I recently visited Atlanta with my husband, who was on a business trip. Never having been to Atlanta, I thought I would tag along, bringing my sister-in-law, and seeing what HOTlanta is all about! Below you will find a list of the places we visited, ate and enjoyed cocktails during our 72 hour trip to Atlanta.
We stayed at The Ritz Carlton – Downtown, which was nothing, but exceptional. Great hotel, service and room. The hotel seemed pretty centrally located within the city and it was in walking distance to many places including The Georgia Aquarium.
We arrived to Atlanta early in the morning and decided to head to Sunday Brunch. We started the day with a glass of champagne at Two Urban Licks.
This restaurant is located in a warehouse and has a very industrial look and feel. We ordered the Pimento Cheese BLT and the Spanish Chorizo Frittata. Both dishes were absolutely delicious and full of flavor. The Pimento Cheese BLT is stuffed with a fried green tomato, fried egg and bacon – need I say more?!
The Atlanta BeltLine is an urban revitalization project with the goal of uniting the unique neighborhoods around in-town Atlanta. At its culmination, the BeltLine will connect 45 neighborhoods around Atlanta with over 33 miles of walking trails, as well as over 22 miles of rail transit. Currently, you can enter from many different areas, however, we entered from Two Urban Licks and made our way to the Ponce City Market. Whether you walk or bike, you will encounter beautiful landscaping, parks, restaurants and displays of art. It’s a great way to see some of the most buzzed about parts of Atlanta.
The Ponce City market is filled with shops and people-watching, restaurants, summer concerts, and frequent community events. If you’re looking for something fun to do with any group, then you want to check this place out!
The Lawrence is located in Midtown and a great spot for quality food and cocktails. We stopped here to have a few drinks. The cocktail menu is very unique and the bartenders are very knowledgeable. If you’re looking for a place to challenge your palate then this is your spot!
Superica is a Tex-Mex restaurant located within the Krog City Market. This market is a bit smaller and more intimate than Ponce City Market’s food hall, and has a more laid-back, local feel. I will start by saying that you NEED go here, especially if you love Mexican food as much as I do. Everything from the ambiance to the margaritas are amazing. You will not be disappointed. Make sure you call ahead and make reservations as this place is always busy.
We shared several different dishes, which were all nothing less than delectable, however, if I had to recommend one item it would be the Tacos de Carnitas. I can’t even describe the level of flavor. These tacos are filled with crispy pork belly, hot & sweet guava and served with a side of glazed smoked onions and avocado salsa verde. I would pair the tacos with a signature margarita. Their margaritas are so light and fresh – no pre-made sour mix here!
By far the most visited attraction in the city, the Georgia Aquarium is the largest in volume in the world, with tanks big enough to hold their famous whale sharks. We spent about 3 hours here and had such a great time. Don’t miss the Dolphin and Sea Lion shows, which were the highlights for me!
Gladys Knight’s Chicken & Waffles
This is an absolute tourist spot, but is no less worth visiting. If you’re looking for some soul food then check it out! You have to try the famous chicken and waffles. There is always a line to get a taste of this soul legends cuisine, so plan accordingly.
Wet Bar and Bliss Spa @ The W HOTEL
After lots of walking, we decided we wanted to do some relaxing. We headed to the W hotel and enjoyed a massage at Bliss Spa and then headed to the Wet Bar pool! If you’re looking for a nice rooftop view to get some sun and cocktails then head to the W hotel Downtown. They are open Friday-Sunday.
STK Atlanta is located in Midtown and provides a very chic, trendy, upscale vibe. If you’re looking for a distinct modern steakhouse you must have dinner here! We had a variety of dishes including glazed beef short rib, parmesan truffle fries, mac and cheese and peppercorn crusted filet with Chimichurri sauce. They serve complimentary bread, which is probably one of the best breads I have ever had! It’s lightly covered with bleu cheese butter and served in a skillet. It’s warm and pulls apart easily. The rolls are served with a side of chive oil for dipping.
If you are craving an authentic pizza then you need to go to Antico’s. DO NOT leave Atlanta without stopping here! All ingredients are imported from Italy. You order your pizza upon arrival and then enter into the kitchen and find a table. Yes, the restaurant is located within the kitchen! You can see your pizza being made and then it is placed in their grand wood burning oven. Just imagine the perfect amount of fluffy, doughy, cheesy and crunchy. We ordered the most popular pizza, the San Gennard, and it was one of the best pizzas I have ever had!
FYI – Their pizzas only come in one size so it’s perfect for 2 hungry individuals. Don’t forget to go to their toppings bar that includes fresh minced garlic, hot peppers, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and more.
Alma Cocina is a modern Mexican restaurant, which is located downtown and was actually connected to our hotel. I had made reservations prior, not knowing it was so close, which ended up being a pleasant surprise. The atmosphere and cuisine were VERY tasty. We tried the grilled steak tacos, elotes, chicken tortilla soup and pork pibil tamale. Muy Bueno!
Buckhead offers ultra chic shopping, dining and night life. If you want to get a little taste of luxury and visit the world famous Peach Street then you should visit Buckhead. If you want to do some high end shopping or just window shop then visit the Lenox Square Mall. You will also find many great restaurants in this area.
BLT Steak was a great lunch spot. We ate here during the week so it wasn’t so busy and crowded. We ended up ordering the Bayley Hazen Blue Burger. This burger is topped with bleu cheese, balsamic caramelized onions and mushrooms, however, I decided to kick it up a notch and add bacon and avocado. Top 3 burgers I have ever had — hands down!
Unfortunately, this stop ended our trip, however, I could not have asked for a better ending! Atlanta literally brought its “A game” on this trip! I can’t say I had one bad meal or experience during this trip.
I look forward to visiting this city again so that I can eat and drink my way around! Until next time….Cheers Atlanta!
Have you been to the ATL? What was your favorite thing about Atlanta?
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The Georgia Aquarium is a must for anyone. The restaurant scene there rivals any major metro city USA. Use public transportation or taxi service and avoid renting a car and driving in morning or late afternoon rush hours!
Thanks for the tips Deborah! I used Uber or walked to get around mostly and it was great! Atlanta is a wonderful city!