Chef Jonathan Waxman describes Baffi, his new Westside restaurant, as “Italian-Californian-Georgian”
Courtesy of Jen Goodman
James Beard Award-winner and chef Jonathan Waxman, proprietor of the just lately shuttered Brezza Cucina at Ponce City Marketplace, is making his next mark on Atlanta with the opening of Baffi on January 5. The new cafe, which he describes as Italian-Californian-Georgian, usually takes more than the Stockyards area formerly home to Donetto (976 Brady Avenue). Baffi will be led by a comparable staff as Brezza Cucina—which shut in June—spearheaded by government chef Andrew Cacioppo.
Courtesy of Jen Davidson
The menu will feature signature Waxman products, these kinds of as roasted hen with salsa verde, and pizzas and pastas that resemble those people from Brezza. New goods like wooden-seared shrimp salad with spicy aioli and winter greens wood-roasted gulf oysters with brown butter black pepper sauce and marscarpone grits, display off Baffi’s Southern aspect.
Company supervisor Don Pirone is compiling a concise bar menu with common and seasonal cocktails, which include Negronis and margaritas on faucet, and an “eclectic but user-friendly” listing of Italian and American wines, Waxman says.
Courtesy of Jen Davidson
Courtesy of Ken Goodman
“I wanted to continue on the [Brezza] manufacturer and had all these good persons who labored for me for many several years,” Waxman claims. “I like the Donetto place. It’s in a funky part of city, warehouse-y, and throughout from Miller Union. (I just enjoy Steven Satterfield.) It experienced a major outside area and a wooden-burning oven.”
Waxman claims a single of the critical explanations Brezza Cucina closed is since a deficiency of out of doors room manufactured it unsustainable in a Covid-19 atmosphere. As a final result, Baffi will aspect an elevated patio with a fireplace pit and 35 to 40 seats. Nonetheless, the patio won’t open up right up until spring.
Courtesy of Ken Goodman
His crew has lightened up the Donetto inside with a palette of white, light-weight wood, and buttery yellow. Like at Brezza, the bar functions an oak best and is accented by white Parisian tile. Expansive flooring-to-ceiling windows are developed to allow in the sun.
What’s in the name? Baffi is Italian for “mustache.” Waxman’s famed New York Metropolis cafe Barbuto is identified as this sort of immediately after the Italian term for “bearded.” Waxman decided to hold the concept heading in Atlanta.
View the total menu below. (Tap to enlarge.)
