Avize
Fine dining restaurant · Atlanta ·
Alpine-inspired cuisine with European influences and creative cocktails
Alpine-inspired cuisine with European influences and creative cocktails
"Defining what an Alpine restaurant can be in Atlanta, Chef Karl Gorline builds a smart, unexpected bridge between Southern ingredients and Bavarian influences—nothing says it better than lemon pepper wet frog legs that taste like tender chicken in a lemony, herbaceous butter sauce, served with a dainty crystal bowl for discarded bones and best paired with Champagne Paul Goerg. Plates range from rabbit heart boudin (a nod to his time in New Orleans) served with duck, okra with lamb, and North Georgia Mountain trout, to an exceptional hay-smoked duck ($65) dry-aged for two weeks and served with duck heart and liver boudin, deglazed in 1983 Armagnac; the lamb is another visual treat, and the black sesame tiramisu ($18) with tableside shaved truffles is earthy and rich—pair it with a 2011 Smith Woodhouse late-bottled vintage port. The Notorious B.I.G. plays softly and the lights are dim; an elegant older couple sits next to me—the woman chic in a black turtleneck and a large silver necklace—while a table over, a group of young women order martinis beneath the restaurant’s famous taxidermied white mountain goat; service is present but nearly invisible. It’s a classy joint that knows how to chill. Insider tip: ask sommelier Taurean Philpott which reserve Rieslings he’s hiding; the wine list sticks to Alpine regions, but true treasures might not have made it onto the list yet, like a 2021 Selbach Oster Riesling Spätlese or a crunchy 2020 Ngeringa apple, quince, and pear cider." - Henna Bakshi
"At Avize, the Alpine-inspired spot in West Midtown, my husband and I were relieved when Abby was greeted warmly — and delighted when she was served the richest, creamiest butter noodles (that anyone can order). She hasn’t looked at my home version the same since." - Lia Picard
"In Avize I experienced an Alpine restaurant that doubles as an ode to Atlanta: lemon pepper frog legs that somehow land tender and vibrant in butter spiked with the city’s seasoning blend, venison tartare with buckwheat and bright herbs, fermented carrots reimagining dry-aged duck, and a white-pepper ice cream finished with fig leaf oil and oolong foam—maximalist, regionally rooted fine dining anchored by bold creativity and unabashed local pride." - ByThe Bon Appétit Staff
"Rooted in Karl Gorline’s Bavarian family influences and Alpine inspiration, I encountered whimsical decor and dishes like a signature Hay Smoked Duck, airy Berliners piped with elderflower crème fraîche dusted in nori for caviar, lemon pepper frog legs that riff on Atlanta’s seasoning, truffle-boosted tiramisu, and a Comté-foam–elevated espresso martini." - ByPervaiz Shallwani
"Sometimes parents need a nice meal but can’t get a sitter — fortunately, there are restaurants like Avize in West Midtown that offer high-end dining experiences while accommodating children. Well-suited for older kids, Avize doesn’t have a kids’ menu but will happily make them a bowl of butter noodles. The noodles are so rich and creamy that even the adults can’t resist taking a bite or two." - Lia Picard