A sampling of great eats in and around Buckhead!
BISTRO NIKO
Inspired by The City of Light, Bistro Niko brings a taste of France to Buckhead with a bustling vibe, eye-catching design, upscale fare and attentive service. Part of the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, the menu presents authentic modern Parisian dishes for Atlantan palates. The refreshing Spécialité Le St. Germain cocktail is food-friendly with floral and yeasty notes. Burgundy escargot en croûte tops garlicky snails with crisp rounds of pastry. Chef Gary Donlick’s traditional country pâté is firm and hearty with salty umami. Coq au vin is a perennial best-seller for good reason: This French classic of braised chicken in red wine with mushrooms and pearl onions yields tender meat in a sauce packed with fruity and earthy flavors. Steak au poivre is a spicier option with pepper-crusted twin beef tenderloins, addictive brandied cream mushrooms and sauteed spinach. The elegant île flottante dessert floats fluffy soft meringue in a pool of crème anglaise.
Appetizers: $15-38
Salads: $12-17
Sides: $8
Sandwiches: $18-23
Entrees: $18-54
Desserts: $12-16
Three-course dinner: $49
Alcoholic beverages: $12-28
bistroniko.com
BLUE RIDGE GRILL
For more than 20 years, Blue Ridge Grill has been a mecca for Buckhead power lunchers and chill evening diners alike. Whether for business or romance, BRG is a paragon of hospitality, and each guest is embraced like a VIP. Standard crowd-pleasers on the Euro- American menu include grilled Georgia trout, French-boned chicken with wild mushrooms and filet mignon with Vidalia onions. Small plates and sides of iron skillet mussels, Caesar salad with crisp Beeler bacon, custard-like corn soufflé and (off-menu item) fried pickles with buttermilk dipping sauce are absolute must-tries. If cost is an issue, call ahead, as menu prices are not advertised online.
Lunch: $9-$42
Dinner: $13-$62
CIBO E BEVE
An unassuming strip mall cover belies the cozy sophistication awaiting inside this popular Sandy Springs trattoria. Chef Linda Harrell’s menu is punctuated with exquisite, simple fare such as Tuscan kale and bean soup and braised short rib ragu with spinach ravioli, and is anchored by classics such as wood-fired pizzas and chicken parmigiana. Don’t bypass the Italian wine list with top-notch selections both familiar (Santa Margherita Vermentino) and obscure (Morgante Nero d’Avola). On Monday evenings, select bottles are half price. Weekends are especially busy, so plan your visit accordingly.
Appetizers, soups and salads: $5-$16
Pasta, pizza and sandwiches: $13-$32
Mains: $23-$36 • Desserts: $4-$8
DAS BBQ
In 2016, Stephen Franklin had a dream to make Georgia the most “inclusive, creative barbecue experience in the country,” and that’s just what he did at DAS BBQ. Whether it’s the rosy, smoke-ringed brisket, equally pink and juicy St. Louis-style ribs or the spicy, smoked chicken wings, every bony bite is a testament to Franklin’s focus on the art and science of smoked meats. Bring the whole family and don’t pass up house-made sides of decadent cream corn, mac ’n’ cheese and stick-to-your-ribs Brunswick stew. Dig into white chocolate banana pudding after if you’re willing and able.
Meats (whole, half and sandwich): $7-$28, sausages $5/link
Wings: $9/$18 for half dozen/dozen
Side dishes (in regular, pint or quart): $3-$23
Desserts: $3-$5
FLOWER CHILD
Get your groove on at this 21st century health food haven where bright colors, happy smiles and good vibes abound. Whet your whistle with some refreshingly fruity on-tap kombucha (a fermented tea drink) and treat yourself to starters of tart, juicy tomato toast or creamy avocado hummus. You’ll be bowled over by the tantalizing flavors of the Mother Earth bowl, the Glow bowl and other health-friendly bowls, wraps and plates. Menu standouts include the “Forbidden Rice” bowl with grass-fed steak, the Mediterranean quinoa salad and for dessert, the vegan dark chocolate pudding. A limited wine and beer selection is available for those who prefer a cocktail with their quinoa or a tipple with their tofu.
Soups, salads and appetizers: $6.25-$12.50
Bowls, entrées and wraps: $9.95-$15.50
JALISCO
After nearly three decades, Jalisco remains a giddy, guilty pleasure trip through a tunnel of cheese. This Tex-Mex institution at Peachtree Battle is better than an El Paso taco kit, but not exactly a showcase of the sophisticated techniques and ingredients of the Mexican larder. Without apology, Jalisco is what it is, a place with consistently good, standardissue burritos, enchiladas, fajitas and even a Hamburguesa Mexicana. (It’s topped with nacho cheese.) This is not a place where the kitchen thrives on change and creativity. For the most part, the menu is the same as it has been since Jalisco opened in 1978.
Lunch specials: $5-$9
Entrees: $9-$13
404.233.9244
LE BON NOSH
Dinner feels like a discovery in Le Bon Nosh’s beautifully appointed dining room. Take a seat and gape at the stunning bar, lamp-lit tables and two-story tall saffron curtains. The French-influenced menu consists of scratchmade dishes with local and globally sourced ingredients, fitting as chef/owner Forough Vakili was born in Iran, trained in France and now calls Atlanta home. Start with standouts such as the light-as-air gougères and the elegant caviar and chips before moving on to a pasta course of spaghetti dressed in bright green pesto or hearty pappardelle Bolognese. Don’t-miss mains include duck confit served over delicate puy lentils scented with lemongrass, a 16-ounce, grass-fed Châtel Farms ribeye (enough for two) or the fallapart tender, braised short rib accented with chèvre ranch. The extensive list of French wines, organized by region, ensures that wine nuts and Francophiles will find something to delight them.
Bites: $9-$40
Starters: $14-$35
Entrees: $35-$65
For two: $78
Dessert: $8-$15
LITTLE ALLEY
A meal at Little Alley is an escape, an immersive experience no matter where you find yourself seated. Settle in and indulge in the daily rotating selection of ultra-fresh raw oysters served with a trio of housemade sauces and an appetizer of brûléed bone marrow that’s so rich it could double as butter for grilled bread. The main event is an array of prime Angus cuts, both wet- and dry-aged from 28 to 60 days, so guests can choose their steak’s flavor intensity, cut and tenderness. If you’re really going for broke, make it a surf-and-turf with the addition of a flash-fried Maine lobster tail with drawn butter. Whether you’re out for a special occasion, a business meeting to close a big deal or a “just because” meal, this is a carnivore’s paradise, with aged prime beef, ultra-fresh seafood and hearty sides served with gracious, professional service in a luxe atmosphere.
Starters: $16.95-$27.95
Steaks: $51.95- $139.95
Sides: $11-12
Desserts: $12-14
RUMI’S KITCHEN SANDY SPRINGS
Treat your tastebuds to as many dishes as possible at Rumi’s Kitchen Sandy Springs, whether you sit in the spacious dining room with its bubbling water feature or order to-go. The menu is packed with powerful culinary rhythms and rhymes. Falafel stuns with crisp-tender chickpea balls, pickled veggies, tangy tabbouleh and savory tahini sauce. Mirza ghasemi (smoked eggplant with tomato and garlic) presents strong notes without hiding the scrumptious plant flavors. Chicken barg infuses a juicy wedge with exotic flavors thanks to the saffron marinade. Pair it with Shirin polo, fluffy rice dotted with orange zest, red barberry, pistachio, almond and rosewater—a divine mix of flavors and textures. Lamb hummusiya tops hummus with lamb sausage for a pleasing contrast of spicy heat and cool umami. Dukkah roasted carrots play nutty-spicy notes against tangy-sweet yogurt cheese. Good luck choosing a favorite.
Starters: $8-15
Salads: $8-12
Mains: $18-45
Sides: $4-10
Desserts: $10
SOUTHBOUND
A “welcome to the neighborhood” vibe lingers throughout Southbound in Chamblee, whether you sit at the bar stocked with artisan spirits, on a comfortable chair in the main dining room or under an umbrellaed picnic table on the patio. Weathered wood, exposed bricks and dangling light bulbs give the space casual elegance. The menu presents Southern comfort food with some creative international flavors and influences. Variety means there’s something for just about any preference, diet, budget and hunger level. The menu changes about three times a year, but popular favorites remain, including the double-stack burger, Southern ramen, smoked short rib, Chamblee hot chicken and wild Georgia Shrimp.
Small plates: $4-$18
Mains: $14-$33
Sides: $4-$6
Desserts: $6-$9
THE WOODALL
With its friendly, relaxed vibe, it’s easy to feel among friends at The Woodall in Westside Village, whether you prefer the comfortable dining room or outdoor patio. Whitewashed brick, shiny metal, warm woods, brown leather and modern light fixtures cozy up the converted warehouse while a mural of eagle talons clasping a silver spoon adds personality. The dinner and brunch menus present globally inspired dishes and drinks featuring local ingredients. The menu changes seasonally, with options such as lump crab beignets, open-faced tenderloin sandwich, Sicilian calamari and rock shrimp and fried chicken tucked into a feather-light biscuit. The restaurant’s website confidently asserts, “You’ll be back!” There are plenty of reasons to do just that.
Small plates: $9-$15
Salads: $9-12
Sandwiches: $11.5-17
Mains: $13-$43
Sides: $5-$6
Desserts: $9-$10
Note: Prices and menu items may have changed since original publication.
BY: Wendell Brock, Rebecca Cha, Jennifer Bradley Franklin, Angela Hansberger, Hope S. Philbrick
PHOTOS: Madelynne Grace, Sara Hanna
