Why Everyone’s Suddenly Talking About Marietta’s Food Scene
Words by Ashley Locke
There’s a version of Marietta that most people think they know. A charming Square, a quick stop outside Atlanta, maybe a place you pass through on the way somewhere else. And then there’s the version you discover when you start paying attention to where people are eating.
Spend a little time here and it becomes clear that something is shifting. Kitchens are getting more thoughtful. Menus feel more personal. Chefs are building places they actually want to hang out in, not just places to eat. You can feel it in the way people linger at tables, the way servers talk through dishes, and the way a simple lunch turns into a full afternoon.
It all centers around Marietta Square, where everything is close enough to walk and every turn seems to offer something new. One block might lead you to a Spanish wine bar, the next to a Cuban sandwich that people swear by, and just around the corner, a café that feels like your new weekly ritual. You don’t have to plan every stop. You can just follow what looks good and trust that you will land somewhere worth staying.
Start the Day Slow
Ease into the morning at Asher & Rose, a friendly stop that makes you want to rethink what a neighborhood market can be. Shelves are stocked with local produce, fresh breads, and pantry staples that feel curated instead of mass-produced. In the café, breakfast leans seasonal and thoughtful, like a frittata made with whatever is freshest that week, or coffee that invites you to savor each sip.
If you’re not in a rush, stay for a while. People often drift in for groceries and end up ordering lunch. Conversations carry from table to table.
It feels like a place that belongs to the neighborhood but is happy to have you in it.
Lunch That Feels Like An Adventure
From here, the Square opens up into a choose-your-own-adventure kind of afternoon.
You could start in Italy at Bottega Italian Market & Pizza, where fresh pasta and Roman-style pizza come out of the kitchen with just enough flourish to feel special without trying too hard. The Sophia Loren mural watches over the room, adding a little bit of old-world glamour. Order the tiramisu. It is not optional.
Or you might go in a completely different direction and grab a table at the Australian Bakery Café, where savory pies and sausage rolls feel both unexpected and completely right for lunch. There is something satisfying about taking a quiet moment to eat a flaky, golden crust filled with rich, hearty flavors while sitting just steps from the bustling Square.
If you want to keep things moving, head to Marietta Square Market and build your own progressive meal. Start with Korean barbecue, move on to sushi or fried rice, and finish with something sweet. It’s fast-paced in the best way, and a reminder that a good meal does not have to follow one path.
A Table Worth Planning Around
As the day shifts into evening, make your way to Spring, the Michelin-starred restaurant that has quietly become one of the most talked-about dining experiences in the city. Chef Brian So and sommelier Daniel Crawford have built something that feels intentional from the moment you sit down.
The menu changes often, shaped by what is in season and what they are excited about. Dishes arrive with obvious consideration, but without any sense of formality that might make you feel out of place. Natural wines are poured with care. The room hums with conversation.
It turns going out to eat into an experience.
Keep the Night Going
If you are not ready to call it a night, Marietta gives you options without asking you to leave the Square.
Slide into Silla Del Toro for Spanish tapas and a glass of wine from a list that goes deep into Spanish regions. Order a few small plates and let the table fill up. Stay longer than you meant to.
Or head to Kiosco, where the energy is Mediterranean and communal. Plates are meant to be shared, conversations are stretched across the table, and dessert ends with baklava that is flaky, sticky, and worth saving room for.
Not feeling either of those flavors? House of Lu will take your tastebuds on a journey through the East with traditional Chinese and Vietnamese dishes. Order the pho—one for each guest—because this flavorful soup is one you won’t want to share.
If you want something more casual, 7 Tequilas delivers a taste of Mexico that people can’t stop talking about. The homemade molé sauce is something to write home about!
When the City Comes Together
If you time your visit right, you can experience everything at once during Taste of Marietta, when the Square fills with more than 70 local restaurants serving small bites so you can try a little bit of everything in one afternoon.
Music plays from multiple stages. Beer gardens stay busy. People move from booth to booth, comparing favorites and going back for seconds. It’s a chance for the city to show off.
Marietta does not try to overwhelm you with its food scene. But by the end of the weekend, you’ll realize you did not just eat well. You found a place you will want to come back to again and again.
