Courtesy of Bon Appétit
Atlantans already know our food scene shines, but recognition on a national scale is always a nice bonus. This week three Atlanta restaurants—Lusca, Gunshow, and Sobban—were included on Bon Appétit’s annual “50 Nominees for America’s Best New Restaurant 2014” list.
Bon Appétit’s restaurant and drink’s editor, Andrew Knowlton, scoured new restaurants across the country to compile his list, of which, ten finalists will be announced on August 19.
Lusca
This seafood-centric brainchild of Octopus Bar’s Angus Brown and Nhan Le opened in South Buckhead this past March. Open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch, Lusca features Octopus-themed décor and murals, in keeping with the theme of Le and Brown’s first restaurant.
Gunshow
Opening in the spring of 2013, Top Chef alum Kevin Gillespie has been pushing the envelope of traditional kitchen/restaurant layout ever since, with his inventive open-kitchen concept that puts the chefs front and center and invites diners to sit at communal tables and receive (or pass on) dishes delivered by chefs, about which Knowlton notes it’s “tough to say no.” Gunshow was originally featured in our September 2013 issue as one of Atlanta’s “Best New Restaurant.”
Sobban
Though one might not think to pair Southern down-home cooking with tradition Korean soul food, it’s clearly working for husband and wife team Cody Taylor and Jiyeon Lee, who first made their mark with their similarly themed Korean/southern Heirloom Market BBQ. Knowlton calls their inventive dishes like the kimchi deviled eggs, shrimp and rice grits, and Korean fire wings “fiery, funky, but above all delicious.”
