This is the second post in a 2-post (for now) series on the amazing, delicious and unique neighborhood of Buford Highway in Atlanta. The first post covered great spots for beginners. This post is going a little further into the unusual and so I’m calling it an “intermediate” guide. 

Of course, every person’s experience is going to be different so some of these may be very ordinary to you. I’m basing this on my own experience as well as feedback from others with whom I’ve dined at these spots.

Pho Dai Loi 2 – Vietnamese

At a glance, a steaming bowl of noodle soup – or pho – can seem pretty basic and I would generally recommend it to a foodie “newbie.” However, the ingredients can get pretty odd and unique pretty quickly, so it fits well on this list.

There are no shortage of Vietnamese restaurants specializing in pho on Buford Highway and around Atlanta but there is a fairly large consensus that Pho Dai Loi 2 has the best. After trying several places, I can confirm that I think their broth is better than most others along Buford Highway. (Dua Vietnamese in downtown Atlanta is my top pick for Vietnamese food and pho in the city.)

If you’re going to Pho Dai Loi 2, get pho and if you’re feeling adventureous, get it with meatballs and tendon and any other meat that sounds unusual. I like to get the filet and flank steak and I add all the toppings – sprouts, cilantro, basil, jalapenos and lime – before drizzling a bit of Sriracha sauce on top for a little kick. Happy slurping!

Sushi House Hayakawa – Sushi/Japanese

At the other end of the price scale, Sushi House Hayakawa is consistently rated as one of the best sushi restaurants in Atlanta. Open Wednesday – Sunday, reservations are a MUST at this incredibly popular spot.

You can sit at the sushi bar and order the omakase – chef’s special – and let the chef surprise you with a variety of fishes and presentations. The chirashi is another amazing option and a favorite of my husband (2nd photo below). It features a wide variety of sashimi placed over a bowl of rice and comes in various sizes and price points.

The rolls here are nothing to scoff at either and are quite a departure from many of the tempura-fried rolls of lesser-quality spots. The Salmon Torch Roll (1st photo below) has salmon on top that is torched right in front of you then topped with salmon roe. The Hawaiian Roll and the Special California Roll (with lobster!) are some other incredible options.  

Panahar – Bangledeshi

Panahar is a go-to spot for us when we have guests in from out of town who want to try new flavors. The food is rich and bold – starters to marinated meats to vegetable curries all offer a unique blend of spices that many Americans don’t experience in their own kitchens.

Panahar is not open on Mondays and reservations are strongly recommended on the weekends as it gets very busy. It’s a full-service restaurant and is BYOB! The service has always been great – everyone takes the time to explain a dish or walk you through the menu if you’ve not been in before. They take a lot of pride in their cuisine and culture.

While we almost always order something different each time we visit, some of our favorite dishes include:

• Vegetable pakoras as a starter (first photo below)
• Vindaloo with beef (this dish is spicy, so watch out!)
• Niramish (vegetables cooked in a light curry sauce)
• Aloo Motor (potatoes and peas cooked in a cream sauce)
• Naan bread with onions and cilantro
• Peas Polao – this is the “special rice” and has peas, onions and raisins in it. Get it.

From the second photo below, you can see you end up with quite a spread. And plenty of leftovers that are just as good the next day. Oh, and that BYOB policy also means you can really enjoy yourself and not hurt your wallet. I love this place and think you will, too.

Canton House – Dim sum and Chinese food

Dim sum is an experience and a feast – and a lot of fun. As with so many places on Buford Highway, there are several places to get your dim sum on but we like Canton House for the wide selection of tasty bites.

This place gets PACKED on Sundays so get there at 10.30 when it opens. By 11.30, there will be a wait. I think it’s best to go with at least four people as it means you can try more than things than with just two people.

The staff bring around various dishes on their carts and will tell you what each item is if you ask them. Any and all of the dumplings and steam buns are great and here are a few of the other items we love to get:

• Custard buns (great to have for dessert)
• Sesame balls (soft dough on the outside and a sweet bean mixture on the inside, these are a real treat. Pictured below)
• Bacon-wrapped fried shrimp
• Radish cakes
• Steamed rice in banana leaf (Pictured below, this is probably our favorite item – sometimes we have to request it specially from our server. It’s perfectly sticky rice with pork and mushrooms that’s uncovered by unwrapping the leaf.)

Buford Highway Farmer’s Market

This isn’t a restaurant but is important to include here because it’s THE spot to grocery shop on Buford Highway. Buford Highway Farmer’s Market has everything you will need to recreate the flavors from all those dining spots in your own kitchen.

There is an enormous selection of produce that includes many varieties of items we are used to like kale, apples and potatoes as well as harder-to-find items like jicama, dragonfruit and multiple types of bok choy.

There’s a great meat selection that includes grass fed beef and halal cuts.  For fish, you pull a number and wait. The staff will cut the fish for you in a variety of ways – there are signs all around on the different ways. Don’t be intimidated!

The aisles are organized into countries/regions of the world so you can get all the regular staples like cereal, eggs and tomato sauce but also find rice noodles, Spanish olives, challah bread, gourmet cheeses, curries, kimchi, and even fresh sushi! This place is truly incredible – a real gem in Atlanta. Weekends are VERY busy, but weeknights are much calmer. I highly recommend going in sometime and just wandering around to see what strikes your fancy, and then making a new ethnic cuisine at home!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this second post of my mini series on Buford Highway eats. Click here to read the first post, Buford Highway 101: A Beginner’s Guide. Happy eating!