Atlanta’s Food Editors Name 2017’s Best Dining Neighborhoods

As is the year end tradition, Eater Atlanta has surveyed a handful of the city’s food editors on everything from their best meal to their biggest dining grievance in 2017. On Wednesday, the experts named their restaurant standbys when dining off duty and Atlanta’s top newcomers. Their responses are cut, pasted, and (mostly) unedited. Now the city’s food editors name this year’s best dining neighborhoods.

Julia Bainbridge, Atlanta Magazine food editor

Atlanta's a sprawl, and good food exists throughout its many intown neighborhoods as well as in its suburbs. So, while I can't say there was one best dining neighborhood this year, I will say that I'm excited by the movement in East Lake and the West End. We also saw a kind of resurgence on Buford Highway, with money being poured into restaurant design like never before.

Mike Jordan, Thrillist Atlanta editor, Southern Kitchen associate editor

Inman Park, absolutely. I was mad back when they first made Victory Sandwich Bar move to develop Inman Quarter, but now that they're right around the corner and we’ve got all that good stuff at the corner of Elizabeth and Highland, I'm fine. Really, I'm fine!

Christopher Hassiotis, Zagat Atlanta food editor

This is kind of like a Beatles vs. Stones argument, and my answer to that is if you don't have room in your life for a variety of experiences that scratch different itches, you need to expand your engagement with the world. That said, I wish it weren't such a pain to get out to Duluth, where the I-85 rush-hour slog makes getting to its abundance of varied and excellent new restaurants too much trouble (almost).

Beth McKibben, Eater Atlanta editor

Always a tough question to answer as each neighborhood is home to its own unique scene. I would say the three I’m watching closely are West End (Westview/Adair Park) with the promise of the Westside BeltLine trail, Duluth, and Chamblee. Duluth and Chamblee are experiencing a restaurant revival or renewed interest. I also think Decatur and East Lake had a great dining year and will continue this trend into 2018.