Best Overall Restaurant

After the sad and sudden death of chef/partner Angus Brown in early January, the fate of four-month-old 8ARM was uncertain. But with deep love and tenacity, the tight-knit, uber-talented staff — including partner Nhan Le, pastry maestro Sarah Dodge and chefs Keith Remes, Wilson Gourley and Brooks Rayman — managed to get the restaurant back up and running the next day … and every day since. From early mornings to late nights, cinnamon rolls to ceviches, they’ve been cooking and serving an ever-changing kaleidoscope of locally sourced culinary magic, keeping things fresh while loyally maintaining Brown’s earthy, funky vibe. The recently finished patio finds Joshua Fryer slinging drinks for the cool kids from a repurposed, tropical-themed shipping container late into the night. For all these reasons and more, 8arm is our pick for 2017’s best restaurant. We miss you terribly, Angus, but we think you’d be pretty proud of what you left behind. 710 Ponce de Leon Ave. 470-875-5856. www.8armatl.com.

photo by: Joeff Davis

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Even amid all its high-profile accolades — including being named Bon Appétit’s No. 1 Best Restaurant 2016 — it’s easy to feel at home at STAPLEHOUSE. The Old Fourth Ward restaurant is a family affair helmed by chef Ryan Smith, plus Smith’s wife Kara and sister-in-law Jen Hidinger, who serve as welcoming hosts. At Staplehouse, Smith’s cooking is prodigious without being overwrought. Dishes such as tender charred cabbage served in a smoky sausage broth or his signature chicken liver mousse tart demonstrate this balancing act with ease. The tart’s ever-changing rotation of seasonal accoutrements such as fermented peach and dandelion greens in the summer adds depth and variety. Staplehouse routinely offers impeccable meals that delight the eyes as much as they please the palate. Some of Smith’s more ambitious creations such as sunchoke custard with supple smoked sable fish, wild juniper, and ricotta foam, gently challenge you and then give you a happy embrace. Just like family. That the restaurant’s profits go to its sister organization the Giving Kitchen, which provides support to Atlanta restaurant workers facing unanticipated crises, creates even more incentive to keep Staplehouse fans coming back. less...

It may not be the fanciest restaurant in Atlanta, or the one with the most formal service, or even the one with the highest star rating. But none of that matters. What matters is this is the place where we all want to eat. If a friend comes in from out of town, if a special occasion calls for a special place, if we had the opportunity to shout ATL pride from the rooftops for one restaurant only, it would be HOLEMAN & FINCH. It’s the restaurant our New York friends are jealous of. It’s a place you can get a mind-blowing cocktail alongside a perfect small round of the most classic, wonderful steak tartare topped with a flurry of the thinnest potato crisps imaginable. All manner of “parts” are available, from creamy, dreamy lamb brains to rabbit livers topped with pickled blueberries, to whole confit duck heads. But if extreme eating isn’t your sport, the comfort and simplicity of house-made pasta carbonara with a fat farm egg yolk to stir in, or a perfectly cooked piece of trout can excite, too. Either way, we’re smitten. 2277 Peachtree Road. 404-948-1175. www.holeman-finch.com. less...

Atlanta dining just keeps getting better, but BACCHANALIA still reigns supreme as the standard-bearer for excellence in the city. Chef/owners Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison and executive chef Daniel Porubiansky are turning out extraordinarily refined food that retains the Southern roots of its local, fresh ingredients. In the past year, the wine list has expanded and improved dramatically, and the room remains one of the Southeast’s best examples of luxury without gimmick or pretension. 1198 Howell Mill Road. 404-365-0410. www.starprovisions.com. less...