Why Atlanta Restaurants Are So Expensive

Have you ever looked at your bill at the end of a meal and wondered why it looks like an area code? Eating out is expensive and with inflation it only gets more expensive.

According to a study by the National Restaurant Association, 97 percent of restaurateurs attribute rising menu prices to rising food costs. Despite having access to a better, more competitive supply chain, restaurateurs feel the same pinch as home cooks, since they have to pay more for ingredients. Jared Hucks, chef and owner of Alden in Sandy Springs, says those who cook with specialty ingredients and buy smaller quantities don’t benefit from the bulk discounts restaurants get on produce.

Then there is the cost of labor. According to ZipRecruiter, the current average wage for a restaurant worker in the United States has increased to $17.11 per hour, with workers in Atlanta at $16 per hour. The American minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Beyond higher salaries (well deserved by qualified staff members), recruitment, retention and training must be considered. Regardless of price, restaurant sales are up this year.

“Places located in prime areas with high foot traffic or in upscale neighborhoods may have higher rental costs,” says Tal Baum of Carmel, Rina, Bellina Alimentari, etc., which further requires pricing higher to cover expenses.

Finally, as the saying goes, time is money, and clever food presentations take both. Joey Ward, chef and owner of Georgia Boy and Southern Belle, says the focus on presenting a tasting experience is akin to a show, allowing guests to take their time and enjoy the show. Instead of rushing to turn tables, they seat fewer guests each night and have fewer opportunities to catch up on operating costs.

But don’t count out fine dining restaurants because of sticker shock. Many of the city’s best places offer the opportunity to help Atlantans save money by dining at their restaurants.

Here’s a list of high/low tips on how to get a taste of Atlanta’s most star chefs on the cheap.

The $125 tasting menu from James Beard Award-winner Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison’s Michelin-starred flagship Bacchanalia is a must-try for foodies. But for a more day-to-day look at their farm and kitchen, swing by the other side of the building during the day.

Sunny and casual, farmhouse-style Star Provisions offers some of the best pastries, soups, sandwiches, boards and bowls you can find in town. Try the French omelette with herbs, brie and aioli on a fresh baguette for breakfast ($12). For lunch, enjoy the hot Italian beef sandwich with braised short ribs and marinated vegetables ($15), or the confit yellowfin tuna ($15) and Gorgonzola potato pizza with caramelized onion, rosemary and fig ($16). $).

Ryan Fleisher

The exquisite, Michelin-starred eight-course $205 (including tip) tasting menu at Lazy Betty by Ron Hsu and Aaron Philips ranks among the top two to three hours spent dining. If you don’t have a lot of time or budget to spare, there are now two ways to check out the megastar duo’s menu. The first tip is to dine at the lounge from the a la carte bar menu — a new option with the new space, with dishes like a foie gras fritter ($25) or truffle agnolotti ($32). The second is to join Humble Pie, a restaurant that, like Lazy Betty, demonstrates technical expertise, local ingredients and, above all, imagination.

Try the Nikki pizza with white truffle sauce, wild mushroom dip, arugula and truffle butter dip ($28); short rib stew with cavatappi ($23); and the house salad with golden beets, fennel, dill, hazelnuts and honey-apple cider vinaigrette ($16). Desserts like a peanut butter tart with cookie crumbs and raspberry gel ($12) from the Juniper Cafe pastry team (RIP) are always worth saving space for.

Matt Wong

Although not without controversy (management at French-influenced steakhouse Marcel’s was accused of racism, sexual harassment and safety violations at the establishment in March), chef and restaurateur Ford Fry has a major history in Atlanta . Marcel and his companion Petit Moineau (both named in homage to the passionate love story between fighter Marcel Cerdan and singer Édith Piaf) are among his finest gastronomic works, with price tags to match. But hidden in Little Sparrow’s view floats Bar Blanc, a French restaurant with indoor, outdoor and lounge seating and a hyper-focused menu that gets to the point.

The steak fries at $49.50 per person is a permanent prix fixe that starts with a crispy baguette and house salad for the table, then moves on to steak with brown butter béarnaise and as many triple-fried fries, thick and rich in Little Sparrow’s beef tallow that diners can stomach.

“It was important to me that it seemed easy and accessible,” says Fry.

Although the Inman Park and Alpharetta locations are markedly different, going to either of Fares Kargar’s Delbar restaurants is a transporting experience: the former is old-world cosmopolitan, intimate and bustling, and the second is a huge space that brings the sun, flowers and grandeur of his family’s native Iran to Alpharetta. But if you only have the time and budget for a square of this cultural menu, Bibi Eatery at Ponce City Market is a perfect solution.

“I have always believed that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the rich flavors of Iranian cuisine in a welcoming and accessible setting,” says Kargar. Try the yogurt, saffron and onion marinated kebab steak with lentil and raisin rice ($20); the braised lamb and dill labneh sandwich with barberries ($17); or the falafel plate with spicy tahini and hummus ($11). Refresh yourself with an iced coconut chai ($7) or house sharbat soda, or treat yourself to an Azadi ($12), a refreshing gin drink with grapefruit, cardamom and mint.

Lobster reigns supreme at Snap Thai Fish House, chef Pattie Lawlertratana’s flagship restaurant, ranked among the best new restaurants to hit the Atlanta scene last year. You’ll find it in a Thai version of the lobster roll and lobster bisque, in pad thai, fried rice, sushi rolls and even next to a wagyu beef burger.

If all this sounds great but a little rich for your blood, return to Lawlertratana’s roots: Bangkok Thai. This restaurant is more casual, with a focus on classic Thai dishes and street food from his upbringing in Thailand. Proudly “Atlanta’s Original Thai Restaurant Since 1977,” it remains a great entry point to its exceptional expertise.

Try the Thai version of “lemon pepper wet” wings with sweet chili sauce ($14); jeeb (rose tea and pork dumplings, $9), shrimp and water chestnuts; chicken and shrimp pad thai ($17); and the pla-khew-whan, white fish with green curry and coconut milk ($18).

Carmel is restaurateur Tal Baum’s love letter to the sea with an upscale, hip, escapist environment that commands the $14 to $62 price point you’d expect for its ambiance and quality.

Luckily, there are other ways to find out what she cares about, especially now that Rina has also expanded from Old Fourth Ward to Avalon. Try anything with the falafels ($6 to $15), reminiscent of her grandmother’s recipe from the now-closed Falafel Nation; the chicken shawarma bowl with baba ghanoush, Israeli salad, harissa and tahini ($17); and amba chicken marinated in peach sauce ($19).

Skye Lin

Bonus Tips

Featured recurring events include chef Jared Hucks’ First Thursday at Alden, which offers a five-course tasting for $125 versus the usual price of $175 for seven courses. For even less, celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Sunday Supper & Spins, Marcus Bar & Grille, offers a buffet of Southern dreams, with about 20 dishes, including regular menu items like peach barbecue ribs, Everything Wings, grilled salmon and its famous fried chicken – for only $48 per person.

Double Zero’s $35 summer prix fixe menu offers three dishes from a limited selection. Ford Fry and Drew Belline’s $35 Multi-Item Brunch at #246 Starts with a Huge Four appetizers for the table and follows with a list of full-size brunch dishes, as well as selections from its regular menu – and yes, that includes the exceptional French Chicken.