The Expat
CITY GUIDES | THE SOUTH
The Athens Restaurant Hit List: Prince Avenue Charm, Five Points Gems, and Late-Night Eats
By Eric Barton | Feb. 12, 2026
AUTHOR BIO: Eric Barton is editor of The Adventurist and a freelance journalist who has reviewed restaurants for more than two decades. Email him here.
I first met Athens the way a lot of people do: in college, crashing with a friend at University of Georgia, telling myself it was just a weekend, and then realizing—mid-walk, mid-beer, mid-song—that I was smitten.
Downtown Athens has that rare antebellum charm that feels lived-in, with brick sidewalks and historic buildings that makes the place feel important. The music scene is not a bullet point here; it is the operating system, and it bleeds into the bars and restaurants that seem to line up on every street.
I make any excuse to go back because Athens is one of the few small cities where the best restaurants can range from a chef-driven splurge to something cheap and perfect that fits in one hand.
Here my favorite places, the best restaurants right now in Athens.
Cali N Tito’s
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With multiple locations around town, Cali N Tito’s runs on the kind of Latin comfort food that feels built for a hungry college town: fish tacos, a Cubano sandwich, empanadas, and sides like tostones and maduros that show up with the confidence of a place that has been feeding Athens for a while. It is casual, quick, and shamelessly carb-friendly.
Best for: A no-drama lunch that still tastes like they cared
Donderos’ Kitchen
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Donderos’ Kitchen is a daytime café and catering operation led by Tim Dondero, an epidemiologist-turned-chef who clearly never lost the habit of trying to keep us healthy. The menu leans into breakfast, baked goods, soups, grab-and-go sandwiches and salads, with curry specials on Fridays, all from a chef who also teaches and writes about food.
Best for: A smart weekday breakfast and a strong coffee reset
The Expat
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The Expat is an Italian-leaning neighborhood bistro in a 1930s cottage, owned by Krista and Jerry Slater, with chef Savannah Sasser running the kitchen. It does the bistro playbook with intention: boards, bruschetta, mussels with ’nduja, escargot, and a pasta section that’s a big reason why I keep coming back.
Best for: A date night with candles and pasta
Five and Ten
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Five and Ten now belongs to restaurateur Peter Dale, with Georgia native Burns Sullivan running the kitchen. But it still trades on the same appeal Hugh Acheson baked into it: a serious dinner inside the century-old Hawthorne House that still feels like Athens. Dishes change with the seasons, but recent menus I’ve seen included a grilled CAB beef filet with pomme paillasson, grilled Brussels, charred onion, and a Bordelaise, plus pastas like lamb sugo rigatoni with pecorino. The vibe is relaxed-formal, which means it works for celebrations or for a random Tuesday when you want to be reminded this town can cook.
Best for: A serious dinner that still feels like Athens
Jinya Ramen Bar
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Jinya is a ramen bar built around slow-simmered broth and noodles. The tonkotsu lands with pork chashu, seasoned egg, nori, and thick noodles, and the small plates—like crispy rice with spicy tuna or a steamed bun—keep the table busy while the bowls do the heavy lifting.
Best for: A warm bowl downtown
The National
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The National has been running since 2007 on a simple premise: a casual neighborhood gathering spot that feels transplanted from the Mediterranean, which also inspires its menu. There are staples that keep showing up for a reason: stuffed Medjool dates with celery, manchego, and smoked paprika; patatas bravas with spicy tomato sauce and aioli; and boquerones with pickled chili, caperberries, and tomato-garlic toast. Owner Erin Wilson keeps it anchored in hospitality first, which is why it works as both a quick drop-in and an “accidentally stayed for another round” kind of night.
Best for: Tapas that become dinner
Osteria Olio
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River House hotel’s restaurant has the kind of menu that makes a “three-course family-style chef’s tasting” feel like an easy decision, mostly because the supporting cast is strong: hamachi crudo with caviar and tonnato, meatballs with local pork and pomodoro, and a lineup of pastas and pizzas built for sharing. Chef JR Bearden’s food is polished without acting uppity about it, which is exactly how the dining room feels too.
Best for: A celebratory dinner that still feels fun
Pretty Boy
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Kenny Nguyen’s modern Vietnamese spot is fast-paced and loud in the right way, with a menu that leans into street-food energy and deep-cut flavors. The drinks are as dialed-in as the food, and the kitchen swings hard with dishes like the mushroom rice paper pizza that somehow lands as both playful and serious.
Best for: Modern Vietnamese with equally modern cocktails
Puma Yu’s
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With chef Pete Amadhanirundr and mixologist Ally Smith, Puma Yu’s uses Thai technique but keeps Athens’ seasons and ingredients in its line of sight. The menu makes its case with dishes like pork dumplings with sweet soy and chili vinegar, tuna crudo with makrut lime oil, and the kind of sweet-savory coconut-and-squash situation that is entirely original and also absolutely delicious.
Best for: Modern Thai in a space that’s never not fun
Seabear Oyster Bar
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Seabear Oyster Bar is a tight little oyster-and-seafood spot from The National, which explains why it feels edited and confident. Expect oysters, cocktails, and a short menu of seafood-driven plates—like scallop fried rice, crab-and-shrimp cakes, or shrimp and grits.
Best for: Oysters, a drink, and whatever they’re cooking up tonight
Tamez Barbecue
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This is Athens counter-service barbecue with a Tex-Mex accent and early-morning ambition: the Athens location opens at 7:30 most mornings and does breakfast service before sliding into lunch and dinner. The brisket burrito is the break-of-day way to go, but for lunch and dinner it’s brisket plates, sandwiches, and tacos, plus sides like cowboy beans, collard greens, potato salad, and cornbread.
Best for: Brisket in whatever form the day requires
Tlaloc El Mexicano
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Tlaloc El Mexicano is the kind of affordable Athens staple that earns repeat visits by keeping the focus on tacos dorados, pupusas, gorditas, huaraches, and chilaquiles. It is casual, fast, and built for return customers who are there for the food over vibe.
Best for: Cheap tacos and pupusas
White Tiger Gourmet
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White Tiger Gourmet is Ken Manring’s BBQ-and-sandwich joint that keeps the menu wide enough to make both meat-lovers and vegetarians stop arguing. Go from smoked pork sandwich, portobello burger, or the barbarella: smoked pork with red and white BBQ sauces and mozzarella.
Best for: Casual sandwiches with a side of Athens personality
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