh complex. Most of the menu is flown in from Peru, so the eight-option ceviche section is the best place to start. The standout is the ceviche carretillero—juicy shrimp and meaty chunks of the day’s catch soak up a tangy and spicy rocoto leche de tigre. Cocktails come with a bit of ceremony, like the Echoes of Chavín—a tequila and kombucha drink finished with a smoke gun that traps in sage aromatics.

From the team behind Miller Union, Maidera Park in Poncey-Highland brings an 11-page wine list and excellent small plates to a classy but casual setting. The muted, wooden panel decor says, “I have opinions on Burgundy vintages,” but in a way that doesn’t try too hard. The small plates are fantastic across the board, especially the crispy anchovy butter tartine, which delivers just the right amount of crunch and brininess.

By day, they serve coffee and Taiwanese pastries like egg custard tarts. At night, the cafe flips into a cocktail bar with Taiwanese light bites. The menu switch is the only indication of what time of day it is since there are no windows, TV screens, nor after-hours crowd changes. We actually enjoy Lucky Star’s isolated world since you can get a tasty meal with a side of quiet that’s nearly impossible to find in West Midtown.

You can get everything from an excellent steak or tapas to a VIP omakase experience in the restaurant-dense West Midtown. Now, we can add good Thai to that list. Paya Thai Kitchen took over the space formerly occupied by Redbird and gave it a nice upgrade. Warm wood, giant orchids, and special attention to symmetrical decor make the bigger space feel more approachable. Plus, it’s tucked away in the Westside Provisions complex, so it’s a less crowded, low-key hang for a date or friend meet-up.