New book to capture 100 years of dining at Atlanta’s Colonnade restaurant

For nearly a century, the warm glow of The Colonnade has been a beacon of Southern comfort on Atlanta’s Cheshire Bridge Road. It’s a place where the martinis are strong, the fried chicken is impossibly crisp and time seems to slow down just a little.

Now, to celebrate its remarkable milestone, a new book from Atlanta’s own Richard Eldredge promises to be a cherished keepsake for anyone who holds this landmark dear. Though the 100 year anniversary is 1½ years away, Eldredge is already taking steps to capture the history of this enduring restaurant.

Two empty martini glasses sit on a table at The Colonnade, a restaurant that has been operating since 1927 in Atlanta. (Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC 2024)

Eldredge, a seasoned chronicler of the city’s stories, understands The Colonnade on a deeply personal level. He first discovered it in 1980, after his family moved from New Jersey to Gwinnett County.

“I had never even heard of a meat and three,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. But after trying what he called Atlanta’s “trifecta” of classics — The Varsity, Mary Mac’s and The Colonnade — Eldredge said the latter resonated because its food tasted like home cooking. As an adult, his craving for comfort fare has only grown, making an order of mixed fried chicken, collards and the famous Marian salad his go-to.

Fried chicken — shown with collard greens, green beans and black-eyed peas — has been a staple at Atlanta's longstanding institution The Colonnade. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC 2023)

Eldredge has been gathering stories during “story sessions” held at the restaurant. “To each one of us it means something different,” he said. “We want to fill the pages with not only customers, but staff; some have worked at The Colonnade for half a century.”

The Colonnade first opened in 1927 in a white columned house on the corner of Piedmont Road and Lindbergh Drive, moving to its current location on Cheshire Bridge Road in 1962. Frank Tarleton sold it to Paul Jones in 1979. Jones’ daughter Jodi and her husband, David Stallings, sold it to partners and longtime regulars Paul Donahue and Lewis Jeffries last year.

The Colonnade first opened in 1927 on the corner of Piedmont Road and Lindbergh Drive, moving to its current location on Cheshire Bridge Road in 1962. (AJC File)

In the corner of the bar on a recent Saturday session, the stories kicked off with a tale that will be included in the book. Buckhead resident Buster Carter, a Colonnade patron for 65 years, told of his parents eating once a week at the restaurant. “They felt at home here,” he said, noting that the staff is what makes it special. Tomato aspic was his late father’s favorite, and roast beef was his mother’s order. It was also her last meal. Before the ambulance arrived at the restaurant, Carter said it had been a good day. “She won at bridge that day, she was having dinner with dad and having her favorite meal.”

Eldredge can’t include all the stories in the book, but will decide what fits best. “There are so many wonderful stories,” he said. “To each one of us it means something different, and people are passionate.”

The book will also reveal the restaurant’s role as a haven, with one person sharing that for queer patrons during the peak of the AIDS crisis, it was a crucial “safe space.” This deep sense of hospitality is why the restaurant survived so many challenges, from the crash of 1929 to the COVID-19 pandemic, “the magic of this place,” Dr. Joseph Allen said in his interview with Eldredge.

The coffee table book, expected to be released in late 2026 ahead of the 2027 celebration, will be a full-color tome. Eldredge plans for it to be not only a historical account but also a collection of memories, cherished recipes, and a celebration of the bond between the staff and customers.

Dr. Patrick O'Neal, a regular at The Colonnade, chats with longtime friend and server Rhea Merritt, who now works the front of the house, last year at The Colonnade. For nearly a century, the restaurant has been a beacon of Southern comfort on Atlanta’s Cheshire Bridge Road. (Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC 2024)

Eldredge noted that some employees have worked at The Colonnade for half a century. “The staff are so loyal it intersects with customer loyalty,” he said. Serving Atlanta for 100 years is rare in a city that, as Eldredge puts it, “has a knack for knocking things down.”

Of course, the food is at the heart of it all. The book will feature signature recipes, with a probable two-page spread dedicated to the famed tomato aspic.