Three Georgia restaurants named among top ‘bucket list’ eateries in the South, poll says
Georgia is home to three restaurants Southern Living readers say they’re eager to try.
Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room in Savannah and Mary Mac’s Tea Room in Atlanta made the list of top 15 “bucket list” restaurants to visit in the South, according to the lifestyle magazine.
Southern Soul Barbeque, a “coastal Georgia smoke joint” on St. Simons Island, was also named one of the Peach State’s must-visit eateries, snagging a spot on the list published March 4.
“Our regional cuisine, from soul food to barbecue, is famous around the world,” Southern Living editors wrote. “And while many try to replicate our food, nothing comes close to comparing to the excellent dishes you can try at legendary restaurants across the South.”
For the list, Southern Living asked readers about the restaurants they couldn’t wait to try in a Facebook poll conducted Feb. 28, a spokesperson for the magazine told McClatchy News in an email.
Editors then chose the top restaurants based on readers’ responses and online reviews.
Here’s what they had to say:
Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room
Foodies who don’t mind dining among strangers can pull up a chair at Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room.
Nestled in historic downtown Savannah, the eatery serves a variety of Southern dishes, including fried chicken platters, cornbread dressing and okra gumbo, according to the restaurant’s website.
The dining room opens at 11 a.m. daily and customers grab a seat at tables set for 10.
“Then, the entire room is treated to a changing menu of Southern home cooking, all served family style,” Southern Living reported. “You never know what the day’s entrées or sides are going to be — and that’s all part of the fun.”
The popular eatery was once a boardinghouse taken over by young restaurateur Sema Wilkes in 1943, inviting guests to stay and enjoy family-style dinners in the downstairs dining room, the restaurant’s website says.
Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room has grown since then but still has its old-school charm — including a cash-only policy.
Mary Mac’s Tea Room
Known for its “made-from-scratch” Southern fare, Mary Mac’s opened in 1945 and has cemented itself as “Atlanta’s dining room,” according to the restaurant’s website.
The restaurant, with six dining rooms and a full-service bar, occupies multiple store fronts near the heart of Midtown Atlanta.
“Mary Mac’s is the last of 16 original tea rooms that were strewn across the city in the 1940s,” Southern Living reported. “The Southern comfort cuisine you’ll find here covers all the bases, from chicken and dumplings to cube steak with brown onion gravy.”
They don’t skimp on dessert, either. Customers have their pick of sweet treats, including banana pudding, Georgia peach cobbler and a hot brownie sundae. First-time visitors get a free cup of pot likker — a broth made from cooking collard greens — and cornbread muffins.
“Mary Mac’s traditions are the fabric upon which Atlanta was built; a place where all are welcomed with open arms and where each guest feels at home each time they return,” the restaurant’s website says.
Southern Soul Barbeque
Those in search of good barbecue can find it on Georgia’s coast.
Southern Soul Barbeque is no stranger to accolades for its smoked meats and “soul side dishes,” including potato salad, coleslaw, hush puppies and BBQ beans. The St. Simons Island eatery was voted the South’s best barbecue by Southern Living in 2017 and 2018, according to the restaurant’s website.
“Specializing in oak-fired, slow-smoked meats (from pulled pork to beef brisket to chicken), the best strategy here is to bring a crowd and create a shareable feast including as many meats and sides ... as possible,” Southern Living reported.
Southern Soul Barbeque opened in 2006 and was forced to rebuild after a devastating fire in 2010.
“Our mission to make the best damn barbecue you’d ever had changed that day and grew into something so much bigger,” its website says.
Other popular dishes include the Southern Soul sandwich, ribs and burnt ends, according to its Yelp page.
This story was originally published March 11, 2025 at 11:49 AM with the headline "Three Georgia restaurants named among top ‘bucket list’ eateries in the South, poll says."