Across the country, young Jewish chefs and restaurateurs have cast an appreciative eye on the dining habits of their grandparents and great grandparents, and they’ve taken it upon themselves to modernize the delicatessen (cured meats) and appetizing (cured fish) eateries of yore. We’ve got one of the country’s best examples here, where chef Todd Ginsberg pushes the genres in ways that are intelligent, unpretentious and filled with surprising pleasures. From a definitive Reuben to a hamburger piled messily with gruyere cheese and crispy pastrami, he proves himself a master of the sandwich. But his vegetarian dish of curried lentils and eggplant with yogurt tastes nearly as indulgent. Head baker Robert Alexander fills a tempting pastry case and crafts the best restaurant bread in the city.
1540 Avenue Place, Atlanta. 678-927-9131, thegeneralmuir.com.
