Where to Eat & Drink Around Atlanta Show Venues

By Joleen Pete

Last Updated June 12, 2024

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Atlanta is a huge draw for big names in entertainment and for sporting events. Last year the tours for Taylor Swift and Beyoncé were in Atlanta for several days. Check out the hottest concerts coming to Atlanta in 2024. In addition to music, there are comedy shows, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Ballet, theater and other forms of performing arts on stage all across Atlanta. Here’s where to eat and drink around show venues in Atlanta.  

Buckhead

Located in the neighborhood it’s named after, Buckhead Theatre is an intimate venue that showcases comedy, music and theater. If the weather is nice, eat and socialize at one of these rooftop bars and restaurants in Buckhead before your show. Or, get some shopping done and dine at one of the restaurants in Buckhead Village District. Here are a few restaurants near Buckhead Theatre.

• Iberian Pig is the restaurant nearest the theater. It serves modern Spanish tapas with bold flavors in a warm environment.
• For great service and the beautiful ambiance for which The St. Regis Atlanta is known, dine at Astor Court at St. Regis. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time. Dress code is business casual.
• For modern European cuisine, dine at Ecco Buckhead, located in Phipps Plaza. It is open seven days a week for happy hour, dinner and drinks.
• Le Bon Nosh, located near Atlanta History Center, is another great option. Menu choices are simple and ingredient-focused farm to table. Le Bon Nosh is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as weekend brunch. It is closed on Mondays. Visit the website for menus and to make dinner reservations.
• You can rarely go wrong with tacos, and that is exactly what you get at Velvet Taco. Taco options include buffalo chicken, chicken and waffle, Korean fried rice and Kobe smash burger. Vegetarian options are available.
• Delbar translates to “heart, captured” in Farsi and is a love letter of admiration to Middle Eastern cooking. Visit the website for the menu and to make reservations. It is closed on Mondays.
• If you’ve got a taste for seafood or sushi, you’ll find an impressive selection at Atlanta Fish Market.

Downtown

In downtown Atlanta you will find smaller show venues such as The Masquerade, Rialto Center for the Arts and Tabernacle, as well as large venues Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena. There are more than 300 restaurants Downtown so you’re sure to find something for every set of taste buds in your party. Let the gram eat first at one of these Instagram-worthy restaurants. Here are a few more options for where to eat near show venues in downtown Atlanta:

• By George Restaurant and Bar is located at the elegant Candler Hotel and offers a sophisticated and timeless dining experience with contemporary American cuisine. It is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Read the menu and reserve a table online.
• You’ll find authentic Cajun and Tex-Mex flavors at Dos Bocas, located in the heart of downtown Atlanta. It is open daily; make reservations online.
• The Drafting Table Cocktails & Kitchen is located at Hotel Indigo Atlanta Downtown and is connected to AmericasMart convention center with easy access to Georgia World Congress Center and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Breakfast is served from 7 to 11 a.m.; dinner from 4 to 10 p.m., daily.
• Located within walking distance to hotels and attractions, Max Lager’s Wood-fired Grill & Brewery is an American grill and brewery open for lunch and dinner.
• Capolinea is located at the newly opened Signia by Hilton Atlanta. Enjoy fine-dining with a menu that offers both traditional Italian and contemporary American cuisines. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner, dessert and cocktails.
• Located in the hotel district near World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium, Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails serves “Southern-tinged New American fare and specialty cocktails.” Dinner reservations are recommended.
• Got a bit of a sweet tooth? Treat yourself to The Yard Milkshake Bar in the Centennial Olympic Park district.
• Palo Santo offers modern Mexican cuisine in a chic atmosphere. Visit the website for full menu options and to make reservations for the dining room, rooftop or brunch.

Eastside

Tap into your alternative, artsy side with a visit to Atlanta’s Eastside. See live indie music, try your hand at trivia or see a film. Show venues on the Eastside include Horizon Theatre, Plaza Theatre, The Eastern and Variety Playhouse. Here are some of the best restaurants near show venues on the Eastside.

• For good vibes and patio hangs on nice days, head to ARGOSY is in East Atlanta Village. Play shuffleboard with friends while you sip on a cold brew from the tap. Small plates include Quad Cheese Mac and Brussels Salad. Enjoy a vegan cold cut or wood-fired wings. Snack on spicy popcorn, boiled peanuts or house cut frites. The menu also includes a variety of wood-fired pizzas.
• Located on the Eastside are Freedom Park Trail and Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark and playground. There are several restaurants in this area including another Delbar location and a restaurant serving Spanish cuisine called Barcelona Wine Bar. It is open seven days a week, and hours vary. Please note this is a cashless bar.
• Just a hop, skip and a jump from the Atlanta BeltLine, BeetleCat is a “docked oyster-ette” offering lobster rolls, fish & chips, coconut fried rice and more, in addition to oysters, cocktails and an extensive wine list. Oyster happy hour is Monday through Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. Delight in the doughnut brunch every weekend.
• Bread & Butterfly is a charming European-inspired café and bistro located in Inman Park. Visit the website to read the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. Dinner is available Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 5:30 to 9 p.m.; reservations are requested.
• The Eastern venue is located a block from Grant Park and Zoo Atlanta and less than a mile from Historic Oakland Cemetery. Just across the street from the cemetery, dine at Six Feet Under Pub & Fish House. It is open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.; the kitchen closes an hour before closing. This is a casual, no reservations restaurant serving seafood plates, a raw bar, craft beers on tap, cocktails and wine.
• Conveniently located near Horizon Theatre and Variety Playhouse is Wrecking Bar Brew Pub. The menu offers many shareable dishes as well as salad, sandwiches and entrées in addition to an extensive beer and whiskey list.

Midtown

Midtown Atlanta is the heart of the arts and it’s here that you’ll find Woodruff Arts Center, home to the High Museum of Art, Alliance Theatre and Atlanta Symphony Hall. If you’re in the area to catch an exhibit, see a play or hear the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, grab a bite to eat or get drinks nearby at The Shane Hotel home to Hartley Kitchen & Cocktails and a separate bar called Aveline. Also nearby in Midtown:

• Politan Row at Colony Square is an elegant food hall featuring 12 independent restaurant concepts, a patio bar and Jojo’s Beloved Cocktail Lounge — a disco era-inspired lounge (reservations required). Small groups can enjoy personalized serve and a hand-selected, curated menu with the Tasting Table Experience. 
• Also located at Colony Square — Rumi’s Kitchen offers authentic Persian cuisine.
• Dine or sip on handcrafted cocktails at Bar Margot, located in Four Seasons Atlanta, open for lunch and dinner daily. Brunch is available on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy live music on Friday and Saturday nights from 8 p.m. until midnight.

You may be in Midtown to see a concert at or a show at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. There are so many Midtown restaurants to choose from; here are a few of our favorites.

• Head to 5Church Midtown for social hour Monday through Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. and enjoy lite bites like truffle popcorn, fresh oysters or charcuterie. Visit the website for full menu options for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Reservations are recommended.
• Across the street from the Fox Theatre, you’ll find Lila Lyla — a southern European restaurant offering seasonal menus with local ingredients ranging from vegetables to seafood. It is open for dinner at 5 p.m. daily. See the food and drink menus online, where you can also make reservations.
• South City Kitchen Midtown serves Southern classics such as fried chicken and shrimp & grits, with a sophisticated spin. It is open for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner nightly, as well as weekend brunch.
• Located at Loews Atlanta Hotel is Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar where you and your date or friends can feast on shareables such as tuna tartare, Margherita flatbread, wings, and meat and cheese board.

Metro Atlanta

Just 5 miles north of Buckhead is Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, where you might see a theater performance or enjoy a concert. The Battery Atlanta is just a couple miles north of there, and this is where you’ll find Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre in addition to shopping and many options to eat, drink and socialize. Also located near these metro Atlanta show venues is C. Ellet’s Steakhouse for — you guessed it — steak. But that’s not all that is offered. Also on the dinner menu is butter-poached lobster, grilled Faroe Island salmon and Creole chicken BLT, to name a few. Visit the website for full dinner and brunch menus.

30 miles north of downtown Atlanta in Gwinnett County, you’ll find Gas South Arena. Before your concert or event, we recommend a trip down Buford Highway, home to more than 1,000 immigrant-owned businesses, including restaurants, shops, farmers markets and more. Dine on dishes with flavors from around the world. Flavors range from Vietnamese pho and Korean barbecue to Mexican taquerias and Ethiopian injera.

Here are things to do around Atlanta show venues.

Joleen Pete lives outside Atlanta with her husband and their son. On the weekends they enjoy going into the city for family fun and exploration. Joleen is the family travel and lifestyle blogger behind Love, Joleen.

Originally Published April 8, 2024