When I was growing up in Charlotte, we used to call Atlanta, Hotlanta, now, some thirty years later, I still think this great city of style is living up to my twenty-something nickname. My sister and I had so much fun, particularly exploring the area around Atlanta's waterworks also known as the Westside Urban Market. We called Sid Mashburn's shop from the highway on the way into town and inquired about a restaurant we had heard was good but just couldn't remember the name. We knew it was close to Sid and Ann Mashburn's his and her shops. The only detail we could give the person that answered the phone was that you walk through a really cool shop to enter the restaurant and that the spaces within the dining area are divided into little rooms with floor to ceiling curtains.
"It's Bacchanalia." What? Can you spell that please?
I looked up the restaurant reviews on my iPhone and was amazed at the incredibly positive reviews. We drove straight there..oh, and stopped by the really cool Anthropology across the street for ten minutes just before it closed. Leave it to Anthropologie to do their homework and find the coolest spot in Atlanta. Check out the Anthro building in the picture below.
To get to Bacchanalia you have to walk through one of the most amazing culinary markets called Star Provisions. They have individual speciality markets for cheese, wine, beer, meats, seafood and bread, a kind of foodie dream market, and reflective of the markets you find in Europe. I have always fallen hard for stylish tabletop displays and the store part of Star Provisions is like a mod general store with interesting, unusual styling and creative displays featuring chic tabletop and kitchen goods. Lots of creamy white pottery and natural wood accessories.
Just look at the eye-catching Spring window display that has vintage wooden utensils mounted like art 'growing' beside the freshly planted daffodils. Love the deer!
On the front porch before you enter Star Provisions is a local farmstead offering unique, organic produce from local farms in Georgia. Just look at this asparagus! Much of the fresh produce available at the farm stand and the individual markets forms the basis of the gourmet menu at Bacchanalia. I love the 'local farmstand' logo...I am really quite smitten with the whole concept of the Local Farmstand, Star Provisions and Bacchanalia. The dinner at Bacchanalia was absolutely beyond amazing...no wonder the online reviews were over the top.
Loved the whimsical display on the farm table that greeted us as we walked through Star Provisions towards our table at Bacchanalia.
Our table at Bacchanalia.
I should mention that Bacchanalia is the kind of restaurant that you might visit to celebrate life's special anniversaries and birthdays. We didn't know that when we reserved our table and you might say we were just a little bit out of our league. I am so glad we stumbled upon this one-of-a-kind dining experience to celebrate my sister's birthday and our cherished annual road-trip. It was one of my favorite meals {and experiences} ever!
Bacchanalia is owned by husband and wife Chefs Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison and its seasonal menu relies entirely on organic ingredients, many sourced from Anne and Clifford’s farm. It is consistently ranked as the best restaurant in Atlanta and has been the recipient of the coveted James Beard Culinary award. The chefs recommend the five course prix fix menu for $85...it was worth it. The individual courses are quite complex with unique flavor combinations and unbelievably beautiful presentations. Hint: You wanted to take a picture of everything that you ate. The fourth course is a cheese course and might have been my favorite, hard to choose, but i ordered the Roasted, Raw and Pickled Beets with Pine Nuts and Chervil. A sweet and savory dish that {i think} had a little serving of gelato mixed in with the beets. For the main course, i ordered Jamison Farm Lamb, it was prepared five different ways and is easily the best main course I have ever eatten.
They overheard that it was my sister's birthday and sent us home with a little package...a pair of homemade cupcakes from Star Provisions.
You would love Ann Mashburn...I am struggling to find the right words to describe her chic clothing that is bright and modern yet traditional...a kind of 'Jackie O.' uniform. Great looking espadrilles for Spring, crisp cotton shirts, stylish dresses with simple lines, great detailing and lots of great accessories.
I love to see how Anthropologie recreates itself in every new market and thought this store was uber-cool!
If you go through this faux boxwood covered arch towards Sid Mashburn you will arrive JCT, where we ate on Saturday night. We liked this little enclave of stores and restaurants so much that we came back the second evening for more. We didn't get to visit several of the places on our must-see list like Jimmy Stanton's store Room & Board or the new Jonathan Adler store.
Heather Clawson of Habitually Chic visited Ann Mashburn recently and wrote a nice post here with lots of great pictures and Sid Mashburn here.
Bungalow Classic, a store I was dying to visit after pouring over their website and seeing some of the homes they sponsored in Atlanta Homes Magazine. We got there on Saturday night just before they closed. I love their casually chic interiors - think linen slipcovered upholstery with the newest modern silhouettes, graphic pillows, cool lighting and reclaimed wood furniture. If you know me, you could just look at the exterior of the building and know I would like everything in there...and I did!
I pulled this simple vignette from their Facebook page to share with you. You'll just have to go visit their incredibly chic store in person to get the whole vibe.
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