The Spot Bar & Grill

Fried, on a bun, grilled over coals, chopped up in a salad - there are many ways to get your fix of one of our favorite proteins, chicken. There’s no shortage of establishments to get your hands on the glorious bird, and one of my favorite hoods for getting a great meal, the Westside, contains a number of fun choices to satisfy that itch. Chef Asha Gomez has been satisfying food lovers with a fun, Indian take on the Southern favorite with her Kerala chicken and waffles  at events with her event series, the Spice Route Supper Club. Before her restaurant even opened for business, the word had gotten out about the dish and long lines formed to get a sample of the treat at the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival. Since the festival, her Westside restaurant, Cardamom Hill ( 1700 Northside Drive, Atlanta, 404-549-7012) has been serving the dish, along with other favorites fusing Southern dishes with the flavors of the Kerala region in India and other influences from her travels. Patrons won’t find the buffet tables common at many Indian restaurants, the James Beard semifinalist’s eatery contains a full bar, a thoughtful wine selection and handsome wood furniture. The menu changes often, and a few of my favorites include fruit salad, duck and plantain croquettes, and of course the chicken and waffles. Her take on pork vindaloo, a pork shoulder dish with Portuguese influences makes it hard for me to order the dish elsewhere. Dessert at Cardamom Hill, like the rest of the menu can change seasonally but one after-dinner constant would be their chai tea. In an era where prepackaged chai runs rampant, it’s refreshing to try the spiced tea beverage with steamed milk the proper way, with fresh spices. I’d urge anyone who has tried chai elsewhere and wasn’t a fan, to definitely give it a second chance. A short drive down the road will take you to Chef Giovanni di Palma’s burgeoning Little Italy complex not far from the Georgia Tech campus. His pizza restaurant Antico Pizza Napoletana helped set off the Atlanta pizza wars four years ago and depending on who you ask, he could be crowned the king. Not one to rest on his laurels, he set out to do for chicken what he did for pizza with his new establishment, Gio’s Chicken Amalfitano (1099 Hemphill Ave. N.W., Atlanta. 404-347-3874) . His new establishment, right next to Antico and Caffe Gio dishes out Italian dishes using fresh Bell and Evans chickens, raised without antibiotics. The components to the signature Sorrento chicken dish are simple - lemons, garlic, wild oregano and olive oil, yet the results are extraordinary. Fans of Antico’s popular diavola pizza with spicy calabrian peppers will delight in a similar chicken dish with garlic and fresh crushed pepper In addition to the main event chicken dishes, restaurant goers will find soup, pasta dishes and of course dessert with cannoli and tiramisu rounding out the bill. Hungry for more? Explore all of our Atlanta restaurant deals.

Nothing brings people together like sharing food, and tapas restaurants provide common ground for your whole party, as you compare your impressions of several selections from smaller plates. This Spanish tradition is a great way to get to know your friends, and it allows you to try several different flavors in an evening without feeling overly stuffed. It’s also a fun date idea, as you immediately have something to discuss as you are effectively sharing a meal. Thankfully, Atlanta has no shortage of tapas spots that are perfect for snacking away the evenings with someone special. Noche, with a few locations throughout the city, is one of the more laidback tapas restaurants in town. Expect friendly service, drink specials and a comfortable environment swathed in red and brown tones. It’s a great place to meet up with friends for a relaxed evening, catch up over a cocktail or two and then dive into some fried goat cheese fritters. There are plenty of seafood options as well, like the ever-present shrimp and grits, or you can go healthy with the fresh grilled asparagus. Just be sure to share the diminutive delights with everyone at the table. If you want a more upscale experience, consider The Iberian Pig on Decatur Square. You’ll need reservations for busier summer evenings, as this popular spot tends to fill up fast, and the patrons like to linger over several rounds of tapas. The dark interior makes it a romantic spot as well; it can be a bit pricey for anyone with a gaggle of small children, which means it’s perfect for date night, when mom and dad can find a babysitter and sneak away. The Iberian Pig is also a strong contender for best spot to take an out-of-towner, though you don’t need an excuse to snack on their delicate meat selections. Charcuterie is of course the main draw, but you don’t have to leave your vegetarian friends at home here, thanks to a separate menu full of meat-free options. While both Noche and The Iberian Pig offer small-meal options that are perfect for sharing, Atlanta has many more hidden gems throughout the city. With dim lighting, lingering courses and the perfect excuse to make conversation, local tapas restaurants offer some of the most romantic casual dining options around.

It’s not that Atlanta’s best date-night restaurants are lacking in the food department—the city's chefs make exquisite Italian, French, Persian, and Indian dishes. It’s just that the eateries’ romantic atmospheres do most of the work when it comes to setting the mood. Picturesque gardens inspire stolen kisses at La Grotta. An avant-garde chandelier and black-and-white decor ooze elegance at Aria. And the soft melodies emanating from the Chattahoochee River underscore quiet conversation at Canoe. Multiple Locations: Italian Gardens La Grotta | Multiple Locations At La Grotta’s two locations, breathtaking gardens serve as an enchanting backdrop for dates. In Buckhead, lush foliage rises from stone-lined flowerbeds in the courtyard, whereas at the Ravinia eatery, trickling waterfalls cut through the greenery. At both restaurants, chefs serve organic Italian fare—even custom dishes, if you call ahead. Buckhead Village: Painstakingly Staged Dinners Aria | 490 E. Paces Ferry Rd. NE Dinner at Aria is more than just another meal; it’s the main event. Chefs spend all day preparing, often letting meats roast, simmer, or stew for hours. By the time guests gather under the avant-garde chandelier, chefs need only focus on putting the finishing touches on their expertly plated contemporary American fare. Downtown: 360 Skyline View Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View | 210 Peachtree St. NW Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View rotates throughout the day from its perch on the top floor of the Westin. That means guests get to see different pieces of Atlanta’s skyline during the course of their meal, or they can head to the observatory for a 360-degree view. North Atlanta: French Cuisine with Piano Accompaniment Violette | 2948 Clairmont Rd. NE Coq au vin, roasted duck breast, and chocolate mousse are among the most popular French dishes at Violette. But it’s not just the cuisine that makes it so romantic; the eatery resides in a secluded building 50 feet from the street, and hosts live piano music six times a week. Vinings: Romance on the River Canoe | 4199 Paces Ferry Rd. NW Set on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, Canoe’s name couldn’t be more fitting. Riverside gardens and walkways are perfect for a post-dinner stroll, while in the dining room, iron vines, animal sculptures, and a canoe-inspired ceiling bring the outdoors in. This warm, rustic setting complements the seasonal cuisine. Buckhead: Sensual Surroundings Tantra Restaurant and Bar | 2285 Peachtree Rd. NE Once a week, Tantra Restaurant and Bar hosts “Sultry Jazz Thursdays,” when live musicians supply the mood music. But every night at Tantra could be considered sultry thanks to the risqué artwork on its walls and the spicy Persian and Indian cuisine served by its chefs. Downtown Decatur: Practice Your French Cafe Alsace | 121 E. Ponce De Leon Ave. Dinner here is the next best thing to a European vacation: every server speaks French, and the food—from pecan-stuffed chicken to sauerkraut with three sausages—exhibits the French and German influences of the restaurant's namesake region. Sandy Springs: Where the River Meets the Sea Ray's on the River | 6700 Powers Ferry Rd. NW Live Maine lobsters are flown in fresh every day to Ray's on the River, as is all of its certified-sustainable seafood. The fish has to be delicious to compete with Ray's other specialty: hearty Black Angus steaks, aged for a minimum of 21 days. Midtown: European Wines Ecco | 40 7th St. NE Rich, dark wood and leather give Ecco's dining room a laid-back feel. But peek inside the open kitchen and you’ll see chefs bustling to prepare small plates of seasonal European cuisine such as cured meats and cheeses, wood-fired octopus, and salt-roasted beets. The dishes complement Ecco's rare European wines. Poncey-Highland: Heat Up the Warehouse Two Urban Licks | 820 Ralph McGill Blvd. NE Two Urban Licks was once a warehouse and the industrial vibe lingers on in the dining room's enormous rotating rotisserie. There's also an entire 26-foot wall devoted to 72 barrels of wine, which pour via a gravity-powered system.