The 6 best dishes we ate in July 2025

Beth s Best Dishes Peaches and cream poundcake from Whoopsie s Photo by Beth McKibben Peaches and cream pound cake from Whoopsie s Moreland Ave ReynoldstownPublished in the July Family Meal newsletter Whoopsie s on Moreland Avenue owned by Chef Hudson Rouse Pure Quill Superette Rising Son and Tim Faulkner cranks out superb cocktails but the food here is equally serious business While I could go on and on about prime rib nights on Fridays and Saturdays or the blue plate specials on Tuesdays I need to shout out the desserts at Whoopsie s Rouse s menu features my favorite pecan pie in all of Atlanta But it s not pecan season yet so you ll find a cream-layered pound cake here with fresh seasonal fruit Earlier this spring the pound cake included fresh strawberries For summer the peach is the IT girl of the desserts and even the salads at Whoopsie s Two mini rounds of delicately moist pound cake are sandwiched together with semi-sweet whipped cream and slivers of fresh peaches Another layer of peaches and cream tops the cake a triumph of seasonal simplicity in dessert form which I paired with a glass of brut-dry prosecco Shrooms and grits from La Semilla Via La Semilla Instagram Shrooms and grits from La Semilla Memorial Dr ReynoldstownPublished in the July Family Meal newsletter Spring and summer are my favorite times of the year to dine at vegan Latin American restaurant La Semilla when local produce shines Think tomato crudo of heirloom cherry tomatoes with a salsa crudo of jalapenos red onions basil and fennel or blistered spring carrots accompanied by salsa macha and house-made blue corn aioli garnished with mint Desserts take advantage of seasonal fruits too like tres leches made from pistachio-pecan milk complemented by house-made jam and in-season berries and garnished with edible flowers and fresh herbs Start with the sikil pak spicy pumpkin seed salsa or the queso blanco made from cashew milk both served with house-made tortilla chips You ll do a double-take when you realize that queso isn t made from cow s milk It s hard not to get the chochoyotes masa-based dumplings filled with corn puree or the jackfruit cubano but I in recent days opted for the shrooms and grits A creamy bowl of jalapeno-spiked yellow grits arrived with cornmeal-battered Lion s Mane mushrooms quick-fried to allow for a crispy coating without the mushrooms losing tenderness which mimics the texture of shrimp Muhammara and cheese manoushe from Levant Oven Powers Ferry Road MariettaPublished in the July Family Meal newsletter This small Lebanese restaurant and bakery opened six months ago specializing in a flatbread typically eaten on the go during breakfast called manoushe or man oushe singular for manakish or manaeesh Kneaded and rolled by hand manoushe can range in thickness from paper-thin like a tortilla to a crust similar to pita or Neapolitan pizza I ordered three manaeesh on a modern visit to Levant Oven the zaatar muhammara and cheese and the sujuk beef sausage and cheese Of the three manaeesh the muhammara and cheese was the standout The flatbread comes layered with melted cheese and muhammara a zesty pepper spread often served as a dip made from roasted red peppers pomegranate molasses walnuts olive oil and bread crumbs Muhammara combines a fragrant blend of smokiness savory tang and subtle sweetness with a hint of heat It s a blend of flavors and aromatics amplified further as a hearty dip which I also highly recommend ordering from Levant Oven More Best Dishes from January February March April May June The wedge salad at Small Fry Photo by Beth McKibben Sarra s Best Dishes Wedge salad from Small Fry Memorial Dr Reynoldstown This is going to make me sound like a child but salads easily bore me I find that it s a textural issue and a bunch of piled-up greens have to punch a lot of personality to entertain me When I like a salad though I harass everyone I know until they try it Small Fry s wedge is my current harassment salad Gorgonzola herby dressing pepperoni crumb pepperoncinis and clumps of fresh vodka sauce turn a regular lettuce wedge into something dynamic like a slice of pizza or deli-style Italian sub without the glob of bread The Desi salad from Botiwalla Photo by Sarra Sedghi Desi salad from BotiwallaPonce City Region Ponce De Leon Ave Old Fourth Ward After not long ago sampling the Bomb Biscuit sundae at Van Leeuwen s new Ponce City Territory outpost I needed a light dinner I figured the Desi salad from Botiwalla at the central food hall would do the job but I didn t expect it to blow me away The combination of shredded cabbage carrots scallions and roasted cashews is already a textural adventure on its own and the toasted sesame seeds cilantro sev crunchy chickpea noodles and cumin-lime vinaigrette garnishing this salad amplified the experience The Desi salad was definitely hefty enough to split into two separate meals I topped mine with chicken tikka which added a slight smoky aura The ham and cheese beignets from Madeira Park Photo by Sarra Sedghi Ham and cheese beignets from Madeira Park North Highland Ave Poncey-Highland With its robust charcuterie selection you could argue that ham and cheese are Madeira Park s bread and butter but that board isn t the restaurant s only rave-worthy ham and cheese pairing The ham and cheese beignets are truthfully more like croquettes but regardless I m floored by how the smooth cheesy interior maintains a porky essence throughout I was also a huge fan of the Shakerag blue cheese its pungence was cooled down with a whiskey wash and I don t think I can say I ve gotten a buzz from cheese before trying this The post The best dishes we ate in July appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta