The Best Places to Eat Around Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena in Atlanta

The Best Places to Eat Around Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena in Atlanta A neighborhood dining and drinking guide to restaurants and bars near the Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena

Castleberry Hill turned its many industrial warehouses and buildings into art galleries, loft spaces, restaurants, and music venues. This hip and trendy neighborhood is home to an eclectic mix of musicians, creative workers, and young families.

Restaurants frequently host Falcons, Hawks, and Atlanta United soccer fans on game days. The places in these neighborhoods offer visitors everything from cocktails and cognac to fried chicken and creative sushi. New to the list: Dolo’s Pizza in Underground Atlanta and State Farm Arena, and Sammy’s and Ryokou in Adair Park.

Take note: after a decade in Castleberry Hill, the beloved sushi tavern Bottle Rocket is moving and will soon open in South Downtown. The restaurants are listed in geographical order from south to north.

Looking for more suggestions on where to eat around Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena? Check out this dining guide to downtown Atlanta. The Best Places to Eat Around Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena in Atlanta

A neighborhood dining and drinking guide to restaurants and bars near the Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena With FIFA World Cup games headed to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Downtown Atlanta this June, you’ll likely spend time eating and drinking before and after a game in the nearby historic neighborhoods of Castleberry Hill, Vine City, and the newly revamped Adair Park.

Several highly anticipated restaurants are expected to open in South Downtown ahead of the games, under the multi-billion-dollar development at Centennial Yards. Castleberry Hill turned its many industrial warehouses and buildings into art galleries, loft spaces, restaurants, and music venues. This hip and trendy neighborhood is home to an eclectic mix of musicians, creative workers, and young families.

Restaurants frequently host Falcons, Hawks, and Atlanta United soccer fans on game days. The places in these neighborhoods offer visitors everything from cocktails and cognac to fried chicken and creative sushi.

New to the list: Dolo’s Pizza in Underground Atlanta and State Farm Arena, and Sammy’s and Ryokou in Adair Park. Take note: after a decade in Castleberry Hill, the beloved sushi tavern Bottle Rocket is moving and will soon open in South Downtown. The restaurants are listed in geographical order from south to north.

Looking for more suggestions on where to eat around Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena? Check out this dining guide to downtown Atlanta.

Sammy’s

Sammy’s is Adair Park’s quintessential sandwich and coffee shop by chef Sam Pinner and (Paul Rudd lookalike) Jason Furst.

The Miami Sami ($14) Cuban sandwich with smoked pork and mojo mayo is a slam dunk, with crunchy, toasted bread from local Pan American Cuban Bakery. Sammy’s is a casual place to hang back, with a pork smoker out front, plenty of natural light inside, and a fishbowl kitchen to watch cooks assemble your sandwiches, with canned tomatoes and pickle jars lining the wall. No reservations, no frills, and simple but well-executed food — this is where to bring friends for coffee dates.

Ryokou

From the team behind Michelin-starred Omakase Table comes little sister Ryokou, with an express omakase experience and an excellent sake selection.

Chef Paul Gutting delivers multiple courses with nods to Itameshi cuisine — Italian influence on Japanese food. Find a truffle-laced mushroom capellini with miso as one of the courses, and a cold noodle dish with Japanese ice. Ryokou is a must-visit in Adair Park, which sits close to the Benz Stadium.

Read our full review on what to order here.

Paschal's Restaurant

The historic Paschal’s restaurant served as a meeting place for Dr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and his lieutenants during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. But long before Dr. King put Paschal’s on the map nationwide, the restaurant was already well-known around Atlanta for its delicious fried chicken.

And it still is today.

No Mas! Cantina

The bi-level, 350-seat No Mas!

Cantina in Castleberry Hill serves Mexican standards like fish tacos, carnitas, enchiladas, fajitas, and margaritas, with brunch on weekends. There’s an artisan market and gift shop next door, and folks can also grab Mexican-style breakfast dishes, desserts, and coffee at ADios Cafe inside the restaurant.

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• 180 Walker St SW ste b, Atlanta, GA 30313, USA
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Atlantucky Brewing

Backed by the members of Southern rap quartet Nappy Roots, Atlantucky Brewing is where music, art, and beer merge in Castleberry Hill. The group first became interested in craft beer years ago, home brewing while on tour.

Nappy Roots then began partnering with local Atlanta breweries to create their own beer, including collaborations with Monday Night Brewing (pale ale Front Porch) and Kentucky Mud, a nitro chocolate milk stout with Arches Brewing in Hapeville. Now the group has its brewery on Northside Drive, where folks can drop in for beer, food from local pop-ups, and live music.

Keep an eye out for appearances from Nappy Roots members Fish Scales, Skinny DeVille, B. Stille, and Ron Clutch, who often pop by to greet people in the taproom.

Wild Leap Atlanta

Located just across the Gulch from the Benz, and easily accessed via the Nelson Street pedestrian bridge, Wild Leap brewery and distillery encompasses two levels at Centennial Yards South in what was the Norfolk Southern Railroad building.

The ground floor includes multiple seating areas and a bar, and opens to the “Canyon”, a below-street-level space created as a result of the 1923 construction of a raised pedestrian and automobile viaduct system above the rail yards. There’s patio space outside, too.

A staircase in the taproom leads to the second floor, offering more seating and another bar with a hidden entrance. Order everything from Wild Leap’s sours, IPAs, and lagers on draft to cocktails and slushies using its rum, gin, and vodka.

Tyde Tate Kitchen

Take the Nelson Street pedestrian bridge over to this restaurant along Atlanta’s historic Hotel Row for a meal of classic Thai dishes and drinks. The opening of TydeTate Kitchen in 2023 marked two big milestones: it’s the first full-service restaurant for the Chattahoochee Food Works stall and the first restaurant to open along this revitalized stretch of Mitchell Street in a block of century-old storefronts.

Owners and siblings Sai Untachantr and Bank Bhamaraniyama use many family recipes to create the dishes for TydeTate Kitchen, including basil chicken, chicken curry puffs, crispy basil tofu, Thai fried rice, ka nom jeeb, and pad Thai. Several locations.

Fellaship

Carolina Panthers quarterback and Atlanta native Cam Newton opened this swanky Castleberry Hill cigar bar and restaurant.

It features a dining room and bar, a humidor, a glass-enclosed wine room, and a speakeasy-like VIP lounge located behind moving bookshelves. The restaurant and bar offer dinner and cocktails starting at 5 p.m. and brunch on Sundays. Expect to feast on dishes like crispy sesame shrimp, a wild rice vegetable bowl, lamb chops, and lobster tails.

There is live jazz music on select nights. Dress code.

Dolo’s Pizza

Stone Mountain native and Howard University graduate Alyson Williams teamed up with restaurateur and chef Yusef Walker (Negril Village, Ms.

Icey’s) to open Dolo’s. Located in Underground Atlanta, order pizzas topped with marinara, cheese, plantains, and jalapenos, and find pies topped with jerk chicken, honey, and blue cheese or callaloo, roasted tomatoes, and Jamaican ackee sauce. Be sure to order the iconic Black Pizza topped with a charcoal pesto (delicious), spinach, roasted tomato, and mozzarella.

If on the menu, order one of the build-your-own dolita sandwiches and the doughnut-like sweet dolitas for dessert. These treats are served with hibiscus icing for dipping.

A location is also open at State Farm Arena.

Rosie's Cafe

The second location of soul food restaurant Rosie’s Cafe (the original is located on Sylvan Road) resides just south of the Mercedes-Benz stadium. The all-day cafe serves hearty breakfast plates like a loaded chicken biscuit and fish and grits made with lightly battered perch filets atop creamy buttered grits.

Rosie’s also offers salads and sandwiches. In the evenings, the restaurant’s coffee bar transforms into a whiskey and cocktail bar.

Breakfast on weekdays or non-game days is highly recommended. Sunday brunch is super busy, so plan accordingly.

Valet available.

Busy Bee Cafe

Busy Bee Cafe has been in business since the 1940s. This Atlanta institution on the edge of Vine City serves some of the city’s best fried chicken, alongside an assortment of other meat-and-three staples.

Take the yardbird to the next level by ordering it smothered with pan gravy. It’s always packed here, so be prepared to rub elbows with fellow diners and even a few celebrities.

In 2022, Busy Bee Cafe won an America’s Classics award from the James Beard Foundation.

Restaurant 10 Bar & Grill

Looking for a place to hang out before and after a game?

Restaurant 10, directly across from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, serves up typical game day fare with plenty of beer. The menu includes sliders, fish and chips, wings, and burgers. There’s also a kids’ menu here.

Park Bar

Head to this two-story bar near Centennial Olympic Park for pre- and post-game eating and drinking, or to watch Atlanta United and the Falcons play for those without tickets to games at the Benz. Park Bar’s menu is all about comfort food, so expect burgers, patty melts, chicken tenders, and potato skins here, along with some upscale dishes like a New York strip steak and grilled Mahi Mahi.

Park Bar takes its very large whiskey and bourbon selection (over 60 bottles) and beer offerings seriously, too.

Skol Brewing Company

Skol by former Minnesotan Drew Tull is a Nordic-themed sports bar dedicated to the Minnesota Vikings in Downtown. The brewpub plays Viking games (and all other major football games) on TVs and blasts the space with snow machines at every touchdown the Vikings make — a tradition at the U.S.

Bank Stadium in Minnesota. The snow is also activated at the end of each night to finish the day. The menu includes a popular Minnesotan cheeseburger called the “jucy lucy” with two beef patties stuffed with piping hot American cheese.

Then there’s poutine, topped with an 18-hour brisket, cheese curds, and smoked wings. The brewpub has several beers on draft, including its own recipes crafted by Arches Brewing. Bar games are also available, plus six lanes of axe-throwing.

Capolinea

Adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz stadium, the new Signia by Hilton boasts five restaurants and bars, but don’t miss Capolinea, the Italian signature.

The food is matched by the atmosphere: attentive service, the close-up view of the stadium and the West End, and the martini cart are all more than enough to impress diners and aesthetes. Menu standouts by chef Christopher Li include steaks, pizzas, and handmade pastas, like tagliatelle alle vongole with littleneck clams and a spicy, spreadable salami, or funghi al forno with roasted oyster mushrooms and polenta, and Neapolitan pizzas proofed over two days. Reservations required.

Closed Sundays and Mondays. Valet parking only.

Alma Cocina

Longtime contemporary Mexican fine dining restaurant Alma Cocina serves modern Latin fare and cocktails. Try the tamarind tuna crudo to start and move on to the chicken tinga verde tacos or the mole-spiced NY strip.

Be sure to peruse their extensive tequila and mezcal menu. In addition to dinner, the restaurant is open for lunch and happy hour.

Reservations recommended.

Ray’s In the City

After 40 years, the founder of Ray’s Restaurants sold the establishments to Kennesaw-based TEI Hospitality.

With the restaurants under new ownership now, they are still delivering the same atmosphere and food. Rays in the City is close to the Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena, offering lunch and dinner in the heart of Downtown. Look for classic steak dinners, oysters, burgers, and seafood platters on this extensive menu.

Reservations recommended. Dress code.