Our 2025 Atlanta Dining Trend Predictions

There are a few trends and patterns we think are beginning to emerge in the ATL dining scene in 2025. From more eatertainment to more Whataburgers, there’s something new and exciting in the Atlanta restaurant scene with every twist and turn.

1. More authenticity, less fusion

As the Atlanta dining scene continues to expand, we predict the demand for more authentic cuisine to expand alongside it. “I think we will see more authentic cuisine’s across cultures and less fusion. People are getting more and more open to experience the real real,” says our post production supervisor, OJ.

2. Service first

Our founder/host Steak Shapiro predicts that service is making a comeback. It’s an increasingly competitive dining environment, with plenty of options to choose from if you have a bad experience at one restaurant. 

3. Modern day punchbowls, drink towers, and more 

When it comes to dining in groups, we’re moving past splitting a pitcher of beer for the table and getting much more elaborate with it. “I think we’ll see more ‘group drink’ options like espresso martini towers or like a punch bowl styled cocktail,” says our Digital Specialist, Becca. Roshambo has a “3 martini lunch” pitcher of martinis which you can order wet, dry or dirty, while Punch Bowl Social has long been known for its fun punchbowls. It’s fun, it’s kitschy, it’s communal. What’s not to love? 

4. We’re heading back to Chili’s

Inflation has slowed but consumers are still being mindful, and a result, might be headed back to Chili’s this year: “I could see mega chains like Chili’s and Applebee’s having a comeback as people are becoming more fiscally conservative due to inflation. Or more value menus/deals/early bird specials having a comeback,” says our controller, Alex. 

5. Eatertainment

Have we reached “eatertainment” saturation yet? “Like it or not, I think more eatertainment concepts will continue. The concept of good food and a fun activity will continue to grow, but many of these concepts will not succeed,” says our VP of Marketing/Cofounder, Jon. From Pickle & Social to Your 3rd Spot to all of the painted concepts, it seems like Atlanta’s list of places where you can play and eat will continue to grow. 

6. More national and international chains

High interest rates can make it hard for local talent and mom and pops to obtain the financing to open up shop. However, national and international chains with deeper pockets have increasingly started to come in and open up shop. From Wagyu House to Nando’s to Whataburger, there’s plenty of interesting national and international chains coming to town. Local chefs, meanwhile, are turning to pop-ups and ghost kitchens as they strategize and save for their own brick and mortar operations.

7. More global cuisine

We’re way past the days of Atlanta just being a chain restaurant and steakhouse town. We predict the city’s culinary scene to become more and more global in 2025. Atlanta’s palette is becoming increasingly more adventurous, and new restaurants featuring everything from Middle Eastern to Sichuan cuisine to Filipino cuisine are increasingly found on every corner in town. 

8. More happy hours 

We’re predicting more happy hours this year, and we’ll cheers to that! As more and more employees head back to the office, the post work happy hour will make a return. And for anyone on a budget, happy hours are a great way of getting a good deal, too. 

9. Restaurants getting double use of their space 

We’ve seen more and more restaurants making innovative use of their premises. We’ve seen loft space converted into bars, like Bon Ton’s The Waiting Room or Little Sparrow’s Bar Blanc. Muchacho has even built a whole cocktail omakase experience in a tour bus out back. It’s smart business for restaurants and a delight for diners, too, who get to enjoy more fun concepts in the same space. 

10. More Michelin mania and more omakase

We expect to see more and more fine dining restaurants chasing those shiny, bright Michelin stars. On a related note, we expect to see more omakase style restaurants — a category of restaurants that Michelin seems to be particularly friendly to. As restaurants aim for Michelin recognition, diners can look forward to a growing number of world-class dining options.