Greek cuisine occupies a distinctive place in Atlanta’s dining landscape, from the upscale Mediterranean seafood of Kyma in Buckhead to neighborhood gyro institutions that have fed Atlanta families for more than four decades. Georgia’s own Greek-American community, one of the Southeast’s most established, has shaped the city’s Greek restaurant culture through generations of family-owned operations that combine authentic recipes with the warm Southern hospitality that defines Atlanta’s broader dining character. The Buckhead Life Restaurant Group’s Kyma, opened in 2001, elevated Greek seafood dining to a nationally recognized level that few American cities outside of New York can match. At the same time, family-operated gyro shops and casual Greek diners throughout the metro area have provided accessible, authentic Greek food to a broad population that has come to regard dishes like spanakopita, souvlaki, and gyros as familiar comfort food.
When evaluating Greek restaurants in Atlanta, look for indicators of culinary authenticity including fresh daily fish sourcing at seafood-focused restaurants, housemade tzatziki with full-fat Greek yogurt rather than diluted alternatives, and pastry preparations like spanakopita and tiropita that use genuine phyllo and quality feta cheese. Family ownership often correlates with recipe continuity across generations, particularly for sauce and marinade preparations that define Greek cooking character. For casual Greek dining, the quality of the gyro meat, whether it is house-prepared cone-roasted meat or a commercial frozen product, is the most useful differentiator. The Georgia Panhellenic community’s long history in Atlanta means that several Greek institutions here have cultural depth that goes well beyond food service.
Top Greek Restaurant Companies in Atlanta
1. Kyma
Founded: December 2001
Leadership: Chef Pano I. Karatassos (Executive Chef); Pano Karatassos (Founder, Buckhead Life Restaurant Group)
Address: 3085 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30305
Phone: 404-262-0702
Website: https://www.kymaatlanta.com
Hours: Tue-Thu and Sun 5PM-9PM; Fri-Sat 5PM-10PM; Mon Closed. Lamb Shack: Tue-Sat 11:30AM-7PM
Awards & Recognition: Named one of John Mariani’s “Top 20 Restaurants In The Country” by Esquire Magazine 2002; Atlanta Journal-Constitution Top 10 Best Restaurants three consecutive years with four-star review; featured in Food & Wine, Gourmet, and Wine Spectator
Services:
- Contemporary Greek seafood cuisine
- Daily fresh fish deliveries and preparation
- Extensive Greek wine and ouzo program
- Cocktail program
- Lamb Shack casual lunch service
- Full dinner service
About: Kyma is the flagship fine Greek dining experience in Atlanta, operated by Buckhead Life Restaurant Group’s Executive Chef Pano I. Karatassos, who trained under Thomas Keller at The French Laundry, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin. The restaurant opened in 2001 and immediately earned national recognition from Esquire Magazine as one of the country’s top 20 restaurants. Its distinctive dining room with a constellation ceiling display, white marble columns, and daily fresh fish display creates an atmosphere that combines dramatic elegance with the warmth of genuine Greek hospitality. The Lamb Shack lunch service extending from Tuesday through Saturday broadens accessibility beyond the formal dinner program.
2. Grecian Gyro
Founded: 1982
Leadership: Nick Koulouris (Founder); George and Pano Koulouris (second generation)
Address: Multiple locations including Hapeville, Dunwoody, Forest Park, Johns Creek, Midtown, Snellville, and Tucker, GA
Website: https://www.greciangyro.com
Services:
- Authentic Greek gyros with proprietary sauce and spice blend
- Souvlaki and kebabs
- Spanakopita and tiropita
- Greek salads
- Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
- Community-oriented service model
About: Grecian Gyro was founded in 1982 when Nick Koulouris, who was born and raised in Kalamata, Greece, opened a one-man gyro shop in Hapeville with just $50 and a secret sauce recipe he had developed. Nick immigrated to the United States in 1973 and spent nearly a decade working to save enough to open the restaurant, which has now grown to seven metro-Atlanta locations across 40-plus years of family operation. In 2007, Nick’s sons George and Pano joined the business and have expanded it to Dunwoody, Forest Park, Johns Creek, Midtown, Snellville, and Tucker. The restaurant’s proprietary gyro sauce and spice blend, developed decades ago by Nick, remains a defining characteristic of the brand that has sustained customer loyalty across generations. Grecian Gyro actively gives back to local communities through school sponsorships, holiday meals, and humanitarian supply collections.
3. Petite Violette
Founded: 1974 (as Petite Auberge)
Leadership: Wolfgang Gropp (Founder)
Address: 2948 Clairmont Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329
Phone: 404-634-6268
Website: https://www.petitevioletterestaurant.com
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30AM-4PM; Dinner Mon-Sat 4PM-9PM, Sun 4PM-8PM
Services:
- Classic French cuisine including Beef Wellington, Coq au Vin, Rack of Lamb
- Full bar with fine wine selection
- Live music three nights per week
- Covered patio dining
- Three private party rooms
About: Though Petite Violette is classified as a French restaurant, its story is relevant to the Atlanta dining community as one of the city’s oldest continuously operating European dining institutions, founded in 1974 by Wolfgang Gropp, who trained in the European culinary tradition under chefs descended from Auguste Escoffier. The restaurant is the merging of two iconic Atlanta establishments, Violette and Petite Auberge, and has operated for over 51 years under family ownership. Its Clairmont Road location near Brookhaven serves both lunch and dinner with a program that includes live music three nights per week and a covered patio for outdoor dining. For diners seeking classic European fine dining alongside Atlanta’s Greek dining options, Petite Violette provides a historic alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between Kyma and casual Greek restaurants in Atlanta?
A: Kyma represents fine Greek dining at a nationally recognized level, with daily fresh fish deliveries, a culinary team with world-class training, and an experience designed for special occasions and business entertainment. Casual Greek restaurants like Grecian Gyro focus on authentic, accessible everyday Greek food centered on gyros, souvlaki, and mezze at prices that make Greek dining available as a regular meal rather than a special event. Both serve genuine Greek culinary traditions, but at dramatically different price points, formats, and levels of culinary ambition. Many Atlanta residents patronize both, using casual Greek for lunch and workplace meals and upscale Greek for celebrations.
Q: What are typical prices at Atlanta’s Greek restaurants?
A: Casual gyro shops like Grecian Gyro typically run $10-$15 for a full gyro meal with sides, making it one of the best value dining options in the city. Mid-range Greek dining at neighborhood taverna-style restaurants runs $25-$45 per person. Kyma as Atlanta’s highest-positioned Greek dining experience runs $60-$90 per person for a full dinner before wine. The Lamb Shack lunch service at Kyma provides a more accessible price point around $25-$35. Greek food’s inherent value orientation across all price tiers reflects the cuisine’s emphasis on fresh, simple ingredients used skillfully.
Q: What Greek dishes are most popular in Atlanta?
A: Gyros remain the most broadly popular Greek dish in Atlanta, served at casual restaurants from Hapeville to Dunwoody across the metro. Spanakopita and tiropita phyllo pastries are popular as starters and light meals. For seafood-focused Greek dining, Kyma’s daily fresh fish selections are the primary attraction. Greek salad, souvlaki, and lamb preparations appear consistently across Atlanta’s Greek restaurant menus at multiple price points. At Kyma, spinach and feta phyllo pies have earned particular recognition alongside the fresh seafood program.
Conclusion
Atlanta’s Greek restaurant landscape spans decades and price points, from Kyma’s nationally recognized fine dining Greek seafood experience in Buckhead to Grecian Gyro’s 40-plus-year family legacy of authentic gyros and community service across seven metro locations. Both represent genuine Greek culinary commitment at their respective market positions, and both have earned sustained loyalty from Atlanta diners who recognize quality at any price tier. Reservations are recommended for Kyma’s dinner service, while Grecian Gyro’s multiple locations make it accessible for walk-in visits throughout the week.