Downtown Atlanta just leveled up, and you need to know about it.
If you've been searching for where to eat in Atlanta this summer, look no further than CTR Food Works, the brand new food hall that just opened inside the reimagined former CNN Center. Sitting at the heart of downtown at 190 Marietta St. NW, this is one of the most talked about Atlanta restaurants openings in years, and with the FIFA World Cup kicking off in the city on June 15, 2026, the timing couldn't be better.
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What Is CTR Food Hall?
CTR Food Works is Downtown Atlanta's newest and most ambitious food hall, housed inside The CTR, the massive rebrand of the iconic CNN Center building. Spanning roughly 80,000 square feet with five separate entrances, the space features 11 chef driven dining concepts and what developers are calling the single largest bar in the state of Georgia.
The hall is positioned perfectly between Centennial Olympic Park and State Farm Arena, right next to the Omni Hotel, steps from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where FIFA Atlanta World Cup matches will be held. For visitors pouring into the city for the tournament, CTR is practically unavoidable.
The Restaurants: Something for Everyone
What separates CTR Food Works from other food halls in Atlanta is the caliber of the chefs and concepts behind it. This isn't a generic collection of fast casual counters, it's a lineup of serious culinary talent under one very impressive roof.
Southern Belle Chicken Co
Southern Belle Chicken Co. is the brainchild of Michelin recognized Atlanta chef Joey Ward, serving elevated Southern style chicken dishes that feel both nostalgic and fresh.
Flora d'Italia brings authentic Italian to downtown, with house made fresh pastas and daily-baked pizzas from Michelin star chef Stephen Ferdinand. His second concept inside CTR, Dessert Box, is an artisanal bakery and dessert studio that handles the sweet side of your meal.
Patty & Frank's is a burger and hot dog concept backed by celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern, unpretentious, craveable, and exactly what you want before or after a match.
The Sparrow
The Sparrow brings bold Szechuan Chinese flavors from the same team behind the beloved Midtown original, making it one of the most unique offerings in the hall.
La Tropical
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La Tropical covers Puerto Rican, Cuban, and broader Latin cuisine, a timely addition for a city welcoming fans from across the Americas during World Cup season.
Fuzzy's
Fuzzy's is the spot for seafood lovers, with lobster rolls, ceviches, and fresh oysters that punch well above typical food hall fare.
Mimi Taqueria, Morelli's Ice Cream (Atlanta's beloved local scoop shop), and Mastro's Ocean Club, an upscale steakhouse and seafood destination on the ground floor, round out a lineup that genuinely covers every craving.
The Bar: Nothing Else Like It in Georgia
At 2,800 square feet with 11 distinct bartending stations and seating for 60, the CTR bar isn't just a bar, it's an event. Hospitality veteran Tiffany Howell leads the beverage program, and the sheer scale of the space means you won't be waiting long for a drink, even when the city is packed with World Cup crowds.
Why CTR Is the Ultimate FIFA Atlanta Dining Destination
Atlanta is one of 16 host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with matches running from June to July at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The stadium sits less than half a mile from CTR's front doors. Whether you're pregaming before a match, celebrating a win, or just exploring the city's booming food scene, CTR Food Works is the most convenient, most diverse, and most exciting option in downtown.
Compared to the other popular Atlanta restaurants near the stadium, Der Biergarten, Hudson Grille, STATS Brewpub, CTR offers something different: a whole culinary neighborhood in one building, where a group of fans from five different countries can each find something they love.
The Ultimate Pregame Spot for Atlanta Sports Fans
The World Cup isn't the only reason to make CTR your dining home base. With Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena both within easy walking distance, CTR Food Works is perfectly positioned as a pregame (and postgame) destination year round.
Heading to a Atlanta Falcons game? Skip the stadium lines and fuel up at CTR first. Whether that means a proper Italian dinner at Flora d'Italia, a loaded burger from Patty & Frank's, or a round of oysters at Fuzzy's.
Catching an Atlanta Hawks game at State Farm Arena? The arena is practically next door, making CTR a natural stop before tip off. And Atlanta United supporters will find CTR an ideal rally point before making the short walk to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on match day.
With 11 restaurants and Georgia's largest bar all under one roof, CTR handles every group dynamic, the friends who want sit down food, the ones who just want a drink, and the kids who only care about Morelli's Ice Cream. No other spot in downtown checks all those boxes at once.
A New Chapter for an Iconic Building
There's something poetic about the old CNN Center, once the global headquarters of a 24-hour news network, becoming a gathering place for food, community, and world class soccer. CP Group and hospitality developer Robert Montwaid (founder of Chattahoochee Food Works and New York's Gansevoort Market) have created one of the most compelling additions to the Atlanta dining scene in recent memory.
If you've been keeping tabs on food halls in Atlanta, you already know the city has a strong track record: Krog Street Market, Ponce City Market, and Chattahoochee Food Works all helped define modern Atlanta dining culture. CTR Food Works carries that tradition downtown, and at exactly the right moment.
Plan Your Visit
Address: 190 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Nearest to: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, FIFA World Cup), State Farm Arena (Atlanta Hawks), Centennial Olympic Park, Omni Hotel
Website:
ctrfoodworks.com
Whether you're a local looking for a new go to or a visitor figuring out where to eat in Atlanta during the World Cup, CTR Food Hall belongs at the top of your list. Eleven restaurants, Georgia's biggest bar, and the best location in downtown, this one was built for exactly this moment.
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