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Atlanta’s Culinary Legacy: The Little Recognized Story of How Fifth Group Created A few of the Metropolis’s Most Beloved and Enduring Institutions


For over three a long time, Fifth Group Eating places has cultivated a legacy of hospitality and neighborhood within the Atlanta culinary scene. Theirs is a narrative of resilience, formed by generations of friends and crew members, contributing to a tradition of service and creativity.

Again in 1993, within the exhilarating days that culminated within the 1996 Olympic Video games, founders Steve Simon and Chris Goss opened South Metropolis Kitchen on Crescent Avenue in Midtown Atlanta. Their imaginative and prescient of refined Southern Delicacies has since advanced into an Atlanta landmark, nonetheless thriving 33 years later. Over time, their portfolio grew to incorporate a bunch of Atlanta favorites: La Tavola Trattoria; three new South Metropolis Kitchen places (Vinings, Avalon, and Buckhead); Ecco (Midtown, Buckhead, and Hartsfield Jackson Worldwide Airport); Alma Cocina (Downtown and Buckhead); Lure Saltwater Kitchen and Bar; and their latest idea, Ela Mezze and Spirits. Alongside the way in which, in addition they created Daring Catering and Design, one of many South’s most famous occasion catering and design corporations. “It’s been a satisfying journey,” mirrored founder Steve Simon, “and all through it, we’re continuously reminded that delivering significant experiences goes properly past the plate—it’s about related service, well-designed areas, and real hospitality. Folks come to us for a complete expertise, and I consider that staying true to this philosophy sustains every of our manufacturers.” 

Innovation Guided By All 5 Senses

By the lens of sight, sound, odor, contact, and style, Fifth Group creates eating experiences which are immersive and deeply significant. Thoughtfully designed areas honor each custom and modernity. Specifically curated music applications mirror and improve every model, whereas the full of life hum of dialog and background of culinary creation beget an brisk and enchanting ambiance. The embrace of a heat greeting, a properly appointed desk, and each element attended to make sure a real expertise. Aromas of expertly crafted, visually beautiful dishes and freshly baked breads stir nostalgia and pleasure. Efficient branding can also be an indicator of the group, and the visible identification of every Fifth Group model is tirelessly researched, deliberate, and designed to mirror iconic magnificence and obtain resonance with their friends.

Ela, the Latest Chapter within the Fifth Group Saga

The latest sibling within the Fifth Group household, Ela Mezze and Spirits in Virginia Highlands, was fastidiously created utilizing the 5 Senses strategy. This pan-Med powerhouse attracts inspiration from Greece, Turkey, and Morocco with different cultures interwoven in a culinary tapestry that traces historical commerce routes throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Ela’s trendy strategy to old-world delicacies celebrates the colourful flavors, various substances, and heat hospitality these cultures are well-known for. Ela’s distinctive and important expertise made it a rising star of the Atlanta restaurant scene—voted Greatest New Restaurant of 2024, Greatest Brunch, and an Atlanta Important Restaurant by Eater Atlanta.  

Group-wide Sustainability

Past their award-winning culinary and hospitality experiences, Fifth Group is deeply dedicated to sustainability—minimizing waste, conserving sources, and prioritizing sustainable sourcing—and that is no small feat when working a number of places throughout six manufacturers. As the primary in Atlanta to embrace a zero-waste enterprise mannequin, Fifth Group continues to set {industry} requirements for accountable operations.

Key sustainability initiatives embrace industry-leading, low-water-use dishwashers and high-efficiency HVAC techniques nonetheless going robust after 15 years. Almost all lighting throughout all places has been upgraded to energy-saving LEDs. Kitchens convert cooking grease to biofuels, stopping sewer clogs and defending water high quality. Most impactful of all its efforts, Fifth Group has diverted from landfills greater than 12,000 kilos of natural waste per location per 12 months, producing greater than 1 million kilos of compost and stopping over 2 million kilos of methane emissions. No different restaurant firm within the state could make this declare or has made this stage of funding.

Fifth Group additionally contains a sustainable wine program of biodynamic and natural farming methods, making certain that each pour aligns with the restaurant’s environmental values.

For extra on their dedication to sustainability, go to www.fifthgroup.com/neighborhood.

Lure Saltwater Kitchen & Bar: Relevance and Sustainability in Each Element

Periodically, Fifth Group evolves their ideas to supply new ranges of service, expertise, and culinary pleasure for the neighborhoods they serve. Discovering this delicate steadiness between realizing what to protect and what to resume is Fifth Group’s recipe for longevity. Nowhere is that this extra evident than within the current relaunch of Lure. Established in Midtown in 2012, the newly reimagined Lure Saltwater Kitchen and Bar reopened in 2024 with a refreshed mission: to current the bounty of the ocean via an array of wood-fired seafood creations, a brand new patio bar, and distinctive shows—just like the Chef’s Deal with Field (an precise sort out field with the entire accoutrements essential to get pleasure from an array of oysters, crab claws, ceviche, and a wild card addition to every on the chef’s whim). 

At Lure, sustainability-as-core-philosophy informs every facet of the restaurant’s operations. From sourcing to service, each choice displays a dedication to defending ocean ecosystems and minimizing environmental impression.

In partnership with Athens-based Shell to Shore, Lure recycles oyster shells to revive pure oyster beds alongside the Georgia coast, diverting shells from landfills to fight rising sea ranges whereas supporting marine biodiversity. Ela repurposes captured rainwater from its roof and soften from ice makers to water crops and flush bogs, leading to a 50% decrease water consumption charge than typical eating places. Cooks collaborate with Farmers & Fisherman Purveyors, utilizing the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Checklist to make sure each merchandise served is ethically and sustainably sourced. Biodegradable supplies are used all through the restaurant, reflecting a dedication to conserving our oceans clear.

Impressed Creativity, Emotional Connectivity

As a community-focused hospitality group, Fifth Group is devoted to creating participating experiences that foster connection, have fun our neighborhoods, and produce the flavors of the world to Atlanta. Their eating places are greater than locations to dine—they’re immersive culinary experiences the place friends can decelerate, join with others, and luxuriate in life.

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