Some of the best Greek food in Atlanta, gyros especially, can be found at this humble little establishment downtown, just blocks from the Georgia State Capitol. Nick's Food To Go has become an Atlanta institution, serving takeout for decades - since 1994 - on Martin Luther King Jr Dr SE.
As the neighborhoods continue to gentrify around Nick's and its longtime catty-corner restaurant neighbor Daddy D'z BBQ Joynt, I can't help but wonder when developers will eventually push these guys out. When are First Watch and Hollywood Feed moving in? Or the next luxury apartments? Sarcasm aside, I hope these mainstays persevere. They might move into new, nicer digs, but will it really be the same?
Nick's is located in what looks like an old, rundown corner store. That's also what makes it special. The outside of the white brick building has been painted over with various colorful graffiti art over the years. What hasn't changed is the signage which looks weathered and worn as ever. Those signs may have been there since '94. The front door is rusted over.
True to its name, this isn't a dine-in restaurant. It's takeout-only. In that sense, they were well-prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. They do have a patio, but it consists only of two uncovered picnic tables. For exterior decor, they have planters made from tires and a sizable garden, both of which have grown in nicely. A rarity in this part of town, Nick's also has a spacious surface lot with plenty of free parking. Whether the lot is actually theirs, I'm not sure. I bet the land is really valuable.
The menu is fairly straightforward. The shop sells burgers, sandwiches, pita wraps, Greek entrees and sides, Greek salads, and baklava. They also have sides like fries, onion rings, and okra. During our visit, burgers, sandwiches, and pita wraps ran about $7-9 each and $11-13 for a combo. There are over a half-dozen pita wrap options, from beef to falafel, and each wrap comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, and tzatziki. Plates cost $15.50 each and include Greek potatoes, Greek salad, and pita. Sides ranged from $4-8 each.
My wife and I got two plates, the lamb plate and the souvlaki plate ($15.50 each), and one order of spanakopita ($4). We loved everything. The food was filling and satisfying. Everything was made fresh to order. It was still nice and warm when we got home (just under a 10-minute drive). The food smelled amazing on the ride home. We couldn't wait to eat it.
Each item was terrific, from the Greek salads to the potatoes. The latter were exceptionally flavorful and addictive. I'm not the biggest fan of Greek potatoes and Nick's makes perhaps the best version I've ever tasted. Not only did they taste great, but they sort of had that crispy French fry consistency which made them that more appetizing. The Greek salads came with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pepperoncini, black olives, and feta cheese with Nick's homemade Greek dressing on the side. I liked the dressing so much that I saved leftovers to use on my salad the next day. The salads were crisp and refreshing. I particularly liked the pepperoncinis (delectably sweet and spicy).
As for the meats, they were delicious. I preferred the lamb (gyro) to the souvlaki (pork), but I don't think you can go wrong with either. Nick's lamb is magical. It's savory and it's got the perfect flavor and texture. Made with a fantastic mix of spices, the meat is shaved thin so it's mouthwateringly crispy on the outside, but still good and soft throughout. Together with the cold, zesty tzatziki (excellent) and scrumptious pita, it's probably the best gyro in Atlanta. Nick's tzatziki was very creamy and garlicky. In general, they're not afraid to season the food here. Everything was well-seasoned.
Souvlaki is Greek-style pork, traditionally cooked on skewers. Nick's serves their souvlaki off the skewer in small pieces. The souvlaki tasted better than it looked. By the looks of it, I was expecting the pork to be perhaps a bit dry and bland, but it wasn't; it was tasty and tender. Really good, and hearty too. Plate portions were generous. A good value.
As for the spanakopita (Greek spinach pie), wow, was it yummy. Again, freshly prepared. This savory pastry was wonderfully layered with rich and buttery filo dough, spinach, and melty feta. It's quite gratifying. I highly recommend it.
I wonder why they never named this business "Nick and Helen's" after co-owners Nick *and* his wife Helen. Interestingly, the vendor that printed on my receipt and showed up on my credit card statement was "Eleni's Fine Foods," not Nick's To Go. Service was great. A friendly young woman served us at the window and our order was ready in a reasonable amount of time.
TL;DR - Nick's Food To Go is a true gem in downtown Atlanta. Get the lamb gyro (either as a pita wrap or lamb plate) and the spanakopita. You will not be disappointed. read more