Don’t want to prepare your own Christmas feast? No problem ! Several Atlanta restaurants are poised and ready to do it for you.
Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse will be open on Friday, Dec. 24, and will be serving a prix fixe five-course seafood menu, known to many Italians as the “Feast of the Seven Fishes.” The Catholic custom is to avoid meat on this day. The Southern Italy–based tradition is now an Italian-American meal that typically consists of seven different seafood dishes. $58 per person or $78 with wine pairings includes carpaccio of bluefin tuna and hamachi with balsamic vinaigrette; yellow sweet corn and clam chowder, Blue Hill Bay mussels; pan-seared Georgia mountain trout, arugula, fennel and Dijon pear vinaigrette; butter-poached lobster, seared diver scallop, parsnip puree, broccolini, lemon beurre blanc; and a trio of desserts: vanilla bean panna cotta, flourless chocolate truffle cake and seasonal fruit Napoleon. Davio’s will be open until 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Phipps Plaza at 3500 Peachtree Road NE. 404-844-4810. www.davios.com.
The season of greetings, tidings and dining is in full swing at BLT Steak. On Christmas Eve, downtown Atlanta’s modern American steakhouse will serve seasonally inspired blackboard specials alongside its traditional dinner menu, including generous sides, succulent steaks and fresh seafood, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. BLT Steak is located at W Atlanta–Downtown at 45 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard. For reservations, call 404-577-7601 or visit www.bltrestaurants.com.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House is serving its signature sizzling steaks and more on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Each restaurant (four locations in Atlanta) has special holiday hours, and reservations are available online at www.ruthschris.com or by calling the restaurants directly: Buckhead, 404-365-0660; Centennial Park, 404-223-6500; Sandy Springs, 404-255-0035; and Kennesaw, 770-420-1985.
Haven’t purchased a gift for your sweetheart yet? Impress him or her with an impressive Christmas Eve dinner at Bacchanalia. Chef Anne Quatrano’s four-course prix fixe menu features an appetizer, entrée, cheese and dessert made of the freshest, seasonal and local ingredients, many of which come from her own organic gardens. Select the perfect pour from the extensive wine list, or let the chef and sommelier create the ideal pairing for each course. Reservations can be made by calling 404-365-0410. 1198 Howell Mill Road. 404-365-0410. www.starprovisions.com.
The Melting Pot will be open for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 4 to 9 p.m. In addition to the traditional menu, it’s offering a special $40-per-person four-course holiday menu, including an apple cider Swiss cheese fondue followed by a cherry blossom salad. The entrée of filet mignon, orange-apricot shrimp, peppercorn-crusted NY strip, rosemary chicken, duck a l’orange and goat cheese ravioli is accompanied by a featured cranberry sauce, a variety of homemade dipping sauces and an array of fresh vegetables. Dessert is a heavenly white chocolate pumpkin fondue served with a variety of fresh fruits and cakes. Four Atlanta area locations. www.meltingpot.com.
And if you just need to escape your relatives or have cabin fever, head over to Ri Ra, Midtown’s Irish watering hole, to unwind with beer, cocktails and a limited menu of American and Irish dishes. Opens at 6 p.m. on Christmas day. 1080 Peachtree St. 404-477-1700. www.rira.com.
