The Top 7 Up-and-Coming Food Influencers in Atlanta
Atlanta food influencers who punch above their follower count: 7 up-and-coming creators with up to 4 times the typical engagement of their size, and how to book a visit.
Most Atlanta-area food accounts with 5,000 to 100,000 followers get about 8 likes and comments per 1,000 followers on a typical Reel.
- 1.
Rachel, @thatredheadedfoodie30.1 - 2.
AL, @iamnotthemask21.1 - 3.
Alliyah, @alwaysalliyah17.0 - 4.
Malika, @roamilicious16.3 - 5.
Donovan, @eatclickrepeat_14.2 - 6.
Chris, @chrismomongan13.5 - 7.
Dev, @devstayeatin12.8
1. Rachel, @thatredheadedfoodie: new openings, lunch deals and burgers
new openings, lunch deals and burgers
- Engagement Strength
- 30.14x the typical Atlanta food account
- Followers
- 74,972
- Avg. views per Reel
- 94,462
- Reels, last 30 days
- 4+
Rachel covers where to eat, drink and play around Atlanta, from Buckhead and Dunwoody to Duluth and Chamblee. Recent posts include spicy smash burgers from Mister Burger inside Savi Provisions in Buckhead, which reached 202,992 views, the $19.99 weekday sushi lunch set at Cuddlefish in Dunwoody, which reached 152,013 views, and Miami-style chicken from Wyld Bird at Home Grown in Reynoldstown, which reached 104,678 views.
Several recent posts pair a new opening or a deal with a giveaway, so a launch, a lunch special or an offer with a clear hook fits well here. The bio lists an email address.
2. AL, @iamnotthemask: casual spots, food trucks and suburbs
casual spots, food trucks and suburbs
- Engagement Strength
- 21.13x the typical Atlanta food account
- Followers
- 7,776
- Avg. views per Reel
- 17,336
- Reels, last 30 days
- 18+
AL covers casual Atlanta food, from Grant Park and East Point to McDonough and Austell. Recent posts include fresh burgers made in the back of a van at Majical Burgerz, which reached 157,558 views, chicken, steak, fish and shrimp tacos at Fire Tacos ATL in Grant Park, and chili slaw dogs and brisket nachos at Bountiful Bites in East Point.
The strongest fit is an independent spot, a food truck or a suburban restaurant with a menu item worth talking about. The bio asks for business inquiries by email or DM.
3. Alliyah, @alwaysalliyah: casual restaurants, happy hours and brunch
casual restaurants, happy hours and brunch
- Engagement Strength
- 17.02x the typical Atlanta food account
- Followers
- 10,973
- Avg. views per Reel
- 34,697
- Reels, last 30 days
- 7+
Alliyah covers casual restaurants, bars and deals around metro Atlanta, from Marietta and Mableton to Decatur. Recent posts include smash burgers and a $14 weekday meal and drink at Duck's Burger Bar in Marietta, brunch and a sandwich at Thirty Three Restaurant Experience, and adult Capri Suns at Capt Loui in Decatur.
The strongest fit is a casual restaurant or bar with a happy hour, a value meal or a group-friendly night out. The bio invites collaborations by email.
4. Malika, @roamilicious: date-night restaurants, seafood and hidden gems
date-night restaurants, seafood and hidden gems
- Engagement Strength
- 16.32x the typical Atlanta food account
- Followers
- 48,769
- Avg. views per Reel
- 21,607
- Reels, last 30 days
- 2+
Malika is an author who writes about Atlanta dining, with some travel posts mixed in. Recent posts include Beechwood Tavern, tucked inside a Buckhead office complex off Northside Parkway, date night at La Moon in Virginia-Highland, which reached 23,836 views, and oysters, frose and a lobster roll at Big Ketch in Buckhead, which reached 20,822 views.
This suits a sit-down restaurant, a date-night spot or a place that is easy to miss. The bio lists an email address.
5. Donovan, @eatclickrepeat_: new restaurants, cocktail bars and speakeasies
new restaurants, cocktail bars and speakeasies
- Engagement Strength
- 14.22x the typical Atlanta food account
- Followers
- 23,148
- Avg. views per Reel
- 16,695
- Reels, last 30 days
- 5+
Donovan covers new restaurants and bars around Atlanta, from Midtown and Buckhead to Doraville. Recent posts include the new Clark's Steakhouse in Buckhead, which reached 49,354 views, the new Malaysian cafe Bake And Bite Kopitiam in Doraville, and Terminal 26, a new Thai restaurant at Ponce City Market.
The strongest fit is a new concept, a cocktail bar or a restaurant group opening another location. The bio lists an email address.
6. Chris, @chrismomongan: burgers, sandwiches and neighborhood spots
burgers, sandwiches and neighborhood spots
- Engagement Strength
- 13.52x the typical Atlanta food account
- Followers
- 15,241
- Avg. views per Reel
- 9,338
- Reels, last 30 days
- 13+
Chris is an Atlanta realtor and golfer who has lived in Atlanta for over 20 years and posts mostly about local restaurants. Recent posts include the Oklahoma onion burger at Sugar Loaf, which reached 20,271 views, Meltaway in North Druid Hills for a Metro Atlanta ice cream tier list, and a pastrami sandwich and soup at The General Muir, which reached 24,460 views.
This suits a neighborhood restaurant, a sandwich shop or a dessert spot that locals would add to a list. The bio invites collaboration inquiries.
7. Dev, @devstayeatin: soul food, tacos and sports bars
soul food, tacos and sports bars
- Engagement Strength
- 12.82x the typical Atlanta food account
- Followers
- 71,315
- Avg. views per Reel
- 39,888
- Reels, last 30 days
- 12+
Dev covers soul food, tacos and casual spots around Atlanta and Clayton County, along with city events. Recent posts include the $10.99 turkey chop plates at Durty Birds, which reached 70,412 views, Tuesday tacos from Vice Taco Truck at 97 Estoria, which reached 70,232 views, and a burger and game night at 309 Social ATL, which reached 20,516 views.
The strongest fit is a soul food kitchen, a food truck or a sports bar with a weekday special or a set price to share. The bio lists an email address.
How to reach Atlanta food influencers and get a visit booked
Finding someone you want to work with is the start. You still need a reply, agreed terms, a visit on the calendar and the content afterward.
Find their business email, follow them and reach out
Look for the email button on their Instagram profile, a business-inquiries address in their bio or a contact page on their linked website. If they list a manager for collaborations, use that contact.
Follow the account and watch a few recent restaurant videos. Then email a specific invitation: which restaurant you run, where it is, what you would like them to try and what you are proposing in return. Mention a relevant post of theirs so they can see why you chose them.
Send a short DM pointing them to your email. If their profile asks businesses to DM rather than email, start there. The goal is to get the invitation seen through the channels they use for work.
Follow up and get your terms in writing
If you do not hear back, follow up after a few business days. If there is still no response, move on to another good fit. Stop if they decline.
Once they are interested, agree on the food credit, any cash fee, guest count, content they will produce and posting deadline. Include raw footage and commercial usage rights if you need them. Permission to advertise from the influencer's account is separate from permission to run their video from your restaurant's account.
Get those terms in writing before you book. A friendly yes does not tell you whether you are getting a Reel, a few Stories or any files you can use afterward.
Schedule the visit and tell your team what was agreed
Offer specific dates and service windows. Confirm the influencer's name, party size, arrival time, dining credit and who they should ask for when they arrive. Give your team the same information.
Send a reminder before the visit. If the date changes, update the booking and your team so the new plan is not buried in a DM.
Follow up until you have the content
After the visit, check the posting deadline, review anything that requires approval and collect the files you agreed on. Follow up if the content is late. Save the finished video, raw clips and written permissions together so you can actually use them later.
Keep track of the influencers whose content, attitude and follow-through you liked. Those are the people to invite back. You do not need to start a new search every month when you have relationships worth continuing.
Want local influencers without managing all that back-and-forth?
You can do this yourself. The work is keeping a dozen different conversations moving: who replied, who agreed to your terms, who needs a date, who rescheduled and who still owes you content.
Remy gets interested local influencers to apply to work with your restaurant on your terms. You approve the influencers and their content. Remy handles scheduling, reminders, rescheduling and content follow-up, and you keep the relationships so you can invite good people back.
Instead of chasing every person on a list, you can choose from influencers who have already applied to work with you.
Looking for another city? See our food influencer lists by city, including New York City, Boston and Las Vegas.
About the numbers
Engagement Strength is the likes and comments a typical recent Reel gets per 1,000 followers, using each account's newest Reels from the past 90 days. We screened 88 Atlanta-area food accounts with 5,000 to 100,000 followers and checked each finalist for real Atlanta restaurant coverage. The typical account we screened scored 8. Data collected 2026-09-24.