Springtime has arrived. 

Our cars are coated with a thick layer of pollen. It could be 55 degrees or 85 degrees outside, maybe even on the same day. We’re all playing that cruel game of seeing how our shorts fit after a long winter of eating.

It’s also the time of one of the most notorious holidays: 4/20.

Here at Atlanta Eats we neither encourage nor discourage you from partaking in any activities that may or may not be associated with the 20th day of April (alright I think we’re covered legally), but we understand and appreciate the importance of food on that special holiday.

Based on the smell of any Atlanta street corner any time of day, we have a feeling this will be a highly celebrated day.

So, we want to make your day just that much more special by offering a special guide for maximizing your munchability by equipping you with a mighty lineup of places to eat, no matter the time of day, whether you’re observing 4/20 or just looking for a delicious bite. 

Wake and Bake

The holiday begins the moment you wake up, so why not start your day in a blaze of glory? Atlanta has a deep roster of places where you can enjoy a hearty breakfast, so here are some categories with a few specific ideas.

Bagels

There’s nothing like a fresh bagel. You can smear it with schmear or make it into a sandwich of your choosing. While we don’t quite have New York status, we’re fortunate to have a few great bagel options around town. 

Brooklyn Bagel Bakery & Deli

These bagels are some of the best you’ll eat. There are two convenient locations, one in Ansley Mall and one in Johns Creek, so it’ll be easily accessible for many of our readers. 

Each flavor of bagel is worth ordering (even the sweet ones, if you’re into that kind of thing…) but the breakfast wraps are just as satisfying and more nutritionally balanced. 

Bagelicious

This one’s for those East Cobb folks who know that this is the best spot down south for all your New York deli needs. In addition to their best-in-show bagels, they serve up some mean chicken salad, pasta salad, black and white cookies, kugel, and more. 

Anytime you go, you’ll find plenty of old New Yorkers there, which is all you need to know about the quality. Heads up: it’s still somehow cash-only, even in the age of COVID, so make sure you have some bills on you.

Emerald City Bagels

Folks living intown know this EAV gem is a can’t-miss spot. The bagels are tasty, the sandwiches are creative, and the old fashioned brand is a lot of fun. 

Donuts

If you enjoy the bagel shape but want something sweeter, you’re in luck because donuts exist! We’ve already highlighted the best in Atlanta, so check that out for the full list, but here are a few that just feel even more fitting for this day.

Sublime Donuts 

Sublime is a staple of the GA Tech student’s lifestyle, and with good reason. There’s dozens of unique and classic flavors, loaded with everything from Reese’s peanut butter cups to fresh strawberries. 

You can get your fix right near the Tech campus or at the North Druid Hills location. It’s also open 24 hours, so if nothing in the below Late Night section excites you, you can always count on Sublime.

Hero Doughnuts and Buns

Hero Donuts recently arrived in the up-and-coming Summerhill neighborhood and it arrived with a vengeance. Their donuts are made with a brioche dough, so they’re extra fluffy. 

You can’t go wrong with any of these, but they also use that same dough to make buns for a wide range of incredible sandwiches, like the Hero Burger and the Breakfast Super Crunch (fried chicken topped with egg, cheese, pepper jam, pickles, and house sauce). It’s honestly unfair how good every single thing they serve is. 

Krispy Kreme

What’s there to say about Krispy Kreme that hasn’t already been said, or at least written by me in the above article? 

To steal my own wording: it’s hard to even qualify a fresh Krispy Kreme donut as a solid food because as soon as you put it in your mouth, it dissolves into a magnificent cloud of everything right in the world. While the “Hot Now” sign is a welcoming beacon that your donut is about to be even fluffier and tastier than usual, don’t sleep on the surprisingly amazing results of microwaving your donut for 8-12 seconds.  

Mexican

This might seem like a bizarre inclusion for a breakfast section, but Mexican food truly offers some of the best breakfast items around, especially breakfast burritos. Here are a couple places you can visit to start your day.

El Taco Veloz

This bona fide Mexican spot is everything you’re looking for in a hole in the wall spot. Look no further than Anthony Bourdain’s review after he visited the BuHi drive-thru location: “drive right the f*** up and get yourself some authentic f***ing deliciousness.”

El Tesoro

This Edgewood spot is trendy and stylish, with the tasty food to boot. Their breakfast burritos are only available on the weekend (which you should definitely check out), but you can still get a regular burrito, tacos, chips and dips, and mulitas (a quesadilla made with corn tortillas with cheese on the inside and outside). Plus, you’re going to love hanging out on that patio.

Mid-Day Munchies

Lunch time! Some may say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but lunch really defines its direction. On a day as special as April 20th, you need to make sure your mid-day treat is worthy of your consumption. These places have delicious grub and will fit perfectly into your afternoon. 

Pizza

Is there a better food in the world, regardless of your state of sobriety, than pizza? Needless to say, these places will more than hit the spot on 4/20.

Fellini’s

Fellini’s is one of Atlanta’s most iconic local chains, with seven locations all around the area. Their pizzas are just what you need, and you can get a full pie (for a group, leftovers, or if you’re VERY hungry) or just a slice or two. If you’re not feeling pizza for lunch, don’t worry because Fellini’s is open until 11 PM or midnight, depending on which restaurant. 

Glide

I love this Old Fourth Ward pizza joint, our company’s president Kyle eats there so much he might as well be on their payroll. Here’s what he had to say:

“Glide is just really solid pizza. The pies are simple and flavorful, never too overbearing. They’re always cooked to a perfect crisp, and the thickness? It’s not too thick and it’s not too thin… it’s just right (s/o to Goldilocks).”

Antico

When someone says “Atlanta” and “pizza”, chances are “Antico” is the next thing coming out of their mouth (and hopefully into their mouth too). There are locations in West Midtown, Alpharetta, and even at The Battery, so there’s plenty of easy access if you’re trying to enjoy some of the best pizza in ATL.

Humble Pie 

Sandwiches 

Fact: everything is better between two slices of bread. Here’s some of our favorite places that serve food that fit that description.

Fred’s Meat and Bread

If it’s on the menu at Fred’s, it’s probably phenomenal. That’s no exaggeration, everything I’ve had there is so good. Krog Street Market has plenty of killer vendors, but this might be their strongest.

The best things to get, in no particular order, include: the Italian Grinder, the Burger Stack, and the Korean Cheesesteak (even better with chicken, in my opinion). And whatever you do, get a side of their thick fries with a tasty dipping sauce. 

Humble Mumble

This Black-owned sub shop at The Coda food hall in Midtown has a tight menu, so you won’t be overwhelmed with options. Not only do they serve fantastic subs, like The Italian Job and the Classy Chicken Salad, but Chef Justin Dixon also experiments with pickles, so make sure you throw a few of those into your order.

Dave’s Cosmic Subs

As if the name didn’t clue you in, Dave’s is all about the stoner vibes, with menu names like “Trippy Dave’s Turkey” and “The Grateful Dave”. There are locations all over Ohio, but only one in Atlanta, right in the heart of Emory Village. 

The Crazy Dave™ (it’s trademarked on the menu and I don’t want to get sued) was voted the best sandwich in Cleveland, stacked high with prosciutto, capicola, hot peppers, LTO, fresh garlic, and provolone, and sprinkled with crushed red peppers, herbs, and Dave’s Cosmic Sauce. You might as well get an extra for later in the day.

Torched Hop Brewing Company

While Torched Hop offers a killer 4/20-themed menu, it doesn’t get much more on-the-nose than a sandwich literally called THC. In this case, rather than tetrahydrocannabinol, it stands for the much-easier-to-say-out-loud, Torched Hop Chicken. It’s locked and loaded with a big beautiful piece of fried chicken soaked in buffalo sauce and topped with slaw, pickles, tomato, and Duke’s mayo. There’s plenty of other winners at The Hop, like their Wu-Fries (waffle fries with buffalo sauce, ranch, cheddar, bacon, and scallions), wings, and divine Fish & Chips. If you’re not afraid to get even more buzzed, their beers are some of ATL’s best.

Buford Highway  

Are you ready for a wild adventure? Buford Highway can always be relied on for fresh and authentic ethnic food from just about every cuisine you can imagine. Here are a few tried and true spots, but you can pretty much walk into any restaurant on this sprawling road and count on a delicious meal.

Northern China Eatery

Northern China Eatery is Dumpling HQ, where they serve the tastiest variations of those beautiful pouches of dough, meat, and veggies. Some of my personal favorites are the Lamb w/ Zucchini Pot Stickers, Pork w/ Chives Dumplings, and the Pork Buns, each of which you can buy freshly made OR frozen in bulk so you can take them home for many future meals. 

If you’re not in a dumpling kind of mood (and shame on you if so), there’s so many other exciting options. Any of the noodles are winners, though you should definitely check out the Ma Po Tofu. The szechuan peppercorns make your mouth slightly numb, which will be a particularly wild sensation on 4/20.

Oh K-Dog

These Korean rice hot dogs are unlike anything you’ve ever had, besides perhaps on the streets of Seoul. It’s essentially a corn dog filled with cheese and drizzled in all kinds of other amazing things like sweet chili, garlic sauce, and gochu hot sauce. 

There are two locations, including one in the Super H Mart farmer’s market, so you can also treat yourself by exploring the stunning array of meats, fresh noodles, produce, and literally anything else you could imagine.

Lee’s Bakery

If you’re looking for the best banh mi you’ll ever have in your life, this is the place for you. They’ve got the famous Buy 5, Get 1 Free combo, so treat your squad to those unbelievable sandwiches. Pair it up with a hot bowl of hearty pho or a refreshing smoothie with boba pearls.

To learn more about Lee’s Bakery, check out my article here.

Late Night

You’ve had a long day. You may have been observing this special day since you woke up (see: Wake and Bake) or put it off until the very end of the night, but we know you saved room for one last perfect snack. While the late night hours may have limited options, you’ll have no complaints once you see what you’re working with.

Wings

Nothing says ATL like wings, whether they’re hot, lemon pepper, or our legendary lemon pepper wet. When the night gets dark and your eyes get red, nothing satisfies quite like a 10-piece with your favorite dipping sauce.

J.R. Cricket’s 

This is probably the ATL joint most associated with wings. They put lemon pepper wet on the map, and not just because of their feature in the show Atlanta. There’s several locations all around town, but the original is in Midtown right off North Avenue. It’s open until 2am during the week and 3am on Fridays and Saturdays. 

No hour is too late for lemon pepper wet.

Manuel’s Tavern

I share my love for this place anytime and anywhere I can (in extended detail here), but more places in the world should be like Manuel’s. The staff is friendly, the decor is interesting, their story is riveting, and their food and beer can’t be beat! 

While just about every menu item is made with love and packed with deliciousness, the wings with Terry sauce are unlike anything you’ve had before. They’re spicy, smokey, sweet, and totally droolworthy.

Diners

The best part of a diner is you have an absolutely wild lineup of potential items you can order. Greek? Italian? Grilled cheese? Gyros? Absurdly large slices of cake? A diner menu is pure chaos, which is perfect for your munchies.

Landmark Diner

Landmark Diner has been serving Georgians since the 1990s, so they’ve got the whole diner thing figured out. Their Buckhead location is right where the suburbs of Chastain meets the more commercial area, so you’re bound to find an eclectic mix of customers at all times of day. 

It’s hard to recommend what to get because it’s all pretty standard diner fare, but the highlights of my own visits there have been the Disco Fries (cheese fries), the Grilled Cuban Panino, and the Cheesecake.

Marietta Diner

The Marietta Diner leans heavily into the Greek side of the diner world. Some of the stars of the menu include the Greek Gyro Platter, the Fried Mac and Cheese Burger (what more could you want on 4/20?), and my Nana’s personal favorite, the Baklava. Pro tip: ask for the baklava with vanilla ice cream and prepare for an explosion of sweet flavors.

Cheesesteaks

They’re greasy, they’re meaty, they’re cheesy, they’re filling…but most importantly, they’re available late night.

Woody’s Cheesesteaks

You may think you love cheesesteaks, but just wait until you try Woody’s. I’ve been several times, but we have the leader of the unofficial Woody’s fan club on staff at Atlanta Eats, so here’s what Megan had to say:

“There is a reason it has been open for almost 50 years (since 1975) and it’s not a warm embrace from their staff ,but the magic being cooked up in their 180 square foot kitchen. From the award-winning bread flown in from New Jersey to their secret Woody’s sauce, their 1lb cheesesteaks are cemented as a Midtown munchie open to 4 AM on the weekends and 12am during the week.”

Bonus: Chicken and Waffles

 

 

 

 

 

 

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