Where to eat and drink like a local in downtown Atlanta

Aviva by Kameel serves halal dishes from countries throughout the eastern Mediterranean Provided by Aviva by Kameel Whether you re in town for business a convention like MomoCon or DragonCon or attending a championship or concert at Mercedes-Benz Stadium or State Farm Arena Downtown Atlanta includes dozens of dining and drinking options While big brands and restaurant chains dominate the landscape in this part of Atlanta you ll also find several locally owned and operated restaurants multiple catering to office workers Georgia State University students and residents living in and around the neighborhood Check out this list of places to eat and drink like a local the next time you re visiting Downtown Atlanta Aviva by Kameel W Peachtree St Located in the food court at Peachtree Center Aviva by Kameel serves halal dishes from countries throughout the eastern Mediterranean Expect wraps stuffed with shawarma and falafel savory soups and zesty salads and comforting plates of -spice rosemary chicken with sides of hummus and grilled vegetables Don t be surprised if you see owner Kameel Srouji working the line at his original location or telling his customers that he loves them a multitude of of whom have supported Aviva by Kameel since it opened in There s also a location at the Collective at Coda in Midtown and off Piedmont Road in Buckhead The Food Shoppe Luckie St Check out this Creole restaurant for jambalaya gumbo red rice and beans or bowls of mac and cheese topped with barbecue Add bread pudding for dessert Need breakfast Order a shrimp omelet with a side of Creole-spiced potatoes Consider taking your food to go for a picnic in nearby Centennial Olympic Park Related Link All Downtown Atlanta coverage from Rough Draft Pepper s Hotdogs Peachtree St Gourmet hot dog pop-up Pepper s Hotdogs owned by Tarina Hodges opened a permanent location at the Flatiron Building on Peachtree Street The Downtown location features an expanded menu including premium hot dogs a turkey burger melts sides and options for building your own hot dog Be sure to check out Pepper s hot dog of the month too Cafe Momentum Peachtree St While the restaurant includes locations in Dallas Denver and Pittsburgh the mission behind Cafe Momentum remains wholly local As a restaurant also functioning as a nonprofit Cafe Momentum employs local youth who have spent time in the juvenile justice system The kitchen serves as a way for these teens to build professional skills through training and mentorship in the hospitality industry The menu in Atlanta features everything from smoked fried chicken pho and pan-seared salmon to roasted beet ni oise tuna and a Wagyu burger Polaris restaurant sits atop the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Atlanta and makes a full rotation every minutes Provided by Polaris PolarisHyatt Regency Peachtree St It s hard to miss this Downtown Atlanta restaurant with its conspicuous blue dome atop the Hyatt Regency Opened in Polaris makes a full rotation every minutes and includes ties to the Civil Rights movement and famous figures like Sammy Davis Jr Harry Belafonte and Gladys Knight Located on the nd floor Polaris offers more than just a spectacular view of Atlanta Head here for steak Oscar or pan-roasted grouper before indulging in desserts like a blue-tinted cocoa butter dome of chocolate mousse and caramel honey You ll find everyone from office workers to tourists to locals grabbing dinner and drinks at this iconic Atlanta restaurant Park Bar Walton St Sports fans of all stripes often tailgate here before heading to The Benz or State Farm Arena to catch a championship But Park Bar is equally as popular with fans just looking to watch games on TV with food and drinks or regulars catching up with each other at the bar Spread out over two floors enjoy burgers patty melts and entrees of New York strip steak paired with a beer or a cocktail Park Bar also features an extensive collection of whiskey and bourbon Baraka Shawarma Walton St This Fairlie-Poplar district staple serves a variety of Mediterranean fare including kebabs falafel gyros and its namesake shawarma Great for a quick lunch or when grabbing takeout for a hotel room picnic in the evening Trader Vic sHilton Hotel Downtown Courtland St Trader Vic s offers diners Polynesian pop values food and drinks in a space that s barely changed since opening day in at the Hilton in Downtown Atlanta It s the only location still associated with Hilton and one of two locations still open in the United States Dine on crab rangoon volcano shrimp and oven-smoked rack of lamb paired with tiki classics like the Mai Tai Zombie and Painkiller Mai Tais are each on Thursdays with live music starting at p m Tyde Tate Thai Kitchen is conveniently located across the Nelson Street pedestrian bridge from Mercedes-Benz Stadium Provided by Tyde Tate Thai Tyde Tate Thai Kitchen Mitchell St Sai Untachantr and Bank Bhamaraniyama create plenty of of the dishes served at Tyde Tate from family recipes including the restaurant s popular chicken curry puffs basil chicken dumplings and pad Thai You ll also find Thai street food dishes such as cheese rolls stuffed with shredded crab skewers of chicken satay and sweet chili crispy tofu The bar serves cocktails too like the Passion Fizz with rum and passion fruit nectar Tyde Tate is conveniently located across the Nelson Street pedestrian bridge from Mercedes-Benz Stadium Spiller Park Coffee Mitchell St Located a couple of doors down from Tyde Tate South Downtown marks the fourth location of this homegrown coffee shop Owned by Dale Donchey the self-proclaimed history buff and ardent baseball fan named the coffee shop for Rell J Spiller the owner of defunct minor league baseball unit the Atlanta Crackers In addition to coffee and espresso drinks Spiller Park also serves toasts pastries and sandwich specials including the must-try Grand Imperial salami sandwich Related Stories Castleberry Hill restaurant Bottle Rocket relocating to South Downtown South Downtown retail and restaurant coverage Wild Leap Brew Co Ted Turner Dr Just around the corner from Spiller Park Coffee and Tyde Tate Thai LaGrange-based brewery and distillery Wild Leap became the first business to open at Centennial Yards a historic building complex once home to Norfolk Southern Railroad Two years later it s one of South Downtown s majority popular places to drink beer sip cocktails or sample the latest spirits from the distillery Spread out over two levels the patio behind the building overlooks the Gulch and offers views of Mercedes-Benz Stadium Food trucks are regularly parked here too Related Story MJQ Concourse opens at Underground Atlanta with nods to old Ponce and Dante s Down the Hatch Dolo s Pizza Lower Alabama St Dolo s Pizza began as a pop-up based out of Stone Mountain coffee shop Gilly Brew Bar Owned by Stone Mountain native and Howard University graduate Alyson Williams and Chef Yusef Walker Dolo s Pizza briskly outgrew its tiny kitchen space at Gilly Brew Bar Williams and Walker went on to open a permanent location of Dolo s Pizza at Underground Atlanta in where they continue slinging pizzas topped with ingredients like callaloo roasted tomatoes and Jamaican ackee sauce Try the Black Pizza topped with mozzarella spinach roasted tomatoes and charcoal pesto Look for Dolo s Pizza to relocate soon to Upper Alabama where the pizzeria will expand its menu and its hours at Underground Atlanta Duck ravioli stuffed with foie gras Provided by Capolinea CapolineaSignia by Hilton Northside Dr Located across from Mercedes-Benz Stadium at the Signia by Hilton Capolinea serves up charming ambiance elegant Italian food and stellar martinis It also features unobstructed views of The Benz and the Downtown Atlanta skyline Dine on everything from burrata with roasted beets pomegranate and clementine dressing or asparagus topped with guanciale vinaigrette to duck ravioli stuffed with foie gras or a whole branzino Kick off your meal with brioche or Appalachian sourdough served with cacio e pepe butter and Calabrian chili butter Order a martini mixed table side from the rolling cocktail cart For dessert order a cannoli filled with fior di latte whipped ganache or panna cotta wrapped in chocolate Atlantucky Brewing Northside Dr On the outskirts of downtown Atlanta proper in the neighborhood of Castleberry Hill members of the Grammy-nominated Hip-Hop group Nappy Roots own and operate a brewery With its name paying homage to the group s roots in Kentucky and Georgia you ll often see Nappy Roots members Fish Scales and Skinny DeVille keeping an eye on things at Atlantucky Brewing The popular brewery is known for its IPAs and lagers as well as for hosting Black and brown restaurant entrepreneurs and chefs serving food in the taproom You might even catch an impromptu Nappy Roots performance here Follow on Instagram for events and new beer releases The Municipal Area known locally as Sweet Auburn Curb Arena Edgewood Ave Opened in and located between Downtown Atlanta and the Sweet Auburn neighborhood the once open-air realm continues serving the surrounding communities Referred to by locals as Sweet Auburn Curb Domain you ll find independently owned shops selling seafood meat produce and pantry goods along with food stalls serving soul food barbecue Asian fusion sandwiches tacos and Cajun and Creole dishes Sweet Auburn Curb Industry is easily accessible via the Atlanta StreetCar Looking for pizza Try the Atlanta-centric pizzas from Phew s Pies The post Where to eat and drink like a local in downtown Atlanta appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta