The best restaurants in Andersonville you need to try

Little Bad Wolf gets packed on weekends and for obvious reasons. There's a great burger—a couple, actually—though the Bad Burger, with two patties, American cheese, pickles and mayo is our pick. There's also a bar vibe, so you'll want to try the solid lineup of local draft beers or housemade cocktails like the Manhattan. And the rest of the menu is fleshed out with dishes like bao and fried shrimp, which you can't find elsewhere in Andersonville.

Paul Fehribach draws on historic recipes (like crawfish etouffee a la Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, circa 1930) to tell the story of Southern cuisine. The menu spans regions with dishes including shrimp and grits with a shiitake mushroom and Tasso ham gravy and fried chicken accompanied by red beans and rice and cornbread muffin. Brunch, which begins with complimentary beignets, is a similarly epic affair.

If the brewery signs all over the bar weren’t a giveaway, the 62 taps will clue you in that Hopleaf is a place for beer lovers. Open since 1992, Hopleaf is inspired by Belgian pubs and eschews TVs to encourage lively conversation over a tulip glass filled with a tripel and a giant bowl of mussels cooked in wit beer or lambic and served with fries. Reservations book up fast, but there’s always plenty of room for walk-ins, especially when the weather is warm enough to enjoy their enclosed patio.

At this adorable, sunny, daytime-only café, health food is tasty enough to eat. The owners are committed to organics and offer meat-free options, but they’re okay with a little cheese, butter and sugar every now and then. Case in point: fluffy hotcakes layered with blackberries and vanilla mascarpone cream and a heaping breakfast sandwich of fried egg, Gorgonzola, applewood-smoked bacon and fresh thyme. If that’s too good and gooey for you health nuts, there’s always the Veritable Vegan Epiphany, an organic tofu scramble that just may live up to its name.

Chef and owner Bobby Schaffer’s bakery and cafe serves dishes inspired by his own Scandinavian heritage and the neighborhood’s Swedish roots, including lingonberry almond cake and Smørrebrød, a traditional open-faced Danish sandwich. Everything is baked with care, from the hand-rolled cinnamon rolls to the Danishes made with seasonal fruit. Pre-orders are recommended since the small batch bakery regularly sells out. Enjoy your goodies inside or on the dog-friendly patio.

What’s not to like about this Andersonville trattoria? It’s cute, it’s bustling, service is helpful, and the food borders between good and great. Year-round don’t-miss items include the tender, lemon-kissed grilled octopus; the salumi plate; and trumpet mushrooms with baby spinach and arugula pesto. Like any good trattoria, Anteprima rotates much of the menu according to season, but housemade pastas prove as perfect with pancetta ragù in cold weather as they do with bright fava beans and ricotta in spring. In warm weather, seek out the secluded back patio.

Chef/owner Francisco Bolaños celebrates his hometown and his grandmother’s cooking by serving up traditional Spanish fare, including grilled octopus over fried potatoes; paella loaded with mussels, clams and shrimp; and churros with hot chocolate for dipping. Service is attentive and the low lights and emphasis on sharing make it a perfect date night destination. The spot is BYOB, so bring a bottle of Rioja or order a cafe con leche or non-alcoholic sangria.

Named for Vincent Van Gogh, whose paintings line the walls, Vincent embodies the style of a European bistro with dim lights, close quarters, charming sidewalk seating and a menu featuring steak tartare with toasted sesame bread, escargot, and gnocchi parisienne with blue crab. The space is loud, especially when there’s live music, but you can just sit back with a gin and tonic or the signature bourbon sour and enjoy the vibes.

Andersonville restaurant Fiya honors the rich heritage of Levantine cuisine. The menu from chef/owner Mindy Friedler mostly revolves around two pieces of equipment: a massive wood-burning oven and a wood smoker, both of which lend a fiery kiss to the fare. Start with a selection of salads and spreads like baba ganoush, Moroccan carrots, green fava dip and labneh, then share seared halloumi, whole roasted cauliflower, spiced lamb and blood orange galette. Take advantage of the large backyard patio when the weather is nice by beginning the weekend with a mimosa package and shakshuka.

Named for an Irish folklorist, Lady Gregory’s has been offering a comforting taste of the Emerald Isle for more than a decade. Favorites include Irish cheddar mac and cheese loaded with bacon and topped with garlic crumbs and the corned beef reuben, both of which can also be made gluten free. The pub has a massive selection of Scotch and Irish whiskey and you can always find Guinness on tap and Irish coffee to warm you up.

Chef and owner Marina Cardak combines Turkish and Georgian cuisines at Oda, with an emphasis on vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. Start with a meze platter of hummus, baba ganoush, dolma, beet salad, ezme and soslu, followed by charcoal-grilled kabobs or Adjaruli Khachapuri, a traditional Georgian cheese and egg bread boat. Finish your meal with baklava and Turkish coffee or a glass of organic Georgian Qvevri wine.

Expand your wine knowledge at Uvae, which hosts regular sommelier-led wine dinners, tastings and full classes designed to provide an introduction to various styles and regions, though experienced drinkers can also delve into geekier subjects like the science of soils. Happy hour, which offers $2 oysters and $5 glasses of cava from 5-6:30pm Tuesday through Friday and 3-6:30pm on weekends, is an especially popular time to visit, and you can linger after for a meal of roasted duck or seared sea scallops. Afterwards, grab a bottle of your new favorite to take home.

Meatballs are the specialty at this charming Italian spot, and you can order a plate of them made with beef, spicy barbecue pork or chicken as an appetizer or added onto a plate of handmade pasta. Whether you opt for the simple bliss of cacio e pepe or a hearty serving of pappardelle with braised oxtail ragu, make sure to save room for tiramisu. For a great deal, grab a seat in the bar area during happy hour from 4-6pm Wednesday through Sunday, when $9 gets you a carafe of wine and you can add on fried shrimp or a half order of bucatini with beef cheek meatballs and cheesy garlic bread for $12.

This Andersonville diner, decked out with Swedish folk art, serves plates packed with hearty food. The Viking Breakfast—two eggs, two Swedish pancakes with lingonberry compote, falukorv sausage, potatoes and toast—is our favorite hangover cure, but we’re just as happy with rib-sticking potato pancakes or Swedish meatballs later in the day.

If this cozy bakery-slash-café offers what its name portends, the afterlife will be pretty sweet. Baked-from-scratch goods, including cakes, cookies, cupcakes and scones are the real draw, but the all-day breakfast menu offers favorites like buttermilk pancakes and corned beef hash with bell peppers and red onions. Lunch and dinner selections focus on salads, sandwiches and a small selection of comfort entrées like chicken and biscuits, spinach lasagna and Thanksgiving dinner offered all year including turkey breast, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and roasted Brussels sprouts.