Serving its own brand of modern American cuisine, Livingston Restaurant and Bar in Atlanta is a prestigious address to be seen at and a stomach-satisfying place to dine at
There is an asymmetrical, long, brilliant modern chandelier at the corner of North and Peachtree street, which you can see from outside in fact, that sets the tone for a dining experience at Livingston Restaurant and Bar in Atlanta. Located inside the historical The Georgian Terrace hotel, my eyes instantly went up to the large stone pillars, staircases winding up for more seating, and further huge chandeliers.
“These pillars are more than 100 years old and were built when the hotel was built. While the hotel has undergone transformation and changes in the past years, the restaurant hasn’t been changed much because of these pillars,” the manager of the restaurant told us. And truth be told, I like the character they give to Livingston. Ending in carved designs, they are quite inspired by Greek-Roman designs I think. And when they glow at night, the entire places jazzes up with infinite luminosity all around!
Everything is larger than life at Livingston. Whether it is its namesake or the large, blurred photographs on the walls, or the food servings. The restaurant is created on the site of the house of a former mayor of Atlanta – Livingston Mims. As much as he used to love hosting social gatherings in his hay days, Livingston loves to feed people who appreciate excellent food.
The Livingston Bar is large with high ceilings, fully furnished bar and plush seating, were you could easily imagine gentlemen sipping their cognacs at the end of a hard day of negotiations. As we were there for a brunch, we made our way towards the equally appealing restaurant. Comfortable seating, an open kitchen, and simple but rich setting made up the décor. The seating upstairs is as plush and relaxed as those below. The restaurant is also connected to the ballroom which had hosted the premiere party for the classic ‘Gone with the Wind’ movie.
Food stories
Timothy, our server, was quick, agile and extremely helpful. Our menus were handed quickly, and we were taken through the special brunch menu with ease and knowledge. Being vegetarians and having special preferences, Timothy was sent back and forth to consult with the chef about what we could have. The nimble footed Tim would do it all with an affable smile.
Starting with fresh fruit juices, we studied the menu and found ourselves quite impressed with it! Making the usual breakfast favorites, such as omelettes and crepes more interesting, we were quite spoilt for choice. As we waited for our order, we enjoyed the view outside the large windows, which overlooked the historic Fox Theatre.
Then came Timothy, balancing our extravagant order, which occupied all our further attention. I had ordered for Lobster Newberg crepes, where the lobster had been replaced by veggies. Supplemented by cheddar cheese, drenched in sherry cream and adorned with finely chopped parsley, the crepe was sinful! Soft and melt-in-mouth, I added a bit of pepper to spice it up for myself. But the original flavours of mushrooms, peppers, cheese, asparagus combined with the creamy textured crepe was exquisite!
The black truffle omelette, filled with smoked mushrooms, onion and gruyere cheese was a unique dish. Though a little dry, the rich combination of ingredients did work their magic. In comparison, the Livingston omelette found more favour on our table. Filled with onion, peppers and cheddar cheese, it was fresh, juicy and well done.More to be had
With our appetite satisfied and stomach as full as it could be, we wished we could have tried their delicious sounding Mini Quiche Lorraine with bacon, gruyere cheese, Dijon and shaved vegetable salad. We had almost ordered the French toast made with Grand Marnier batter and served with warm Vermont maple syrup, before we stopped ourselves. They even have special Theatre Brunch Buffets that are served whenever there is a theatre show happening at the Fox Theatre. However, do check with the restaurant for exact days and timings.
Steeped in history and elegance, Livingston Restaurant and Bar is an admirable haven for those who appreciate authenticity. The cuisine is modern American, but with a southern twist which we were glad to experience! The best part is that they preserve the actual flavors of their ingredients. Instead of twisting and moulding them to sell another taste, they mix and match the ingredients and offer something utterly delectable which you hadn’t expected. Next time, it’s going to be dinner for us at Livingston.
Coordinates: 659 Peachtree St, NE Atlanta, Georgia
Ph: 404-897-5000
Follow the author at @soumya2106
