The Bottom Line
La Pietra Cucina opened in Fall 2008 and is one of the city's hidden gems. Located on the lower level of an office building, this easy-to-miss spot serves up some of the best Italian in the city.
Pros
- Pastas and cheese made on-site
- Top notch service from a knowledgable staff
Cons
- Hard-to-find location
- Short wine list
- Awkward space (future expansion planned)
Description
- Located on the bottom floor at 1545 Peachtree St NE Atlanta, GA 30309, across from the Equifax building
- There is paid parking at the office building or metered parking on West Peachtree
- Reservations recommended. Call 404-888-8709.
- Prices average around $17 for an entree
- Lunch and dinner Monday - Friday, call for weekend hours.
Guide Review - La Pietra Cucina
La Pietra Cucina opened in the space formally occupied by MidCity Cuisine. Right now, only those in-the-know, and presumably those who work in the building where it's located, even know it exists. There is no website and only a very small sandwich board sign. Break out the GPS for this one, kids.
Don't let the location deter you. This is a place worth finding. Our meal started with the wine list. It's rather short and contains a number of nontraditional options. My dining partner and I weren't familiar with the choices, and our waiter was extremely helpful. He brought out three or four wines for us to taste, without us even having to ask, and helped us make the right selection.
The starter menu consists of a variety of typical Italian fare as well as a few twists like the tuna crudo. I would say that no one should dine here without trying the prosciutto - hands down unlike anything I've ever had. Sliced thin and piled atop flat bread, served with a side of cheese and a pineapple chutney, this is melt-in-your-mouth fantastic.
For the main dish, choose from a variety of pasta dishes or the larger meat and fish entrees. The pasta, all made on-site, includes old standbys like linguine and clams but also has a few tricks up its sleeve. Our waiter, who continued to impress throughout the evening, sold me on the special of a ravioli stuffed with braised short ribs in a red wine sauce. Who wouldn't be sold on that? Everything was delicious.
We tried a few desserts, including a quince sorbet and my personal favorite, the fried mini donuts with a semi-sweet, dark chocolate dipping sauce. The donuts were topped with a touch of orange zest that really balanced the dish.
Overall, La Pietra Cucina is well worth the journey and a great spot to impress a date. You'll leave feeling like you're among Atlanta's elite.
