Cooks & Soldiers

Cooks and Soldiers does two things exceptionally well: it makes you want to eat and it makes you want to drink, and it rarely suggests you have to choose between them. The bar sits on Atlanta's Westside, the neighbourhood that has steadily become the city's most interesting dining and drinking corridor over the past decade. The concept draws from the Basque tradition of txikiteo — a progressive tour of pintxos bars — translated into a full sit-down experience where the cocktail list and the food menu carry equal weight.

The drinks programme runs on aperitivo logic, which means a lot of bitter, herbal, and citrus-forward builds that open the appetite rather than overwhelm it. The Basque influences show up in the spirits selection as well: a thoughtful lineup of txakolina and sherry, alongside a cocktail menu that leans on Spanish and South American spirits the way other Atlanta bars lean on American whiskey.

For groups, this is one of the best picks in the city. The communal table format works, the pintxos are designed for sharing, and the cocktails scale well for multiple rounds. Our guide to Atlanta date night bars ranks this as a top-five option for exactly this kind of considered evening out.

The cocktail menu at Cooks and Soldiers reflects the kitchen's influences. Expect a lot of sherry, vermouth, and Spanish spirits alongside more familiar American base spirits. The food pairing here is genuine rather than gestural — the bartenders understand how each drink interacts with the pintxos, and they will tell you if you ask. Order the crispy chicken skins with the Basque Spritz and thank us later.