The February Hit List: Holeman & Finch, Humble Pie, Yalda, and More

As of February 9, Linton and Gina Hopkins’ legendary dining lounge — the place that also gave Atlanta one of its greatest cheeseburgers — is finally reborn. This time it’s the recently revitalized Colony Square development instead of south Buckhead where the pub’s casually spirited brand of whole-animal and vegetable fare, provided by area farmers and makers, will host new and established fans. Gina Hopkins handled the design of the elegant and expansive new space, adding hundreds of pieces of art to liven up dark wooden tones those of us who spent time in the original location from 2008 to 2020. The oyster bar and charcuterie program are also returning, as is the famous Crunchy Gentleman sandwich. Our suggestion: secure your reservation as quickly as possible.

Delicious Italian food is always a slam dunk when you’re planning your Valentine’s Day experience, but in the event that the 14th doesn’t work out, consider Amore e Amore anytime this month. For all of February, as Andre 3000 stated on the classic OutKast song “Happy Valentine’s Day,” everyday’s the 14th, since the dining room will offer a multi-course V-Day menu from the 1st through the 28th, in a temporarily redesigned dining room full of “Cupid-approved decorations.” For $150 you’ll get cold and hot antipasto, heart-shaped cheese ravioli in vodka sauce, a lemon sorbet and vodka palate cleanser, and choice of entrees such as chicken Parmigiano, Maine lobster tails and more, with a glass of sparkling wine included. For actual Valentine’s Day reservations are required, and the multi-course is the only option, FYI. 

See the menu here; call 404-600-2176 for reservations.

The latest great restaurant from the group behind Lazy Betty is a pizzeria at The Interlock, which yes, means traffic at Howell Mill and 14th Street is only going to get worse, but at least you have another reason to get out of it and enjoy the comforts of a great (yet humble) pie. What’s in a name? Perhaps its related to the “respectful” definition, as top-tier ingredients are sourced from reputable local farms and providers. That means you get meats from The Spotted Trotter, cheeses from Rock House Creamery, and dough made with flour milled by Athens-based DaySprings Farms, before combined with HP’s housemade starter, born in 2020. These all come together in chef-driven pizzas such as the red-sauced Carnivore (braised short rib, bacon and pepperoni), or the spicy, white-sauced Clam topped with lemon, fior di latte semi-soft cheese, and dippable clam butter. Of course you can add large, buttery Kaluga caviar to the Clam for $35 per half-ounce… and not immediately upload a photo flexing your extravagant meal to social media (that would, after all, be the humble thing to do). But don’t let your experience stop with the pies; the menu also stars a dry-aged, half-pound burger, glazed eggplant steak with couscous, and two styles of fries — one tossed in truffle oil, optionally topped with black winter truffle. It’s called the “Not So Humble” Fries. At some point you can only call “fancy” fancy.  

Taking Latin food on a plant-based escapade is La Semilla, which opened January 12 on the street level of the Modera apartment building. Now with a spiffy Cuban tiki vibe thanks to bamboo sticks, ornate tile, arching bar shelves and soft pastels, the from-scratch kitchen offers seasonal squash empanadas, seitan “carne” asada tacos with vegan cotija cheese made from almonds, a jackfruited version of a Cubano, along with vegan esquites, roasted beet salad with a macadamia nut version of queso fresco, and meat-free Cuban burritos, wraps and more. The beverage menu offers an impressive list of neat rum and agave spirits, rhum agricole old fashioneds and other cocktails, along with biodynamic and natural wines, and zero-proof mixed drinks to make it enjoyable for all.

Call 404-228-3090 to make reservations.

Recently opened just north of Atlanta proper, and reportedly coming soon to West Midtown, and translated from Arabic as “the rebirth of the sun,” Yalda is a bright, vibrant restaurant where hues of cream and gold create an atmosphere honoring the annual Iranian tradition of celebrating the winter solstice. Cocktails are made to reflect the nature of the cuisine, meaning you’ll taste notes of saffron in the bee’s-knees-esque Mitra’s Habibi. The food side of the menu is full of festive and shareworthy foods that symbolize the coming of light over darkness, with a selection of spreads including smoked mirza ghasemi (eggplant, tomato and garlic), a wide variety of protein kabobs from lamb to beef tenderloin and chicken in citrus marinade, and bowls such as the savory zereshk polo rice — the only bowl that you can’t order in large size. Maybe it’s just too delicious?

The swanky Buckhead speakeasy is also following the “Valentine’s Month” format in February, transforming into “The Blind Cupid”: a 28-day pop-up of V-Day-themed food, drinks and décor of “over the top pink.” Highlights from the special small-plate food menu include snacks such as crab bites with remoulade dip, and bacon-wrapped shrimp; sweets range from housemade beignets with fig and strawberry preserves, and a board of both white and dark chocolate ganache with assorted fruits and nuts. They’re also serving lustworthy libations, including the “Love You a Latte” (think espresso martini mixed with Green Chartreuse) and the strawberry gin sour “Say My Name.” There’ll even be warm sippers like the “Con Amor De Abuelita,” which is more or less an ultra-deluxe hot chocolate with mezcal.

Even if you don’t get tickets to celebrate its 10th year in business this month, there are more than enough reasons to visit 3 Parks Wine in February. Named for its proximity to Glenwood, Ormewood and Grant parks, the shop is owned and operated by the inimitable Sarah Pierre, a veteran of Bacchanalia, Twist and other famed Atlanta dining establishments. Pierre maintains a unique stock of selected bottles one might not find at your nearby big box wine vendor (sorry, Costco), which is a reason to stop by today. If you’re looking for a V-Day gift that’ll keep giving throughout the year, sign up for a subscription to 3 Parks’ monthly wine club, where $90 gets you four or six dealers’ choice bottles on the second weekend of each month.

Though it opened with a menu of French cuisine (matching the Parisian market just outside the dining room), Bazati now serves Latin fare from its BeltLine location a few steps away from the Illuminarium. It’s a tall, open and elegant space, where tones of blonde and copper reflect lots of natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows. Brunch and dinner are your options; ask for the adobo-marinated salmon al vapor, which is steamed and roasted, then adorned with Cara Cara oranges, rice croquet and salsa verde, with sweet potato mousse and broccolini onside. Any dish can have 10 grams of black truffle added for $15 — it’s recommended for those ordering the potato gnocchi with braised lamb ragu. For Valentine’s Day Weekend, Bazati is offering pre-fixe dinners at $95 per person, featuring lobster bruschetta, pan-seared strips of wagyu, and a sweets course of chocolate soufflé, chocolate-covered fresh strawberries with hazelnuts, or mango coconut panna cotta.

It’s no secret that Jamaica and other Caribbean islands are prime destinations for romance. It then stands that even when a last-minute round-trip flight to a tropical paradise isn’t immediately doable, one can get close enough in all sorts of ways at this gorgeous restaurant inside a historic fire station. If you’re warming up to the possibilities, consider securing a reservation for Valentine’s Day, where from 4-10 p.m they’ll serve a special dinner for two focused on their “innovative Caribbean cuisine. While food and beverage specials were being kept under wraps at press time, expect the sort of spices that pair perfectly with the sounds of lover’s rock. 

Passing a good time at Lagarde is appropriate anytime of course, but it’s especially a good idea with Fat Tuesday occuring on the 22nd this year as opposed to March. And anyone who has previously tried securing a reservation from this neighborhood-centric New Orleanian restaurant knows that it wasn’t happening. Now on Resy, you can secure a seat at the indoor/outdoor bar (maybe indoor for this month) and get setup for sips of bourbon and as many servings of Cajun cuisine one can stand. Start with an order of spicy BBQ shrimp, served in butter spiked with Abita Amber beer, or a bowl of gumbo with bacon, andouille sausage and shrimp, then grab and devour an oyster po’ boy, or entrees including roasted chicken with dirty rice, jambalaya or “bayou” pasta. Then settle and sweeten up the finale with spicy caramel bread pudding.

Redbird is one of those Atlanta restaurants that you hear about often, but you don’t visit often enough to not be blown away when you return. Case in point: while Zeb Stevenson and his kitchen staff have long been known for plating amazingly fresh takes on vegetable-driven fare, and have also always been stellar at preparing fresh fish entrees, perhaps the most standout dish on the menu is one that many foodies might not order, possibly to avoid an air of predictability. That dish is the boneless, chili-rubbed half-chicken in satsuma vinaigrette, topped with sliced chilis. It’s exceptionally flavorful and seriously tender, despite the fact you’d think it’s a steak from the darkened appearance achieved by the rubbed bark. And like most other Redbird entrees it’s served a la carte, though you’d do quite well to match it with winter greens ohitashi, served in an almost-soup-like level of mushroom dashi broth with chili oil.