Atlanta is a city of contradictions-a hotbed of growth and business, steeped in a tradition of Southern hospitality. Not long ago, its restaurants offered only specialties like crisp fried chicken, iced tea with hair-perming sweetness and flaky-crusted pies and biscuits, made from scratch. Today, you'll find those dishes intact at such beloved spots as Mary Mac's, the Busy Bee and Carver's Country Kitchen, as well as contemporary versions at their elegant Southern heirs: Restaurant Eugene, 4th & Swift, the Horseradish Grill. Check out the work of award winners like Watershed's Scott Peacock, Rathbun's Kevin Rathbun, and Park 75's Robert Gerstenecker. Here, too, are the flavors of our bubbling urban melting pot: Strawberry Serrano Mussels from Babette's Cafe; Vietnamese "Shaking" Filet Mignon from Nam. Finally, don't miss out on witty creations like the Gravity Pub's Vandross Burger (served on a Krispy Kreme doughnut bun).

Krista Reese takes readers and eaters on a poignant tour of Atlanta's culinary history, and includes an entire chapter of recipes for its most iconic dish: fried chicken, in its most down-home, upscale, and around-the-globe varieties. Whether you're a cook, a restaurant-goer, or just someone who loves Atlanta, you'll find its heart and soul in more than one hundred recipes from fifty-six of the city's favorite restaurants.