B. Beattys, Atlanta

B. Beattys chefs follow the time-honored family recipes that were handed down from their parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. They begin each morning with breakfast, rolling up their sleeves and firing up grills before whipping up fluffy omelets and crispy chicken and waffles. Come lunchtime, they turn their attention to customized sandwiches, layering toasted rolls and sourdough bread with slow-roasted pork, fried turkey, and bacon. When dinner rolls around, they load plates with hearty servings of catfish, rib-eye steaks, and pork chops. The accommodating chefs invite guests to personalize many menu items, encouraging diners to choose seasonings for their meats and take a moment to come up with a nickname and backstory for each one of their french fries.

Servers flit about the casual dining room, where sunlight streams in through towering windows. Diners sit at booths and tabletops, sipping on smoothies and shakes.