Southern Belle
Restaurant · Atlanta
1043 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Highlights
Creative Southern cuisine with inventive cocktails and tasting menus
Creative Southern cuisine with inventive cocktails and tasting menus
"It's fitting that this sits next to Ponce's artsy Plaza Theatre since Southern Belle feels like a Wes Anderson film in restaurant form—from its quirky vintage tea room aesthetic to its satisfying colorful spins on Southern menu classics. There's a blue bar neon sign that says “Bless Your Heart," and we'll gladly accept those blessings as an order of crispy fried chicken and peanut waffles with a sweet nuoc cham syrup. And we'll count it all joy when the Delta drink cart rolls to our table to make whiskey cocktails with sweet potato syrup. Just be sure to bring someone you actually like here because the menu mainly features shareables that are so rich they’re hard to finish solo. A full bowl of mussels drenched in a hearty butter chicken sauce served with garlic naan is really meant to be shared. Food Rundown Gulf Red Snapper Crudo Thin slices of snapper come topped with chunks of sweet potato, avocado, and a citrusy tigre de leche that servers pour on tableside. This is a great order to share. Pecan Fried Crispy Sweetbreads A cornmeal Johnny cake sits beneath fried sweetbreads and a blueberry, chipotle maple sauce. It leans to the sweet side, so order this if you like to soothe your sweet tooth pre-entree. Spring Lamb Tagliatelle The housemade noodles are so long it’s nearly impossible to wind them on a regular size fork. Ground lamb, peas, and kalamata olives combine to give this pasta dish a savory, subtly sweet, and briny taste. It hits all the right notes. Sweet Crab + Thai Red Curry Risotto If this is on the menu, get it. It’s heavy on the curry and coconut flavors and decent-sized crab chunks hide in every other bite. Crispy shallots on top give it a bit of crunch. There’s not much to dislike about this dish. Wagyu Beef Shortrib The beef falls apart at the slightest touch, but we’d honestly order this dish for the potato combo alone. It's like winning some sort of potato lottery—there’s crispy potato chips on top, a cubed potato salad, and (our favorite) the creamy and cheesy pommes aligot under the shortrib." - Juli Horsford
"Southern Belle has a new cocktail menu, and their beer cocktail called Block Party is all the summer rage right now. It’s made with tequila, apricot, aperitivo, lemon, and topped with Miller High Life — it’s the Champagne of beer, after all. Need something finer? Try the Ruby Slipper, an eau de vie concoction with amaro, strawberry, basil, and lemon. Also, try the mezcal-driven Uncle Funkle, and the refreshing grapefruit gin and tonic, Mambo Sun. Southern Belle also has great nonalcoholic cocktails." - Allison Ramirez
"Pair chef Joey Ward’s food at Southern Belle with low- and zero-proof drinks like the Purple Rain with blueberry, ginger, pea flower, and lemon. There are six drinks to choose from, though the talented bar staff at the restaurant could whip up just about any flavor combination for a nonalcoholic option." - Laura Scholz
"A great soundtrack and a menu filled with “authentically Atlanta” dishes set the mood at chef Joey Ward’s Poncey-Highland restaurant, Southern Belle, which is refined without being pretentious. Expect creative dishes like the peanut butter and jelly foie gras tart with local strawberries, and the sweet crab in a Thai red curry risotto. Adding a bit of theater to dinner, some cocktails are prepared tableside from a Delta beverage cart, complete with smoky magic, and garnished with a Biscoff cookie. For a truly spectacular dining experience from Ward and his team, make a reservation at Georgia Boy — the intimate tasting menu restaurant hidden behind a bookcase in the back of Southern Belle. The hot dog ice cream from the tasting menu made our Best Things Eater Atlanta Ate roundup. Reservations encouraged. Best for: Seasonal produce-driven dining, creative dishes, date night, and cocktails." - Eater Staff
"With its low-key cozy vibes, great soundtrack, and menu of “authentically Atlanta” dishes from chef Joey Ward, Southern Belle is refined without being pretentious. It’s how Atlantans like to dine. Think dishes such as roasted pork belly with sweet potato macaire, Dr. Pepper, braised prunes and savory pecan granola. Adding a little theater to date night, some cocktails are even prepared table side from a Delta beverage cart, like the Tears in the Club, made with tequila, Campari, grapefruit and sweet vermouth. For a special night, get reservations for the restaurant’s tasting menu at Georgia Boy, located inside the kitchen and hidden behind a bookshelf. The menu is filled with whimsical, seasonal delights from Ward." - Eater Staff
