Where to Eat on Buford Highway

In 1957, the Benedit family opened the Havana Sandwich Shop on Buford Highway — Atlanta’s first immigrant-owned restaurant.

Boy, a lot has changed in 50 years. Today, Buford Highway in Atlanta is one of the most ethnically diverse regions in the country, home to more than 1,000 immigrant-owned businesses, including over 100 restaurants. Both locals and visiting foodies have so many ethnic choices that debating where to get the best dim sum, tacos, or arepas can be a lengthy conversation.

Cuisines represented include Mexican, Eastern European, Chinese, Turkish, Middle Eastern, Indian, Korean, Peruvian, Colombian, Taiwanese, Caribbean, Thai, Laotian, Malaysian, Ethiopian, Bangladeshi, Somali, Central American, African, and Filipino. And within these, regional specialties abound, like the eight main Chinese cuisines — Sichuan, Cantonese, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan, Fujian, and Anhui.

What makes this corridor so special is that the restaurants — whether they are MICHELIN-recognized or a tiny strip mall eatery — are mostly mom-and-pop shops using age-old family recipes. The food is the real deal. 

Not sure what you want to eat? Easy. Go into any strip center or shopping mall, such as Plaza Fiesta, Orient Centre, Northeast Plaza, Asian Square and the Buford Farmers Market, and you can select from a wide variety of ethnic restaurants. It’s as easy as “eeny, meeny, miny, moe.”

But sometimes you have a hankering for something in particular. Here are some suggestions when you have a culinary itch that needs to be scratched.

Latin and Central American Flavors

Close your eyes and take a bite of a Cubano sandwich from Havana Sandwich Shop (2905 Buford Hwy NE) — pressed ham and roasted pork that transport you straight to Havana. At Machu Picchu Restaurant (2863 Buford Hwy NE), you’ll find Peruvian dishes like ají de gallina and tangy ceviche.

Ceviche

Cuco Peruvian Cuisine offers a wide variety of Peruvian dishes, but the ceviche carretillero and trio de ceviches are standouts.

When you walk in the door of El Sazon del Kora ATL and are greeted with a complimentary ceviche tostada, you know you’re in for a ceviche treat. 

Arepas

CasaVieja, a Colombian restaurant, serves a variety of arepas, including ones with grilled steak or chicken. La Casona Colombian offers arepas with fried pork skin, chicken and avocado, chicken, tongue and liver.

Tacos

Opened in 1991, El Taco Veloz specializes in — surprise — tacos. In fact, El Taco Veloz offers 10 different tacos including beef tongue, intestines, seasoned pork and chicken. One of the taco places at Plaza Fiesta, Carnitas Michoacan, is known for its carnitas tacos. It also offers lesser-known options such as pork tongue and chorizo.

Parrillada

La Costilla Grill offers a parrillada for one with grilled skirt steak served with charro beans, guacamole and warm tortillas topped with grilled onions, jalapeños and chorizo.

La Pastorcita offers a variety of parrilladas, including ham, bacon and cheese, as well as shrimp, octopus and bacon. Plaza Fiesta itself is a Latin American wonderland — a colorful shopping center with a food court full of Colombian empanadas, sizzling fajitas, and every taco imaginable.

Journey Through Asia

Buford Highway is Atlanta’s gateway to Asia, with countless mom-and-pop eateries representing Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, Thai, and Japanese cuisines.

Dumplings

Northern China Eatery is a Buford Highway favorite, and diners can watch the chef make hundreds of dumplings every day. Beloved foodie Anthony Bourdain was crazy for them and you will be, too. Try the pork with chives, lamb with zucchini or the beef and carrot dumplings. The eatery also sells them frozen so you can take some home.

Try the handmade soup dumplings at Lao Wei Dao or the pan-fried pork dumplings. Either way, they’re delicious. 

Gu’s Dumplings is perhaps the best known place to get dumplings. The Szechuan restaurant started on Buford Highway and became so popular it also opened restaurants at Krog Street Market and in Alpharetta. The dumplings are Zhong-style and come in pork, chicken or vegetable options.

Dim Sum

Dim sum is the perfect solution for friends dining because there’s something for everyone. Not surprisingly, Buford Highway has some great options. The Cantonese offerings at Dim Sum Heaven have delighted Atlantans with its shrimp rice noodle rolls, 12 egg custard tarts and fish ball soup. Canton House offers dim sum all day, and there’s a lot to choose from, including shrimp shumai, curry squid and chicken bun.

Noodles & Pho

LanZhou Ramen (5231 Buford Hwy NE) specializes in hand-pulled noodle soups that brim with flavor. Nam Phuong (4051 Buford Hwy NE) serves iconic pho and crispy bánh mì, while Dagu Rice Noodle (5090 Buford Hwy NE) offers lighter Vietnamese rice noodle dishes like bún bò Huế and bún thịt nướng.

Bibimbap

Stone Bowl House is a popular choice for this Korean favorite dish. Sokongdong Tofu House offers several options including tofu, vegetables, spicy pork, chicken bulgogi and squid bibimbap.

MICHELIN-recognized Woo Nam Jeong offers an expansive Korean menu with “stone bowl” bibimbap being one of its signature dishes paired with excellent banchan (side dishes served with rice).

Korean BBQ

Korean barbecue is gaining popularity in Atlanta. Hae Woon Dae’s dishes include beef ribs, spicy chicken and beef brisket. Go hungry at E-gyu because this favorite restaurant offers all-you-can-eat authentic Korean BBQ.

Buford Highway is so much more than just a food destination. Check out our itinerary to spend a full day at Buford Highway.

Filipino Favorites

At Kamayan ATL, enjoy MICHELIN-recommended Filipino dishes like kaldereta, an Angus beef and tomato stew rich with bold flavor.

Vegetarian & Plant-Based

Harmony Vegetarian offers a delicious twist on Asian classics, from kung pao “chicken” to vegetable pad thai — perfect for plant-based diners exploring Buford Highway Atlanta.

Beyond Borders: Africa and the Caribbean

At Continent Restaurant & Cigar Lounge (4300 Buford Hwy NE), jerk chicken and fragrant stews steal the show. East African hotspot Smokin Suya serves spicy grilled beef skewers, while Little Lagos highlights Nigerian comfort foods like jollof rice, egusi soup, and suya.

Hidden Gems and International Markets

City Farmers Market (3317 Buford Hwy NE) and Food Terminal (5000 Buford Hwy NE) offer global groceries and casual eateries — from fresh Cajun spices to authentic Korean BBQ stalls.

Buford Highway Farmers Market is a feast for the senses — aisles of exotic produce, fragrant spices, and international pantry staples transform any grocery trip into a global adventure.

Key Buford Highway Restaurants

• Food Terminal – 5000 Buford Hwy NE
• Havana Sandwich Shop – 2905 Buford Hwy NE
• Machu Picchu Restaurant – 2863 Buford Hwy NE
• Arepa Grill – 5302 Buford Hwy NE
• La Pastorcita – 3304 Buford Hwy NE
• Pupuseria Mi Tierra – 5090 Buford Hwy NE
• Plaza Fiesta – 4166 Buford Hwy NE
• LanZhou Ramen – 5231 Buford Hwy NE
• Nam Phuong – 4051 Buford Hwy NE
• Dagu Rice Noodle – 5090 Buford Hwy NE
• Continent Restaurant & Cigar Lounge – 4300 Buford Hwy NE
• Roc South Cuisine – 3009 Buford Hwy NE
• City Farmers Market – 3317 Buford Hwy NE
• Food Terminal – 5000 Buford Hwy NE