Courtesy of the Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry
South City Kitchen is bringing its elegant Southern fare to Alpharetta on January 16. Part of the new Hotel at Avalon, the Fifth Group restaurant’s fourth location (other outposts are in Midtown, Buckhead, and Vinings) will have something none of the others do: a daily breakfast offering.
Starting January 17 and created by chef David Gross, formerly of the W Hotel Buckhead, the menu will include a stacked chicken biscuit with Gouda, pecan-smoked bacon, and apple butter; and avocado toast on whole grain H&F bread topped with poached eggs and bacon. For those who prefer to start the day on a lighter note, a spinach-pineapple-apple cider smoothie will be available. Breakfast service runs from 6:30 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and 7 to 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Like the other locations, the restaurant will still serve brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., beginning a few weeks after opening.
Courtesy of the Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry
“We’re moving into lighter, contemporary Southern food,” Gross says. “We’re looking at more things with grains, a lot of vegetables, and a focus on seasonality with local farmers. It’s a cleaner, low-fat, high-protein cooking style.”
This new philosophy applies to all South City Kitchen locations. Each location has its own menu, although about 30 percent of the items are core items, consistent across the four locations. These include traditional Southern staples such as shrimp and grits, pan-fried chicken livers, fried green tomatoes, Springer Mountain Farms fried chicken, and pimento cheese.
Photo by Heidi Geldhauser
Photo by Heidi Geldhauser
New items unique to the Avalon location include salmon tartare with Kentuckyaki (a bourbon-based marinade), pickled okra, Old Bay crema, and house chips; pan-seared tuna with eggplant-peanut hummus; and Georgia Mountain trout with fingerling sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, goat cheese, and bacon. For breakfast, expect steel-cut oats, pecan granola with fruit, honey, and local Greek yogurt, and grapefruit brulee.
“Breakfast is an extension of brunch. We’re moving into using super fruits, super grains, and blended healthy shakes,” Gross says.
South City Kitchen Avalon will offer a similar beverage program to the other South City Kitchen locations, with a focus on bourbon cocktails and a large wine list.
The 6,000-square-foot space features a patio and private dining room, as well as an expansive bar that extends into the hotel lobby. Designed by the Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry, it features an open kitchen, a glassed-in wine room, and a fireplace on the patio. Gross describes it as “lots of wood, with sexy lighting.”
Courtesy of the Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry
South City Kitchen isn’t the only Fifth Group restaurant with an expansion in the works. Downtown Mexican spot Alma Cocina will open a second location in Buckhead’s Terminus development in 2019.
“Fifth Group has the right recipe for success,” Gross says. “They work hard, take care of the guest. They’re going to keep growing.”
Check out the menus for South City Kitchen Avalon below (tap to enlarge)
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Brunch
