Photograph by Martha Williams
Fifteen years ago, a somewhat hidden South Buckhead gastropub became a local and national sensation, based on an approach to food and drink that made it one of the coolest culinary kids in town. But yesterday’s Holeman & Finch is not today’s Holeman & Finch.
You’ll still find the cool kids inside the new space at Colony Square, as I did on a recent visit. It happened to be the day Michelin announced it was bringing its famous restaurant guide to Atlanta, for better or worse; conversations about what the news could mean for the city’s restaurants could be heard down the bar as I ordered my first cocktail, the spritzy, gin-based Ribbons. Balancing dry vermouth with apricot and amaro, it was a good enough aperitif, though my favorite was ultimately the Crescent Wing, served in a coupe and reminiscent of a Paper Plane. Tangy, with an earthy depth from Madeira, the drink seemed aesthetically and spiritually connected to the classic cool that H&F appears eager to re-create in its new digs.
The decor leans into the clubby appeal of the original—a retro, industrial-funk hangout that closed in 2020, and whose planned move to Midtown was delayed by the pandemic. That vibe felt more organic further up Peachtree Street than in the almost-hip corporate courtyard of Colony Square. But that doesn’t mean the new look is a miss; the mix of warm wood against cold metal, just barely reflecting the dim lighting, does a decent job of mimicking the original H&F’s edgy Gen-X/Millennial experience. Hanging hams flanking the open kitchen, and unique art pieces in each dining booth, prove the vibe was capable of travel, at least partially. But in reality, the OG Holeman & Finch will never be duplicated, for several reasons. (Another: the fact that spirits…
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