Michelin-Starred Atlas Is Betting on Pigeon
Atlas is a fine-dining staple in Atlanta. With its machine-like precision in execution, the team also knows how to stop and smile. You’ll see it in the winking face on a stuffed cracker, the nostalgia in green eggs and ham, or the cheeky lettering on a tomato salad that reads, “just eat me.”
While many of the city’s top restaurants are serving abundant duck, Atlas is betting on the humble pigeon. In its many iterations, squab leg comes glazed in sweet tamarind, with foot intact; the neck is stuffed with sausage and pistachios and served with the head. It’s English hunting season on a plate, done with finesse, and just enough irreverence.
What to order
- The pigeon on the chef’s tasting menu. The latest preparation is a blood sausage-stuffed squab leg, with huckleberries and pistachios. The salmon is also a work of art.
- Get the wine pairing. Atlas boasts one of the city’s deepest libraries, from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti to geeky grower Champagne.
- Head to the bar for the tavern menu and order the Dover sole entree for two.
Best seat in the house
Call ahead and reserve a table by the open kitchen to catch all the action. You’ll spot culinary director Freddy Money calling orders, or executive chef Ryan Heppner hunched over plates at the pass, as the final garnish is tweezed onto the langoustine.
