Brasserie Margot, a French brasserie with a mid-century aesthetic, is set to open next month in the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta.
Slated to debut Dec. 9, Brasserie Margot will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, along with weekend brunch. The restaurant will complement sister concept Bar Margot, a cocktail-driven collaboration with restaurateur Ford Fry that opened at the Four Seasons in 2015.
Overseeing the kitchen for both concepts is executive chef Jon Novak, who most recently served in the same role at Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant Tiny Lou’s.
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
The Brasserie Margot lunch and dinner menus will feature French staples like steak frites, a seafood tray, bouillabaisse, foie gras, beef tartare, salade nicoise and croque madame. Also on offer will be two swordfish preparations: the au poivre that Novak was known for at Tiny Lou’s, as well as a swordfish Milanese, which sees the fish pounded thin, breaded and lightly pan-fried.
The French sensibility extends to the breakfast offerings, including a take on steak and eggs with a 5-ounce glazed short rib on a bed of Anson Mills grits, served with pearl onions and baby carrots and topped with a sunny-side-up egg.
Novak, who was born in California but moved to Europe as a small child and spent about a decade there before returning to the U.S., said his upbringing has always informed his style of cooking and his respect for old-school French preparations and techniques.
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
“My first food memories were in Europe, and memories play such a big part in forming somebody’s palate,” Novak said. “We got to travel to a lot of countries, so my perspective on things tends to lean toward a European lens.”
He hopes to introduce Bar Margot guests to “deeper-inspired” French dishes than what they’d see on a typical French menu in the U.S., including a vol-au-vent (hollowed case of puff pastry) filled with mussels prepared in parsley butter.
“There are some things the French are well-schooled at that remain a mystery for some Americans,” he said. “I don’t want steak frites to be the only reason people come here.”
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
Novak was also inspired by seasonality and sustainability while developing the menu, which he said will likely change at least six times a year. He sources ingredients from local purveyors including Inland Seafood and Pearson Farm.
“When it’s time for a change, we don’t wait, we make the change,” he said. “I can get ingredients for anything I want to serve, but what’s right for the region? Working sustainably is so important.”
It was also important to Novak that guests with dietary restrictions can eat at Brasserie Margot. About 80% of the menu is gluten-free, and several vegetarian options are available.
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
Executive pastry chef Eric Snow, who previously worked at Atlas and the Garden Room, developed the dessert offerings and bread and pastry programs.
Highlights include baguettes served with locally-made Banner Butter; grab-and-go bakery items in the morning including croissants and danishes served with coffee from Smyrna-based Rev Coffee Roaster; tableside dessert experiences including crêpes suzette flambéed with Grand Marnier; and other sweets including mille-feuille, seasonal tarts, chocolate soufflé and baba au rhum.
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
Brasserie Margot’s beverage program features cocktails crafted by general manager of the restaurant and bar Ashish Sharma. Guests can expect to see the Louvre Sour, topped with a mosaic of the Mona Lisa, and the smoky Clay Pot Negroni.
The beverage program also features an extensive list of wines from multi-generational and woman-owned vineyards, with a focus on French and sustainable producers.
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
Credit: Kathryn McCrary
Bar Margot, which Novak sees as “the waiting room” for Brasserie Margot, will maintain its own menu of small plates with a focus on cocktails.
Designed by Atlanta-based Smith Hanes Studio, the space features muted tones and moody lighting with design elements including plush banquettes, wood accents, a deep color palette, and hints of gold, along with a curated playlist.
75 14th St. NE, Atlanta. sprout.link/brasseriemargotatl
Scroll down to see renderings of Brasserie Margot from Smith Hanes Studio:
Credit: Smith Hanes Studio
Credit: Smith Hanes Studio
Credit: Smith Hanes Studio
Credit: Smith Hanes Studio
Credit: Smith Hanes Studio
Credit: Smith Hanes Studio
Credit: Smith Hanes Studio
Credit: Smith Hanes Studio
Credit: Smith Hanes Studio
Credit: Smith Hanes Studio
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