The 6 Best New Ways to Eat Pork in Atlanta Right Now

Thrillist/Sebastian Davis
Thrillist/Sebastian Davis

Georgia's got a state flower (the Cherokee rose), and a state bird (the brown thrasher), but shockingly this BBQ-mad state doesn't have a state meat, even though it's obvious what it should be: brown thrasher. Just kidding! It should be pork, and after you check out our list of the six best new ways to eat pork in Atlanta, we're pretty sure you'll agree.

Thrillist/Sebastian Davis

Buckhead
What you're getting: House-made Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato
The thick-cut Cheshire pork bacon on this sourdough-based sandwich is slow-smoked over black cherry wood and then given the sous-vide treatment for extra tenderness, resulting in a crispy, yet melty, texture that might ruin you for all other bacon. 

The Cockentrice

Old Fourth Ward
What you're getting: The charcuterie board
The pork options abound in the lofty, exposed-brick Krog St space: their house-made meats include several expertly crafted salamis and prosciuttos, as well as a number of things you aren’t going to recognize as pork, including the lonzino (fermented, dried, and delicious pork loin) and grattons (aka “pork cracklins” here in the South). You want them all.

Thrillist/Sebastian Davis

Buckhead
What you're getting: Balsamic Teriyaki Spare Ribs
The son of the biggest name in Asian-American food (cough, Benihana) has brought his Japanese-fusion flavor to Buckhead, including these sweet and savory ribs that are slow-braised in a pork broth and then given a hot sauce that burns just enough to let you know it’s there.

Thrillist/Sebastian Davis

Decatur
What you're getting: Sui Mai
A pork-spice blend steamed in a wonton wrapper is your new brunch staple... when you need a break from chicken & waffles, obviously. Those things, plus mimosas, bellinis, and a powerful five-spice Bloody Mary are part of what make this Decatur fusion spot one of the city’s best new spots.

Thrillist/Sebastian Davis

Morningside
What you're getting: Italian sub
The newly launched Morningside deli brings with it a whole mess of cured Italian meats: capicola, salami, and mortadella are stacked with house-cured deli veggies to create the best sub you’ll have this year. Oh, and take one of their spectacular pizzas home for your after-sandwich snacking needs.

Thrillist/Sebastian Davis

Downtown
What you're getting: Pulled Cheshire Pork
Sauce or not, there’s enough moisture here for everyone, and the meat gets its flavor from being smoked over hickory and white oak (hence the name) in giant red smokers that are letting the rest of the city know that being in the tourist triangle doesn’t mean they can’t compete for the city’s best meat.

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