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Chili chicken curry from Thai restaurant Puma Yu’s in Athens, GA.
Chili chicken curry from Thai restaurant Puma Yu’s.
Puma Yu’s

Where to Eat in Athens, Home to the University of Georgia (UGA)

From barbecue, Baja fish burritos, and Thai food to Eritrean and Ethiopian fare, fried chicken, and fresh oysters paired with Negroni slushies

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Chili chicken curry from Thai restaurant Puma Yu’s.
| Puma Yu’s

Hailed as one of the best (if not the best) college towns in the South, Athens, Georgia — aka the Classic City — includes everything one desires of a day trip or weekend jaunt from Atlanta: a healthy arts and music scene, a closely knit local community, a vibe of boundless energy, and a strong food scene. There’s a wealth of restaurant power players for a city of 130,000 residents, which swells by tens of thousands when students are in session at the University of Georgia. Each restaurant listed on this map reflects the wide range of food options folks will find when visiting Athens, from barbecue, Baja fish burritos, and Thai food to Eritrean and Ethiopian fare, fried chicken, and fresh oysters paired with Negroni slushies.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

home.made

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Chef and owner Mimi Mamus started home.made, which specializes in regional cuisine made from local ingredients, out of her home in 2006. Five years later, home.made’s Baxter Street location opened and allowed Mamus’s food to reach myriad mouths in Athens. In addition to lunch, Mamus offers catering via lunch and hors d’oeuvres platters (the Swanee Bites, stuffed medjool dates, and deviled eggs are all rave-worthy.)

White Tiger Athens

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Another barbecue spot in North Georgia? Yep. Home cooking and chef and owner Ken Manring’s culinary mastery intersect at this Boulevard-area haunt to create some seriously impressive barbecue. There’s a robust selection of both omnivorous and vegetarian sandwiches; highlights include the Barberella, the Jason, and the Portobello Cheese Burger. The seared salmon on Independent Baking Company’s ciabatta steers away from barbecue, but its taste makes up for any thematic deviation. A second location in Watskinsville is now open.

Puma Yu's

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Located in the recently remodeled Southern Mill complex, Puma Yu’s is the culmination of Pete Amadhanirundr and Ally Smith’s pop-ups which started in 2017. The atmosphere is inclusive and friendly, from the mismatched thrift store plate and glassware to the blue raspberry-painted floors. The beverage program, led by Smith, shines in a city with more bars per capita than any other in the country. Staff favorite cocktail the Etheline (mezcal, Boomsma bitters, aloe liqueur, lime, lemon balm, and pink peppercorn) is a citrine union of sweet and tart notes, backed by smokiness. Meanwhile, the food leans Thai and focuses on noodles and shareable snacks.

Donderos' Kitchen

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Grabbing a table at Donderos’ feels like stepping into someone’s home. Maybe it’s because this Cobbham spot maintains its architectural integrity, but one can’t ignore the love that goes into Donderos’ food, coffee, and hospitality. That familial, relaxed aura shines everywhere — in the restaurant’s cozy atmosphere, the house-made pastries behind the cafe pastry case, and the menu’s daily brunch offerings. 

The Expat

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Jerry and Krista Slater should be familiar names to longtime Atlanta diners. The duo ran Reynoldstown restaurant and cocktail hot spot H. Harper Station (now Muchacho) for years, before closing it in 2016 and moving to the Athens area. Now the couple owns and operates another beloved restaurant, the Expat on South Lumpkin. Coffee lovers were bereft in 2017 when Two Story’s Five Points location announced its closure, but there’s comfort in knowing the Expat makes a worthy successor. The menu steers towards Italian cuisine made with local ingredients, while the bar has national renown, thanks to barman Jerry Slater. Make sure to visit wine shop and tasting room the Lark on Prince, where sommelier Krista Slater walks customers through her selection of natural and minimal intervention wines. Check out the couple’s other Athens restaurant, Slater’s Steakhouse, also located in the Five Points neighborhood, and the Slater’s newest cocktail lounge Nighthawks in the Newtown neighborhood.

Five and Ten

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Chef Hugh Acheson’s flagship restaurant has a celebrity status in Athens, and after more than two decades in operation, that honor is still much deserved. Five and Ten remains one of the best upscale Southern restaurants in Georgia, if not the entire region. In 2020, William Cantrell returned to Athens after a five-year stint working in Atlanta at Staplehouse and Miller Union to help run Five and Ten as its executive chef.  

Cali N Tito's

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Both Cali N Tito’s locales draw a crowd come lunch and dinnertime. The Lumpkin Street outfit is a go-to for students, while the larger Eastside location is lush with kid-friendly entertainment. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Baja Fish Burrito, which is stuffed with sweet maduros and a creamy chipotle sauce, will ruin all other burritos for people. 

Seabear Oyster Bar

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It’s pretty much a given that any lover of seafood and good cocktails needs to make their way to Prince Avenue hot spot Seabear, where rounds of oysters flow just as steadily as the humming Negroni slushie machine. The oyster selection is primarily harvested in the South and along the East Coast, sometimes inching up to Canadian locales, including Newfoundland and PEI. Expect to order more than anticipated because portions are on the smaller side. But nothing on this menu disappoints. 

Pulaski Heights Barbecue

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Come prepared to PHBBQ with a major appetite, because they do not play around. Big on taste and portions, this aptly named Pulaski Heights stronghold doesn’t just produce some killer barbecue — its also incorporates ‘cue into salads, stews, tacos, and even ramen on Wednesday nights. Of course, the slow-smoked meats are signature offerings, but with options including smoked cauliflower, vinegar lime slaw, and mac and cheese, the sides shouldn’t be taken lightly either. 

The National

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Erin Wilson’s downtown Athens spot is another deservedly famous fine dining institution in town. The National has a knack for making any food irresistible — the vegetable plate, for example, is truly on par with the meat-based entrees, and although founder and chef Peter Dale made his departure in 2021, chef Burns Sullivan (The Branded Butcher) is handling the kitchen exceedingly well. Fun tip: for a small fee, people can have dinner delivered to Creature Comforts Brewery or Little Kings Shuffle Club, turning a brewery or bar outing into a serious dinner party.

The World Famous

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The World Famous is one of the Hull Street residents that keeps the downtown Athens Hot Corner hot. The regular menu is stacked with trendier, elegant takes on bar food, including poutine, shawarma, and pork steamed buns — if staying out late like a college student, TWF is the place to refuel. The food is only outdone by the drinks, which features original cocktails and house-made sodas, and a selection of Georgia’s best craft beer, much of which is brewed right in Athens. 

Trappeze Pub

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Anyone with a penchant for beer owes themselves a visit to Trappeze. The gastropub’s massive drink menu includes 33 taps and hundreds of bottles, and a smart selection of cocktails. Balance out that buzz with a sturdy sandwich, like a veggie reuben, the pork belly and bacon-adorned Double Pig, or the Carolina Dip, a fried Springer Mountain chicken breast on ciabatta. Don’t forget to order a side of fries with garlic aioli — some of the best fries in Athens. 

Weaver D's Delicious Fine Foods

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Weaver D’s claim to fame is its role as R.E.M.’s preferred feeding ground back in the 1980s. Yes, it does boast some of the city’s best fried chicken, but owner Dexter Weaver has said the trio was partial to its extensive selection of vegetarian-friendly sides. Diners are greeted by Weaver’s bellowing catchphrase, “automatic,” after placing their orders at the cafeteria-style counter. Everything here is good, but standouts include the broccoli and rice casserole and sinfully delicious banana pudding. 

Mama's Boy Restaurant

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Mama’s Boy is one of those places that requires advance planning. The Oak Street location draws a throng of students in the morning, even during the summer. Although, it’s adjacent to Dudley Park and the Oconee Greenway, so there’s at least something to do during a wait for a table. Pin the blame for the wait on the biscuits — a Mama’s Boy biscuit could sit in a paper bag for an hour and still come out delectable. The remaining breakfast and lunch options are solid, but every Athenian needs to taste a Mama’s Boy biscuit sandwich at least once. 

Mannaweenta Restaurant

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One doesn’t need to be familiar with Eritrean and Ethiopian fare to recognize the care and talent that goes into Mannaweenta’s food. The Eastside spot is the culmination of owner Haregu Bahtu’s longtime dream and fervent prayer — Bahtu got her start as a vendor at the Athens Land Trust’s West Broad Farmers Market. The restaurant officially opened in 2015. There’s no such thing as a bad dish at Mannaweenta, and the vegan dishes here surpass the meat. Don’t leave without enjoying a traditionally prepared Ethiopian coffee. 

home.made

Chef and owner Mimi Mamus started home.made, which specializes in regional cuisine made from local ingredients, out of her home in 2006. Five years later, home.made’s Baxter Street location opened and allowed Mamus’s food to reach myriad mouths in Athens. In addition to lunch, Mamus offers catering via lunch and hors d’oeuvres platters (the Swanee Bites, stuffed medjool dates, and deviled eggs are all rave-worthy.)

White Tiger Athens

Another barbecue spot in North Georgia? Yep. Home cooking and chef and owner Ken Manring’s culinary mastery intersect at this Boulevard-area haunt to create some seriously impressive barbecue. There’s a robust selection of both omnivorous and vegetarian sandwiches; highlights include the Barberella, the Jason, and the Portobello Cheese Burger. The seared salmon on Independent Baking Company’s ciabatta steers away from barbecue, but its taste makes up for any thematic deviation. A second location in Watskinsville is now open.

Puma Yu's

Located in the recently remodeled Southern Mill complex, Puma Yu’s is the culmination of Pete Amadhanirundr and Ally Smith’s pop-ups which started in 2017. The atmosphere is inclusive and friendly, from the mismatched thrift store plate and glassware to the blue raspberry-painted floors. The beverage program, led by Smith, shines in a city with more bars per capita than any other in the country. Staff favorite cocktail the Etheline (mezcal, Boomsma bitters, aloe liqueur, lime, lemon balm, and pink peppercorn) is a citrine union of sweet and tart notes, backed by smokiness. Meanwhile, the food leans Thai and focuses on noodles and shareable snacks.

Donderos' Kitchen

Grabbing a table at Donderos’ feels like stepping into someone’s home. Maybe it’s because this Cobbham spot maintains its architectural integrity, but one can’t ignore the love that goes into Donderos’ food, coffee, and hospitality. That familial, relaxed aura shines everywhere — in the restaurant’s cozy atmosphere, the house-made pastries behind the cafe pastry case, and the menu’s daily brunch offerings. 

The Expat

Jerry and Krista Slater should be familiar names to longtime Atlanta diners. The duo ran Reynoldstown restaurant and cocktail hot spot H. Harper Station (now Muchacho) for years, before closing it in 2016 and moving to the Athens area. Now the couple owns and operates another beloved restaurant, the Expat on South Lumpkin. Coffee lovers were bereft in 2017 when Two Story’s Five Points location announced its closure, but there’s comfort in knowing the Expat makes a worthy successor. The menu steers towards Italian cuisine made with local ingredients, while the bar has national renown, thanks to barman Jerry Slater. Make sure to visit wine shop and tasting room the Lark on Prince, where sommelier Krista Slater walks customers through her selection of natural and minimal intervention wines. Check out the couple’s other Athens restaurant, Slater’s Steakhouse, also located in the Five Points neighborhood, and the Slater’s newest cocktail lounge Nighthawks in the Newtown neighborhood.

Five and Ten

Chef Hugh Acheson’s flagship restaurant has a celebrity status in Athens, and after more than two decades in operation, that honor is still much deserved. Five and Ten remains one of the best upscale Southern restaurants in Georgia, if not the entire region. In 2020, William Cantrell returned to Athens after a five-year stint working in Atlanta at Staplehouse and Miller Union to help run Five and Ten as its executive chef.  

Cali N Tito's

Both Cali N Tito’s locales draw a crowd come lunch and dinnertime. The Lumpkin Street outfit is a go-to for students, while the larger Eastside location is lush with kid-friendly entertainment. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Baja Fish Burrito, which is stuffed with sweet maduros and a creamy chipotle sauce, will ruin all other burritos for people. 

Seabear Oyster Bar

It’s pretty much a given that any lover of seafood and good cocktails needs to make their way to Prince Avenue hot spot Seabear, where rounds of oysters flow just as steadily as the humming Negroni slushie machine. The oyster selection is primarily harvested in the South and along the East Coast, sometimes inching up to Canadian locales, including Newfoundland and PEI. Expect to order more than anticipated because portions are on the smaller side. But nothing on this menu disappoints. 

Pulaski Heights Barbecue

Come prepared to PHBBQ with a major appetite, because they do not play around. Big on taste and portions, this aptly named Pulaski Heights stronghold doesn’t just produce some killer barbecue — its also incorporates ‘cue into salads, stews, tacos, and even ramen on Wednesday nights. Of course, the slow-smoked meats are signature offerings, but with options including smoked cauliflower, vinegar lime slaw, and mac and cheese, the sides shouldn’t be taken lightly either. 

The National

Erin Wilson’s downtown Athens spot is another deservedly famous fine dining institution in town. The National has a knack for making any food irresistible — the vegetable plate, for example, is truly on par with the meat-based entrees, and although founder and chef Peter Dale made his departure in 2021, chef Burns Sullivan (The Branded Butcher) is handling the kitchen exceedingly well. Fun tip: for a small fee, people can have dinner delivered to Creature Comforts Brewery or Little Kings Shuffle Club, turning a brewery or bar outing into a serious dinner party.

The World Famous

The World Famous is one of the Hull Street residents that keeps the downtown Athens Hot Corner hot. The regular menu is stacked with trendier, elegant takes on bar food, including poutine, shawarma, and pork steamed buns — if staying out late like a college student, TWF is the place to refuel. The food is only outdone by the drinks, which features original cocktails and house-made sodas, and a selection of Georgia’s best craft beer, much of which is brewed right in Athens. 

Trappeze Pub

Anyone with a penchant for beer owes themselves a visit to Trappeze. The gastropub’s massive drink menu includes 33 taps and hundreds of bottles, and a smart selection of cocktails. Balance out that buzz with a sturdy sandwich, like a veggie reuben, the pork belly and bacon-adorned Double Pig, or the Carolina Dip, a fried Springer Mountain chicken breast on ciabatta. Don’t forget to order a side of fries with garlic aioli — some of the best fries in Athens. 

Weaver D's Delicious Fine Foods

Weaver D’s claim to fame is its role as R.E.M.’s preferred feeding ground back in the 1980s. Yes, it does boast some of the city’s best fried chicken, but owner Dexter Weaver has said the trio was partial to its extensive selection of vegetarian-friendly sides. Diners are greeted by Weaver’s bellowing catchphrase, “automatic,” after placing their orders at the cafeteria-style counter. Everything here is good, but standouts include the broccoli and rice casserole and sinfully delicious banana pudding. 

Mama's Boy Restaurant

Mama’s Boy is one of those places that requires advance planning. The Oak Street location draws a throng of students in the morning, even during the summer. Although, it’s adjacent to Dudley Park and the Oconee Greenway, so there’s at least something to do during a wait for a table. Pin the blame for the wait on the biscuits — a Mama’s Boy biscuit could sit in a paper bag for an hour and still come out delectable. The remaining breakfast and lunch options are solid, but every Athenian needs to taste a Mama’s Boy biscuit sandwich at least once. 

Mannaweenta Restaurant

One doesn’t need to be familiar with Eritrean and Ethiopian fare to recognize the care and talent that goes into Mannaweenta’s food. The Eastside spot is the culmination of owner Haregu Bahtu’s longtime dream and fervent prayer — Bahtu got her start as a vendor at the Athens Land Trust’s West Broad Farmers Market. The restaurant officially opened in 2015. There’s no such thing as a bad dish at Mannaweenta, and the vegan dishes here surpass the meat. Don’t leave without enjoying a traditionally prepared Ethiopian coffee. 

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