By Chef Billy Allin
“For chefs, there is a lot of camaraderie going on right now in Atlanta and this is the beginning of something really good going on.”
ABOUT BILLY ALLIN
Chef Billy Allin is the owner of Cakes & Ale restaurant in Decatur, Proof Bakeshop and the newly opened Bread & Butterfly Café in Inman Park. Allin's previous experience includes Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Martini House in Napa Valley, and Watershed Restaurant in Decatur.
Photo Credit: Amy Sinclair
Cakes & Ale
Allin's flagship restaurant, Cakes & Ale, is celebrating its eighth year this spring. "It is thoughtful, ingredient-driven cooking," says Allin.
Photo Credit: Amy Sinclair
Proof Bakeshop
His bakery called Proof, which used to be connected to Cakes & Ale but moved to a larger location, prides itself on the authenticity of their baking process. “There are no short cuts in our baking process. We don't buy blocks of butter already sheeted for croissants. Everything is done by hand. It is better because someone actually controls what they are doing. A lot of people will buy sheets of butter and then they make their own dough. We do everything from start to finish."
Photo Credit: Amy Sinclair
Bread & Butterfly
This is Allin's newest property, "It's our interpretation of a French cafe. It's open from early in the morning to eleven at night. I keep using the phrase it is non-committal. You are not committing yourself to a full, multi-course meal. The menu changes four times a day, so it is part-restaurant, part-coffee, but a true cafe. You can eat small plates and we have a very big emphasis on wine, but not a huge wine list."
Cakes & Ale
55 Sycamore Street
Decatur, GA 30030
T: 404.377.7994
www.cakesandalerestaurant.com
BOOK A TABLE
Bread & Butterfly
290 Elizabeth Street, Suite F
Atlanta 30307
T: 678.515.4536
www.bread-and-butterfly.com
Proof Bakeshop
100 Hurt Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
T: 678.705.3905
www.proofbakeshop.com
ATLANTA | My Perfect Day
Allin's retaurant Cakes & Ale in Decatur | Photograph courtesy of Cakes & Ale
MORNING
Photograph courtesy of Freedom Farmers Market
Freedom Farmers Market
I like to get up early on Saturdays for this market because it does get busy. It is small with just six or seven farmers.
Proof Bakeshop
This is our tent, so I pop-in here and get a scone and coffee for breakfast. the scone was probably baked an hour before and we serve Counter Culture coffee.
1000 Faces Coffee
This is also a good stop for morning coffee. They are out of Athens and do pour overs.
Pop-Up of Rotating Chefs
They have a restaurant pop-up tent at the market where they feature different chefs each week, like Anne Quatrano and Dorothy Copenhaver. Bruce Logue and David Sweeney also do it very often.
FREEDOM FARMERS MARKET
Saturdays: 9am - 1pm
The Carter Center
453 Freedom Parkway NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30307
www.freedomfarmersmkt.com
LUNCH
Photograph courtesy of Las Brasas
Las Brasas
This is a Peruvian chicken place in Decatur. They serve charcoal-roasted rotisserie chicken with potatoes and a huacatay sauce. It is like a cheesy, mayonnaise sauce. It is ridiculously good and really solid. It's is a big lunch.
614 Church Street, Decatur, GA 30030
T: 404.377.9121 | www.lasbrasasdecatur.com
Photograph courtesy of Pita Palace
Pita Palace
They serve great gyros and shawarma, It is really good... killer good.
Briarcliff La Vista Shopping Center
1658 Lavista Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329
T: 404.781.7482 | thepitapalace.com
SHOPPING
Photograph courtesy of Kudzu Antiques
Kudzu Antiques
It's a really big, really cool store. It's probably the length and a half of a football field. They have a lot of old cookware and old cookbooks. I found a copy of the Chez Panisse Desserts cookbook signed by Lindsey Shere, which is really cool. We'll buy mix-matched glassware, like high ball glasses with a pine cone and pine needles on them.
2928 E Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030
T: 404.373.6498 | www.kudzuantiques.com
AFTERNOON SWEETS
Photograph courtesy of Butter & Cream
Butter & Cream
This is a really good ice cream spot with very interesting flavors,. It’s not crazy flavors, but ones that make sense. Seasonally, I like the Peach and the Summer Strawberry, they are delicious. They also have the old stoner flavors like Red Velvet Ice Cream or Carrot Cake ice cream and it really works.
416 Church Street, Decatur, GA 30030
T: 404.378.7272 | www.butterandcream.com
PRE-DINNER COCKTAILS
Photograph courtesy of Ticonderoga Club
Ticonderoga Club
Owned by my friends, Greg Best and Paul Calvert, they make great cocktails. They said they didn’t want to open a bar, but they opened a bar. They are also putting out really thoughtful, well-cooked food. If you go for lunch, order The Spiedie Sandwich. It’s a chicken sandwich with lots of shredded lettuce and Italian oregano vinaigrette. Get it with chips and a beer. At night, the food goes from high-end dishes like sweetbreads to a simple shrimp and mussels in a broth. Great food for a tiny bar.
Krog Street Market, 99 Krog Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
T: 404.458.4534 | www.ticonderogaclub.com
DINNER
Photograph courtesy of Last Word
Last Word
Initially it was supposed to be all Lebanese cuisine in a modern form, but they have expanded the menu. They have great cocktails and great wine. Order the dishes based upon his family's cuisine, which is a good dinner choice.
701-5 Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30312
T: 404.343.1274 | lastwordatl.com
Boccalupo
Chef Bruce Logue was a Mario Batali disciple. The food is Italian and he makes very good pastas.
753 Edgewood Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
T: 404.577.2332 | boccalupoatl.com
Photograph courtesy of Tomo
Tomo
They have world class sushi. If Atlanta competes on anything, it is world class sushi and it all started with Tomo.
3630 Peachtree Road #140, Atlanta, GA 30326
T: 404.835.2708 | www.tomorestaurant.com
LATE NIGHT
Photographs courtesy of Ormby's
Ormsby's
For late night drinks, I would go back to Ticonderoga Club for cocktails or to Ormsby, where all our cooks and servers go for a beer after work.
Open until 3am
1170 Howell Mill Rd, Atlanta, GA 30318
T: 404.968-2033 | www.ormsbysatlanta.com
NEXT DAY HANG-OVER BRUNCH
Photograph courtesy of Watershed
Watershed
The food is very good and on Sundays they do a jazz brunch with a New Orleans jazz band playing. It is fun and loud. The crabby shrimp burger is very good. They make stiff drinks and have a really nice wine list. If you want a bottle of bubbly it isn't a cheap bottle, like a lot of restaurant would serve you, it is a good bottle of sparkling wine. But don’t come here until 12:30, because you can't drink in Atlanta until 12:30 in the afternoon.
1820 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30309
T: 404.809.3561 | watershedrestaurant.com
VISIT OUR ATLANTA FED FEATURES
