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Travel

Georgia on My Mind: Atlanta

Last weekend I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia and was blown away by its beauty (Atlanta goes from city to woodsy in a heartbeat!) and mostly by the utter fact that i didn’t have a single bad, or even mediocre, meal! Georgia is a new foodie favorite for me and I’m excited to share my Atlanta hall of fame with you.

Murphy’s // Brunch

997 Virginia Avenue Northeast | Virginia Highlands
A great day always begins with brunch in my book.  How great (& not productive) would everyday be if we could start with a leisurely and fantastic meal with family and friends? If you’re in Atlanta on a Sunday, be sure to visit Murphy’s for brunch.  They don’t take reservations for brunch, but you can call ahead – which helps since they get quite the brunch crowd.  It’s hard to pick just one item off the menu, so if you can share – do it!  I always recommend a mimosa (they have blueberry, but no alcohol until 12:30!) and they bring you a basket of biscuits and the muffin of the week (ours was chocolate banana, yum!) to start munching on while browsing the brunch menu.  After you’re done brunching, walk around the Virginia Highlands – they have some of the best boutiques! At Murphy’s, I recommend the:

  • Smoked Maine Salmon & Bagel
  • Corned Beef Hash / the horseradish mustard is amazing!
  • Eggs Santa Fe / burrito-ish
  • & while I didn’t have any room for the Hazelnut Crusted French Toast, how could that ever not be incredible?

murphys-atlanta-brunch

Sublime Doughtnuts // Breakfast

535 Tenth Street (other locations in Thailand)
I’m a doughnut junkie, I can’t even deny it.  Every time I travel, I research the “it” doughnut joint – and Sublime Doughnuts was spot-on.  The decor inside Sublime is kitschy – doughnut memorabilia everywhere you look and it totally works.  The three of us ordered 13 doughnuts (you read that correctly) because it’s really hard to narrow it down, especially since they’re on display in front of you.  These doughnuts were my favorite:

  • Fresh Strawberry N Cream
  • Mango & White Chocolate / on special
  • Sweet Potato Cake
  • Salted Caramel & Reduced Balsamic Vinegar / Interesting combo!
  • Butter Toffee Crunch

sublime-doughnuts-atlanta

Antico // Lunch

1093 Hemphill Avenue | Little Italia
When you visit the ever-so-cute Antico, you walk in and place your order at a counter – and they ONLY have pizza and calzones. Your first thought is- “they only have 2 tables?” and you wonder where you’re going to sit.  Then, low and behold, you turn a corner and discover the awesomeness of sitting in the kitchen while you eat (there’s something intimate & cool about sitting in the kitchen).  All of the tables are communal – so be prepared to make friends.  At the front of the kitchen where all the magic happens, they have a condiments bar where you can help yourself to fresh olive oil, crushed garlic, spicy chili paste, and some other Italian items that make their already fantastic pizza a bit more zesty.  I tried the plain & simple Margherita pizza, because you always gotta try the basics when it comes to pizza (the true test is always being able to master the simple things).  But let me tell you, Antico was one of the best pizzas I’ve EVER had – THUMBS UP! So simple & so delicious.

antico-atlanta-pizza-downtown

Goldberg’s // Brunch + Lunch

Goldberg’s has more than several locations around Georgia, so there’s no excuse to miss this one.  I recommend going to Goldberg’s, which is a typical Jewish deli, for breakfast or lunch any day of the week.  The menu can cater to anyone – ranging from bagels to salads and sweets.  I happened to visit Goldberg’s, which is a legend in Atlanta by the way, for breakfast on a Saturday and it was buzzing early on – so expect to wait in line unless you arrive SUPER early.  As far as the menu goes, my favorite item was my “create your own breakfast sandwich.” I love anything that I can create myself, that way I know I’ll love it, and if I don’t it’s my own fault.  I built my own bagel with scrambled eggs, corned beef (who doesn’t love corned beef for breakfast?), grilled onions, and a side of cream cheese & served with potato latkes – perf[egg]tion! The options, though, were endless – meats, cheeses, veggies! My sandwich was HUGE! I also had the french toast – which was nothing special but still tasty nonetheless.

goldbergs-atlanta-georgia-bagels

Umi // Dinner

3050 Peachtree Road Northwest | Buckhead
Umi is not your average trendy sushi spot. The suburb of Buckhead is sophisticated as it is, so I expected nothing less when I stepped into Umi.  Umi is definitely a hot spot, crowded to the brim (make a reservation!).  If you have to wait for a table, the BEST advice I can give you is to wait it out with one of the most amazing Moscow Mules I’ve ever had at their bar.  I’m always skeptical of a Moscow Mule, no one can seem to get it just right – especially when it doesn’t come in the copper mug.  However, Umi has it down – it was superb with a little kick from a slice of fresh ginger! When you have a chance to peruse the menu, you’ll find yourself wanting a little something from each section & here are my recommendations:

  • Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice / I order this anytime I see it on a menu & it was great!
  • Yellowtail Jalapeno
  • Spicy Tuna Roll / So simple but so flavorful
  • Futomaki Roll
  • Green Tea Souffle / Yep – it truly was a green tea souffle, refreshing & light.
  • I heard the last page of the menu, the Sousaku Nigiri is delicious & it looked as so.

umi-buckhead-atlanta-sushi

JCT Kitchen // Dinner

1198 Howell Mill Road
JCT Kitchen is a mixture of everything fun and delicious – southern & french charm, fresh romantic decor, and a unique menu.  I definitely recommend making a reservation, you can do so online very easily on their website.  The moment the first sip of my cocktail, The Colony, hit my lips – I felt like I should be sitting on a wrap around porch in a bonnet.  The staff is friendly and helpful – especially for me since I can never seem to decide what I want to order!  These JCT items were my favorites:

  • Deviled Eggs / they’re beautiful too!
  • Fried Green Tomatoes / the pickled veggies on top are everything!
  • Shrimp & Grits / you just gotta do it.
  • Whatever fish special they have – order it / I tried 2 and they were both delish!
  • Maple Crème Brûlée

jct-kitchen-atlanta-deviled-eggs

Afterthoughts: Concluding a full weekend of feasting, you may want to pay a visit to Arden’s Garden and pick yourself up a Grand Slam.  The Slam includes four small shots that are meant to give your system a little kick! The Grand Slam starts with a shot of wheatgrass, and then you follow your shots in a counter-clockwise direction from ginger, lemon, and fresh cranberry until you’ve housed all four.  It certainly was refreshing and made me feel a little (very little) less guilty about all my indulgences.

ardens-garden-atlanta-buckhead-grand-slam-healthy-shots

Stay peachy, Atlanta!

PS- A special thank you to my personal Atlanta foodie guide, Ashley. XO.

 

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3 Comments

  • Reply Kris October 28, 2016 at 10:41 pm

    This is way more helpful than aniynthg else I’ve looked at.

    • Reply Anika December 4, 2016 at 3:48 pm

      Thank you! Glad I could help.

  • Reply Brandy Alexander June 16, 2017 at 8:12 am

    This looks awesome, I want to try everything you mentioned. Mouth is watering.

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