Atlanta dining scene mainstay Miller Union celebrated its 15th anniversary in November.
The restaurant, located in a refurbished warehouse on the Westside, was founded in 2009 by Steven Satterfield and Neal McCarthy. Since then, Miller Union has become known for Satterfield’s farm-to-table cooking and McCarthy’s front-of-house hospitality.
National recognition for Miller Union has included James Beard nominations for best new restaurant, outstanding wine program and best chef: southeast (an honor that Satterfield took home in 2017). In 2023, Miller Union garnered a Michelin Guide service award and has been Michelin-recommended for the past two years.
“We’re a champion for local food,” Satterfield said, when asked what made Miller Union special. “We’re going to do this the right way. We’re going to celebrate all these farmers, and we’re going to cook with the seasons.”
Credit: Aaliyah Man
Credit: Aaliyah Man
While the pandemic and the recovery from it brought challenges, especially with staffing, McCarthy and Satterfield commended their kitchen team and chefs, including Chef de Cuisine Jay Felton and Executive Pastry Chef Claudia Martinez, who recently announced that she is leaving.
And then there’s the regular presence of the dedicated owners. “I think the one thing that has made Miller Union stand the test of time is you’re going to come in and one of us will be here, if not both of us,” McCarthy said. “We are friends outside of work, and it’s great to have a relationship with your business partner.”
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Loyal regulars such as Abbe Wiesenthal and her husband Bryan are another reason for Miller Union’s longevity.
“We came to Miller Union almost 15 years ago, when it first opened,” she said at a November anniversary event. “The great thing about it is that the menu is always changing. And then there are certain staples, like the farm egg baked in celery cream. Over 15 years, I’ve never had a bad meal.”
Mac Wilson is a regular customer who first visited Miller Union on opening day.
“This was kind of new 15 years ago, with farm-to-table in Atlanta,” he said. “Steven makes amazing vegetable concoctions, and especially the fried okra. Everybody loves that. And, of course, Neal’s wine list is incredible.”
Along those lines, Madeira Park is the name of a new wine bar and shop that Satterfield, McCarthy and Atlanta wine expert Tim Willard will open in early 2025 on the ground floor of Otto’s Apartment Hotel at 644 N. Highland Ave. NE. in Atlanta’s Poncey-Highland area.
Credit: Aaliyah Man
Credit: Aaliyah Man
In researching the history of the neighborhood, they learned that a former nearby greenspace was called Madeira Park. “That stuck out to us, because Madeira is fortified wine. We love Madeira. It has an inviting feel to it,” Satterfield said.
“For Miller Union,” he said, “we did the same thing. We looked back to Atlanta’s history, and we found the name of the stockyard that was on the site, and we assumed that name and brought it back to life.”
Another reason the partners wanted to do something different, Satterfield said, “is it may be smarter to diversify instead of having all of our eggs in one basket. We have five more years left on our lease. We’re happy to go longer, as long as the restaurant is sustainable, but we don’t know what is the future of this building.”
The restaurant is in one of the few one-story buildings left in the area, which is dotted with high-rise towers. But Miller Union’s longevity is a testament to the dedication of its owners, staff and supportive patrons.
“Look around the city,” McCarthy said. “There aren’t many restaurants that are still here for that amount of time. I now have regulars that come here, and their children are getting married and having children now.”
Miller Union. 999 Brady Ave. NW, Atlanta. 678-733-8550, millerunion.com
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