Several interesting, locally owned restaurants have opened around metro Atlanta this spring that deserve a closer look, but they don’t offer a full enough service experience for a proper review.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution visited three of these new spots: Banu Mediterranean in Buckhead, Cocina de la Tia in Marietta and Little Five Points Diner, located in the heart of its eponymous neighborhood.
These casual establishments are very different on the surface, but each works as a place where you can grab a quick bite or pick up takeout if you’re in the area.
Here’s a look at the pros and cons of all three.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Banu Mediterranean Grill
Banu, in Buckhead, was the weakest of the three new restaurants. It’s located on the same property as the Arco gas station on Roswell Road, next to the well-regarded bottle shop Tuxedo Wine and Spirits.
Banu still feels unfinished when you walk in; one side of the entryway is lined with empty open-air display coolers for grab-and-go items. However, the rest of the interior is more polished, and the service was excellent.
The menu features some of the greatest hits of Mediterranean cuisine: hummus, muhammara, falafel and a variety of kebabs and shawarma. The portion sizes were nice, and the entrees were solid, particularly the juicy, perfectly roasted adana chicken kebab.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Banu’s falafel salad, however, was disappointing. The falafel was too densely packed, giving it a tough, dry texture, and the weirdly pink dressing was much too sweet.
Banu faces stiff competition in Buckhead, a neighborhood that’s home to multiple established Mediterranean restaurants, including Delbar, Zakia and Cafe Agora.
Recommended dishes: hummus, muhammara, chicken adana kebab, adana kebab
Banu Mediterranean Grill. 3861 Roswell Road, Atlanta. 404-963-7153, banuatl.com
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Cocina de la Tia
With a charming backstory based on owner Veronica Martinez making tortillas by hand as a child in Mexico, Cocina de la Tia arrived in Marietta with high expectations.
The counter-service restaurant has few creature comforts, with a relatively spartan dining room and just a handful of parking spots (luckily, free street parking is available nearby) but Cocina de la Tia largely delivers on its promise of soulful, family-friendly Mexican cuisine.
The food ranges in quality from solid to excellent, with extra points awarded to any dish utilizing Martinez’s exceptional flour tortillas, which have a suppleness and flavor that mass-produced versions can’t re-create. They’re also impressively thin while retaining the sturdiness to keep the ingredients of tacos and quesadillas contained.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
The quesabirria plate stands out as a particular delicacy, with its tender beef, plenty of cheese and a side of consommé for dipping. The guacamole was high quality, though it could have used a touch more seasoning; the dip came alive with the addition of the restaurant’s creamy, house-made hot sauce.
Cocina de la Tia isn’t the type of restaurant for a rowdy night of margaritas, sizzling fajitas or free chips and salsa. Instead, it offers wholesome, bona fide Mexican home cooking.
And for purists seeking out something special, Martinez’s masterful tortillas are worth making a trip.
Recommended dishes: chilaquiles breakfast, gordita de queso, tacos, birria taco plate, quesabirria plate, chunky guac, Jamaica agua fresca
Cocina De La Tia. 301 Lemon St. NE, Marietta. 770-693-5973, cocinadelatia.com
Credit: Christina Hodgen
Credit: Christina Hodgen
Little Five Points Diner
Nestled in the heart of its namesake neighborhood, this new diner manages to be bright and fun while also practical and utilitarian.
Little Five Points Diner was opened by Amber and Sean Germain, the couple behind Sean’s Harvest Market and Sean’s Candler Park, and the new restaurant bears the hallmarks of an experienced management team. The bright yellow facade is eye-catching — even in a neighborhood as colorful as Little Five Points — while the counter-service ordering is seriously efficient.
In true diner fashion, the menu is impressively broad, ranging from breakfast favorites such as biscuits and gravy to lunch items, including tuna melts and burgers. The blue plate specials include some interesting choices, such as a grilled beef kielbasa and lemon pepper chicken confit.
Fans of the Germains’ other restaurants will be happy to see their excellent Amber biscuit on the menu, as tender and buttery as ever. The bakery also offers a nice touch with a couple of savory options for hungry customers on the go, including a ham and cheese croissant and a chicken pesto pocket pie.
Most of the menu items I tried were very good, especially the amazingly garlicky skillet-fried potato cakes. The only exception was the overly runny gravy on the biscuit and gravy plate; the classic sausage gravy flavor was there, but not the texture.
Otherwise, Little Five Points Diner gives customers very little to complain about thanks to food that largely exceeded expectations, considering the impressively affordable prices.
Recommended dishes: Seminole breakfast, L5P breakfast sammy, avocado toast, Amber biscuit, ooey gooey blondie bar, skillet-fried potato cakes
Little Five Points Diner. 422 Seminole Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-622-4135, instagram.com/l5pdiner
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