mascot's Profile
Flavors of Atlanta!
Janet makes a good point. As a native, I view traffic as a way of life. I would suggest figuring out where you are staying and what you want to see and then determing if you need a car. For example, if you stay outside 285 (the "Perimeter" or OTP) your public transport options are a bit more limited (at least with MARTA trains).
Flavors of Atlanta!
I would also suggest that you search Atlanta just to get some recent reviews. Places I have eaten in the last 6-9 months that come to mind. I think most, if not all, of these places have websites for menus and prices.
Rathbuns (Inman Park)
Cakes and Ale (Decatur)
Watershed (Decatur)
One Midtown Kitchen (Midtown)
South City Kitchen (Midtown)
Pricci (Buckhead)
Murphys (Virginia Highland)
La Tavolo (Virginia Highland)
Leons Full Service (Decatur)
Rosebud (Virginia Highland)
Parish (Inman Park)
Wisteria (Inman Park)
These are not in any particular order. Most of these places I have been there for dinner. Rosebud and Watershed I have been there for brunch only. I happen to live on the east side of the city, hence the geographic concentration. The westside has some nice places as well. Hope this gets you started.
Things to do: Aquarium, wander through Decatur, Oakland Cemetery, shop Lenox/Phipps/Perimeter. Others will have more suggestions I am sure.
I do suggest a car, makes life easier.
Menu Prices
Worry not, armed with an adventurous palate and a food dictionary, we should be ok. Both of us are daring eaters and will try anything once. I would hate to spend all this effort and money to go to Italy and feel "meh" about our meals. In the states, I feel like I have more of a handle on food trends and pricing. In past travels, we have done pretty well with balancing research and "just walking by" luck.
The Downie book is on order.
I agree with you about concierge recs. For example, I was underwhelmed when the Omni Parker House in Boston suggested Oceanaire to us for good seafood. Sure it is a high end chain and my experiences there have been good, but I can eat there in Atlanta. Give us something that your town does locally and does well.
I will certainly report back about the trip.
Menu Prices
Thanks to everyone for all of your help and suggestions. I realize these are hard questions to answer (I don't know you, you don't know me).
We are so excited about this trip and all the research is making my head spin. I just needed a reality check.
We are fine with making one meal the big meal. Glad to see that there are plenty of inexpensive options for all meals.
I figured that wine would be more affordable. We love wine and look forward to learing more about Italian wine.
I will probably take a short list of places that are recommended for each of our cities as well as rely on local recommendations when we get there. Hopefully that will help avoid falling into the trap of "closest place with an open table because we are starving and in a strange city" Sometimes that ends well, sometimes it ends in tourist trap hell. But at the end of the day, we are still in Italy so it may not even matter!
Menu Prices
DH and I are two weeks out from our first trip to Italy where we will visit Venice, Florence and Rome. I am starting to research restaurants and trying to get a feel for budget.
Initial thoughts, Italy is a bit pricier than what I am used to seeing day to day in Atlanta. This is complicated by the weak dollar and my being unfamiliar with Italy.
An average weekday lunch for us would be $10-$15 each. Dinner varies more, a decent dinner with wine would be $80-$100. Of course, we also understand the joy that is cheap ethnic food and hole in the wall oyster bars. I would classify us as relatively fearless when it comes to food.
We enjoy a nice splurge meal and will certainly make room for those on our trip. (Notable splurges have included Cyrus in Healdsburg and Quinones in Atlanta).
It may be that Italy means $75 lunches and $150 dinners. If that is the case, so be it. I just am looking for a frame of reference when scoping menus. I feel a bit silly asking these questions... :)
1) Do the Italians mark up their wine as much as we do in American restaurants? This being Italy, I would imagine that even house wine is pretty decent.
2) Experienced hounds, what do you budget for Italy?
ATL: Eugene vs. Rathbun's
Rathbuns is a place we have returned to again and again. Fun menu with a variety of price points.
IMHO, Rest. Eugene was just ok. The food was over salted and not memorable. Service was friendly but slow. I didn't understand the hype. They recently changed their menu and I haven't been since then.
