This Rough Draft dining series will continue throughout 2025, highlighting restaurants in cities and neighborhoods within easy walking distance or a short bus ride from MARTA rail stations.
Once part of unincorporated DeKalb County, Brookhaven officially became a city in 2012 when then-governor Nathan Deal signed it into existence after a lengthy legal process spanning nearly two years.
Bordered by Dunwoody to the north, Chamblee to the east, Buckhead to the west, and Atlanta to the south, Brookhaven has a population of just over 57,000 residents, making it the second largest city inside the Perimeter.
With neighborhoods nestled along tree-lined streets, a handful of public parks, and multi-use trails flanking the north fork of Peachtree Creek, Brookhaven also features a growing restaurant scene centered in the heart of the city’s business and entertainment districts close to the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe MARTA station.
This dining guide spotlights seven Brookhaven restaurants easily accessible from the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe MARTA station on the Gold Line. All the restaurants listed are within short walking distance or a quick bus ride from the station located on Peachtree Road at Dresden Drive. The number 110 MARTA bus from Arts Center station in Midtown also stops at the Brookhaven-Oglethorpe station.
Terra Terroir ($$-$$$)
Brookhaven Plaza, 3974 Peachtree Road
- Bistro with lunch and dinner; air-conditioned greenhouse patio; wine flights
- Walking: 3 minutes or .1 miles
Tucked away in an otherwise unremarkable retail complex on busy Peachtree Road, Terra Terroir is a surprising find – a restaurant many Brookhaven residents would prefer to keep under wraps. Casual with hints of fine dining, Terra Terroir leans hard into classic neighborhood bistro fare. (Think pasta, bar steaks, fish entrees, duck confit, hearty salads, and burgers.) While heated in the winter, the lush greenhouse patio hidden behind the restaurant is the place to dine during warmer months.
What to eat: Jumbo lump crab cake; French country supper (duck confit, andouille sausage, haricots vert, and cannellini bean cassoulet)
What to drink: Old Fashioned; wine
C&S Oyster Bar ($$$-$$$$)
3930 Peachtree Road
- Seafood; raw bar; lunch and dinner; happy hour; weekend brunch
- Walking: 5 minutes or .2 miles
With three Metro Atlanta locations, including in Brookhaven, this popular seafood restaurant and raw bar needs no introduction. Head to C&S Oyster Bar for raw bar favorites like oysters on the half shell, shrimp cocktail, and seafood towers, as well as entrees of redfish Pontchartrain, whole Maine lobster, and even New York strip steak.
What to eat: Oysters on the half shell; chargrilled oysters; swordfish au poivre
What to drink: Fancy G&T; N/A Aperol spritz
Grindhouse Killer Burgers ($-$$)
2565 Apple Valley Road
- Hamburgers; milkshakes; full bar; TVs; 21+ rooftop patio
- Walking: 6 minutes or .3 miles
What started as a lunch counter serving classic burgers at Sweet Auburn Curb Market in 2009, has since grown to five Georgia locations, including four inside the Perimeter and two satellite locations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Known for its boozy milkshakes and 21+ rooftop patios, Grindhouse features an eclectic burger menu, ranging from classic double cheeseburgers to burgers topped with green chilis and tortilla chips.
What to eat: Cowboy burger with cheddar cheese, applewood bacon, Vidalia onion rings, and barbecue sauce; Cheesy Poofs (fried pimento cheese nuggets); Texas-style chili
What to drink: Cinnamon Toast Crunch milkshake (add rum)
Arnette’s Chop Shop ($$$$)
2700 Apple Valley Road
- Steakhouse with rooftop bar; reservations; dress code
- Walking: 12 minutes or .5 miles
Located in a converted warehouse, this vibey steakhouse with its rooftop bar and lounge has become an evening hotspot in Brookhaven. Start with oysters, Wagyu beef carpaccio, or caviar service, before indulging in prime cuts of steak like the dry-aged Porterhouse with the option to add lobster Oscar as an accompaniment. For its regulars, Arnette’s also offers personalized steak knives. Displayed in the knife library at the entrance, each custom-engraved knife is stored in a special pouch until the next visit, when it’s ceremoniously presented at the table with a person’s steak order.
What to eat: Bread service; roasted marrow; diver scallops and lobster Oscar or KC strip with dauphinoise and grilled asparagus
What to drink: Wine; Carnivore Martini (vodka, olive juice, and bacon and blue cheese-stuffed olives)
Dixie Q ($-$$)
2524 Caldwell Road
- Barbecue; full bar; TVs; covered patio
- Walking: 12 minutes or .6 miles
With meats smoked over oak and hickory, Dixie Q serves classic barbecue plates and sandwiches from a Texas roadhouse-style joint on the edge of Brookhaven Village. But don’t overlook some of Dixie Q’s less traditional barbecue options, like the OG salmon chips topped with house-smoked salmon or the indulgent chopped brisket grilled cheese.
What to eat: Meat combo tray; brisket grilled cheese; eggplant hushpuppies; white chocolate bread pudding
What to drink: Beer; Dixie Mary
The Ashford ($$$)
Village Place Brookhaven, 1418 Dresden Dr.
- Southern/New American; happy hour; date night; weekend brunch
- Walking: 12 minutes or .6 miles
A relative newcomer to Brookhaven Village, like local stalwart Terra Terroir on the other side of town, The Ashford leans casual in vibe with a menu offering a variety of seasonal specials, shareable snacks, and classic bistro dishes. This is the spot for a quiet date night, a cocktail and snack after work, or low-key brunch on the weekend.
What to eat: Smoked gouda flatbread; dips and spreads; bistro steak frites with chimichurri
What to drink: Learning to Fly (rum, Montenegro amaro, Aperol, and lime); Manhattan
THERE Gastropub ($-$$)
Town Brookhaven, 305 Brookhaven Ave.
- Neighborhood gastropub; lunch and dinner; cocktails; TVs
- Walking: 1 mile or 23 minutes
- Bus # 25: 13 minutes, 2 stops
THERE Gastropub requires a bit of a walk or hopping on the number 25 bus at the station, which makes two stops along the way. A chill, neighborhood spot located across the street from Costco, THERE serves a robust menu of pub classics, bar bites, and weekly entree specials. But the cocktails whipped up by owner Bill Brown might just steal the show here.
What to eat: Bison double cheeseburger; fish and chips; Buffalo chicken nuggets; rosemary garlic fries
What to drink: Draft beer; whatever cocktail Bill’s slinging behind the bar
