Best Five Tapas Bars in Atlanta
Looking for a little bite of something awesome? Try these five tapas bars.
Atlanta is home to a number of tapas bars. If you're
unfamiliar with tapas, they're little snacks that are meant to be an
accompaniment to drinking. These aren't just pretzels though, they're
complicated bite-sized dishes that show off some amazing culinary
skills and special ingredients. Consequently, tapas bars can be quite
expensive on the budget; a single dish is not meant to fill you up. If
you'd like to give it a try, here are a five places to check out.
1.Park 75 Lounge and Terrace:
Park 75 Lounge and Terrace
Located in the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta, the famous Park
75 restaurant is one of the most excellent fine-dining establishments
in the city, and their attached lounge is no exception. Their tapas
selection includes items like a Charcuterie Board with spicy pepperone,
juniper cured lonzino, and citrus duck prosciutto. If Southern flavors
are more to your liking, try their Shrimp & Grits: a crisp
Anson Mill grit cake, Tasso gravy, and an orange-tomato confit. You can
also get a variety of cheeses to go with your drinks. Park 75 is one of
the most expensive restaurants in the city, but you get what you pay
for.
2.Zest Sushi & Tapas Bar:
Zest Sushi & Tapas Bar food
Now here is an interesting fusion concept that makes a lot
of sense. Both sushi and tapas are bite-sized, so why not serve both?
The menu is primarily Japanese but the tapas is front and center in the
menu. You can get items like grilled calamari with olive oil, fennel,
feta cheese, and bread. They also have Kobe meat balls with asiago
cheese. They have several Asian offerings as well for tapas, such as
gyoza with ponzu sauce. Zest is a very pricey location, so check out
the menu first online before making the trip.
3.The Iberian Pig:
The IberianPig Interior, Decatur
Tapas is originally a Spanish idea, so there's some
traditional varieties. Here's a place where you can enjoy very
authentic Spanish cuisine and tapas. Start with Pan con Tomate: a
rustic bread with several kinds of tomatoes, Garrotxa cheese, and
Chilean extra virgin olive oil. Move on from there to Pork Cheek Tacos
with fire roasted corn salsa, avocado creama, arugula, and lime. You
can also get small samples of cured meats, like Jamon Iberico and
Salchichon. Some items are pretty expensive, but there's a broader
range of prices here to fit more budgets.
4.Ziba's Restaurant & Wine Bar:
Ziba's Restaurant & Wine Bar
If you'd like to try a tapas bar that really good and
doesn't make your wallet whimper, Ziba's is the place to go. The menu
is very small, but I've found that a small menu means they do things
very very well. Try their empanadas with chicken, tomato, scallions,
parmesan, and herbs. At $6 that makes it reasonable for an
appetizer-sized entree. They also have a really good breakfast menu,
and they offer hookah pipes and house-made sangria.
5.Krog Bar:
Krog Bar
Our last place on our tapas tour of Atlanta is Krog Bar.
Krog Bar is part of Rathbun's restaurants, and is next door to
Rathbun's steakhouse. All they serve here are tapas-style dishes and a
focus on wines. Surprisingly, I've found this place to be the most
inexpensive place to grab tapas! Mediterranean flavors abound in dishes
like their Almond & Olive tasting platter and their varieties
of Bocadillo. If you like salmon, try their Smoked Salmon Trammezzini.
If you're going to Rathbun's, come early and try a few of the cheap
appetizers here before getting your steak.
Emily Hunter is a freelance writer for Atlanta-restaurants.org
