Like STK, its sister restaurant next door, Cucina Asellina in Midtown is a scene sort of bar-restaurant. But compared to the high-energy action at STK, Asellina can be comfortably chill and welcoming, especially once you get past the doorman.
Does the name really mean “little ass”? Whatever. The latest Atlanta venture from haute hospitality company The One Group is a petite spin-off of Manhattan’s chic Ristorante Asellina inside Park Avenue’s Gansevoort Park Hotel.
The look: Still a work in progress during a recent weeknight visit, the space in the 12th & Midtown development hugs a wide curve of sidewalk along Peachtree Street. Inside, the design combines contemporary and earthy elements, with terra cotta walls, polished concrete floors and gently glowing lights. Beyond the bar, high-top tables, banquettes and an outdoor patio offer diverse seating settings.
The scene: One spring-like evening, the front doors to the patio were wide open and a warm breeze wafted through the buzz of the restaurant. Several groups of stylishly dressed women seemed primed for celebrity sightseeing, while a large party at a long high-top table toasted someone’s birthday with a bit of bubbly.
The menu: Mirroring the atmosphere, chef Marco Porceddu, a native Sardinian who developed the menu at Ristorante Asellina, mixes rustic and nouveau-Italian. A small selection of entrees range up to $30. But flatbreads fired in a wood-burning oven, handmade pastas, charcuterie and cheese are the heart of the offerings. Look for the likes of meatballs with mozzarella fonduta ($10), wild mushroom flatbread with fontina and green onions ($12), and square spaghetti with pomodora and fresh basil ($14).
The drinks: There’s a concise beer and wine list. Featured cocktails ($12) include the Delicata with Bombay Sapphire, Lillet Blanc and St. Germain, and the Italian Sangria La Bianca with Grey Goose Poire, lime, white cranberry juice, lemon and Moscato d’Asti.
The extras: Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. and brings on sandwiches such as a grilled chicken panini with provolone, spinach and dried tomato ($12) and a beef burger with fontina, cipollini, mortadella and truffle fries ($14), plus salads, flatbreads and pastas.
Dining out
Cucina Asellina, Midtown
11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
Appetizers and salads, $7-$11; pizza and flatbread, $10-$14, pasta, $14-$18; lunch, $8-$15.
1075 Peachtree Street N.E., Atlanta, 404-793-0144, www.togrp.com
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