Welcome to Dining With the Stars, a feature in which Atlanta notables walk us through their dream food day in the metro area.
Kristian Bush is an Atlanta-based singer/songwriter/producer/musician known for his success as part of the Grammy-winning duo Sugarland.
Bush, a devoted Decatur resident, released the solo album, "Southern Gravity," in 2015 and composed the score for the musical "Troubadour," which premiered at the Alliance Theatre in 2017.
He and Sugarland partner Jennifer Nettles released the album “Bigger” in 2018.
Here, he shares some of his favorite places to eat and drink when he’s not on the road.
Favorite place for breakfast: Either Gato or Highland Bakery. It is a shoot out of epic proportions. On the Gato side, order the 4 choice breakfast, add a sweet potato pancake and add miso maple syrup. On the Highland Bakery, side order eggs benedict and the sweet potato biscuit and cover it with honey. In both cases you will win.
Gato, 1660 McClendon Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-371-0889, gatoatl.com/
Highland Bakery, multiple locations. highlandbakery.com/
Favorite place for a cup of coffee: I am a fan of Banjo Cold Brew Coffee. You can get it in different places around ATL, but also they have a shop in Avondale if you are out that way or driving by. Get the "lightly tuned" and hold on.
Banjo Cold Brew Coffee, 38 N. Avondale Road, Avondale Estates. 404-748-1837, banjocoldbrew.com/
Favorite place for lunch: Candler Park Market Deli. The fantastic tattooed women and men at the counter in the back make it feel like the future and the past at the same time. Order the chicken salad sandwich. Also, take home some of their pimento cheese. You will not regret it.
Candler Park Market, 1642 McClendon Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-373-9787, candlerparkmarket.com/
Favorite place for happy hour: Watchman's - trust me on this. Sit at the bar. You want every appetizer on the menu (which includes the fresh fish crudo and potato chips) and you want to ask the bartender to make you a Paloma. Soon after that, just order a dozen oysters and get right with yourself. You aren't going to go to that event tonight you were planning to go to. Just stay here at this bar and have another and smile.
Watchman's Seafood and Spirits, 99 Krog St. NE, Atlanta. 404-254-0141, watchmansatl.com/
Favorite place for dinner: I play a game sometimes when I have an artist in town making an album who has not yet been to the Iberian Pig. I try not to tell them too much ahead of time and then roll in and sit down and order the pork cheek tacos and some wine and just wait for their brain to explode with joy.
The Iberian Pig, 121 Sycamore St., Decatur. 404-371-8800, theiberianpigatl.com/
Favorite place for late night food and drinks: Let's just be honest with each other. Late night drinks - SOS Tiki bar in Decatur. If we keep going…Krystal burgers. You know you feel the same way. It's OK. Talking about it is the first step on the path to healing.
SOS Tiki Bar, 340 Church St., Decatur. 404-377-9308, sostiki.com/
Krystal, various locations. krystal.com/
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