Atlantans know that romantic restaurants keep a flame good and hot. First dates get a kitschy tiki haven in a hotel basement. For peak privacy, there’s a decades-old steakhouse with curtained alcoves. And if you’re ringing in a special anniversary, head straight to a Mexican hotspot with a scenic rooftop bar.
This guide pairs Atlanta restaurants with romantic occasions from first dates all the way to milestone anniversaries. These are Atlanta’s 12 best date-night restaurants.
For a first date
Trader Vic’s (Downtown)
Impress your date with this off-the-beaten-path tiki spot in the basement of the Hilton Atlanta. Grab a seat at the bar, order a round of renowned mai tais, and snack on tropically inspired bites including Polynesian fried chicken and crispy wontons stuffed with spiced crab and cream cheese. If things are going well, graduate to the dining area for heartier dishes like honey-ginger glazed mahi mahi and a signature kimchi burger.
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For a second date
La Tavola Trattoria (Virginia Highland)
La Tavola’s narrow and intimate dining room makes it easy to focus on your date. Get to know each other over housemade pasta like mushroom tagliolini, which you can order in appetizer form for a tasting-like approach. Then make way for seasonal entrees such as an Ibérico pork tenderloin with root vegetables. Bonus points for the covered and heated back patio, ideal for long, leisurely conversations.
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For a cozy and intimate evening
Le Bon Nosh (Buckhead)
This sophisticated cafe and wine bar combo was made for rendezvousing. Grab a spot at the sleek marble bar, where leather stools and heavy, gold-colored drapes create a cozy nook for sipping Champagne and sharing snacks like caviar with housemade chips. Or settle into a table for two in the dining room with jewel-toned chairs and banquettes to linger over French-inspired mains like steak au poivre or ribeye for two.
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Osteria Mattone (Roswell)
Take your SO on a quick trip to Rome via this inviting Roswell gem. Osteria Mattone lives in a low-slung brick bungalow with picture windows and exposed brick walls, meaning it’s the kind of hideaway you can easily become a regular at. Expect food that’s just as cozy, like hearty pastas and wood-fired pizzas topped with hot honey and soppressata. Couples also come for one of the area’s best patios—heated in the cooler months and shaded by a tree canopy when it’s warm.
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For an anniversary or romantic milestone
Atlas (Buckhead)
Atlas was made for dialing up the wow factor. The MICHELIN-starred spot at the St. Regis Hotel is renowned for a knockout multi-course tasting menu—including vegan and vegetarian options—and stunning wall art with works by Picasso and Monet. If that’s not enough, Atlas is also home to one of Atlanta’s most exclusive wine lists, featuring more than 90 rotating wines by the glass, plus a Madeira selection, ideal for stretching your special night with a post-dinner drink.
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Palo Santo (West Midtown)
This sexy spot from chef Santiago Gomez quickly became a special-occasion go-to after opening in 2022. Gomez turns up the heat—literally—with wood- and charcoal-cooked Mexican food like miso-caramel cauliflower, roasted on wires above open flames. Even cocktails here are a spectacle, including the espresso-based Santo Carajillo, which is combined in a moka pot and poured tableside. End your night at the rooftop bar, where unobstructed city views create date-night magic.
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For an evening of eatertainment
Punch Bowl Social – Atlanta (Cumberland)
This sprawling, bar-meets-indoor gaming complex at The Battery is ideal for a high-energy date. Play a friendly round of ping-pong, try your luck at vintage arcade games, or belt out your favorite songs in one of the private karaoke booths. Punch Bowl also has eight bowling lanes, board games galore, and a dedicated late-night dining menu with nachos, dips, and more, plus an extensive drinks list including local beers and craft cocktails.
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The Roof at Ponce City Market / 9 Mile Station (Old Fourth Ward)
You and your date can soak in skyline views on this elevated playground on top of Ponce City Market. The Coney Island-style boardwalk features a mini-golf course, a three-story slide, and nostalgic games like Skee-Ball and goblet toss—and it’s exclusive to those 21 and up after 7 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Make a reservation at 9 Mile Station, the neighboring beer garden that serves local craft brews, inventive cocktails, and Southern-inspired food if you want to keep the good times going.
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For an adventurous and transportive date
Anis Cafe and Bistro (Buckhead)
It’s easy to forget you’re in Buckhead when you’re at Anis. The romantic French restaurant was modeled after a casual bistro in Provence, and the menu follows suit with dishes like salad Niçoise, mussels in a white wine sauce, and escargot. Start with a charcuterie or cheese board and a bread basket, paired with glasses from Anis’s top-notch wine list and take in the dreamy atmosphere, whether you’re sitting in the elegant dining room or the lush, covered patio.
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WIN – Taste of Bali (Buckhead)
A trip to Bali would be epic, but a dinner at elegant WIN is the next best thing. The transportive Buckhead restaurant serves up hard-to-find Indonesian food like a bone-in roasted lamb with a sweet soy, red pepper, shallot, and lime sauce. For something truly extraordinary, you and your date can order WIN’s tasting menu of nine small dishes and fried rice, which makes for one seriously Instagrammable display when presented on the table.
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For group dates
Saints + Council (Midtown)
The shareable menu at this seasonally driven spot makes it especially good for groups. Catch up with your crew over imaginative small plates like pork belly with pepper jelly and smoked gouda arancini, then round things out with s’mores chocolate fondue. On a date? Saints + Council’s unique peninsula-style seats are especially well-suited for deep, face-to-face conversations.
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For a proposal-worthy place
Bones (Buckhead)
Bones has been the site of many proposals since opening in 1979, drawing couples with its next-level steaks and fancy digs. Come hungry and order a parade of fixings to go with your dry-aged, bone-in ribeye, including shrimp cocktail, corn pudding, and truffle butter mashed potatoes. If you’re here to pop the big question, book one of the restaurant’s curtained alcove rooms for the ultimate privacy—and VIP factor.
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Tried them all? Check out other options here.
Laura Scholz is an Atlanta-based writer and editor who has covered food, travel, and more for publications like Bon Appétit, Eater Atlanta, Food & Wine, and Travel + Leisure. She loves working from local coffee shops, running and hiking remote trails with her two dogs, and shining a spotlight on the city’s top chefs and tastemakers.
Su-Jit Lin is an Atlanta-based writer specializing in travel, food—including groceries, cooking, and reference guides—and their impact on bringing people together in shared joy and experience.
