Atlanta: Where romantic dining never dies
The best new restaurants in and around Atlanta include three exceptional date spots, said Atlanta magazine. The French-centric menu at Tiny Lou’s is pure amour (think duck consommé with foie gras dumplings), while the Garden and Gun Club is the embodiment of Southern taste. Most romantic of all? Golden Eagle, with its “swoon-worthy” dining room and glam vibe.
French cuisine has made a “triumphant return” to the city at the in-house canteen at the Hotel Clermont, once home to a 1950s burlesque dancer named Tiny Lou. “Part classic brasserie, part hip hotel restaurant, and exactly what the Atlanta restaurant scene needed,” the new Tiny Lou’s features chef Jeb Aldrich’s playful riffs on French classics, including a black cocoa foie gras torchon. 789 Ponce de Leon Ave., (470) 485-0085
When your evening revolves around a Braves game or other event at the Battery, you can find no better getaway than this dreamy restaurant created by the tastemakers at Garden & Gun magazine. “This is fine Southern fantasy indeed”— from the glistening raw bar to the tableside bourbon service and the taxidermy in the ladies’ room. 2605 Circle 75 Parkway, (770) 726-0925
Housed in an elegant former 1930s-era train depot, this self-styled dining club is “handsome in that midcentury way,” with tall ceilings, dark plaid carpeting, and moody lighting. The cocktail list and menu are equally retro, featuring an excellent amaretto sour, crab Rangoon, and a wedge salad. Though such food might sound campy, when presented in the Golden Eagle’s suave setting, “it’s pure seduction.” 904 Memorial Drive, (404) 963-1703