Latitude Food + Drink is not your ordinary mall food. Though I suppose Phipps Plaza isn’t your ordinary mall. In fact, ordinary isn’t the word to describe Latitude — the new global-inspired, flavor-focused restaurant opened by lauded Atlanta chef Micah Willix (formerly of Ecco) — at all.

The restaurant is designed by award-winning Atlanta designer Brian Watford and decorated with sophisticated tile wall treatments and unique Edison-bulb chandeliers, and though the dark wood tables and cream-colored leather seating gives off a modern vibe, the restaurant itself is very approachable and even inviting. I took a seat at a long table in the wine library, a room situated off to the side for a more private, intimate dining experience, and lined from floor to ceiling with racks of wine. For the “Drink” half of Latitude Food + Drink, Latitude offers a wine selection of more than 60 Old and New World bottles, as well as re-imagined cocktails. (See below for a special recipe straight from Latitude’s bar!)

At Latitude, Willix focuses on using locally procured fruits and vegetables, as well as ethically produced proteins and fresh fish, which are reflected in a variety of globally influenced menu items. I suggest starting with a few appetizers for sharing: beef tartar (with roasted garlic, fried capers and fresh aioli), spicy pork sausage (housemade pork sausage with cherries and wilted escarole) and tuna ceviche (Atlantic yellowtail tuna, charred avocado, lime juice and EVOO). If you are stopping in for lunch, try the roasted mushroom sandwich (roasted mushrooms, spiced eggplant and buttermilk cheese) with a side of the warm potatoes (with chives and housemade sour cream), which seemed to be my fellow tablemates’ favorite because of an unexpected, subtle smoky flavor. Finishing off the meal, try the doughnut holes, which are delicate and light in composition, bringing to mind the perfect marriage of a doughnut and beignet. 

Whether you are in Buckhead for business or shopping at Phipps for pleasure, Latitude Food + Drink is the ideal option for a fresh, satisfying lunch or dinner at an upscale yet casual location.

Latitude
3500 Peachtree Rd at Phipps Plaza
Atlanta
678-990-9463
www.latitudeatlanta.com

Winter Bramble

By Latitude Food + Drink

2 ounces Nolet’s gin
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
3/4 ounce homemade simple syrup
Blackberry liquor infused with mint

Combine ingredients. Drizzle with blackberry liquor infused with mint. Garnish with mint leave and served over crushed ice.