Atlanta's Under-The-Radar Restaurant Boasts One Of The Best Burgers In The South

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"At the end of the day, nothing says American like a hamburger," said revered "hamburgerologist" Josh Ozersky in his book, "The Hamburger: A History." The burger holds an exalted place in the American culinary canon, and a 2012 PBS report noted that Americans eat, on average, three burgers per week. With the quintessential DNA of bread embracing a patty at its core, your choice of meat or non-meat, veggies, cheese, and sauces reveals your burger psyche. Are you an old soul partial to Louis' Lunch, a historic family-owned Connecticut staple that birthed the "hamburger sandwich?" Or an intrepid gastronome who appreciates the 60-day, dry-aged beef from Spanish-bred Rubia Gallega cows at Hundred Burgers in Valencia, crowned "World's Best" by burger bloggers?

Or perhaps, frankly, you don't give a damn about burger bells and whistles — you just want a classically built ode to Americana. At Little's Food Store in Atlanta, there are no convoluted Frankensteinations of outlandish ingredients to distract from the meat of the matter. At this under-the-radar restaurant-convenience store, the burger is straightforward: It's fresh, prime-cut beef ground in-house in small batches, each patty superbly seasoned, stacked, and sizzled to tantalizing tenderness. And this is how current owners Brad and Nina Cunard smash up one of the best burgers in the South, according to trusted epicurean listings from Eater to Atlanta Magazine. 

Your biggest decision at Little's is whether to go for single or double tiers of their 2-oz sliders or 1/4-pound patties, anchoring a default composition of American cheese, grilled onions, dill pickles, and yellow mustard on a Martin's potato roll, plied with hand-cut fries and store-made sweet-and-spicy slaw. In 2025, amid what some observers describe as a restaurant industry downturn, these more-ish baskets start at just under $5.

If you must zhush, go ahead and add avocado or applewood-smoked bacon, or upgrade to Boar's Head sharp cheddar, provolone, Swiss, or blue cheese. If you're thinking big, let 'er rip with the Cabbagetown Half Pound Classic: Two patties loaded with lettuce and tomato on a golden-crusted sesame seed bun. That behemoth is named for the historic district where Little's has been slinging sandwiches and supplies since 1929 — a hangout haven feeding factory workers then and hipsters now, which is why the Cunards also offer a 1/4-pound Impossible Meat vegan burger complete with a vegan bun. In 2013, locals raised funds to restructure the kitchen when the business faced closure.

Nothing much else has changed, and the iconic Little's is as much an Atlanta institution as the award-winning soul food restaurant, Busy Bee Cafe. Amid gleaming condos and trendy eateries, Little's stays steadfastly eccentric: A giant stuffed bunny riding a spider with a human skull face dangles over the entrance, plastered with stickers. Inside, your dining companions are gnome and bobblehead tchotchkes in a bodega setting of Advil- and toothpaste-laden shelves, nostalgia, diner counters, and linoleum flooring. 

On top of burgers, the menu includes classic American sandwiches with deli meat, chicken salad, turkey club, or fried chicken; and all-beef hot dogs; breakfast sandwiches (fried egg and cheese standards plus your choice of protein; veggie dogs or veggie sausages; and even charcuterie, chips, or craft beer — alongside essentials like milk and toilet paper — all in the name of catering to an evolving community without losing its original independent and artisan spirit. As for sides, you might want a cup of chili, crispy hash brown, grits — or an order of the latest neighborhood gossip.