Sunday, October 12, 2008
Food, Wine, Beer & Spirits, "Dish"

Public relations

Public houses bring casual pub environment to Atlanta

Courtesy of the Grange Public House
The Grange Public House

BY CARLY FELTON

A new trend in Atlanta dining, public houses—defined by Merriam-Webster as a place where alcoholic beverages are sold on premises, and more specifically, at least on local newbie Holeman & Finch’s Web site, as a social gathering place where class, status and reservations don’t exist—are sprouting up all over the city.

    Relaxed and casual while still offering food that’s way above par for bar bites, public houses are the latest way to break away from Atlanta’s upscale, stylish, gourmet restaurant scene. These pub-meets-restaurant establishments are dark and dim, yet modern and clean. They generally attract a mixed crowd of families during the day and early evening, and twenty- to thirty-somethings for happy hour, dinner and hanging out late into the night. Often decorated with an Irish motif, they usually offer Irish or British dishes and drinks, in addition to typical American bar grub such as nachos and burgers, Bud and Captain Morgan.

Holeman & Finch

    Located on Peachtree Street, one mile north of Piedmont Hospital, Holeman & Finch Public House is designed to bring good food, fun and friends together in an inviting setting. Split into two—a bar with high-top tables and a 14-seat communal table, and a speakeasy with smaller tables for diners—Holeman & Finch is an intimate venue that allows patrons to get to know each other in close quarters. 

    A collaboration of five restaurateurs, including Gina Hopkins and Chef Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene, Holeman & Finch serves European-style tapas with a Southern flair, created to encourage guests to share. Popular items include a pot of chicken liver pate with apple cider-sorghum jelly and green tomato pickle, and Metzger Farm pork belly with creamy grits, charred onion and pickle; while beverage offerings include 26 beers and about 100 wines, plus hand-crafted cocktails made with fresh, house-made juices.

    Holeman & Finch's late-night appeal lies in its cheeseburgers, offered only at 10 p.m. each night and from noon to 3:30 p.m. on Sundays. What’s so special about these burgers? You’ll have to try one to find out.
2277 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 404-948-1175. www.holeman-finch.com.

The Grange Public House

    Modeled after pubs in Dublin, the Grange Public House is a polished establishment with finished wood floors intermixed with patterned tiles. A dark, rectangular bar sits smack-dab in the middle of the space, and light-blue cushioned booths and banquettes line the walls surrounding it. A giant covered patio filled with picnic benches out front attracts many a guest for black currant martinis (made with black currants imported from Ireland!) and traditional meals like shepherd’s pie.
 
    The menu mixes bar staples like chicken wings and pasta with “Dublin Pub Grub” like fish and chips and meat pie. All of the sides—from potato salad and cole slaw to macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes—are made fresh in-house, and desserts like Little Dubliners—profiteroles with Guinness ice cream, topped with a dark chocolate honey sauce—offer something different to tempt the taste buds.

    Located in Decatur on the former site of the Angel, the Grange is owned and staffed by the Comer siblings—Colin, Jennifer, Darren and Alison. Here, a chat with the waiter or bartender can easily lead to a discussion about Dublin, making the whole Grange experience seem all the more authentic, in addition to fun and laid-back.
426 W Ponce De Leon Ave., Decatur. 404-270-9950. www.thegrangepublichouse.com. SP

Contributing writer Carly Felton is filling in for Life, Food & Style Editor Kirsten Ott.