The Consulate Restaurant

"Looking to take a food tour of the world without leaving Atlanta? Every 90 days, the Consulate in Midtown brings the dishes, wine, and cocktails of a specific country to life on the menu under the Visa section. But globally inspired cuisine isn’t limited to just one portion of this menu. Look for dishes from countries like Greenland, Ethiopia, Italy, the Philippines, and Cuba here, too. The sleek and stylish restaurant has a retro vibe, and includes plush leather and velvet half-moon booths, tables for two, an intimate bar, and tucked away corners for more private dining experiences. Reservations encouraged." - Eater Staff, Henna Bakshi

"If spontaneity is your love language, then hedge your bets on The Consulate in Midtown—a suave international restaurant with a great soundtrack, cinematic lighting, and an always-changing menu. The restaurant features a different regional cuisine every 90 days, so maybe you’ll be in for Thai, South African, or Hawaiian. No matter which corner of the globe is in the spotlight, the dishes are consistently delicious. And staples like peppery okra and hearty jollof rice are always available and worth ordering. The place fills up fast, so you'll have to at least plan a reservation unless you want to bump elbows at the small bar." - nina reeder, juli horsford, jacinta howard

"The Consulate is the kind of place for a night out you'll be talking about tomorrow. The Midtown restaurant reinvents itself every 90 days, with a featured cuisine that could be anything from South African to Thai. While satisfying favorites like crispy okra and jollof rice with suya spice stick around, each visit is like spinning a prize wheel. And sometimes literally. Their "spin night" raffle lets one guest determine the next featured region by giving their globe a whirl. A live DJ amps up the cosmopolitan atmosphere with region-specific music, and it's hard not to get swept up in the excitement. There's something inherently cool about letting fate decide your next meal, which remains consistently good despite the ever-changing focus." - nina reeder, juli horsford, jacinta howard

"Stepping into The Consulate in Midtown feels like you’ve entered the set of a sleek spy movie, with its two-tiered dining room, dramatic mood lighting, and walls filled with eclectic gold-framed artwork. (The James Bond-themed bathroom also helps.) Huge world maps hang on the walls, and the playlist matches the rotating menu, which changes every 90 days to focus on a new country or region. Despite these changes, staples like crispy, herb-coated okra and tomato-tinged jollof rice are always there, and always worth ordering." - jacinta howard, juli horsford, nina reeder

"The Consulate embodies the Atlanta that everyone's clogging up 75/85 for, a level of cultural cool that speaks to the heart of the city. The music's always great—mid-tempo R&B, jazz, mellow salsa. And couples who look like they own a Basquiat print sit in mustard yellow curved booths on an elevated platform drinking martinis and eating seared scallops. You want to be part of it. No two visits are the same. The rotating menu changes every 90 days to feature different regions like South Africa or Thailand. There’s even a “spin night” raffle event when the winning guest spins a globe to decide the next cuisine. It sounds a little hokey, but with a live DJ celebrating with a playlist that matches the chosen region, people get into it, and it’s hard not to follow suit. There’s something fun about letting fate decide your next meal, which, despite changes, remains consistently good. But there are always a few menu staples that never leave, like crispy sauteed okra, coated with peppery spice and herbs, and hearty jollof rice that’s tinged red from tomatoes and carries the warmth of suya spice and subtle heat from peppers. Come to The Consulate for the food and the atmosphere in equal measure. Old Atlanta energy meets new Atlanta swagger here—it’s unfussy but still feels like a place where you want to be seen rocking your new outfit because you never know who you might see. And that merger makes everything at The Consulate feel cosmopolitan and the kind of place to go for a night you'll talk about the next day. photo credit: Amy Sinclair photo credit: Amy Sinclair photo credit: Amy Sinclair Food Rundown Chef Lin’s Signature Sautéed Okra Get the okra. Even if you don’t like okra, get the okra. It’ll change you. photo credit: Amy Sinclair Grilled Chicken Jollof Rice The West African suya spice brings a kick to the fluffy jasmine rice and colorful mix of vegetables. There’s a hint of heat but probably not enough to need a glass of milk. Sauteed Emperors Mushrooms This is almost big enough to eat as a main dish. And even though it’s simply cooked in salt and butter, it’s really delicious. The lion’s mane, maitake, trumpet, and oyster mushrooms taste meaty and earthy. video credit: Jacinta Howard O’no Furikaki Salmon (from the Hawaii menu) The salmon is delicious with a crunchy, nutty furikake coating that adds a pleasing layer of texture to the tender, flaky fish. Ka La (Sunshine) This is like a sweet-tangy Mai Tai but with gin instead of rum. We like it." - Jacinta Howard