Oral Pleasures
In new age circles and among Law of Attraction devotees you often hear the phrase “Thoughts become things.” The implication is that things in the physical world started out as a figment of someone’s imagination. When traced back to its roots, every great dish, food business, or restaurant concept started out as a vision. That is, a maker, chef, or restaurateur was inspired, dreamt up some blueprints, and ultimately transformed a vision into something tangible.
The people, places, and things we named best this year encompass the visions that had the most staying power. Things that remained visible amid Atlanta’s massive change and growth. They were the dishes and restaurants that were too consistent and too inspiring to fade away or lose their shine.
Places like the newcomer Staplehouse, brought us more than thoughtfulness in the form of edible art. The restaurant’s heroic inception taught us about passion and resilience, and, as a result, that food can be as much about love and community as it is about entertainment. This year we fell in love with the simple Parisian-inspired pleasures of Billy Allin’s Bread & Butterfly in Inman Park. We were wowed by Ticonderoga Club chef David Bies’ return to Atlanta, and we rejoiced in the promise of more favorable Peach State beer legislation for our beloved local brewpubs.
Collectively, Atlanta dining culture is a patchwork of individual ideas that a group of passionate people were compelled to make real. As the dreamers continue turning inspired thoughts into things, the look and feel of this cultural quilt morphs and grows — and we’re grateful to be around to see it.
— Stephanie Dazey
Best cheap eats BOA Award Winner
Best chef BOA Award Winner
Best cocktails BOA Award Winner
Best liquid lunch BOA Award Winner
Best oysters BOA Award Winner
Best place for a first date BOA Award Winner
Best pop-up incubator BOA Award Winner
Best barbecue BOA Award Winner
Best beer development BOA Award Winner
Best food trend BOA Award Winner
Best fried chicken BOA Award Winner
Best vegetarian cuisine from a non-vegetarian chef BOA Award Winner
Best burger BOA Award Winner
Best distillery BOA Award Winner
Best farm-to-table mainstay BOA Award Winner
Best 'hood for food lovers BOA Award Winner
Best Latin oasis BOA Award Winner
Best Malaysian BOA Award Winner
Best overall restaurant BOA Award Winner
Best pizza BOA Award Winner
Best place to take visitors BOA Award Winner
Best reason to get out of bed early BOA Award Winner
Best tacos BOA Award Winner
Best tiki bar BOA Award Winner
Best Bombay-style street food BOA Award Winner
Best breath of fresh air BOA Award Winner
Best coffeeshop BOA Award Winner
Best food court BOA Award Winner
Best ice cream (and a show) BOA Award Winner
Best new beer BOA Award Winner
Best restaurant face-lift BOA Award Winner
Best value BOA Award Winner
Best cornbread BOA Award Winner
Best new restaurant BOA Award Winner
Best wine list BOA Award Winner
Best Atlanta food Instagrammer BOA Award Winner
Best bakery BOA Award Winner
Best Cantonese BOA Award Winner
Best croissant BOA Award Winner
Best french fries BOA Award Winner
Best frozen yogurt (“fro yo”) BOA Award Winner
Best hamburger BOA Award Winner
Best Middle Eastern BOA Award Winner
Best new restaurant BOA Award Winner
Best overall restaurant BOA Award Winner
Best oysters BOA Award Winner
Best patio dining BOA Award Winner
Best restaurant trend BOA Award Winner
Best restaurant when someone else is paying BOA Award Winner
Best beer list BOA Award Winner
Best deli BOA Award Winner
Best dim sum BOA Award Winner
Best doughnut BOA Award Winner
Best fried chicken BOA Award Winner
Best Italian BOA Award Winner
Best juice bar BOA Award Winner
Best mixologist BOA Award Winner
Best OTP restaurant BOA Award Winner
Best restaurant design BOA Award Winner
Best restaurant to bring the kids BOA Award Winner
Best Sichuan BOA Award Winner
Best Southern BOA Award Winner
Best Spanish/tapas BOA Award Winner
Best Tex-Mex BOA Award Winner
Best Ethiopian BOA Award Winner
Best French BOA Award Winner
Best Japanese BOA Award Winner
Best Korean BOA Award Winner
Best local farm BOA Award Winner
Best Atlanta food Instagrammer BOA Award Winner
Best bakery BOA Award Winner
Best Cantonese BOA Award Winner
Best cheap eats BOA Award Winner
Best chef BOA Award Winner
Best cocktails BOA Award Winner
Best croissant BOA Award Winner
Best french fries BOA Award Winner
Best frozen yogurt (“fro yo”) BOA Award Winner
Best hamburger BOA Award Winner
Best liquid lunch BOA Award Winner
Best Middle Eastern BOA Award Winner
Best new restaurant BOA Award Winner
Best overall restaurant BOA Award Winner
Best oysters BOA Award Winner
Best oysters BOA Award Winner
Best patio dining BOA Award Winner
Best place for a first date BOA Award Winner
Best pop-up incubator BOA Award Winner
Best restaurant trend BOA Award Winner
Best restaurant when someone else is paying BOA Award Winner
Best barbecue BOA Award Winner
Best beer development BOA Award Winner
Best beer list BOA Award Winner
Best deli BOA Award Winner
Best dim sum BOA Award Winner
Best doughnut BOA Award Winner
Best food trend BOA Award Winner
Best fried chicken BOA Award Winner
Best fried chicken BOA Award Winner
Best Italian BOA Award Winner
Best juice bar BOA Award Winner
Best mixologist BOA Award Winner
Best OTP restaurant BOA Award Winner
Best restaurant design BOA Award Winner
Best restaurant to bring the kids BOA Award Winner
Best Sichuan BOA Award Winner
Best Southern BOA Award Winner
Trophy Case BOA Award Winner