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Atlanta Dining Guide
Distinctive Dining to Feed Your Cravings
by Lisa Strickland

April/May 2005

Even though Atlanta now has an indisputable reputation as a great "restaurant city," newcomers to the area still find it difficult to sort through the varied options to find the best place to match their mood or suit the occasion. The fact is, whatever you are looking for in a restaurant, you can find it in Atlanta. So keep this Dining Guide in a handy place, and let it be a stepping-stone to help you create your own personal list of dining preferences. Your next step: get out and start sampling the Atlanta dining scene.

The Best of the Best
Call very early to reserve a coveted table at Rathbun's (112 Krog St., 404-524-8280) in Inman Park. The toast of the town since it opened last April, the restaurant has hit the spot with Chef Kevin Rathbun's fresh approach and seasonal ingredients in dishes such as the bone-in ribeye with blue cheese crumbles or the succulent sea scallop Benedict. Rathbun's talent landed the restaurant on Bon Appetit's "Hot 50 Restaurants" list in March 2005 and in 2004 on Esquire magazine's list of the nation's best restaurants. Want to make an impression on out-of-town guests? Then this is the place for you.

Buckhead's Restaurant Eugene (2277 Peachtree Rd., 404-355-0321) also earned a coveted spot on the Esquire list last year. The stately Buckhead establishment is inspired by old Atlanta values-excellent service, understated elegance, upscale food-and its young owners, Executive Chef Linton Hopkins and his wife Gina, have created a menu that leans toward American classics with a sophisticated Southern twist such as pan-roasted Georgia quail stuffed with cornbread, country ham and white shrimp.

When asked which restaurant is the best in Atlanta, you're likely to hear all k inds of answers. However, the understated and elegant Bacchanalia (1198 Howell Mill Rd., 404-365-0410) in West Midtown is likely to come up more than once. Widely regarded as the best restaurant in the city, chefs and owners Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison use locally grown seasonal and organic produce to create innovative American cuisine that has kept Atlanta diners on the edge of their seats since it opened in 1993.

If you're searching for the best steak in Atlanta, Bone's (3130 Piedmont Rd., 404-237-2663) may very well end your search. This Buckhead tradition has all the makings of a great, upscale steak house-cushy leather booths, dark mahogany wood, professional servers and tender, juicy steak that just might bring a grown man to tears.

Perhaps one of Atlanta's most revered chefs, Guenter Seeger continues to amaze patrons of his Buckhead restaurant Seeger's (111 W. Paces Ferry Rd., 404-846-9779). While the restaurant is billed as modern classical French cuisine, Chef Seeger's bold flavor pairings and artful presentations leave diners breathless and bring him countless accolades. Choose from one of several prix fixe menus and sit back for an incredible culinary ride, which includes a seasonal truffle menu.