{MUST Eat} No. 246

One of the absolute best things about moving to a new locale for me is hands down the food.  And I must say if I was rating Atlanta on how much I like it by the food alone I’d be in love (infatuation stage love)…and I came from Chicago a major foodie city!  A great example of that Atlanta food I can’t get enough of is No. 246 (thanks Brittany for the introduction).

Ford Fry, owner/executive chef of JCT. Kitchen & Bar (which has the best mussels I’ve ever had), and Chef Drew Belline, previously the chef de cuisine at Floataway Café, came together to open No. 246 an Italian-inspired, and seasonally driven restaurant in the heart of Decatur.

It’s farmhouse chic interior is cozy without being too close for comfort.  And I highly suggest asking for a table by the kitchen to watch the show which includes an island in the dining room where their incredibly talented sous chef puts the finishing touches on all of the plates before they reach their intended patron.  And the waitstaff is just divine…especially Kathryn our waitress who introduced us to an after dinner aperitif called “the handshake” and sent me away with a list of at least 30 other restaurants I have to check out.

Make sure you check out my No. 246 MUSTS below and enjoy!  xoxo

The bar…perfect for an after work libation or two.  {Image by Andrew Thomas Lee}

{Image by Andrew Thomas Lee}

{MUST Eat} Though I didn’t try a dish I didn’t like, for me No. 246 is all about the flatbreads, pizzas, appetizers and desserts.  The flatbreads are beyond!  Homemade, thin and crispy breads with various toppings are perched in a basket where you pile the toppings high yourself.  If you are lucky enough to be dining on a night they have this warm ball of mozzarella infused with cream GET IT!  Why I say lucky is because it’s not always on the menu, it’s sourced from a local farm and made especially for 246 so make sure you ask and if it’s available don’t pass it up.  Then dessert…oh the dessert.  My fav was a homemade waffle cone with a hint of cinnamon and sweet butter cream ice cream, chopped pistachios and balsamic vinaigrette.  I literally have been dreaming about that ice cream!  Absolutely ridiculous.

{MUST Know}  Plan time before and/or after dinner to pop into Leon’s next door for a quick drink and round of bocci ball.

{MUST Do}  No. 246 offers a 5 course Chefs Counter experience where you make yourself cozy at the kitchen bar and watch the action while enjoying their impromptu creations.  They do take dietary limitations into consideration so no worries if you’re gluten free, vegetarian, lactose intolerant, or just hate a certain food.

Hottest seat in the house at The Chef’s Counter {Image by Helena Peixoto}