You can find Haven at 1441 Dresden Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30319 in the heart of Brookhaven's latest community development, Brookhaven Village. The restaurant is on the end of the building at the intersection of Dresden and Apallachee Dr that also finds the very good Valenza as home. Parking is behind the buildings with complimentary valet or on the streets between the buildings.
I had the opportunity to meet one of my old friends who was visiting from Los Angeles - when he lived in Atlanta Haven was one of his favorite restaurants, and for good reason.This is a hit local restaurant with a great vibe and well manned bar, featuring Southern influenced dishes in an upscale setting. I got there a bit early and waited for my buddy and his SO to arrive via Uber from the hotel where he was staying, a bit further intown. Look for "HAVEN" hanging from the eaves in Red san-serif font.
The restaurant as indicated is at the end of a long row of attached brick buildings - there's an outdoor patio and for a late Sunday afternoon the place was already picking up with many taken tables. I sat at the bar and enjoyed a really exceptional bloody mary (I ordered it extra spicy and the bartender did indeed attend to my needs!). I liked it so much I decided to have another as I waited. The bartender was super attentive as he made various cocktail creations at the service bar for table orders. I could see myself hitting Haven in the evenings and just enjoying the energetic atmosphere and clean interior finishes while sipping on something cool and refreshing. But I digress...
We asked to be seated on the very nice patio and were seated immediately. The temperatures weren't yet too hot or muggy to enjoy the late afternoon's breeze through an obscuring fence and vegetation. We were given a nightly menu indicating the chef as Stephen Herman - I don't know him personally but approve wholeheartedly of the eclective menu - I also almost went for the Sunday special, a Skillet-Fried Springer Mountain Chicken with Mushroom gravy, whipped potatoes, braised greens, mac-n-chees and buttermilk biscuit for $22.
The regular menu is read landscape style with three columns - the first had small plates & salads; the center featured Haven's beef selection (with 30 Day Dry Aged KC Strip, Cowboy Ribeye and Porterhouse along with a Bone in Filet; plus an assortment of sides and sauces. Finally the third column detailed 10 signature dishes.
I decided to go with the Roasted Georges Bank Scallops on Butter Bean Hummus, Grilled Oyster Mushrooms, Asparagus, Green Garlic Chimichurri and Crispy Ham. The scallops were perfect and super tender with just the right amount of caramelization on the top and bottom to seal in all the flavor and juiciness you would expect in sea scallops. The hummus was interesting and served a rather neutral base for the smoky oyster mushrooms. In all I loved this dish - it had an amazing balance of starch, fat and acid. It also was light enough that I didn't feel bloated at the end of the meal.
My dining companions ordered the Roasted Scottish Salmon (Pine Nut Couscous, Feta, Kalamata Olives, Cucumbers and Cherry Tomatoes - which I found more of a Greek or Mediterranean dish - it was delicious non-the-less) and a Roasted Local Beet salad (Strawberries, radish, kale, arugula, Caly Road Waypoint, pistachio and saba - which looked delicious and very substantial).
In all the staff was very attentive and the food excellent. I can see more of Haven in my future and it's certainly in a great location if you're meeting someone between midtown and the Perimeter. As an aside, we walked down to Valenza and had a cappuccino - it's also an interesting restaurant well worth exploring.
Bon appetit!
-- John
(also published to Yelp)
I had the opportunity to meet one of my old friends who was visiting from Los Angeles - when he lived in Atlanta Haven was one of his favorite restaurants, and for good reason.This is a hit local restaurant with a great vibe and well manned bar, featuring Southern influenced dishes in an upscale setting. I got there a bit early and waited for my buddy and his SO to arrive via Uber from the hotel where he was staying, a bit further intown. Look for "HAVEN" hanging from the eaves in Red san-serif font.
The restaurant as indicated is at the end of a long row of attached brick buildings - there's an outdoor patio and for a late Sunday afternoon the place was already picking up with many taken tables. I sat at the bar and enjoyed a really exceptional bloody mary (I ordered it extra spicy and the bartender did indeed attend to my needs!). I liked it so much I decided to have another as I waited. The bartender was super attentive as he made various cocktail creations at the service bar for table orders. I could see myself hitting Haven in the evenings and just enjoying the energetic atmosphere and clean interior finishes while sipping on something cool and refreshing. But I digress...
We asked to be seated on the very nice patio and were seated immediately. The temperatures weren't yet too hot or muggy to enjoy the late afternoon's breeze through an obscuring fence and vegetation. We were given a nightly menu indicating the chef as Stephen Herman - I don't know him personally but approve wholeheartedly of the eclective menu - I also almost went for the Sunday special, a Skillet-Fried Springer Mountain Chicken with Mushroom gravy, whipped potatoes, braised greens, mac-n-chees and buttermilk biscuit for $22.
The regular menu is read landscape style with three columns - the first had small plates & salads; the center featured Haven's beef selection (with 30 Day Dry Aged KC Strip, Cowboy Ribeye and Porterhouse along with a Bone in Filet; plus an assortment of sides and sauces. Finally the third column detailed 10 signature dishes.
I decided to go with the Roasted Georges Bank Scallops on Butter Bean Hummus, Grilled Oyster Mushrooms, Asparagus, Green Garlic Chimichurri and Crispy Ham. The scallops were perfect and super tender with just the right amount of caramelization on the top and bottom to seal in all the flavor and juiciness you would expect in sea scallops. The hummus was interesting and served a rather neutral base for the smoky oyster mushrooms. In all I loved this dish - it had an amazing balance of starch, fat and acid. It also was light enough that I didn't feel bloated at the end of the meal.
My dining companions ordered the Roasted Scottish Salmon (Pine Nut Couscous, Feta, Kalamata Olives, Cucumbers and Cherry Tomatoes - which I found more of a Greek or Mediterranean dish - it was delicious non-the-less) and a Roasted Local Beet salad (Strawberries, radish, kale, arugula, Caly Road Waypoint, pistachio and saba - which looked delicious and very substantial).
In all the staff was very attentive and the food excellent. I can see more of Haven in my future and it's certainly in a great location if you're meeting someone between midtown and the Perimeter. As an aside, we walked down to Valenza and had a cappuccino - it's also an interesting restaurant well worth exploring.
Bon appetit!
-- John
(also published to Yelp)
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