By Mary Welch

Published March 31, 2025

According to the 2024 Census Bureau, about 5% of Atlanta’s population is Asian only, with another half percentage (about 400,000) or so being AANHPI (Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander). But those statistics don’t tell the whole story as the population has made and continues to make huge contributions to Atlanta through its people, food, culture and civic activities that are bigger than their actual numbers.

Award-Winning Culinary Experiences

Perhaps the most visible Asian and AANHPI contributions are its culinary offerings. Of the 53 Atlanta restaurants recognized by the MICHELIN Guide, 15 are Asian or AANHPI, including Mujō, Omakase Table, Tomo, Kamayan ATL, Lazy Betty, Xian Gourmet House, Hayahawa and O by Brush. Others, such as Umi, Nakato, O-Ku, Trader Vic’s, Guy’s Dumplings and Top Spice are among Atlanta’s go-to places for family dinners and celebrations or they are simply choices for enjoying a great meal.

As with many immigrant communities, one person starts a business and then the next generations foster it and expand it. That’s certainly the case with Ron Hsu whose mother, the not-so-lazy Betty, came from Taiwan when she was 19 and eventually opened Hunan Village. Ron grew up working in her restaurant, and with fellow chef, Aaron Phillips, opened Lazy Betty, which has earned a MICHELIN Star for two years in a row.  Ron’s siblings, Howard and Anita, melded their Asian roots with their Southern upbringing and opened Sweet Auburn Barbecue. The barbecue restaurant, located in the Poncey-Highland area, offers such blended dishes as pimento cheese wontons and Chinese-style BBQ ribs. The siblings have since opened a second location in nearby McDonough.

Another example of this entrepreneur fervor is Takashi Otsuka, founder and CEO of MJK Hospitality. Otsuka opened Wagaya Groceries, which sells Asian and Malaysian products, and the Wagaya Fish Market, which operates inside the Midtown grocery store. Otsuka has since expanded and opened Wagaya, sushi restaurants with two locations, as well as Chirori and Nagomioya restaurants.

Born in Bangkok, chef Nan Niyomkul opened her first restaurant, Nan Thai Fine Dining, and later, with her husband, Charlie, and daughter, DeeDee Niyomkul, expanded their culinary reach with the Tamarind Restaurant Group that includes Tuk Tut Thai Food Loft and Nan Thai Buckhead.

Another noteworthy restaurant — some would say it’s the granddaddy (or in this case, the grandma) — of Japanese restaurants in Atlanta is Nakato. Tetsuko Nakato opened a small restaurant in Midtown in 1972 and pretty much introduced Atlantans to sushi, hibachi and teppanyaki dining. Today, her granddaughter, Sachiyo (Sachi) Nakato Takahara, oversees the Cheshire Bridge Road restaurant and continues the tradition of hospitality to this day.

For an AANHPI experience, you’ll get none better than heading over to the Hilton Hotel and Trader Vic’s to order a Mai Tai, which was invented by the restaurant’s owner. Trader Vic’s was founded in 1934 by Victor Jules Bergeron Jr., who opened the Polynesian-themed restaurant in Oakland, Calif. While he may not have invented the tiki bar (he certainly popularized it), he is credited with inventing the Mai Tai, as well as the Fog Cutter and Scorpion Bow. While there are 25 Trader Vic’s around the world, there are only four in this country (and three more coming) including — you guessed it — Atlanta.

Whether you want a high-priced MICHELIN omakase experience or just need a quick Chinese takeout or ramen, there is an Asian and AANHPI restaurant waiting to take your order.

Cultural Events

While food is usually the best introduction to a culture, the city offers a variety of festivals and cultural events that offer a broader experience of the Asian and AANHPI influence.

Panda Fest

This interactive panda-themed food and culture experience Panda Fest debuts in the city in April. It quickly sold out. The festival is one of the biggest outdoor Asian food festivals with more than 100 food stalls and trucks serving more than 300 types of cuisine from countries including China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam as well as those from AAPI eateries. Festival goers enjoy a market fair with more than 200 vendors selling crafts, clothing accessories and other merchandise inspired by Asian culture, including traditional calligraphy art and artisanal T-shirts. On top of that, there are live cultural performances and craft demonstrations including lion dance shows, K-pop dance routines, sugar painting and paper cutting. 

Stay tuned for next year’s Panda Fest.

JapanFest

JapanFest is supported by the Japan-American Society of Georgia and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia as well as many corporations. Every year it attracts thousands from around the Southeast and not only offers the best of Japanese food but also cultural exhibits such as bonsai, ikebana flower arranging, origami and a kimono fitting. 

JapanFest also highlights the economic impact between the U.S. and Japan with more than 600 Japanese-affiliated companies based in Georgia displaying their products and services, including interactive exhibits in Japanese technology, as well as automobiles, tractors, electronics, video games and virtual reality. 

Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year is celebrated throughout Atlanta in sites such as Stone Mountain Park and Atlantic Station, but a favorite is sponsored by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta. Not only does the festival, held in Chamblee, attract a number of local, state and international officials, but there are two tents with brimming with local Taiwanese food and cultural promotions. The lion and dragon dances are a festival highlight.

Explore more ways to celebrate Chinese New Year in Atlanta.

Atlanta Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival

The 28th annual Atlanta Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival will take place Sept. 6 at Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville. Last year, more than 100,00 attendees and 75 teams participated. In addition to the race, there will be vendors and cultural events.

SouthEats 2025

SouthEats 2025 is a vibrant celebration of Asian Pacific American History Month and highlights the rich cultures, traditions and flavors of the Asian diaspora in Georgia. It takes place April 9 at The Westin Hotel Perimeter North.

Lantern Festivals

Lantern Festivals take place throughout Atlanta. One of the most popular is the Beltline Lantern Parade, which brings together thousands of people and hundreds of lanterns as participants walk the Beltline and celebrate Atlanta — and maybe have a nibble of food and drink along the way. This year, it will be May 3. Other Lantern Festivals take place at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, with more than 1,000 handmade Chinese lanterns, and IllumiNights at Zoo Atlanta, where visitors are dazzled with more than 200 lanterns and scenes celebrating the pageantry of our planet’s biodiversity.

Asian Night Market

Every fourth Friday, head over to Pullman Yards and enjoy the Asian Night Market that offers AAPI food vendors as well as artists and crafters.

Cherry Blossom Festivals

Cherry Blossom Festivals join the Dogwood Festival as being a rite of spring. One local event is the Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival. Check out restaurants that celebrate the blossoms, such as O-Ku, which has special sakura (cherry blossom) specials such as hotate ichigo, a Hokkaido scallop with strawberry ponzu, or vanilla soft serve with cherry blossom powder.

Continue to explore Asian culture in Atlanta by checking out these Asian restaurants in Atlanta.

Journalist Mary Welch writes business and lifestyle stories for local and national publications.