The Top 16 Restaurants in Buckhead, Atlanta

Named one of the "10 Best Romantic Restaurants in Atlanta" by USA Today, this James Beard Foundation semifinalist consistently lands on the city's best restaurant lists. The atmosphere is elegant but never stuffy, the globally focused wine list is tight but comprehensive and chef Gerry Klaskala's new American fare like slow-braised Berkshire pork and crisped boneless duck confit is hearty without being overwhelming. A seven course tasting menu is available nightly and if you can't snag a reservation, belly up to the bar, which offers wine, beer, cocktails and an à la carte menu highlighting some of the restaurant's best dishes.

Tucked away on the banks of the scenic Chattahoochee River, Canoe is a welcome escape from the noise and bustle of city life. Grab a cocktail at the River Bar before dinner, where you'll find over 300 quality wine selections, 40 of which are available by the glass. Then stroll the serene and well manicured gardens or terrace for picturesque views. For your meal, chose from shareable starters like salads and charcuterie to entrees like salmon or a wood grilled NY strip served with seasonal vegetables. The restaurant also offers weekday lunch and a popular Sunday brunch.

Located inside the St. Regis Atlanta, this swanky spot boasts an impressive 20th century art collection and two romantic dining options: the luxurious main dining room or the more casual tavern. Both offer seasonal American fare, craft cocktails and wines by the bottle and glass. Don't skip the dessert: the Peruvian Cacao Pod — chocolate mousse with Lucuma Crème Brûlée, cocoa crumbs, caramelized puffed quinoa and Lucuma ice cream — is as decadent as it sounds and pairs perfectly with a pour from the restaurant's extensive port and dessert wine list.

One of the city's original fine dining destinations, this restaurant from James Beard award-winning chef Linton Hopkins has a hyper-focused and hyper-seasonal menu that spotlights local farmers and ingredients. While entrées and appetizers rotate frequently, you can't go wrong with the seasonal vegetable plate or one of the tasting menus, which are $95 and $145 per person. Dessert options include a local cheese plate and various house-made pastries, all delivered in a luxurious atmosphere with stellar service.

A restaurant and grocery store rolled into one, this neighborhood gem is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Sunday. The menu of Italian staples, including antipasti like pork meatballs and fried pizza dough and traditional pastas like lasagna bolognese and cacio e pepe is sure to please every palate. It's not all carbs here: the vegetable sides, like broccoli rabe and Brussel sprouts, and a few generous salads will ensure you get a well balanced meal. Want to replicate your meal at home? Shop for handmade pastas, sauces and pre-made lasagnes and other dishes after you dine.

Serving all day brunch and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the eclectic and family-friendly R. Thomas has been an Atlanta institution since 1985. Known for its on-premise live birds (not for consumption!), the restaurant has a special kid's menu that offers breakfast favorites like French toast plus grilled cheese and organic PB&J, while adults can choose from salads, omelettes, grain bowls, smoothies, pastas and sandwiches.

Located inside one of the city's top museums, the Atlanta History Center, this location of the popular local chain offers a rotating roster of fresh and allergen-friendly soups, salads and sandwiches. The PB&J and signature turkey chili are particularly kid-friendly, and while the dining room closes at 3:30 p.m., take out is available until 4 p.m. For early risers, a breakfast menu of avocado toast, fresh fruit, oatmeal, gluten free granola and more is offered from 7 to 10 a.m. and pairs well with Brash Coffee, located just across the hall.

Tex-Mex is always a crowd pleaser, and you can't go wrong with the Buckhead outpost of local restaurateur Ford Fry's Superica, a nod to his Texas roots. At lunch, you can get your choice of two from a nacho plate, taco, enchilada, soup and salad with rice and beans for just $11.99. The nachos, queso fundido and flautas are perfect for sharing with large groups, while heavier plates of familiar dishes like carne asada and chile relleno will satisfy those with heartier appetites.

This spot from the owners of Muss & Turner's is as serious about its liquor as it is about sourcing quality, local ingredients. Chase down the "Notorious P.I.G" charcuterie plate or the signature "McDowell" burger — made with two Angus beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, American cheese, pickles and onions — with a pour or two from the restaurant's extensive whiskey collection, which includes American bourbon and rye, plus Scotch and Japanese whisky and more. Feeling indecisive? Try one of their four whiskey or tequila flights.

The gastropub was the birthplace of both the city's craft cocktail movement and its first cult-status burger. You no longer have to wait until 10 p.m. to get the signature double patty with American cheese, onion and pickles on a house-made bun — but you have to be one of the first 24 to order it at lunch or dinner service. Not a carnivore? The restaurant's vegetable plate is not to be missed. More than ten years later, the original and classic cocktail list still ranks among the city's best.

Biltong is South African beef jerky, which is served alongside other South African street food and rotating small and large plates, like shepherd's pie and smoked trout, at Biltong Bar's second location at the Shops at Buckhead. The original location at Ponce City Market was named one of the top 21 cocktail bars in the country by Thrillist, and you can expect the same craft beers and cocktails and biodynamic wines at this spot as well.

Located in the lobby of the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, this Art Smith (best known as Oprah's private chef) concept is dedicated to Southern food and drink, especially the bar's namesake: bourbon. Offering three meals a day plus Sunday brunch, Southern Art has a modern farm-to-table sensibility, so expect fried chicken and fried green tomatoes as well as seasonal vegetables like braised turnip greens and smoked tomatoes and okra. Bourbon Bar features cocktails as well as more than 70 bourbons, including an exclusive Four Roses blend available only at this location.

Feast on everything from hot dishes like baked lobster tempura and tuna foie gras to house specialty rolls, sashimi and nigiri at this sleek, modern Japanese restaurant, where a dress code is strictly enforced (no shorts, flip flops, caps or athletic wear). Pair your seafood of choice with Umi's extensive list of craft sake, handmade cocktails and premium wine and beer. The adjacent reservation-only lounge, Himitsu (which translates to "secret" in Japanese), is perfect for a post-dinner nightcap.

This seafood and pasta-focused Ford Fry concept specializes in coastal European food from Italy, Spain, and France. Expect small plates like fresh crudo and cured meats and oysters, seasonal entrées like wood roasted branzino and a rotating selection of handmade pasta dishes like squid ink spaghettini and ricotta gnudi. Gluten free? Most pastas can be made to order with almond flour instead of the traditional wheat flour. Bottled beer, specialty cocktails and wine by the glass and bottle round out the menu.

The first South African restaurant in the United States, this spot from Justin Anthony of True Food Brands (Biltong Bar, Yebo Beach Haus, Cape Dutch) honors the Mediterranean, Malaysian, Portuguese, French, German, Dutch and Indian fusion cuisine that defines his homeland. The menu ranges from small plates — like peri-peri chicken spring rolls, Biltong "beef jerky" and lollipop lamb chops — to salads, meats, seafoods and vegetables. At $85, the Safari Platter with rump steak, boerewors (sausages), sosaties (lamb skewers) and lamb chops and the Seafood Platter with prawns, calamari, kingklip and mussels both serve four people. The beverage menu includes traditional South African sparkling juices, an extensive South African wine list, cocktails and draft beer.

Located at the Shops at Buckhead, Le Bilboquet is a taste of Paris right in the heart of Buckhead. Keep it light with soups and salads or indulge in French classics like homemade duck foie gras terrine, garlic parsley butter burgundy escargots or lemon veal scallopini with mashed potatoes. Pair them with sparkling wine or champagne by the glass, or if with a group, split a bottle or even a magnum.