Hero Doughnuts & Buns

Yes, yes, I ate all the individual doughnuts in this post. No, no, it was not in a single sitting, but it easily could have been … they're delicious! #Yum #Yum #Yum #Nom #Nom #Nom You can tell I don't do selfies all that often … you can't even see my eye through the doughnut hole! But that's alright because this post is about deliciousness, a huge patio, and excellent service. 

The new Hero Doughnuts & Buns on Georgia Avenue in Summerhill is outstanding! And it's a lot more than just a doughnut shop.

Travis at Hero Doughnuts & Buns | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

Pictured above is their Cereal Milk doughnut—absolutely delicious! It's reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons and lifting your cereal bowl to drink in the cereal flavored milk, not wanting to miss out on every sweet drop. I think on my next visit I'll try the Strawberry doughnut and the Pistachio doughnut. Their mouthwatering selections are quite varied.

Hero Doughnuts & Buns is located at 33 Georgia Avenue SE, in the Summerhill neighborhood where the 1996 Olympic Games were hosted, and it's serving doughnuts, sandwiches, burgers, custard, and more in their 1,872-square-foot space with an awesome 1,664-square-foot patio.

Nick Pihakis, co-founder of Jim N’ Nick’s Bar-B-Q, Wil Drake, and Jeremy and Tammy Chambers, the Atlanta operators of the Alabama-based Hero chain, are the business partners behind bringing Hot Dog Pete’s and Hero Doughnuts to Atlanta.

Hero Doughnuts & Buns, Summerhill | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

Spring is upon us and we Atlantans love a great patio, and I think you're going to love this one. It's shared with neighbor and sister restaurant Hot Dog Pete's, which I visited for the first time in January. The restaurant group that owns these two knows what it's doing!

The two-tier all-weather patio has an open area with umbrellas and a covered area, both of which offer some views of Atlanta's downtown skyline, including the sparkling gold dome of the Georgia Capitol Building and the 1996 Olympic Cauldron. Georgia Avenue has become quite the bustling place with more and more businesses opening all the time. In fact, renderings of some of the plans for Summerhill depict exactly what you'd expect in a futuristic, international metropolis.

Hero Doughnuts & Buns, Summerhill | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

Fresh is the order of the day here … every day! Hero's doughnuts are made in-house, including the creamy filling in their Boston Cream doughnut, pictured above just before it met my belly. Both of my visits were later in the day, but the doughnuts were still fresh. 

I'm generally a giving person, but I'm not going to share my doughnuts with just anyone. Doughnuts are the treat of all treats! If it has chocolate on or in it, all the better. Just kidding, sort of. I'd share of course, especially when they're this good … it'd just be wrong to keep this kind of taste sensation to ones self.

Hero Doughnuts & Buns, Summerhill | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

Okay, it's not brand new, but this was my first (and second) time there. After reading about its imminent opening for months, it lives up to every expectation I had and then some!

The menu, as the shop's name suggests, includes buns, aka burgers! And a lot more...part of their mission is to bring joy. It's "a restaurant that continues to evolve with fun, satisfying sandwiches, salads and treats."

Hero Doughnuts & Buns, Summerhill | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

I was a doughnut fan long before Homer Simpson came onto the scene, but after the iconic Randy's Donuts became internationally famous. I should say inter-planetarily famous. Remember the extra-terrestrial visitor making "the international sign of the doughnut" in Mars Attacks!? So, am I a doughnut connoisseur? No, but I've probably had as many as have many doughnut connoisseurs. I wonder if one can actually become a certified doughnut connoisseur? I'll have to conduct more research, just in case.

These doughnuts are totally a treat, so when I find one that's this good, it becomes my go-to. I still have a few more varieties to get through before I've sampled Hero's entire doughnut menu, but I'm totally excited about doing just that!  

Hero Doughnuts & Buns, Summerhill | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

On this visit I enjoyed a fresh, hot cup of coffee. On my first visit I had a beer. Their beverage menu has something for everyone, from the soda fan to the libation lover.

Hero Doughnuts & Buns, Summerhill | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

I've seen some people call Summerhill a "new" neighborhood, while in fact it's one of Atlanta's oldest neighborhoods. “Before World War II, Georgia Avenue was lined with grocery markets and restaurants, shoe repair shops and convenience stores, butchers and bakers and ice cream makers, even a movie theater,” reported Marni Davis in Curbed.

Hero Doughnuts & Buns is part of a resurgence of Summerhill, making it not only a strong community, but a destination, one that will be fun and delicious for all Atlantans and those who visit her.

Hero Doughnuts & Buns, Summerhill | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

Merch! 

Hero Doughnuts' merchandise game is a fun one. From Hero t-shirts to Hero beanies, Hero stickers to Hero coffee mugs, their merch game is strong.

Hero Doughnuts & Buns, Summerhill | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

The next time you're craving a sweet treat, head to Hero Doughnuts & Buns and enjoy one, or a few, of their delicious doughnuts, and try it for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner, too!

INTERVIEW: Chef Hugh Acheson & The National

I met Chef Hugh Acheson years ago and was a fan even before that. He's devilishly handsome, intelligent, charming, seemingly a little mischievous, but in a fun way, and even a little quirky...that's to say he's unique among chefs of such an exalted caliber. Okay, okay, maybe I am a super-fan. He's really just a totally cool, laid back, fun human being.

I have the honor of sharing with you an interview with Chef Hugh in conjunction with a visit to one of his restaurants in Athens, The National.

Hugh Acheson | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

My visit to The National was with my friend Wayne, the State Parks aficionado I've mentioned before. Our single-day excursions are typically multi-adventures. On this particular day we started at The National, then went to Watson Mill Bridge State Park and then to see the mysterious Georgia Guidestones.

Hugh's interview answers are brief, but insightful and hilarious, much like his Instagram posts. If you're not following Chef Hugh on Instagram, you totally must!

I'm going to pepper this story with interview questions. Let's get started...

wanderlust ATLANTA: I've been a Chef Hugh Acheson fan for years. Please share with my readers who you are.

Chef Hugh: I am a chef from Canada who has lived in Athens, Georgia, for more than 20 years. I write cookbooks and run restaurants.

Hugh Acheson's The National (Athens) | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

We selected The National because Hugh's other Athens restaurant, 5&10, isn't open for lunch on Saturdays, but it's his flagship restaurant, so I definitely want to return for a weeknight dinner or Sunday Brunch.

The National is absolutely lovely. The attention to detail and the nuanced touches make for a place where you feel welcome and somewhere you want to be. Opened in 2007, it's a small—yet spacious—bistro with a Mediterranean influence. Executive Chef Peter Dale prepares a menu that nods to Northern African and Spanish cuisines.

wanderlust ATLANTA: You once shared with an audience—that I was in—a little bit about how you use your sketchbook to develop recipes. Will you tell us a little about that process, please?

Chef Hugh: I like to doodle and take notes. To me, nothing replaces pen and paper. I draw plates and dishes that I am working on, take notes on places I travel to, and make lists of things to look into and research. It is just the way I catalog life.

Hugh Acheson's The National (Athens) | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Quite refreshing, this restaurant offers an array of house-made sodas, refreshers and shrubs, the kind you're not going to find anywhere else. Wayne had their house-made Lemonade, and you can see that they're sustainability-minded using metal straws instead of plastic. Kudos! 

I had a Sauvignon Blanc that was quite refreshing, light and crisp, just the way I like them. The beverage menu is impressive and varied, but not so long that you're doubly parched by time you peruse the choices.

wanderlust ATLANTA: I recently dined at The National with a friend. We enjoyed multiple courses and LOVED everything! The menu is ever-new, so what's a can't-miss experience here?

Chef Hugh: The National's hummus with ground lamb is a pretty special and comforting plate of food. And all of their drinks are pretty amazing.

Hugh Acheson's The National (Athens) | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Okay, next time I go to The National, I'm definitely trying the Hummus with Lamb. I lived in Greece for more than two years and fell eternally in love with Mediterranean cuisine. All of it. Especially hummus, calamari and tzatziki!

We enjoyed a couple of appetizers, starting with the Marinated Olives—told you I love Mediterranean! They were delicious and poor Wayne hardly had any. I devoured, minding my manners of course, most of them.

wanderlust ATLANTA: What do you do for fun on the rare occasion when you're totally disconnected and disengaged from work? If that ever happens. #cheflife

Chef Hugh: I hang out with my kids and watch Wheel of Fortune. No joke.

Hugh Acheson's The National (Athens) | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

We also enjoyed an appetizer they were calling Rosalynn Carter Cheese Ring. It's akin to pimento cheese, but not. It's topped with strawberry jam and pecans and is offered with toasts on the side. Quite good, definitely a unique experience in taste and texture. I love such adventures, especially when they're good!

wanderlust ATLANTA: You are, without question, a celebrity chef. What advice would you give an ambitious culinarian who wants to achieve celebrity status?

Chef Hugh: The term celebrity is something I avoid. I am just trying to be me.

Hugh Acheson's The National (Athens) | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Wayne had the soup of the day which I got to taste. It was a Cucumber Gazpacho! I love cold soups (hot soups, too) and this one is a star! It had radish, sumac, and olive oil and it was delicious...perfect before our day of 90°-plus outdoor adventures!

I love to cook and came very close to going to culinary school, but I didn't want to give up my nights and weekends. That was decades ago. Today I revel in the delights of what today's ultra creative chefs put on their menus. 

I started collecting autographed books in 2002, but only ones when I'm there to get the autograph myself. The first was Leonard Nimoy's first photography book. From there I was hooked. Not too long after that I got Alton Brown to autograph his book Good Eats, based on his crazy-popular TV show of the same name. 

Since then, my autographed cookbook collection has grown extensively and includes Chef -Hugh Acheson's The Broad Fork. That one if highly focused on fresh vegetables and be sure to check out his other cookbooks.

wanderlust ATLANTA: What's your favorite food from childhood and why? Did you eat your veggies?

Chef Hugh: I was a strange kid who didn't like mac & cheese and hamburgers. I loved vegetables. Still do.

Hugh Acheson's The National (Athens) | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Wayne had the Impossible Burger, billed as "the meatiest veggie burger around". With its shaved Vidalia onion and pomegranate ketchup, it sounds amazing! And who doesn't love a brioche bun?! 

The fries, which we both enjoyed with our entrees, are so amazing, you'll be at least halfway through them before you remember that you have other items on your plate! 

So many restaurants ignore humans' love of french fries and under-deliver—there are way too many places that do that, what a miss—but The National, Chef Peter in particular, should be in the French Fry Hall of Fame! I don't think there is one, but these fries should at the very least be immortalized in the French Fry Museum!

wanderlust ATLANTA: What's your favorite kitchen gadget and why?

Chef Hugh: A serving spoon. It is my spatula, my scoop, my ladle. It is the OG multi-tool.

Hugh Acheson's The National (Athens) | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

I opted for the Hancock Hoagie, presumably named for the restaurant's street, and was delighted with my choice! It's billed as "a little messy, but totally worth it." And it was! This "creation" has curry-rubbed chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, sweet and tangy curry sauce, and Italian dressing. I could bath in this stuff! Not at the restaurant—minding my manners, remember—it's that delicious!

One thing that stood out for me, and that makes me love this restaurant, is that it uses a lot of spices that perhaps not everyone has in their cupboard, but they're spices that everyone could find at their local markets. If you like a dish you enjoyed at The National, it's something you could try to recreate at home, but I for one will want to return for the real thing.

wanderlust ATLANTA: You autographed a copy of your cookbook The Broad Fork for me about a year ago and I'm loving it! What was unique about writing that book compared to others you've written?

Chef Hugh: The Broad Fork was meant show to cooking methods for pretty much all vegetables. It was meant to answer the age old question, "What do you do with kohlrabi?". It was fun to write.

Hugh Acheson's The National (Athens) | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

When you walk into The National, directly in front of you is the bar—a handsomely and uniquely appointed bar. The dining room is to your right. So, you can come in for drinks or come in for dinner or come in early and enjoy drinks before you have dinner. Mix it up, have some fun!

I love the travel theme decor. There are postcards from all over the world taped up behind the bar and there's a vintage lunch box with a flight crew standing in front of an airplane with "The National" painted on its fuselage. The lunchbox has no connection to the restaurant which makes it even more fun.

When I travel, I want to explore the local scene and cuisine. If I'm in a new city—or even my own for that matter—I'm not going to go to a chain that I can find anywhere, I'm going to ask around and check out the most talked about place in town or that only-the-locals-know place. That practice promises an adventure every time! Eat local and save the chains for when you're home...that's just my personal advice.

wanderlust ATLANTA: You travel a lot...a LOT! From a chef's perspective, what are the best and worst things about traveling. Favorite destination?

Chef Hugh: Traveling is critical to understanding the world. It can be exhausting sometimes, but you just need to remember to drink a lot of water and pack smartly. Going through cobblestone streets in Lisbon with a roller hard suitcase is silly. Get a backpack. But do go to Lisbon. It is stunning.

Hugh Acheson's The National (Athens) | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

While you're in Athens, explore this fantastic city known for its music scene, sports and awesome restaurants.There's lots to do here!

When you get back to Atlanta, check out Chef Hugh's other restaurants, Spiller Park (2015) at Ponce City Market and Toco Hills; named for his grandfather, Achie's (2018) at the Omni Hotel at Battery Atlanta; and the most talked about Empire State South (2010) in the heart of Midtown.

wanderlust ATLANTA: What's next for Chef Hugh Acheson? 

Chef Hugh: Lots. Food is an endless topic to explore.

I'd like to offer a huge wanderlust ATLANTA "Thank you!" to Chef Hugh, the staff at The National and to PR firm Baltz & Company for arranging the interview. This was not a sponsored post nor a sponsored restaurant visit. All opinions are my own. 

Now, go experience the bliss of Chef Hugh Acheson's restaurants!

Top 10 Atlanta Restaurants "By the Numbers" - Seven Lamps

This month Nikki and I visited Seven Lamps. I'd never been, but she had been a few years ago. Located in the Shops Around Lenox, adjacent to Lenox Square, it's conveniently located in the heart of bustling Buckhead. It was an awesome dining experience!

Welcome back to our Top 10 Atlanta Restaurants "By the Numbers", a monthly series by wanderlust ATLANTA and super-popular food Instagramer atlantafoodie! Our seventh stop on this 10 restaurant tour was Seven Lamps, a restaurant I've heard of for years, but had not yet tried.

What we believe is a unique spin on 'Top 10' lists, we're not counting down, but instead we're showcasing some of Atlanta's restaurants with numbers in their names! Some we've been to before and others will be a first-time experience. We're going to make all of them FUN!

Seven Lamps | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

We're going to start this post a little differently...we're starting with dessert! 

You've heard the tidbit of wisdom "Eat dessert first!" haven't you? Well, that's not what we did—although I have on numerous dining occasions—but I was so excited they had cinnamon ice cream that I felt compelled to start with that experience.

The dessert menu doesn't have so many options that it takes forever to find something you want, and it's varied enough that you'll definitely find something you like. And they offer dessert wines, dessert cocktails and even a root beer float!

The best restaurant ice cream I've ever had in my whole life was a cinnamon ice cream, so with wishes of reliving that nostalgic experience (Cinnamon ice cream is rare on menus!), I ordered the Cinnamon Ice Cream (photo above), a triple scoop on top of brown butter graham! It's topped with almond macaroons!

I was so full from our meal, but that didn't deter me from enjoying every last bite of the cinnamon ice cream. This dish elevates a simple ice cream dessert to a whole other magical experience! I'd have it again, and probably again and again. The rustic robin's egg blue bowl added to the nostalgic sensory experience. That's one of my favorite colors, too! 

Seven Lamps | "By the Numbers" | Photo: @atlantafoodie

Nikki had the Eclair! They're topped with a kaffir lime mousse and white chocolate "pearls" and accompanied by blueberry, lime and basil compote! 

You already know that Nikki isn't a big sweets person, but she very much enjoyed this dish! She said, "It's very light and fluffy and the basil is mild and it's not too sugary." She too was stuffed, so took half of her eclair dessert home to her husband Dan, whom you met in the first of the "By the Numbers" series. 

Of Italian descent, Dan knows good food! Nikki told me later... Hesitantly, he sniffed the eclair and ... then it was gone!  He too liked it as much as Nikki had! That, my friends, tells you that this was another delicious dessert! Now I wish I'd had a bite when Nikki offered!

Whether you order dessert first or wait to savor it at the end of your meal, save room so that you can do just that...then, relax into it, get to know it, and enjoy the time you have together. Make dessert the wonderful experience these truly were! 

Seven Lamps | "By the Numbers" | Photo: @atlantafoodie

We enjoyed two dishes from the Savouries menu and two from the Small Plates menu.

I enjoyed everything we had that evening, but my personal favorite was the Roasted Garlic Panisse. I love garlic, but the name didn't grab me ... at first. 

Our server Sean explained what it is—Panisse is made from chick pea powder, it has a crispy exterior and a creamy interior, similar to polenta. The accompaniments are generous dollops of black garlic and lemon aioli.  

We immediately ordered it. And upon arrival to our table, we immediately devoured it. I'll definitely have this again, if it's on the menu. If it does leave the menu, don't be surprised if you see me begging Chef Drew for the black garlic and lemon aioli recipes!

NOTE: The menu at Seven Lamps evolves, sometimes changing daily. The menus on the website might not be up-to-date, so know that going in. The good news is that whatever you order, it will be seasonal and fresh!

Seven Lamps | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

We were dining alfresco. Inside the restaurant things were quite lively and it looked like great fun, but we opted for the lovely outside seating—where the lighting was excellent for photographs and where it's considerably quieter.

Being a number of weeks into summer, it was a warm evening, but not uncomfortable. A lighter dish was in order. Looking over the menu, the Local Lettuces Salad sounded light, but it was what's on/in the salad that locked me in. 

The butter lettuce, cherries, and vanilla granola all sounded wonderful, but it was the buttermilk vinaigrette that I was most looking forward to. I'm not a fan of plain buttermilk, but my grandmother made the best buttermilk biscuits in the world...in the world! The buttermilk vinaigrette on this salad was absolutely lovely and the lightness I was looking for!

Seven Lamps | "By the Numbers" | Photo: @atlantafoodie

The Stuffed Banana Pepper was huge...HUGE, I tell you! It delivers heat on multiple levels. It comes out of the kitchen hot! And its flavor profile offers plenty of spicy hot! 

I like spicy hot dishes, as does Nikki but she evidently got a super spicy bite. It wasn't a deterrent, mind you, it just became a topic of conversation as the pepper gradually disappeared from the rustic blue plate, a dinner size plate. That pepper was HUGE! And the plates come out warm, to help keep your food warm longer. A nice touch that you don't see everywhere.

The pepper is stuffed with carolina gold rice, roasted summer peppers, corn, and asiago, then it's tempura fried. Wholly delicious!

Seven Lamps | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

The Chacuterie and the Artisan Cheeses come in 1, 3 or 5 selection options. We had one charcuterie and one cheese. The accompaniments are plentiful! On our visit, we enjoyed 420 beer mustard, pickles, pickled grapes, a pumpkin seed/pecan brittle, and grilled baguette. 

This was a fun and flavorful board...we both loved it!

Seven Lamps | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Summer in Atlanta, sitting outside, of course we started with cold libations! Or I should say cold hand-crafted cocktails.

From their Signature Cocktails menu I had the SCARLETT GINGER (pictured above), made with vodka, lime, pomegranate, and ginger. You can tell from the ice shards that it was refreshing, and it was flavorful, too. I thought with this combination of flavors it would have to be good. It was great!

Nikki enjoyed THE IRRATIONAL (pictured below), made with Bellringer Gin, chilies, grapefruit, lime, bitters, and mint. She liked it because, "It was spicy and not too sweet." 

We both love a good martini, but we've noticed that in the craft cocktail world, there seem to be fewer too-sweet drinks out there, a very good thing from where we're sitting. I don't know if this is a new trend or one that we're just now noticing. Whichever it is, we're grateful to have a wider range of craft cocktail options! 

Seven Lamps | "By the Numbers" | Photo: @atlantafoodie

The young lady who seated us was pleasant, but evidently didn't tell the manager and chef that we were there on a story assignment, which I shared with her upon our arrival. The good thing about that is that we received the same service, food and drinks that any other dining guest would have. And it was excellent...FIVE STARS! 

Our server Sean was fantastic! Throughout the whole of the evening, he was attentive, took time to answer all of our questions and in a fashion that was relaxed and made us feel like we were 'friends' of the restaurant, like we were valued guests. Seriously, when you go, if you get Sean's section, you're in for an awesome experience! "Thank you, Sean!" 

And a big "Thank you!" to Carl, the manager on duty that evening, with whom we shared some delightful post-dinner conversation.

Seven Lamps got its name from an extended essay (book-length) by English art critic John Ruskin titled "The Seven Lamps of Architecture", published in 1849. 

The "lamps" refer to the seven principles of architecture: Sacrifice, Truth, Power, Beauty, Life, Memory, and Obedience. Co-owner and Executive Chef Drew Van Leuvan recognized that these principles are also applicable in the kithen, thus Seven Lamps' unique name.

Much like the varied skills required of an executive chef and to produce an interesting, enticing regularly changing menu, in addition to being an art patron and the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, John Ruskin was skilled in a number of other disciplines including being a draughtsman, a watercolorist, a prominent social thinker, a theorist, and a philanthropist. He would be an excellent answer to the "If you could have dinner with anyone living or dead...?" question.

THINGS TO KNOW before going to Seven Lamps:

• All tables are communal—a great way to meet new people!
• Parking is free, in their shared lot in front of the restaurant.
• If you're visiting Seven Lamps during the holidays, know that parking takes time and patience. 
• There's a fire-pit in the outdoor dining area.
• If you're making a reservation for 12 or more guests, please call the restaurant.

OF NOTE: Consider the Cook's Table. It seats eight, but you don't have to have a party of eight to enjoy this experience. This one also is a communal table, so if there are fewer than eight in your Cook's Table party, you'll be sitting with strangers, which could be great fun! There are 3, 5, and 8 course experiences offered and wine and cocktail menus are available for each menu. I think we'll try this next time!

Thank you to staff, service, and chefs for a wonderful dining experience at Seven Lamps! We'll be back.

Here's our planned Top 10 Atlanta Restaurants "By the Numbers", one per month in 2017:

ONE midtown kitchen
599 Dutch Valley Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

TWO urban licks
820 Ralph McGill Boulevard, NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

Local Three Kitchen & Bar
3290 Northside Parkway, NW, Atlanta, GA 30327

Bar Margot at Four Seasons
75 14th Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

5Church Atlanta
1197 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30361

Six Feet Under Pub & Fish House
437 Memorial Drive, SE, Atlanta, GA 30312

Seven Lamps
3400 Around Lenox Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30326

Eight Sushi Lounge
930 Howell Mill Road, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318

Nine Mile Station
675 Ponce de Leon Avenue, NE, Atlanta, GA 30308

10th & Piedmont
991 Piedmont Avenue, NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

Disclaimer: If you live in Atlanta or visit on a regular basis, you know how quickly the Atlanta restaurant scene can change. Our lineup is subject to change based on the Atlanta restaurant landscape over the first 10 months of 2017. Also, all opinions are our own and not at all influenced by the restaurant owners, staff or PR firms, whether we treated ourselves or were hosted by the said restaurant.

If you're enjoying this series, please follow:

atlantafoodie on Instagram
wanderlust ATLANTA on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Thank you for coming along on what we think will be a FUN food journey over 10 months in 2017. Our selection of restaurants is a subjective choice of what we think will be an exciting new way to experience Atlanta restaurants: "By the Numbers". Please, tell your friends and family what we're doing and invite them to also come along for the taste tour!

Top 10 Atlanta Restaurants "By the Numbers" - 5Church Atlanta

This month Nikki and I visited the relatively recently opened 5Church Atlanta. We've both been there for a networking event and I've dined at the bar, but this was the first dining room experience for us both.

Welcome back to our Top 10 Atlanta Restaurants "By the Numbers", a monthly series by wanderlust ATLANTA and super-popular food Instagramer atlantafoodie! Our fifth stop on this 10 restaurant tour was 5Church Atlanta, which is approaching its one-year anniversary.

What we believe is a unique spin on 'Top 10' lists, we're not counting down, but instead we're showcasing some of Atlanta's restaurants with numbers in their names! Some we've been to before and others will be a first-time experience. We're going to make all of them FUN!

5Church Atlanta | "By the Numbers" | Photo: @atlantafoodie

Let us say right off that our server, Renee, was awesome! She took great care of us, was fun and professional. 5Church Atlanta owner, Ayman Kamel, greeted us early on and would later give us a grand tour of the restaurant. More about that momentarily...

Our dining experience began with the Specialty Cocktails menu (surprise, surprise), and what a great place it was to start! Nikki had the "Verde". 

In keeping with being a gin girl, Nikki enjoyed that this drink starts with Hendrick's gin. It also has cilantro, lime, fresno, and chilies. Nikki, not being a sweet drinks person, found this libation to be quite refreshing. And, visually, it's spectacular...next time I'll have one!

5Church Atlanta | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

On to the starters...

I didn't really know what Poke was until Nikki started talking about the various dishes of it that she's enjoyed around town. Since then I've had it a number of times. This particular starter, the Ahi Tuna Poke, I liked very much! I love raw tuna to begin with, so I was hooked as soon as this dish hit the table.  

I loved the balance between the heat of the chilies and the sweetness of the pineapple. Nikki found it a little sweet for her taste, but enjoyed it all the same. It also has avocado, radish and soy sherry!

5Church Atlanta | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

I've loved octopus since I lived in Greece in the mid-1980s and have an appreciation for "good" and "great" octopus...and have a keen sense and sincere distaste for "bad" octopus. 

This Charred Octopus is exceptional. The char is excellent. The color is fantastic (It's beautiful, right?). The texture is far more tender than most octopus I've had in the States. It's served on lime yogurt and chili sauce and topped with cilantro.

5Church Atlanta | "By the Numbers" | Photo: @atlantafoodie

Again, I was sucked in by the name of a cocktail. 

Immediately after I saw "Gingers Have More Fun" I had to have it. You can't tell it now, but when I was younger I had auburn highlights in my hair and when I was older my beard (which people only saw on weekends when I didn't shave) grew in auburn. Today, if I let my beard grow in—which I don't—it looks like Edward from Twilight, glistening in the sunlight! 

I'm not usually a whiskey drinker, but "Wow!", this was delicious! Topped with a slice of blood orange, this amazing cocktail is made with rye whiskey, ginger liqueur, blood orange hibiscus soda, and smoked simple syrup. Sounds amazing, doesn't it? It was! 

Being the wine fan that I am, I switched to a Pinot Noir for the entree course. The restaurant offers an excellent wine list, as well as bubbles and beer—in bottles, cans, and draft—some of them local, including Monday Night Brewing.  

5Church Atlanta | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

One would think Wagyu Beef Fried Rice would be an entree, but this unexpected treat is a side dish! We also had the Hearth Roasted Broccoli, with umami sauce and smoked parmesan. Yum, yum, yum! 

On a previous visit I'd enjoyed the Shrimp Kinilaw starter, a dish similar to ceviche. The coconut milk, Thai chilies and ginger set this dish apart...a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. I've also had the 5Church Lamb Burger (50% lamb, 50% beef), which is one of the best burgers I've ever had, but how could it not be with red onion marmalade, arugula and gorgonzola fondue! 

It's going to be so difficult to try new dishes here when what I've already had is so incredibly amazing. 

5Church Atlanta | "By the Numbers" | Photo: @atlantafoodie

The Atlantic Diver Scallops are divine! 

Scallops are an easy dish to cook well, but few make them quite this outstanding. These are served on parsnip puree and coupled with sunchoke and charred leeks that are topped with brown butter "snow" (the menu says sesame snow, so ask your server). The scallops are topped with wasabi tobiko. The brown butter snow and tobiko are the stars of this dish!

5Church Atlanta | "By the Numbers" | Photo: @atlantafoodie

We enjoyed one of the steak options...OMG, it was delicious, tender, and charred in all the right places! Cooked to a perfect medium-rare, which Nikki and I both love, this steak is a steak-lover's dream come true. 

THEN, dip a bite of it in the chimichurri sauce accompanied with it (one of several options)...you're going to have yet another culinary wow-moment. And don't even get me started on the silky whipped potatoes! 

5Church Atlanta | "By the Numbers" | Photo: @atlantafoodie

And then there was dessert!

We got two and shared. The first was their Dulcey Mousse! It's souffle cheesecake covered in a dome of caramelia ganache sprinkled with crispy chocolate pearls and accompanied with macerated strawberries! The cheesecake is light and it doesn't overpower with sweetness. Wholly, totally and completely delightful.

5Church Atlanta | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

And then there was the S'Mores Floating Island. This "delicious"-doesn't-say-enough dessert is a toasted chocolate cream filled meringue resting in a sea of vanilla creme anglaise, all sprinkled with graham strausel. Strand me on that island any day! Seriously. Castaway wouldn't have been a movie if Tom Hanks had been stranded on this island.

Nikki isn't a sweets person, but she totally went in for a second bite of this AMAZING dessert! We both agreed that this was one of the best desserts we've enjoyed in recent history...and probably again in the near future.

5Church Atlanta | "By the Numbers" | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

The artwork in 5Church Atlanta is magnificent! It's a spectacular collection that largely gives a nod—sometimes subtly, sometimes obviously—to "5". Perhaps the most remarkable art feature is on the ceiling. The...entire...ceiling! 

Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", believed to have been published in the 5th Century BC, is written (painted) in white letters on a black ceiling...in its entirety. The entire text! Artist Jon Norris has painted the same copy on the ceilings of all three 5Church locations (Charlotte and Charleston being the other two). This work is a tribute to the owner's philosophy that "There is only we." 

There's enough art and stories behind the pieces to make for a whole book! When you visit the restaurant, ask about the art...talk about the art...enjoy the art. A few of the Atlanta-inspired pieces are by artists: Matt Hooker, Rodney Raines, and Bhakti Baxter.

You'll see a "tree" in the middle of the main dining area. It's an artistic distraction separating the "bar area" (the dining area closest to Peachtree Street) from the "Buffalo Room" (the main dining room) adorned with a spectacular buffalo sculpture by Georgia native William Massey.

The "wings" chandeliers throughout the restaurant are the only ones you'll find in a restaurant. 5Church has an exclusive agreement with the manufacturer...they can sell them to other businesses, but not to any other restaurant. That's pretty awesome in my book!

Of course, being the sci-fi enthusiast I am, I couldn't not mention the UFO Room! (pictured above) The room sits slightly above the Buffalo Room and is opened for private events and when the restaurant is super busy, which as more and more people learn how awesome this dining destination is, I estimate will be quite often. It's now my personal goal to dine in the UFO Room!

5Church Atlanta | "By the Numbers" | Photo: @atlantafoodie

Following our awesome tour, Ayman spent time with us on the upper level patio where we discussed the restaurant at length, as well as enjoyed conversation about family, friends and living in Atlanta. We made a new friend...a rarity in such meetings, but we were made to feel like family. And now we're going to bring other friends-like-family and hope you will, too.

Ayman shared with us that the specialty cocktail menu is being updated. But, instead of just randomly changing the menu, he's keeping what has been guest favorites and then conducted a cocktail competition among the staff, several of which were recently added to the regular specialty drinks menu! What an awesome team building move that was! and a delicious one from what we hear. 

The outdoor balcony is a must-visit, whether for happy hour, dinner, or for after-dinner drinks. The view is spectacular...your eyes scale 1180 Peachtree, the skyscraper that has the colossal fins at its peak, with One Atlantic Center in the near background. I love this view! 

One Atlantic Center (formerly the IBM Tower) was built the year I moved to Atlanta (1987) and 1180 Peachtree was the most beautiful building on the Atlanta skyline when I moved back to Atlanta more than six years ago. This is one of the most active, yet serene balcony's you'll find in Atlanta.  

5Church Atlanta is situated in the heart of Atlanta's Arts District. A few of the nearby experiences include Woodruff Arts Center, High Museum of Art, Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA), SCADShow, and other nearby cultural and entertainment destinations. Dine and go or go and dine...5Church Atlanta is a must-include night on the town!  

THINGS TO KNOW before going to 5Church Atlanta:

• The parking deck is accessible via a tunnel on Peachtree Street immediately in front of Colony Square. After dining, get parking validation at the host stand...it's free!
• Valet parking is available, starting at 6:00 p.m. Pull into the circular drive in front of Colony Square on Peachtree Street. 
• 5Church is great for happy hour, date night, special occasions, groups, and private events...or just because. Treat yourself.
• Colony Square, where 5Church Atlanta is located, will soon be undergoing a significant redesign. It's going to be spectacular!
• 5Church Atlanta recently announced a new executive chef, Scotley Innis. A Bronx, New York native. Look for influences from his Caribbean heritage on the restaurant's Southern-American menu!

OF NOTE: If you've visited Atlanta before, or haven't been to Midtown in a long time, you'll find that 5Church Atlanta is in the former space of Shout, which was part the restaurant group Here to Serve that closed suddenly at the end of 2015. We're happy that such an awesome new restaurant now occupies such a coveted space! 

Here's our planned Top 10 Atlanta Restaurants "By the Numbers", one per month in 2017:

ONE midtown kitchen
599 Dutch Valley Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

TWO urban licks
820 Ralph McGill Boulevard, NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

Local Three Kitchen & Bar
3290 Northside Parkway, NW, Atlanta, GA 30327

Bar Margot at Four Seasons
75 14th Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

5Church Atlanta
1197 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30361

Six Feet Under
437 Memorial Drive, SE, Atlanta, GA 30312

Seven Lamps
3400 Around Lenox Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30326

Eight Sushi Lounge
930 Howell Mill Road, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318

Nine Mile Station
675 Ponce de Leon Avenue, NE, Atlanta, GA 30308

10th & Piedmont
991 Piedmont Avenue, NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

Disclaimer: If you live in Atlanta or visit on a regular basis, you know how quickly the Atlanta restaurant scene can change. Our lineup is subject to change based on the Atlanta restaurant landscape over the first 10 months of 2017. Also, all opinions are our own and not at all influenced by the restaurant owners, staff or PR firms, whether we treated ourselves or were hosted by the said restaurant.

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Thank you for coming along on what we think will be a FUN food journey over 10 months in 2017. Our selection of restaurants is a subjective choice of what we think will be an exciting new way to experience Atlanta restaurants: "By the Numbers". Please, tell your friends and family what we're doing and invite them to also come along for the taste tour!