Where to Eat in November: The Rotisserie Shop, Serenidad, Postino Wine Cafe, and More

The second new restaurant this year from Deborah VanTrece, Serenidad focuses on Latin soul and island cuisine, inspired by VanTrece’s travels through Mexico, South and Central America, and the Caribbean. Executive chef Whitney Thomas delivers the creatively interpreted classic dishes, via snacks like elote “ribs,” aka long, curly slices of street corn seasoned with roasted garlic and chile spice, lime oil, and cotija. In addition to sandwiches ranging from Cubans to the Chimi burger (topped with salsa rosado, pickled green tomatoes, red cabbage slaw, and crema de aji amarillo), you’ll also find smoked chicken and short rib tacos, and main selections including fried whole snapper and a shrimp and grits version of paella.

With plans to open nine additional locations, mostly in cities around the southeast, Your 3rd Spot chose Atlanta to launch the first spot for its ambitious blend of “a restaurant, bar, beer garden, and social club.” The 26,000-square-foot space at The Works includes a classic and modern arcade, an indoor “cornhole arena” with 10 boards, and a 4,000-square-foot patio. The chef’s an alumnus of The Optimist and Lyla Lila, and has given the small-plate menu more flair than one might expect from the gaming/eating format. Examples include roasted bone marrow with black garlic sourdough toast, wagyu beef tartare, kimchi fried rice, and even beef cheek tacos. You’re also encouraged to download and use Y3S’ app, which features a Match and Connect that pairs you with other guests based on personality and game preferences.

Call 770-230-3033 for more information.

No you don’t have to drive all the way to Athens (as you well know) for authentic Italian cuisine, even if you reside closer to the heart of Atlanta than Alpharetta. Elegant and refined, the dining area is prettied up with broad archways, ornate tiled floors, and starry overhead string lights. Here, imported and housemade pastas meet Piedmontese meat over boutique wines and craft cocktails. The herbed prawns with hen of the woods mushrooms and heirloom polenta is a great option, as are the lamb pillow ravioli, the short rib Bolognese pappardelle, and the spaghetti alla chittara. Pre-game any of those with house-aged carpaccio, veal meatballs, or tuna crudo. As for cocktails, they lean into clear spirits, with the Limone (gin, Suze, blanc vermouth, and lemon) a citrusy example worth experiencing on your first visit.

This modern Mexican restaurant aims for a mix of supper club and rooftop lounge, overlooking West Midtown from the King Plow Arts Center lot. Inside and out, from the grand staircase leading to the boho-style canopy terrace, to the Mexican lamps shining against rustic custom-plastered walls, contemporary design elements mingle with Mexican architectural design elements. Chef Santiago Gomez’s food is made with corn, beans, chiles, and other ingredients almost exclusively sourced from Mexican farmers and producers. The results, prepared over wood fire, include tetelas (triangular corn masa with pink oyster mushrooms and peach mole), cured hamachi tostadas, and ora king salmon al pastor in pineapple-vanilla sauce, among others. The bar leans into Tequila and mezcal, with a wine list of natural and skin-contact standouts. Be aware that if you hit the bar, the menu shifts to a completely different Japanese-Mexican menu with snacks like nori tacos, tostadas, oysters, and of course, sake. There’s even an omakase version of the menu at one of four select counter seats, and a 10-seat chef’s table for sharing family-style dinner offerings. 

Call 678-492-9211 for more information.

It’s not uncommon for Atlantans to end up in Athens this time of year, as you might assume for a state that shares its name with a school that won the college national football championship last year (#GoDawgs). While you have plenty of options for football season dining in Athens, fall is the perfect time to stop into this Italian bistro led by Krista and Jerry Slater (formerly of H. Harper Station here in ATL). Here you’ll find salumi, Roman artichokes, and other starters, and heartier dishes like sausage ragu tagliatelle, pomodoro bucatini with anchovies, and mighty meat and fish entrees including a 12-ounce grass-fed NY strip from Georgia-based Hunter Cattle Farm. You’ve also got 13 wines by the glass, and for those who’re keeping track of the hot new (well, actually old) beverage trend, yes, you can order a Negroni sbagliato. Yes, with prosecco in it. 

Offering international and domestic wine, food, and “all the good vibes you could ask for,” this all-day cafe and wine bar opened mid-September, bringing a new venue for vino, charcuterie boards, shareable snacks, paninis, and more to Buckhead, along with a selection of wines by the glass and bottle, and warm hospitality. Somm-slash-beverage director Brent Karlicek curates the proprietary wine program of exclusive boutique juice, which smart folks such as yourself can experience during daily happy hour, which runs from open until 5 p.m. and features $6 glasses (and beer pitchers for those who partake in brews). Stop in on Mondays and Tuesdays after 8 p.m. for “Bottle & Board,” pairing bruschetta and a bottle of wine for $25. Also check out weekend brunch, which starts at 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Call 678-608-1955 for more information.

Ian Winslade’s chef skills have been on full display at M+M for years, with simply-yet-expertly-prepared dishes that have kept the restaurant in the “best restaurants in Atlanta” conversation, season after season. You should be particularly interested this month because it’s definitely roasted meat season, and every week the restaurant hosts a Sunday roast, which last month included a 10-ounce prime rib in red wine jus. Fear not if you’re not into animal proteins; the roasted baby beets salad and margherita pie are just as phenomenal, and seaborne supper fans won’t have a complaint after biting into the restaurant’s tempura shrimp with pineapple sambal. Mission: accepted.

Trillith’s big, Northern Italy-inspired steakhouse incorporates immersive camera technology on large screens, which allow guests anywhere in the 180-seat space to see what’s going on in the kitchen, at the bar, and on stage. Follow along for a glimpse into the seasonal offerings, from pastas to meat cuts, fresh seafood, and plant-based dishes. For dinner you can start with baked wagyu meatballs with focaccia, tomato composta, and buffalo mozzarella, then steer, quite literally, toward a 16-ounce dry-aged Delmonico with butter and sauce choices, and al a carte sides such as truffled potatoes with Calabrian chimichurri. You can even bring the pooch — the dog-friendly patio makes for a quite-fancy, pet-friendly alfresco dining experience. Those who like a bit more exclusivity can request a membership in the Me & Enzo club, where you’ll get invitations to members-only parties, music events, and art exhibitions, and receive priority access to the chef’s table and private dining room. 

Call 770-756-9188 for more information.

You’ll never be roasted for choosing dinner at The Rotisserie Shop, where the chef-driven menu of all-natural meats and locally sourced produce keeps things rustic, humble, but most importantly, delicious. The evidence is in the flavor, which you’ll find in the caramelized brussels sprouts in bacon cider jam, just as obviously as it turns up in the hot chicken sandwich in cayenne Buffalo sauce and Alabama white sauce. The stars of the show include the 12-hour roasted and pulled pork with brown sugar barbecue sauce, and the rotisserie chicken, which can come with waffles, served by the quarter (dark or white meat), or as a “family picnic” in whole bird fashion. Be sure to check them out on Instagram, as Thanksgiving packages are likely to be announced soon.

While breakfast isn’t an option, you’re all good for lunch, dinner, late-night, and weekend brunch at this approachably farm-to-table dine-in. The Prohibition-esque atmosphere is moody and intimate with gray, red, and black shades throughout, illuminated with dim lighting via dramatic chandeliers, letting Peachtree Street pedestrians see you looking all cool and what-not at your table. The menu is New American with Asian influence, made using French cooking techniques and locally sourced ingredients. That includes a smash burger named for Buford Highway, and made with two house-ground brisket and sirloin patties topped with bok choy, ramen, gochujang sauce, and cheese. Those seeking seafood can go for seasonal oysters, scallops with celeriac puree, a lobster roll with garlic butter and herbed mayonnaise, and more. Meatier-minded dinner diners will prefer the lamb chops or rib eye, and for brunch there’s plenty: think French toast bites, mini cornbread pancakes, or venison Benedict. 

Call 770-679-2129 for more information.