Courtesy of Erik Meadows Photography
It’s not often that a new attraction appeals to sports fanatics, foodies, and travelers alike. But a new 976-room downtown hotel promises to do just that. Built on the repurposed foundation of the Georgia Dome, the Signia by Hilton Atlanta (159 Northside Drive Northwest) overlooks Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a walkway to the Georgia World Congress Center. It features upgraded versions of the usual wellness components of a luxury hotel (think a spa, pool, fitness center, and beauty bar), plus guest rooms with the latest amenities and technology (digital keys, smartphone-controlled lighting, walk-in rain showers). However, the food and beverage options are where Signia goes above and beyond.
From homestyle breakfast to Italian fine dining, grab-and-go salads to seasonal cocktails by the pool, Signia’s seven restaurants and bars feature something for every occasion. Led by director of food and beverage Jacob Linzey, who brings experience from the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas; executive chef Christian Quinones (W Miami); and pastry chef Daniella Lea Rada (Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta), Signia’s restaurants each have their own chef to help them stand out.
Courtesy of Erik Meadows Photography
“This is geared toward the global traveler who wants a lot of options,” Linzey says. “We want them to have the opportunity to eat and drink different things without leaving the hotel. Especially at Capolinea and Nest on Four, I expect a local crowd too.” (Note to locals: Parking is valet only, so plan accordingly.)
Below, Linzey walks us through each gathering spot, from the bottom of the hotel up.
Courtesy of Gensler
1st Floor:
Lobby Bar
Now open, the lobby bar serves to welcome guests to the hotel. With high ceilings and fiber-optic lighting, it feels open and airy, yet intimate with emerald velvety couches. Stop by the bar for classic cocktails and seasonal shared plates, or grab a seat for table service and enjoy a miniature lobster roll, grass-fed smashburger, or charcuterie board.
Courtesy of Gensler
Friendship Market
Down the hall, Friendship Market is not your average hotel snack closet. Its 2,100-square-feet features cozy, coffee shop-style seating, fresh-pressed juices, house-made pastries, sandwiches, salads, and yogurts. Le Colombe coffee drinks are available, and beer, wine, and spirits are planned. Sure, there are also grab-and-go products from local businesses, but the best is yet to come: an entire section dedicated to chocolate (both high-end packaged and house-made, with port pairings!).
Club Signia
Launched on February 1, Club Signia is the hotel’s all-inclusive option, open only to those who pay for the upgraded room rate (about $150 more per night). Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it features a displayed food area, live cooking station, coffee program, and seven signature cocktails. Designed to be intimate and elegant and afford extra privacy, it’s limited to approximately 85 guests.
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4th Floor:
Homespun
“I think of Southern cuisine as soul food and the things that make you feel good,” Linzey says. That pretty much defines Homespun, a breakfast-forward restaurant that will eventually expand to lunch and dinner. With seating for 250 people, Homespun offers two paths for breakfast: a full buffet and an a la carte menu. Expect fried chicken biscuits using pastry sous chef Ahisha Day’s grandma’s biscuit recipe and Creole tomato shakshuka using farm-fresh ingredients. Want to keep it simple with oatmeal and eggs? That’s available as well.
Courtesy of Gensler
Nest on Four
Sharing an open kitchen with Homespun, Nest on Four is the sports bar of Atlanta fans’ dreams. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcase Mercedes-Benz Stadium in all its glory, and a halo of TVs mimics that inside. Signia reps want guests to think of Nest as their pre-game, post-game, hell—why not during the game?—hang. It’s a modern sports bar a Falcon’s fly from the stadium. It serves lunch and dinner with options like crispy fried chicken sandwich, an “elevated” hot dog, grouper sandwich, mac ‘n’ cheese, short rib poutine made with tater tots, and beignets. Nine beers and three cocktails fill the taps.
Courtesy of Gensler
Capolinea
Touted as the hotel’s signature restaurant, Capolinea offers old-school Italian fine dining. Linzey describes the space as “moody” with dark, comfortable banquettes, intimate booths, and a private dining room for 18 that looks toward the stadium. A wraparound balcony seats 60 guests. Named for the Italian word for “terminus,” the old nickname for Atlanta, Linzey says Capolinea is where “Atlanta meets Italy and trendy meets traditional.” Here, four icebox martinis are served tableside, made with a 50-50 spirit-to-vermouth ratio “to make them more enjoyable and complex,” he says. Also look for a riff on an appletini. For food, there’s handmade pasta, prime steaks, and a Caesar salad with breadcrumbs on every piece of lettuce. Veal Milanese, bucatini pomodoro, and duck ravioli (a take on duck a la orange) are highlights. For dessert, order a cannoli with house-made gelato.
Courtesy of Erik Meadows Photography
5th Floor:
Highball
Slated to open in May, Highball will be a seasonal pool bar. It’ll offer craft cocktails, including a focus on low- and no-ABV drinks, and Southern picnic fare. The menu has not been developed yet.
