Grana: Your new go-to spot for pizza and meatballs

Grana is an Italian restaurant in Midtown Atlanta known for pizza and meatballs © Anna Lanfreschi

Handmade pizza, from-scratch pasta, meatball flights, and make-your-own cannoli. These are just a few of the authentic Italian dishes you can expect from Grana.

Grana doesn’t just serve any Italian food: The Morningside restaurant specializes in true Neapolitan cuisine. If you’ve ever been to Naples, Italy, or met anyone from Naples, you will have undoubtedly heard that Neapolitan food is the best kind of Italian food. Afterall, Naples is the birthplace of pizza… and every Neapolitan dish, from antipasti to desert, tastes soulful, soothing, and oh-so-satisfying.

 And there’s no better person in Atlanta to bring the robust flavors of southern Italy to our city than Chef Pat Pascarella, who helms Grana’s kitchen (as well as White Bull in Decatur). Pascarella grew up tasting and cooking with the Italian matriarchs of his family, and you’ll see nods to his family recipes throughout Grana’s menu.

 Grana is known for its meatballs, and you’ll see both mom’s and grandma’s polpettes on the menu. Best not to choose through, and simply try one of each with the meatball tasting, which is a flight of all six meatballs on the menu and makes for a hearty start to your meal.

Crispy Brussels sprouts (R) and the meatball flight (L) at Grana © Anna Lanfreschi

Before you move onto the pizzas and the pastas, get your veggies in. There are several options on the antipasti menu section, and the crispy Brussels sprouts with truffle honey and ricotta are divine.

Now, for the delicious carbs… you really can’t go wrong with any of the pizzas or pastas at Grana! The truffle pizza is a memorable option because it comes with three types of cheese, including burrata (mozzarella’s fancier cousin), and is topped with black truffle sauce.

The truffle pizza at Grana © Anna Lanfreschi

Regardless of your main entrée selection, definitely, absolutely, categorically save room for dessert. There’s really only one item on the menu – cannoli – but your options are limitless because you get to fully customize your sweet treat. You can choose the type of ricotta it’s filled with (yes, there is more than one choice!), the various toppings to add to each side, and whether to top it with chocolate. Hands down, these are the best cannoli I’ve had in Atlanta!

Make-your-own cannoli (R); Grana’s rooftop patio (L) © Anna Lanfreschi

Grana is open for happy hour and dinner nightly, and also serves brunch on the weekends. When the weather is nice, do check out their expansive rooftop patio, especially during happy hour. Reservations are not required, but highly recommended.

Anna Lanfreschi is a digital content creator and strategist based in Atlanta. She posts about food and travel on her blog, AnnaFeasts, and on Instagram @AnnaFeasts. 

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How to have a luxurious lunch at Le Bilboquet

The crab and avocado salad from Le Bilboquet in Atlanta © Anna Lanfreschi

Here’s my secret for dining out during a pandemic:

1)     Look for an outside patio table you can reserve in advance.

2)     Go during a less popular time, like on a weeknight or for lunch.

This way, you can still enjoy some of Atlanta’s most popular restaurants without dealing with what feels like a superspreader event.

Case in point: I treated myself to a lovely lunch at Le Bilboquet the other day. It was such a nice little mid-week luxury to dine al fresco at this French restaurant in Buckhead!

I sat on their covered, heated outdoor patio, with tables well-spaced out for social distancing. Since I went for lunch during the week, it wasn’t crowded and I felt safe throughout the dining experience.

The service was impeccable, and the food was exquisite. It wasn’t a cheap or fast lunch, but I wasn’t looking for fast and cheap. I was in the mood for an extended lunch break that felt more extravagant than usual, and it was a great way to break up the monotony of a pandemic weekday. I would highly recommend it if you’re looking to do the same.

Here’s how to recreate this experience:

Reserve an outdoor table

You can select your preferred dining option – outdoor table, bar seating, or main dining room – on a reservation app like OpenTable. If that’s not available, you could always call the restaurant and ask to reserve a table on the patio.

Le Bilboquet is known for its beautiful Parisian-style open-air patio, and during the pandemic, they’ve expanded it and weatherproofed it. There are heaters and firepits for colder days, but do call ahead to make sure the patio is open, especially on days with possible inclement weather.

Do like the French and have wine with lunch

You don’t need my permission to order wine or a cocktail to kick off your lavish lunch – you do you. But I find that indulging in even just one glass of your favorite concoction elevates your lunch experience.

Order the soup du jour

A warm bowl of silky butternut squash soup on a chilly day to start your meal – what could be better!

Butternut squash soup, crab and avocado salad, and duck leg confit from Le Bilboquet © Anna Lanfreschi

Now, for your entrée…

Since you’re at a French restaurant, you can’t go wrong with the duck leg confit. The duck is fall-off-the-bone tender and served over roasted fingerling potatoes, celery root and chestnuts in a thyme jus.

If you’re more of an appetizer-as-entrée person, the crab and avocado salad at Le Bilboquet is a must! Smashed and seasoned avocado is topped with jumbo lump crab meat and julienned vegetables, and each bite is melt-in-your-mouth perfection.

The profiteroles for dessert; Le Bilboquet’s expanded outdoor patio © Anna Lanfreschi

Don’t skip dessert

Le Bilboquet’s dessert menu is a drool worthy list of classic French pastries, and it is truly a challenge to pick just one. But for me, the profiteroles always stand out. You can’t find this dessert at many other restaurants in Atlanta, and it is just so tasty: Chou pastry filled with vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate and almonds. So simple and delicious.

Le Bilboquet is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. It is located in the Shops of Buckhead and validates self-parking in the garage. The restaurant does have a business casual dress code.

Anna Lanfreschi is a digital content creator and strategist based in Atlanta. She posts about food and travel on her blog, AnnaFeasts, and on Instagram @AnnaFeasts. 

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Atlanta: Where to Order Easter Meals for Takeout and Delivery

For many Americans, this Easter Sunday will be an intimate family affair. Church services will be broadcast via video or TV and meals will be served only to the members in your household. Eater.com has been great about providing up-to-date dining information across the nation during these unprecedented times.  Beth McKibben has put together a list of Easter dining takeout options for Atlanta. This is what she writes:

As Georgians continue sheltering in place, this year Easter sees people gathering around the table at home and not over brunch at a local restaurant. But, many restaurants, bakeries, and catering companies around Atlanta still offer takeout and delivery, and are even serving up special Easter menus to-go this Sunday. Make sure to order ice cream and dessert, too.

This guide will continue to be updated until Friday, April 10 so continue to check in with Eater.com.

Easter Meals for Takeout and Delivery

Oak Steakhouse

The restaurant at Avalon in Alpharetta is offering a family-style meals comprising of a salad, bread, two entrees, like glazed ham or smoked chicken, two sides, and dessert. The meals feed between two to four people, and must be ordered by 2 p.m., Thursday, April 9. Pick up on Saturday between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., or on Sunday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Email Jeff Gates at jgates@theindigoroad.com to order.

Cru Wine Bar

Order Easter brunch with a mimosa kit at the Alpharetta wine bar. The three-course, prix fixe menu is only $24, with the option to add a mimosa kit for $25. Pick up on Easter Sunday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Call 678-248-5181 to order in advance.

Arnette’s Chop Shop

Preorder an Easter steak dinner that includes a 20-ounce beef Wellington and all the sides. The meal serves up to four people for $120. Call 404-969-0701 to order for pick up Saturday, April 11.

Haven

For $140, order an Easter meal featuring glazed ham or leg of lamb, fingerling potatoes and green beans or a salad or rolls. The family meal serves up to four. Call 404-969-0700 to order for pick on Saturday, April 11.

Local Three

Just as it would have done in the dining room on Easter Sunday, Local Three is offering family-style brunch and dinner for curbside pick-up on April 12. Brunch includes everything from cinnamon rolls and banana-pecan bread, to pancakes and bacon and Easter eggs filled with candy paired with mimosas and Bloody Marys. Brunch feeds six for $150. As for dinner, choose from turkey, ham, or brisket, and feast on sides like mac and cheese, a spring salad, and pimento cheese. There’s grasshopper pie for dessert. Meals range between $150 to $175 and feed six people. Call to order. Menu online.

Canoe

The restaurant is offering brunch and lunch packages for Easter. Brunch is $80 and includes pastries, fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, and Bloody Mary mix for pick up Saturday, April 11, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Lunch features entrees like prime rib, salmon, or pork rack served with family-style sides such as red bliss potatoes and glazed carrots. Prices range from $90 to $130. Pick up Sunday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Order online.

The Companion

The newly opened restaurant in Bolton is offering Easter supper for takeout. The menu features either pork loin or mushroom lasagna, broccolini or butternut squash, and strawberry pound cake for dessert. Call to order. Check Instagram for updates.

Star Provisions

While the market itself is closed, Star Provisions is offering ten themed Easter baskets in its online store filled with candy, games, activities, and other assorted treats and gifts. There’s even a basket for dogs. Order online for contact-free delivery within five miles of the market. Call 404-365-0410 (ext. 4) after purchase to schedule delivery.

The Southern Gentleman

Easter family meals available for curbside pick-up on Sunday, April 12, between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. Meals feature a main dish like whole roast chicken or pork loin, sides, apple pie, and a bottle of red or white wine. Call 404-939-9840 to order by Wednesday, April 8. Family meals $60 to $65 and feed up to six people.

Whiskey Bird

The Morningside restaurant is offering an Easter family meal for $96 that includes deviled eggs, pimento cheese and crudite, salad, glazed ham, scalloped potatoes, and red velvet cupcakes. The meal feeds up to six people. There’s even an option to order a four wines for additional $60. Order by Friday, April 10 for pick up on Easter Sunday. Click here to preorder and pay in advance.

South City Kitchen

Order Easter dinner comprising of entrees like smoked brisket or French toast casserole, along with salad, biscuits, and dessert. Order by Tuesday, April 7, for pick up on Saturday, April 11. Email sshaheen@fifthgroup.com to order. Pick up locations at South City Kitchen Midtown, Vinings, and Buckhead or at The Original El Taco in Virginia-Highland.

The Iberian Pig

The Buckhead location is offering suckling pig and tapas specials, while Decatur plans to offer brunch tapas special paired with mimosa and Bloody Mary kits. Check Instagram for details and order by emailing lauren@chgrestaurants.com.

Morton’s Steakhouse

The downtown Atlanta steakhouse is offering a special dinner for two, featuring a starter, one entree per person, and desserts like key lime pie and cheesecake for Easter. Dinner is $109 and must be ordered by Thursday, April 9. Call to order. There’s also “chef’s kits” for cooking and grilling steaks and chops at home. Details can be found online.

Empire State South

Easter dinner to-go at Empire feeds up to four people and includes a choice of honey baked ham or lamb with mint, five sides, and pound cake for dessert. Menu details are listed on Instagram. Meals are $125. Call in order or order online for pick up this weekend.

Oceanaire

The Midtown seafood restaurant is offering a four-course, to-go dinner at $150 this Easter. Think jumbo shrimp cocktail, family-style sides of grilled asparagus and lobster mac and cheese, crab cakes, center cut filets, and key lime pie. Order by Friday, April 10. Call to order and schedule curbside pick-up.

Cooks & Soldiers

Order a fried chicken dinner that feeds four for $125. The “Easter Picnic Basket “ includes a basket of fried chicken, four biscuits, two bikini sandwiches, three sides, six peanut butter cookies, and two bottles of wine. Call 404-996-2623 or email lauren@chgrestaurants.com to order for pick up on Saturday or Sunday.

Lyla Lila

The Midtown restaurant is offering an Easter menu featuring spring pea, butter lettuce, and radish salad, wood-roasted pork roast, scalloped potatoes, braised greens, cornbread, and French lemon cake. $75 for two people. $150 for four people. Email info@lylalilaatl.com to order by April 10. Pick up on Sunday, April 12, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Hampton and Hudson

Order brunch and family diners to-go for Easter. For brunch, the menu features a choice of quiches and a mimosa special. The “Build-Your-Own” Easter dinner is $80 and offers dishes like honey glazed ham, deviled eggs, sides like green bean salad and Brussels sprouts, biscuits or rolls, and tiramisu for dessert. Serves four. Order by emailing events@hamptonandhudson.com for delivery or pick-up. *Mimosa special for pick-up only.

Jen Chan’s

The Cabbagetown restaurant is offering Easter brunch or dinner for delivery on Saturday for $24. Think mushroom asparagus quiche, eggs, and ricotta pancakes with mimosas for two brunch or cornbread casserole, miso lemon ginger carrots and spatchcocked herbed butter Cornish game hen with a bottle of red for dinner. Order online.

Cremalosa

Advance order that Easter cake from the new Decatur gelato and treat shop. The Robin’s Egg gelato cake is filled with lemon cream strawberry gelato and iced with lemon buttercream. Six-inch cakes are $22.50. Eight-inch cakes are $45. To-go pints of gelato can also be purchased on Thursday, April 9, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Order online or call 404-578-2739 by Thursday, April 9. Pick up cake orders on Saturday, April 11, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. ⠀

Easter Catering

Alon’s Bakery

A catered Easter brunch from Alon’s includes mains like beef tenderloin and leg of lamb, as well as baskets that feed up to 18 people filled with bagels, pastries, quiches, crab cakes, and fruit. The bakery is also offering chocolate Easter eggs, boxed chocolates, and other assorted chocolate candies. Check out the menu and then order online.

Source: Eater.com

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Comfortable Luxury at Agency Socialthèque Phipps Plaza

The comfortable luxury of Agency Socialthèque located at Phipps Plaza in Atlanta is the go-to place after a fabulous day of shopping, happy hour or just a mid-week date night.

Agency Socialthèque is the new byword for stylish hospitality and a reflection of its edgy neighborhood: iconic and one-of-a-kind, catering to the city-dwelling professional class by providing a beautiful space in which to be creative together.

Socialthèque, a made-up word, evokes everything we know about stylish environments where networking and play come together. More than great food and drinks, Agency is the place to freelance, enjoy live entertainment, or host a bespoke private event. Whether it be happy hour cocktails among friends or a vibrant hundred guest launch party, the dedicated team will cater to your every need. It also means experimental and revolutionary as they transform specialty ingredients into something truly unique, coupled with the city's hottest DJ's and musicians.

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Event Recap :: Fúdo Celebrates It's Grand Opening With a Ribbon Cutting and Party

Monday, January 7, 2019, imbibers and diners alike celebrated the grand opening of Fúdo in the heart of downtown Chamblee during a high-energy party and ribbon cutting ceremony with Chamblee's Mayor Eric Clarkson, Chief of Police Kerry Thompson, City Council members and owners John and Grace Lee.  While mixing and mingling and checking out the new dining destination, revelers enjoyed an array of complimentary wine, craft beer and sake tastings along with a diverse sampling of chef special sushi and small plate offerings.  

Rooted in the community, Fúdo offers exceptional sushi and authentic Japanese sharable plate selections featuring the highest quality and freshest ingredients.  From the restauranteurs behind Ichiban Steak and Sushi, the new wallet-friendly locale boasts a modern industrial yet warm atmosphere with an expansive, interactive sushi bar; a back-lit bar serving creative cocktails, craft beer, wine and sake; ample seating; and a pet-friendly, outdoor patio with retractable windows.  Fúdo is located in Perimeter Crossing at 5070 Peachtree Blvd Suite A100 Chamblee, GA 30341 and is open from Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. for dinner, and on Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 3p.m. to 12 p.m. to dinner, on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m., and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit www.fudoatl.com.    

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