I visited Empire State South a few weeks ago on a Tuesday night, and the place was still super busy. It opened this past summer, and has probably been the most buzzed-about restaurant of the year. The owner, Hugh Acheson, runs several successful restaurants up in Athens, GA, but this is his first venture into Atlanta.
The restaurant is a little hard to find, tucked away in the ground floor of an office building on Peachtree. The restaurant’s decor will make you feel more like you’re hanging out in a super-chic barn. It was a bit rainy the night we went, but I would love to go back and sip cocktails while playing a round of bocce on the restaurant’s court.
Everything we ordered was prepared well and with wit and intelligence. My favorite thing was probably the “in jars” appetizer. You get 4-6 different jars of dips, spreads etc. (pimento cheese with bacon jam was my fave, also like boiled peanut hummus and the rilettes). The appetizer doesn’t come with quite enough toast points for spreading. We had to ask for extras.
(image: AJC)
I had the pork belly appetizer as well, and it was a preparation I’ve never seen before. It was wrapped in bacon and served with a sriracha-esque sauce.
The wine list is equally amazing, and it contains some bottles I haven’t seen anywhere else in town. Our waiter recommended a good wine for us that went well with food. (I think it was a viognier…don’t remember the name right now).
The service was still a little hit or miss. I’ve read it’s gotten better, but our server was really slow. Little things like not bringing the bread basket until the entrees arrive are pet peeves of mine.
(Also- that bread basket was AMAZING. I actually had a dream about the grilled sourdough the other night. A DREAM about BREAD.)
Be forewarned, it’s on the pricier end for Atlanta dining. A comparable meal at a place like JCT Kitchen would cost about $10-15 less per person.
With all of that in mind, I would recommend Empire State South for a special occasion with friends or family (it’s not fancy dress, but the food is a little expensive for an average weeknight). Bring people who like sharing food and who appreciate a good bottle of wine.
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