The Expat is a welcoming Italian restaurant in Athens, GA, where thoughtful hospitality meets a warm, refined dining experience. Located at 1680 S Lumpkin St, this popular spot has earned a strong reputation with a 4.40 out of 5 rating from 223 reviews, reflecting the consistent quality, atmosphere, and service that keep guests coming back.
Whether you are planning a relaxed dinner, a romantic evening, or a solo meal with a great glass of wine, The Expat creates the kind of setting that feels both comfortable and special.
Guests are invited to enjoy a versatile dining experience designed to fit a variety of occasions. With outdoor seating, dine-in service, takeaway, and delivery available, The Expat makes it easy to enjoy its food in the way that suits you best.
The restaurant is especially known for dinner, dessert, and attentive table service, along with a well-curated selection of cocktails, wine, beer, spirits, coffee, and healthy options.
Small plates and a carefully chosen menu add to the appeal, while the restaurant’s standout highlights—great cocktails, great dessert, and a great wine list—help turn an ordinary meal into something memorable. A bar on site and convenient restroom access add to the overall ease and comfort of the experience.
The Expat also stands out for its inviting atmosphere. Described as cozy, romantic, trendy, and upmarket, it offers a polished yet approachable environment that feels ideal for date nights, special celebrations, or simply treating yourself to a high-quality meal.
Accessibility is thoughtfully built into the space, with a wheelchair-accessible car park, entrance, seating, and toilet, ensuring more guests can dine with confidence and comfort. Dinner reservations are recommended, and reservations are accepted, making it easy to plan ahead. For added convenience, the restaurant accepts credit cards, debit cards, and NFC mobile payments.
To reserve a table or learn more, call +1 706-521-5041 and discover why The Expat remains a favorite destination for Italian dining in Athens.
Popular Items
Frequently ordered and highly recommended items at The Expat
Our Story
Welcome to a place where great food meets warm hospitality. We believe dining is more than just a meal - it's an experience to be savored and shared.
Our kitchen is dedicated to creating dishes that bring people together, using recipes that honor tradition while embracing innovation.
Photos
A glimpse of our restaurant experience
Food & Drinks
Hear from our valued guests
This is my favorite nicer restaurant in Athens! The food is always so good, the service is amazing, and the portions are a good size. I always come here for special occasions and have the best experience!
Had been here a couple of years back and thought it was decent but not a place I’d try to come back soon to. Then I kept hearing rumors that it’s improved so I decided to come by. Turns out the rumors were true. Definitely better than how I remember it. Didn’t order too much but enjoyed what we did. Some dishes were nice and inspired, for example, the strawberry bruschetta. The other dishes were nice too.
Absolutely love this place! We both had the duck which was incredible . My compliments to the chef and staff for running an amazing establishment Highly recommend!
WOW im wowed. The menu is inspired. Every dish we had was stunning. The artichokes, strawberry bruschetta, and creste di gallo, ALL 10/10, no notes. The flavors are all giving what you want them to give. I hope y’all get that Michelin star.
I had a wonderful experience dining at the Expat. We ordered the bread service and charcuterie board which came with an assortment of cheeses and meats. The board was absolutely delicious, and the bread was nice and crispy. We also got different pastas, including the Tagliatelle, Black Ink, and the bacon one. They were all very good👍. Service was good and a decent wait time for the food.
Wonderful! Even if we get dinner somewhere else, we always end up at The Expat for dessert. A truly top-notch find. We just returned for Valentine's Day and it was even more spectacular! We had the best service and food that I can readily recall.
Every visit has been wonderful. The pasta is delicious! We miss the rotating foccia bread choice but the boards are a good addition! The tiramisu is my favorite!
We had yet ANOTHER AMAZING meal at The Expat tonight. They were kicking off their holiday extravaganza with over 18 MAGICAL COCKTAILS (plus an additional 3 zero proof options) .... We tried ALL of them believe it or not! Everyone involved with this restaurant is classy! We highly recommend an evening experience at The Expat!!
We had a fairly pleasant experience at The Expat to celebrate Valentine’s Day. We ordered torn potatoes and escargot along with a Buffo Reisling and Manhattan. All perfect with the exception of the potatoes. Definitely overcooked and I didn’t understand why they served it with the smaller, inedible burnt bits. Plus, it lacked flavor. This was the first thing served and I was nervous. After receiving the other items, I realized it was just the potatoes that failed. I ordered the duck breast and I was totally blown away. Cooked to perfection and the salad is a perfect melody of flavor that was tied perfectly to the entire meal. Absolutely recommend! Finally, we finished the night with a nice, bright passion fruit sorbet. Besides the potatoes, a good night.
We went here on a Friday night. WE messed up the date of the reservation but they worked us right in very kindly with no fuss. We ordered an antipasti board and ended up getting a second one. It was excellent. We also had the escargot which was excellent. My favorite dish was the Creste Di Gallo Ai Funghi. Outstanding. Our waitress recommended a Grasso Barbera which was perfect for the mushrooms/sauce -- so good we got a second :). Salads were ok. The experience was fantastic.
Common questions about The Expat
The Expat is located at 1680 S Lumpkin St, Athens, GA 30606, United States, Athens, GA, United States.
You can reach The Expat by calling +1 706-521-5041.
The Expat has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 based on 223 customer reviews.
The Expat features the following accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible car park, Wheelchair-accessible entrance, Wheelchair-accessible seating, Wheelchair-accessible toilet.
The Expat features the following service options: Outdoor seating, Takeaway, Dine-in, Delivery.
The Expat features the following highlights: Great cocktails, Great dessert, Great wine list.
The Expat features the following popular for: Dinner, Solo dining.
The Expat features the following offerings: Alcohol, Beer, Cocktails, Coffee, Healthy options, Small plates, Spirits, Wine.
The Expat features the following dining options: Dinner, Dessert, Seating, Table service.
The Expat features the following amenities: Bar on site, Restroom.
The Expat features the following atmosphere: Cozy, Romantic, Trendy, Upmarket.
The Expat features the following crowd: Groups, Tourists.
The Expat features the following planning: Dinner reservations recommended, Accepts reservations.
The Expat features the following payments: Credit cards, Debit cards, NFC mobile payments.
The Expat features the following parking: Free parking lot, Paid parking lot, Plenty of parking.
Business Features
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