El Azteca has been a staple in Sandy Springs for more than four decades. Victor Macias’s parents tethered themselves to the community more than 45 years ago, raising their children in Sandy Springs and opening the first El Azteca there, long before the Atlanta bedroom community became a city. 

Sandy Springs is where it all began for El Azteca, today a local Mexican restaurant chain with three locations. It’s become a great source of family pride that the Roswell Road restaurant still exists, as Sandy Springs and its burgeoning dining scene grew up around it. (Now the seventh-largest city in Georgia, Sandy Springs and Atlanta combined account for two-thirds of the more than 20,000 restaurants in the state.)

Macias attended Spalding Drive Elementary and spent most of his childhood in Sandy Springs. His formative years unwittingly paralleled the then-fledgling city, which incorporated when Macias was in middle school. 

He remembers his parents talking about the incorporation of Sandy Springs and what it might mean for El Azteca. By 2005, when Sandy Springs became a city, El Azteca had been in business for nearly 25 years. 

“I’ve seen Sandy Springs and the restaurant scene change so much. My parents chose Sandy Springs because there were hardly any restaurants when it opened in 1981. The community needed restaurants,” Macias said. “Back then, there weren’t as many Mexican restaurants as there are today, so El Azteca was a lot of people’s introduction to Mexican and Tex-Mex food in Sandy Springs.”

Macias’s father, Javier, moved to Atlanta from Chicago in the late 1970s to work at his uncle’s restaurant, El Toro, on Roswell Road. But in 1981, Javier and his wife decided to strike out on their own, opening El Azteca near present-day Rumi’s Kitchen, before taking over the property now home to Mellow Mushroom. In 2000, El Azteca moved again to its present location at the Lowe’s complex, a half mile south on Roswell Road. 

The Macias family lived and worked in Sandy Springs for years, eventually moving to Johns Creek in the early 2000s. But El Azteca on Roswell Road served as the family’s anchor to Sandy Springs, even after the business expanded to multiple metro Atlanta locations. 

“[Roswell Road] is where we see generations of families returning to dine. I’ve seen people’s kids and grandchildren grow up and bring their own families,” Macias said, who serves as El Azteca’s Director of Operations and owns the Perimeter Center location on Peachtree-Dunwoody Road. “We like to call El Azteca the Mexican ‘Cheers’ because we know our regulars’ names and their orders. We’re part of their lives.”

Family drives everything behind El Azteca. It continues to be a family-owned and operated business, and where Macias and his sister learned the restaurant industry, working as food runners, servers, and hosts during high school. He watched his parents grow the family’s lone restaurant into 10 locations. They’ve since scaled back to just three locations in Buckhead, Perimeter Center, and the original Roswell Road restaurant. 

Macias’s sister holds a degree in hospitality management. The plan had always been for her to take over the business. When she decided to prioritize raising a family, Macias stepped up to help his parents run the restaurants. 

With a degree in business administration and marketing, Macias became a manager and shadowed El Azteca’s Director of Operations, a title he earned in 2016. His parents turned over the opening and ownership of the Perimeter Center El Azteca to Macias three years ago, where he built the restaurant from the ground up.

“Family-owned businesses don’t have as much support once founders get older or retire. Maybe their children don’t want to carry on the business, or they never had any children. So these businesses close after years in communities because there’s no one to keep them going,” Macias said. “My parents were lucky we grew up in the restaurants and wanted to keep being a part of them.”

As a second-generation owner overseeing the daily operations of all three of his family’s restaurants, Macias knows that for El Azteca to endure, it needs to evolve. He recently added new dishes like tortas and chiles rellenos to the menu. The bar features new non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails like a lychee margarita and Mexican Old Fashioned. Margaritas incorporate top-shelf tequilas, fresh juices, and agave syrup.

Macias also pared down the combination meal options from 30 to 10. That doesn’t mean, however, someone can’t come in and order the number 25.

“We have cooks who’ve been there for decades and can still make a number 25. I may not know what a 25 is, but someone in that restaurant does and will make it,” said Macias. 

Despite stepping back from the day-to-day running of El Azteca, his father keeps a sharp eye on things. Macias is glad for his wise counsel, but finds his father open to new ideas for keeping El Azteca fresh and current.  

“El Azteca still has the majority of the day-one recipes on the menu, and certain entrees have never changed. As I’ve taken over more, I’m focusing on keeping the original concept, but adding to it, making it more now,” he said. 

In 2026, El Azteca will turn 45 on Roswell Road. Macias wants to make sure it survives in Sandy Springs for another 45. The family just resigned the lease, locking El Azteca in on Roswell Road for at least another decade.

With the Perimeter Center restaurant humming along, Macias can concentrate on shoring up the family’s flagship restaurant on Roswell Road, which includes some much-needed updating and a facelift. 

“If we needed to leave that space, we would always find a way to be on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs,” said Macias of the future. “It’s our home base and reminds us of how far we’ve come. El Azteca would not be what it is today if it wasn’t for the people of Sandy Springs.”

This story is from the December 2025 issue of Reporter Newspapers, marking the 20th anniversary of the City of Sandy Springs.

The post After 45 years on Roswell Road, El Azteca is all in on Sandy Springs appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Restaurants in contention opened between Oct. 1, 2024, and Oct. 1, 2025 and reside within Rough Draft’s coverage zones in the cities of Atlanta, Brookhaven, Tucker, Sandy Springs, and Dunwoody, along with a few from greater metro Atlanta.

This year’s award winners brought something extra special to the Atlanta dining scene. Your next favorite dish might come from a sandwich shop doubling as a community hub, a fine dining establishment leaning into Alpine ingredients, a strip mall spot dedicated to an Italian grandmother’s legacy, or a tiny counter-service restaurant whipping up made-to-order meals perfect for a dinner party.

Introducing Rough Draft’s Best New Restaurants of 2025, along with the winners of our inaugural Readers’ Choice Awards and a trio of special awards for Best New Bar, Best Collaboration, and Community Spirit.

Jump to: Readers’ Choice | Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Tucker | Best New Bar | Best Collaboration | Community Spirit Award

Overall Winners

Avize
956 Brady Ave., Westside Atlanta

Avize is a culinary exploration of Chef Karl Gorline’s Bavarian heritage and the Alpine-bordering countries of Germany, France, Switzerland, and Italy. For Gorline, Avize isn’t a literal interpretation of Alpine food traditions. Instead, the menu pays homage to these cuisines through foraged ingredients, such as serviceberries, and vegetables, grains, and herbs harvested weekly from the restaurant’s Bremen, GA farm. The only physical indication Avize leans Alpine is in the dining room, where a taxidermied white mountain goat named “Truffles” is given pride of place.

Gorline gussies up rustic dishes of venison, duck, and schnitzel, whipping gamey proteins, fish, and root vegetables into elegantly presented plates that are almost too pretty to eat.

Begin with the dandelion greens salad studded with seasonal citrus, or the venison tartare. Gorline gets cheeky with his lemon pepper wet riff on frog legs. For the main event, order hay-smoked duck, fermented carrot Bolognese, or the fallow deer crusted with black sesame atop a serviceberry jus accompanied by eggplant and chicory. 

While wine pairing suggestions come listed with each dish, tap in Avize Director of Hospitality and sommelier, Taurean Philpott, for further advice. As with the food, wine at Avize favors Alpine producers. 

Moody and cozy, with a playlist jockeying between 1980s New Wave and old and new-school hip hop, Avize makes fine dining fun and approachable. With the more casual vibes of Bar Avize next door, serving martinis on silver plates and everything from fries and oysters, to adult chicken nuggets topped with caviar, this Brady Avenue restaurant is the total package. 

Danbi Seasonal Kitchen
3432 Clairmont Road, Brookhaven

Don’t be fooled by Danbi Seasonal Kitchen’s appearance — this Brookhaven strip mall spot offers far more than meets the eye. Although the sleek, technology-forward interior, minimal staff, and no-tipping policy suggest a standard fast-casual operation, the actual product is on the same caliber as finer dining institutions. Chef Jack Kim has worked a wide range of restaurant jobs, and it shows. 

With the exception of the cookies and brownies on the counter (those are baked ahead of opening hours), Kim makes everything to order. The menu’s foundation on healthy, seasonal ingredients proves that food can be good for you and taste good, too. The smoothies, for example, don’t contain an excess amount of sugar, instead highlighting the god-given flavors in each ingredient. The frothy beet smoothie gets its sweetness from Fuji apples and maple syrup, with the main ingredient’s earthy flavor at the forefront. 

Everything is good here, but the Guajillo coconut salmon especially shines. (This is one case where you do want to order salmon at a restaurant.) The fish itself maintains that ideal doneness with just a hint of medium-rare, and the accompanying curry-like sauce, Brussels sprouts, and miso-glazed kabocha sauce almost outshine the main dish. 

If you’re feeding a large party, order everything to go and serve it at home. 

Madeira Park
640 N. Highland Ave., Poncey-Highland

It’s been 16 years since Steven Satterfield opened Miller Union, now a Michelin-recognized restaurant for the James Beard-award-winning chef. But in 2025, Satterfield and Miller Union partner Neal McCarthy, and Dive Wine founder Tim Willard, opened Madeira Park in Poncey-Highland. 

They transformed the former cafe at the old Highland Inn into a lively wine bar where people pack the dining room and patio nightly.

The wine list–a constantly evolving project for Willard and sommelier and General Manager Jade Palmer–features familiar favorites, boundary-pushing vintages, and collector wines. Pro tip: Ask for the “book” – an off-menu, hand-written list of limited-run and rare wines curated by Palmer. 

Fortified wine lovers will find a healthy selection of vermouth, sherry, port, and Madeira, including bottled-aged pours of Terrantez dating back to 1899 and a century-old Sercial. And while Philip Weltner keeps cocktails low-ABV by dialing into fortified wines (try the Bijou with sweet potato shochu, vermouth, and sherry), heavy hitters like the Sazerac and Rob Roy round out his drinks list.

Bar snacks include salads, oysters, ham and cheese beignets, and beef tartare, with entrees featuring the seasonality of ingredients for which Satterfield is known. Led by Chef Ollie Honderd, order a bistro steak with crowder peas and caponata, or the daily fish en papillote seared in brown butter complemented with French filet beans. 

Sammy’s
565 Northside Dr., Adair Park

Jason Furst and Chef Sam Pinner have created a buzzy community hub in Sammy’s, a compact coffee and sandwich shop at Abrams Fixtures in Adair Park. Lines form early for coffee and bacon, egg, and cheeses in the morning. In the afternoon, the lines return for sandwiches chock-full of ingredients. 

You’ll meet Furst at the counter, greeting you with his sterling smile. Hospitality courses through his veins, and through his long, flowing locks and full beard. Pinner works the smoker out front, tending to the pork butts for Uncle Sam’s sandwich and the Miami Sami served on bread sourced from Pan American Bakery. For the Reuben, Pinner brines the pastrami and finishes it on the smoker, topping the sandwich with Southern-style coleslaw, based on his mother’s recipe.

Every Friday evening, Sammy’s transforms into a bar teeming with people ordering High Life ponies and martinis from Furst paired with smashburgers, whole smoked wings, and barbecue specials from Pinner. 

Sammy’s already feels like it’s been around for years in Adair Park, with people huddled around tables, sometimes with small stockpiles of sandwiches. (Yes, they’re just that good.) It can be hard to find a seat at peak hours–even outside–an indication that Furst and Pinner must be doing something right. 

Season Marietta
301 Lemon St., Marietta

You would have no idea Season just celebrated its first anniversary. Situated in a standalone building on Lemon Street, the breakfast and brunch restaurant has the aura of a place that’s been open for decades. The restaurant runs like an extremely well-oiled machine, with an attentive staff thrumming at both the back and front of the house. 

There’s a smaller, separate coffee menu for diners who can’t function sans-caffeine. The specialty and seasonal drinks are just as detailed and visually impressive as items from a neighborhood coffee shop. You also won’t go wrong just ordering a French pressed coffee.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that everything on Season’s food menu makes for a solid meal. The savory dishes like the chorizo chilaquiles and tamale huevos rancheros truly shine here. Chef Nick Jennings makes Season’s red chorizo in house, and sausage lovers who don’t try it are quite frankly doing themselves a disservice. 

Those whose tastes steer sweeter should opt for the maduros-stuffed buttermilk pancakes, or French toast served with blueberry compote, duck ham, Virginia maple syrup, and cinnamon sugar. Other must-orders include the pork belly grilled cheese, croque madame, and selection of biscuit sandwiches. 

Come early, or make reservations. If not, be prepared to wait for a table. A meal at Season, however, is worth it. 

Tipsy Thaiger
605 Atlanta St., Roswell

Birdie Niyomkun, Phudith Pattharakositkul, and Candi Lee want Tipsy Thaiger to reflect their love for entertaining. Here you’ll find homestyle Thai staples mingling with Thai street foods and finer dining Thai dishes within the cozy environs of one of Roswell’s most historic dining rooms. 

Kicking off with a cocktail is the move, including with the gin-based Green Curry Sour, or Thaiger Martini mixed with vodka and yellow rice sake. The Mango & Sticky Rice mixes rum with clarified mango and a float of salted coconut foam. 

With a food menu divided into gab-glaam (bar bites, small plates) and gab-kao (shareable entrees served with rice), order everything family style, starting with the jackfruit dip and Thaiger salad comprising beets, tomatoes, and aromatic herbs tossed in Thai dressing with fried shallots. The unctuous chili jam clams are a must, which sees middleneck clams coaxed open as they’re quickly stir-fried in a creamy, sweet and spicy sauce. 

Never skip ordering she-crab fried rice for the table to complement entrees of 36-hour braised Hung-Le short rib or the daily market fish, which can come fried, poached, or seared. For a decadent dessert, opt for the Thai tea toast – a hunk of toasted brioche covered in Thai tea cream and peanut crumbles served with coconut ice cream to cut the sweetness.  

Tipsy Thaiger gently nudges you out of your Thai food comfort zone–and that’s a good thing–while also introducing you to the depth and breadth of Thailand’s foodways and hospitality traditions. In other words, it’s a triumph.

Top Five Readers’ Choice Winners (overall)

1. Tipsy Thaiger (Roswell)
2. Enso Izakaya (Avondale Estates)
3. Lucky Star (Star Metals)
4. Brasserie Margot (Midtown)
5. Madeira Park (Poncey-Highland)

Best of Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Tucker

Brookhaven

Danbi Seasonal Kitchen
3432 Clairmont Road, Brookhaven

Don’t be fooled by Danbi Seasonal Kitchen’s appearance — this Brookhaven strip mall spot offers far more than meets the eye. Although the sleek, technology-forward interior, minimal staff, and no-tipping policy suggest a standard fast-casual operation, the actual product is on the same caliber as finer dining institutions. Chef Jack Kim has worked a wide range of restaurant jobs, and it shows. 

With the exception of the cookies and brownies on the counter (those are baked ahead of opening hours), Kim makes everything to order. The menu’s foundation on healthy, seasonal ingredients proves that food can be good for you and taste good, too. The smoothies, for example, don’t contain an excess amount of sugar, instead highlighting the god-given flavors in each ingredient. The frothy beet smoothie gets its sweetness from Fuji apples and maple syrup, with the main ingredient’s earthy flavor at the forefront. 

Everything is good here, but the Guajillo coconut salmon especially shines. (This is one case where you do want to order salmon at a restaurant.) The fish itself maintains that ideal doneness with just a hint of medium-rare, and the accompanying curry-like sauce, Brussels sprouts, and miso-glazed kabocha sauce almost outshine the main dish. 

If you’re feeding a large party, order everything to go and serve it at home. 

Brookhaven Readers’ Choice: Confab Kitchen & Bar 

Dunwoody

Yaba’s Bagels
4780 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody

Lena Abdallah and Ahmed Nashif bet on Atlantans’ affinity for bagels when they opened Yaba’s Bagels this summer. Yaba means “father” in Arabic. For Abdallah, the Dunwoody bagel shop is more than just a business, it also serves as an homage to her father, who used to own bakeries in New York. 

Abdallah grew up understanding that a good “water” bagel depends on the precisely timed kettle boiling process to bring about the signature textures: crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Yaba’s respect for the bagel-making process, which includes boiling the dough twice before baking, comes through in the first bite.

But Yaba’s Bagels isn’t your standard New York-style bagel shop. Sure, you can get staples like bagels and lox, or a bacon, egg, and cheese, but the signature bagels infused with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors and ingredients are the real move at Yaba’s. 

Based on Abdallah’s father’s recipes, order the Levantine za’atar bagel with a thick spread of labneh drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with za’atar. The Souk sees your bagel of choice (we suggest sesame) topped with a spread of tahini and date syrup garnished with dates and toasted walnuts. For a little sweet and savory action, the Yaffa on an onion or salt bagel piles on grilled halloumi, arugula, and tomato. It’s finished with pomegranate molasses.

Bagels aren’t the only shining stars at Yaba’s. The deli sandwiches are every bit as good, including the Reuben stuffed with hot pastrami, melted Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut. Order this sandwich on a za’atar bagel. Grab one of Abdallah’s cheese danishes or apple turnovers for the road. 

Dunwoody Readers’ Choice: Cuddlefish 

Sandy Springs

Nonna Dora Italian Eatery
1100 Hammond Dr., Sandy Springs

When you find yourself sipping on Parmigiana sauce from a spoon like it’s a luxurious stew or bisque, you know you’re in the midst of a transcendent dining experience. Thank Nonna Dora for that, whose namesake shaped chef-owner Patrizio Alaia’s childhood and cooking philosophy. Every menu item, from the cheesy frittatine to the 100-percent beef meatballs, carries his grandmother’s influence. 

Antipasti and pasta make up most of the menu. It’s hard to go wrong here, but if you’re not into tomato-based sauces, opt for the pesto, Parmigiana, or ultra-rich mushroom lasagna. There’s also a small selection of pizzas, salads, and meat and fish-based main courses (branzino, saltimbocca, and a breaded chicken cutlet). 

Denying yourself a post-dinner cannoli, frolla (Neapolitan pastry stuffed with ricotta and candied orange cubes), or tiramisu is a criminal offense. Make the meal feel extra European by pairing it with an Italian soda.

Come in on Saturdays and Sundays for brunch, including for lemon ricotta pancakes, polenta and shrimp, and an Italian version of an English breakfast. 

Sandy Springs Readers’ Choice: Mister 01 Pizza

Tucker

Nicky’s Undefeated
2316 Main St., Tucker

Greater Philadelphian-owned Nicky’s Undefeated brought yet another strong tenant to Tucker’s Main Street in 2025. It’s a restaurant and bar serving top-rate sandwiches, cheesesteaks (don’t ask for a Philly), wings, and pizza that also doubles as a Philadelphia Eagles hub. 

The hoagies and melts come served on super-soft Liscio’s rolls straight from South Jersey, so no sharp corners will distract your mouth from the pile of meat and cheese inside. Bring a crowd, because the menu at Nicky’s is best divided and conquered. 

Order garlic parmesan wings, cheesesteak egg rolls, and mozzarella squares for the table. Then split a sandwich. Hoagies and cheesesteaks are the name of the game here. But we also recommend Nicky’s fried chicken cutlet sandwiches like the Rocky Balboa (chicken Parmesan), Crazy Betty (Buffalo chicken with mozzarella and more Buffalo sauce), and Meadow Soprano (a fried chicken and kale Caesar hybrid blessed with Pecorino Romano). The slow-roasted Italian pork sandwich with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe and a couple of jumbo pizza slices (more accurately described as quarters) also get the job done. Save room for dessert, including Via Veneto Italian ice, Bassetts ice cream, or pistachio ricotta cake.

There’s no “vibes” at Nicky’s, just a clean, well-lighted place with a good attitude, huge portions, and a modest bill. It works and, frankly, shouldn’t be questioned.

Stop by Sunday and Monday nights to catch NFL games on one of the big-screens. Non-Eagles fans are welcome at Nicky’s, but probably shouldn’t vocalize that fact, or take offense to the anti-Packers and Chiefs art taped to the counter window. 

Tucker Readers’ Choice: Nicky’s Undefeated

Jump to: Readers’ Choice | Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Tucker | Best New Bar | Best Collaboration | Community Spirit Award

Best New Bar

Lucky Star
1055 Howell Mill Road, Star Metals

Lucky Star became the latest restaurant from Chef Jason Liang (Momonoki, Cuddlefish, Brush, Michelin-starred O by Brush) when it opened at Star Metals. As a breakfast to happy hour, and beyond, kind of place, Liang returns to his Taiwanese roots at this restaurant and the comforting street foods of his childhood. 

While you should absolutely come for Liang’s food (try the beef noodle soup and gan mian dry noodles), stay for cocktails from beverage director Kirk Gibson.

You might recognize Gibson from his days at The Pinewood in Decatur and Cardinal in Grant Park. Maybe you attended one of his pop-ups years ago at Brush, or in Candler Park during Little Bear chef Jarrett Stieber’s Eat Me Speak Me days. 

At Lucky Star, Gibson lets loose his bartending skills and passion for cocktail science and experimentation. He goes all in on techniques like fat-washing and clarification, or using a sous vide machine or liquid nitrogen to extract the flavors and textures he’s after for drinks. Cocktails come mixed with syrups and tinctures made from seasonal and foraged ingredients. 

Look for cocktails like a painkiller made with freshly juiced white corn, a coconut-washed rum Manhattan, or a Sidecar made with yuzu juice and salted yuzu syrup. For Lucky Star’s clarified espresso martini, Gibson distills down cold brew steeped in vodka in a Buchi Rotavapor, which boils off the alcohol, leaving behind the roasted floral notes of the coffee. Gibson then re-dilutes the cold brew mixture to 80 proof and finishes the cocktail with white creme de cacao and creme de peche.

With everything batched and ready to go, cocktails arrive within minutes of ordering, even if the ingredients comprising these drinks took hours or days to create. Gibson and his team make cocktails at Lucky Star seem effortless.

Gibson has definitely hit his stride here. A word to Atlanta cocktail enthusiasts: prioritize grabbing a seat at the bar to geek out with Gibson and his cohorts during one of the weekly cocktail omakase services. You’ll thank us later.

Best Collaboration

The New South
Various locations

Yes, please do believe the hype around Black chef collective The New South. Current members include Robert Butts, Demetrius Brown, Gary Caldwell, Carlos Granderson, India Johnson, Chryssie Lewis, Dene Lynn, Jon’nae “Jae” Smith, Rodney Smith, Charmain Ware, and Christan Willis. 

Independently, each member is already impressive — since forming in 2024, these chefs have headlined food festivals, competed on food television shows, announced new restaurants, and hosted ticketed dinners. When The New South works in tandem, however, its chefs produce something that’s hard to replicate.

You can catch The New South in action at one of the collective’s quarterly, eight-course dinners, where you’ll find bites such as infused sweet watermelon juice “hard cups,” or sofrito braised lamb with plantain gnocchi, pickled fresno, lamb demi glaze, microgreens, and charred onion dust, or dukkah smoked Kobe beef with broccoli, onion puree, and pickled green tomatoes.

Since there are more chefs now than courses, not all of The New South members contribute to a meal. But you’ll find many of them attending New South dinners to support and infuse the event with infectious positive energy. And even when they’re not hosting dinners together, this collective shouts out members making strides on their own. In other words, it’s impossible not to root for The New South and its chefs.

Community Spirit Award

Minhwa Spirits
2421 Van Fleet Cir., Doraville

Part distillery, part coffee shop, and part tavern, Minhwa Spirits’ greatest asset might be the commitment to metro Atlanta chefs and food producers.

In addition to cocktails incorporating the distillery’s award-winning soju, chai-infused gin, and makgeolli, owners Ming Han Chung and James Kim have cultivated a community of collaboration at Minhwa. 

You’ll find resident chefs doing stints in the kitchen, including Lino Yi (TKO Korean, Lazy Betty), who currently handles lunch, dinner, and brunch. There’s regular coffee service from Postern Coffee and pastries from small-batch bakery Sugar Plus Air. 

Minhwa also hosts numerous collaborative events throughout the year, ranging from pop-up nights with Dhaba BBQ, Karly’s Kitchen, Mighty Hans, Salty Smiles, and Soupbelly, to dumpling and makgeolli (Korean rice wine) workshops, to regular makers’ markets and K-pop bingo nights. (Resident cat, Hoshi, was even named after a K-pop singer known for his feline appearance.) 

Chung and Kim see Minhwa Spirits as a sort of jumak, a Korean tavern that provided lodging, nourishment, and alcohol to travelers during the Joseon Dynasty. Serving the community lies at the heart of everything on offer at Minhwa Spirits, right down to always providing space and opportunities to support local chefs, bartenders, and artists.

Jump to: Readers’ Choice | Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Tucker | Best New Bar | Best Collaboration | Community Spirit Award

The post Rough Draft Atlanta’s Best New Restaurants of 2025 appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Welcome to The Regulars, where we explore what it means to be a frequent restaurant patron. In this series, we’ll introduce you to everyday Atlantans and local characters who have found a sense of belonging and community at restaurants and bars around town and what keeps these regulars coming back week after week.

When family-owned McDaniel’s QN2 (formerly a Slope’s BBQ franchise) opened in 2002, Sandy Springs resident Bob Lederman was the first customer in line. Now retired from Delta Air Lines, Lederman discovered the restaurant while running errands at the Johnson Ferry Road shopping center near his home.

“I saw a sign announcing that it was the restaurant’s first day in business, and I just happened to be there five minutes before it opened for lunch,” recalled Lederman.

He’s been a regular ever since at the cozy spot known for its hickory-smoked meats and kitschy decor, which includes an entire room filled with Elvis memorabilia.

Lederman stops into the restaurant several times a month to order his usual tray: barbecue beef brisket on Texas toast with mac and cheese and coleslaw on the side. Sometimes, he grabs a quick bite before or after his job as a part-time volunteer coordinator at the nearby Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. On Saturdays, he and his wife often walk to McDaniel’s QN2 from their home to listen to live bluegrass music and hang out with friends and neighbors, also regulars at the convivial barbecue joint owned by brothers Andy and Glenn McDaniel. 

“Bob is kind of a Sandy Springs celebrity and knows everyone in the neighborhood,” said Glenn McDaniel.

In fact, Lederman has been the restaurant’s first customer three times over the last 22 years, including in 2016 after it reopened following a fire, and again in 2022 when the brothers rebranded from Slope’s BBQ to McDaniel’s QN2 due to the expiration of the franchise’s contract.

Buying the restaurant gave the brothers an opportunity to expand their offerings for regulars like Lederman. They added new dishes to the menu like weekly specials of fried green tomatoes, salads, and a popular vegetarian burger. The McDaniels now host weekly events such as Thursday night trivia and live music on Saturdays.

Related Link: More stories part of Rough Draft’s series “The Regulars”

“We like to keep things fresh for our customers,” said McDaniel, whom Lederman calls “a really funny guy with a great sense of humor” and a “knack for customer service.” 

The restaurant’s affable nature and clever social media promotions have helped make McDaniel’s QN2 a third space for some Sandy Springs locals. Many customers hang out for hours after they’ve eaten to work on their laptops, hold community meetings, or just chat with the brothers and their families, including Glenn’s three teenage children who’ve worked part-time there since elementary school.

Lederman believes that commitment to family and community is one of the reasons he continues to be a regular at the restaurant.

“They have quite an extensive picture gallery of armed services members that are family members of customers, which is a neat way to honor them and their service,” Lederman said. McDaniel’s QN2 also offers discounts to first responders and military service members. Recently, the brothers personally collected and delivered supplies (and plates of barbecue) to Asheville residents impacted by Hurricane Helene. 

“McDaniel’s doesn’t just serve good food that I enjoy, but a sense of belonging that you can’t find at just any restaurant,” added Lederman. “It really is an important part of the Sandy Springs community.”

The feeling is mutual, said McDaniel.

“Every restaurant has a regular like Bob, someone who comes in almost every day and tells everyone in the community about their business. We’re so lucky to have him as our biggest fan.”

McDaniel’s QN2, 200 Johnson Ferry Road, Sandy Springs. Open Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.  

The post Sandy Springs resident Bob Lederman has been a day-one regular at McDaniel’s QN2 appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.