Georgia

Georgia Institute of Technology

From the Admission Staff of Georgia Tech, with special thanks to Director of Undergraduate Admission Rick Clark, Assistant Director Megan Hutchins and Senior Assistant Director Merideth Ray:

Favorite Italian:

 

Sotto Sotto
313 N. Highland Avenue
Atlanta, GA

 

A great spot for parents to treat their students to a special dinner out, Sotto Sotto serves upscale gourmet Italian food. Handmade pastas and authentic Italian dishes include isotto ai funghi, spaghetti with shellfish, tortellini with spinach and mascarpone, papardelle with duck ragu, and "priest strangler" pasta (?!?). Great service and an excellent wine list.  We recommend the Tortelli di Michelangelo -- veal, chicken and pork ravioli with a butter and sage sauce -- for a treat! Oh, and warm Belgian chocolate soup for dessert, anyone?

 

Favorite Mexican:

 

Nuevo Laredo Cantina
1495 Chattahoochee Avenue
Atlanta, GA

 

I don't think you can graduate from Georgia Tech and not learn to love this place. Their salsa is perfect, the brisket is amazing, and they have a delicious mole sauce. Or try one of the other Tex Mex specialties at this festive roadhouse restaurant -- such as the lobster tacos, a burrito grande, or the chicken Diablo.

 

Favorite Breakfast/ Brunch:

 

Babette's Cafe
573 North Highland Avenue NE
Atlanta, GA

This tiny French-inspired spot in a remodeled 1916 bungalow is not too far from campus and is a great escape for Sunday brunch! We recommend the tenderloin Benedict on fresh bread with amazing Hollandaise sauce, or the French toast which is to die for.
 

Murphy's Restaurant and Bakery
997 Virginia Avenue NE
Atlanta, GA

This place does everything well, but its breakfast has always won Atlantans' hearts.  The menu runs from Georgia white shrimp and grits and corned beef hash to frittatas and steel cut oatmeal with extensive egg specialty offerings, as well as sandwiches and salads. The chilaquiles here of all places are fabulous and you can’t go wrong with the Eggs Virginia Highland -- spinach, mushrooms, and poached eggs on focaccia with sundried tomato Hollandaise. The crowd gets large after 10 am so come early or spend your time browsing for great wine or checking out the cakes and pies in the bakery while you wait
 

The Flying Biscuit Cafe
1001 Piedmont Avenue
Atlanta, GA

An Atlanta Original. Fall in love with some love cakes (black bean cakes), and you can’t beat the biscuits at the Candler Park location. Or try the organic oatmeal pancakes, scrambled eggs wit chicken sausage and penne pasta, or The High Flyer -- two large farm fresh eggs with their signature chicken breakfast sausage, creamy dreamy grits, plus an organic oatmeal pancake topped with warm peach compote and served with maple syrup. Ummm, then you can walk it off on the Georgia Tech campus!

 

Favorite Southern Food:

 

Mary Macs Tea Room
224 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
Atlanta, GA

 

Visit here to mingle with Atlanta politicians and visiting celebrities as well as to try some of the best fried chicken and sweet tea in the city. This is the oldest still operating “tea house” in Atlanta, open since 1945. You'll find soups, salads and Southern specialties on the menu - including chicken and dumplings, gulf shrimp and catfish, barbecued ribs and Georgia peach cobbler for dessert.

 

Horseradish Grill
4320 Powers Ferry Rd NW
Atlanta, GA

 

This Atlanta staple provides favorite southern food done well and with a gourmet twist. For dinner there's Pimento Cheese and Grits Fritters, Green Tomato Braised Niman Ranch Pork Shank (with Logan turnpike speckled white grits, and braised greens), or Sweet Corn Crusted North Georgia Mountain Trout with roasted butternut squash puree, brown butter Brussels sprouts and bacon aioli. And at lunch you can order a Coca Cola Braised Brisket Sandwich, Venison Meatloaf or a BLT salad with mixed field green, fried green tomatoes, applewood smoked bacon and buttermilk dressing. Try the BBQ appetizer and fried okra and you can't beat their amazing desserts -- like red velvet cake or sweet potato crème brulee.

 

Favorite Steak:

Kevin Rathbun Steak
154 Krog St NE
#200
Atlanta, GA

 

This place knows how to do steak. The atmosphere is modern masculine with dark woods and mood lighting. In addition to the ribeyes, NY strips, and Wagyu burgers, there's seafood, salads and soups. And, also, cornmeal fried gulf oysters and lobster fritters. The food is out of this world.

 

Bones
3130 Piedmont Rd NE
Atlanta, GA

 

The Atlanta standard. This place is an institution. They know how to cook steaks and cater to the business crowd. A dirty martini, bone-in filet with their special "steak paint" of rendered trimmings, salt, pepper and garlic brushed on for extra flavor, and a side of truffle mashed and save some room for the ice cream cake.

 

 

Favorite Burger [not from a burger dedicated joint]:

 

Abattoir
1170 Howell Mill Rd NW
Atlanta, GA

While this menu is a little more expensive, the burger is the cheapest option and well worth it at this American chophouse.  Made of pork, it is the perfect blend of flavor and juiciness. Start your meal with the baby beets salad or the grilled spring onions.

 

Highland Tap
1026 N Highland Ave NE
Atlanta, GA

In the dark basement bar of Highland Tap lives one of Atlanta's best burgers. Sirloin burger made old school -- eight ounces with your choice of toppings and some killer onion rings to boot.

George's
1041 N Highland Ave NE
Atlanta, GA

 

George's is an old school dive, but George's Famous Burgers are great and the onion rings are the perfect complement!

 

Favorite Tacos:
 

Hankook Taqueria
1341 Collier Rd NW
Atlanta, GA

The tacos here are more Korean than Mexican and they pack a punch of flavor. I recommend the fried green tomato that comes with pimento cheese or the more traditional pork served with Korean BBQ sauce. Try the sesame fries as well or one of the other "street snacks" like Gogi-nachos, which are chips topped with jack cheese and ribeye beef.
 

Taquiera del Sol
1200 Howell Mill Rd NW
Atlanta, GA

If you are willing to wait in line, then you can experience some of the most creative taco flavors in Atlanta. There's the Fish Taco -- tilapia dipped in an egg wash, rolled in corn masa and bread crumbs and deep-fried served with poblano tartar sauce and pickled jalapeños. Or the Memphis -- chopped smoked pork with a spicy jalapeno coleslaw and tequila BBQ sauce. They may not be traditional but they are good.

 

Favorite Pizza:

Antico Pizza Napoletano
1093 Hemphill Ave NW
Atlanta, GA

 

With their ingredients, chef, and even the ovens imported from Naples, Italy, you can't beat Antico for authentic Italian pizza. Take your own wine and eat in the kitchen where you can watch the chefs in action. Save room for the cannoli.
 

Fritti
309 N Highland Ave NE
Atlanta, GA

 

Fritti offers an authentic thin crust selection of pizzas and a great patio. Try the Rucola pizza, the Funghi di Bosco with truffle oil, or the Vegetariana with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, spinach, peppers, mushrooms, squash and zucchini.

 

Favorite BBQ:

 

Fox Brothers
1238 DeKalb Ave NE
Atlanta, GA

 

The award-winning Fox Brothers says its BBQ has Texas roots with a southern influence for their pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken and baby back ribs. We recommend the pork, and the Tomminator tater tots covered in Brunswick stew covered in cheese. The fried pickles are also addictive.

 

Favorite Thai:

Surin of Thailand
810 N. Highland Avenue
Atlanta, GA

 

A longtime favorite not too far from campus, Surin is open for lunch and dinner, serving noodle bowls, soups, salads, curries, and entrees such as soft shell crab with asparagus sauce or rib eye with steamed vegetables. Our favorite here is the Pad Prik King, a spicy hot dish of lean pork tenderloin with onions and straw mushrooms in pepper sauce.

Little Bangkok
2225 Cheshire Bridge Road
Atlanta, GA

 

Little Bangkok serves both Thai and Chines and the food is delicious and incredibly fresh -- from curries, almond fried chicken, avocado shrimp to pad kee mao, chicken basil and pad Thai. The interior is a little funky and very crowded but the food never disappoints.