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Atlanta’s Top Chefs Reveal Their Go-To Spots for a Power Lunch

Restaurants where you’ll catch Atlanta’s best chefs plotting their next move

The interior of Lucian Books and Wine with a bookcase in the background and dining table in the foreground.
The interior of Lucian Books and Wine with a bookcase in the background and dining table in the foreground.
Ryan Fleisher

Atlanta’s Top Chefs Reveal Their Go-To Spots for a Power Lunch

Restaurants where you’ll catch Atlanta’s best chefs plotting their next move

Henna Bakshi
Henna Bakshi Henna Bakshi is the Regional Editor, South at Eater and an award-winning food and wine journalist with a WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) Level 3 degree. She oversees coverage in Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, the Carolinas, and Nashville.

The all-powerful power lunch. It’s a boss move to hold your business meeting at a local restaurant. These are movers and shakers, with a limited amount of time, who need to conduct a quick business meeting while enjoying a satisfying meal. You need privacy, fast service, and maybe a lunch martini.

In their own words, Atlanta’s top chefs shared their favorite spots to discuss upcoming events, hold client meetings, and pow-wow through menu changes. Here are the places you’ll catch them scheming.

Chef Christopher Grossman smiling from a window in a black and white photo.
Chef Christopher Grossman of the award-winning Chastain says he takes out-of-towners to Heirloom Market BBQ for meetings.
The Chastain

Christopher Grossman, chef and owner, the Chastain, Chastain Park

Picks: Lucian Books and Wine, Pho Bac, and Heirloom Market BBQ.

For serious business meetings, I like Lucian Books and Wine. They always execute well, have a nice by-the-glass list, and it’s easy to get just a few bites, and talk, or if the meeting is more substantial, you can have a bit more for a longer conversation. Either way, you don’t go wrong.

For more casual meetings, typically with my sous chefs or friends in the industry, I like Pho Bac on Buford Highway. They’re fast, and it’s my favorite pho, and it’s casual and anonymous enough that we can talk about menus, food, and ideas, as well as any internal issues we may be having.

A tray of barbecue offerings at Heirloom Market BBQ, with mac and cheese, beans, and cucumber salad on the side.
A tray of barbecue offerings at Heirloom Market BBQ, with mac and cheese, beans, and cucumber salad on the side.
Heirloom Market BBQ

I like to take my out-of-town chef friends to Heirloom Market BBQ. Typically, we’ll be on a break from prepping either a collaboration dinner, or a charity dinner, and the uniqueness and offerings at Heirloom Market are a good place to break away from the kitchen for people that like to try everything, and still be able to loosely discuss the events that we’re planning.

Chef Ron Hsu of Lazy Betty
Chef Ronald Hsu of one-Michelin-starred Lazy Betty can often be found at Best BBQ on Buford Highway for a power lunch.
Official

Ronald Hsu, chef and co-owner, Lazy Betty, Midtown

Picks: Best BBQ, Tio Lucho’s, and Rumi’s Kitchen.

Best BBQ off Buford Highway is perfect for a quick and delicious lunch. Their counter-style operation offers classic Chinese barbecue pork, duck, and chicken, dim sum, and a wide array of made-to-order entrees.

Tio Lucho’s offers a great seafood program that will keep you light on your feet. Not only are the ceviches and oyster program amazing, but the dining room is hip and cool if you’re looking for something with a bit more ambiance.

Hamachi tiradito, a sashimi preparation garnished with strawberries, sunchoke chips, charred avocado, salsa chalaca, all sitting atop aji limo leche de tigre will be served at Tio Lucho in Atlanta.
Hamachi tiradito, a sashimi preparation garnished with strawberries and sunchoke chips at Tio Lucho.
Howard Hsu

Rumi’s Kitchen is great for dining with a larger group. You can order large-format proteins and rice, along with a variety of different Middle Eastern spreads that are great for communal dining.

Atlanta chef Sahar Siddiqi of Chai Pani.
James Beard Award semifinalist, Sahar Siddiqi, enjoys Staplehouse for a power lunch.
Chai Pani

Sahar Siddiqi, chef de cuisine, Chai Pani, Decatur

Picks: Staplehouse, Pure Quill Superette, and Houston’s.

The quality of the food at Staplehouse is unmatched and always insanely delicious, but the market atmosphere makes it quick and easy. The back patio is perfect in the warm weather. Pure Quill Superette is perfect for everything on the East Side, where I live and work. Chef Hudson Rouse’s food is just comfort food done with so much intention, it hits every time. They have great beverages available too. And Houston’s on Peachtree — I am biased because my husband [Gabriel Johnson] is the chef there — it’s the perfect power lunch spot. Deep booths, strong chilled dirty martinis, and impressively fast service. You’ll be in and out in less than an hour and couldn’t be happier. The French dip is my go-to.

Chef Freddy Money at one-Michelin-starred Atlas.
Chef Freddy Money of one-Michelin-starred Atlas says he takes his team to Antico Pizza for motivational lunches.
Atlas

Freddy Money, chef and culinary director, Atlas, Buckhead

Picks: Lucian Books and Wine, the Chastain, and Antico Pizza.

Lucian Books and Wine is a good one. It’s walking distance from me. They’ve got a nice, versatile menu. You can go big or go small. Same with the wine. Or don’t do any wine. It’s also got nice ambiance for important clients.

The Chastain works if we’re really out to impress. Chef Grossman does a great job. There’s also an essence of passion for cooking there. They’re growing everything so that’s also a great conversation starter. Also, a great wine list. For a team rally, a team hustle, we’ll go to Antico Pizza for a quick motivational lunches.

Margherita D.O.P. at Antico Pizza Napoletana
Margherita D.O.P. at Antico Pizza Napoletana.
Antico
Chef Brian So of Spring in Marietta, GA.
Chef Brian So of one-Michelin-starred Spring says he doesn’t power lunch.
James Beard Foundation

Brian So, chef and co-owner, Spring, Marietta

Picks: The Chastain, Brush, and Houston’s.

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever power-lunched once in my life. I power lunch over noodles. My list is purely hypothetical.

The Chastain is the perfect restaurant for any occasion. The menu pleases everyone while still being creative. I trust that the expert service would be able to identify a power lunch and will adapt their service style to best suit the intention of the guest’s visit. Also, I would trust that they would get the perfect bottle of wine onto our table.

I would go to Brush, as long as I know whoever I’m lunching with likes sushi. The dining room is beautiful, the fish is always good, and I feel like it would be cool to discuss business over a bottle of sake off their impressive list.

Hand rolls of sushi at Brush Sushi Izakaya
Sushi rolls at Brush Sushi Izakaya.
Jonathan Phillips/Eater Atlanta

Houston’s is probably the safest choice. I would choose Houston’s if I didn’t know my guest’s food preferences. I imagine a high percentage of their lunch clientele is power lunches, and they are well-practiced at catering to this type of table. Not only are they consistent in food and service, but also in ambiance. I respect that they seem to take their dress code seriously, and also that they openly do not care for or cater to children in the dining room. Both of which I think help give guests confidence in a consistent ambiance and experience.

Posing with the Michelin man, Mia Orino and Carlo Gan of Filipino restaurant Kamayan ATL were honored with a Michelin recommendation in the 2023 Atlanta guide.
Mia Orino of Michelin-recommended Kamayan says she has power lunches with fellow women chefs at local immigrant-owned restaurants.
Ryan Fleisher

Mia Orino, chef and co-owner, Kamayan ATL, Buford Highway

Picks: Cuddlefish, Chai Pani, and Madras Mantra.

Lately, I’ve had meetings with brides-to-be (we cater a lot of weddings and have to meet up with couples and clients sometimes on days we’re not open) at Cuddlefish. I like the vibe and the energy there. It doesn’t feel hurried or rushed. And the food is light and fresh. You never feel sluggish after or needing a nap.

We live in Decatur, and if I need to have a meeting with our architect or contractors, or just to meet up with fellow people in the industry, our go-to is Chai Pani. It gets really busy at lunch, but if you go past 1 p.m. or so, it’s less crowded. I’m always there, it’s like being home.

A crispy dosa with stews and sauces on the side top of a banana leaf.
A crispy dosa with stews and sauces on the side at Madras Mantra.
Madras Mantra

My favorite type of power lunch is gathering with fellow female chefs. We vent, seek counsel and advice, spill tea, strategize, share news (like Snackboxe opening Naga Bistro). But if it’s with my closest friends, Monica Sunny (Chai Box) and Jiyeon Lee (Heirloom Market BBQ), our go-to lunch place is Madras Mantra. That’s our ongoing tradition, especially when Jiyeon’s in town. It’s vegan, and they allow Monica to bring a thermos of her own chai. We spend hours there just enjoying each other’s company in another immigrant’s restaurant. We all love supporting small immigrant-owned businesses, especially now.


All of the selected restaurants are saved on a list called Where Top ATL Chefs Power Lunch on the Eater App.

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