Foundation Social Eatery
American restaurant · Alpharetta
55 Roswell St Suite 100, Alpharetta, GA 30009
Highlights
Crispy Spanish octopus, pate, mussels, and chicken bolognese.
Crispy Spanish octopus, pate, mussels, and chicken bolognese.
"Foundation Social Eatery is a chef-driven restaurant focused on New American cuisine. Located in East Roswell, Foundation Social Eatery is a fitting addition to Roswell's thriving dining scene. Open for both lunch and dinner, Foundation serves up a great mix of wonderfully seasonal selections and classic staples (the FSE burger = go, now.) to enjoy. And we must comment on their interior - inspirational and consistent, design focus is on texture and material (which we love)." - Nimble. Design Co.
"The beverage menu at the Alpharetta reincarnation of Mel Toledo’s beloved restaurant and Eater Atlanta’s Best Comeback Story of 2023 includes thoughtful spirit-free options like a nonalcoholic Negroni and The Grey Fox, a citrusy, herbaceous sour with Earl Grey, blood orange oleo saccharum, egg white, tonic, and thyme." - Laura Scholz
"Chef Mel Toledo reopened his restaurant in Alpharetta in 2022, and it’s been a local staple since then. Head in for the octopus, which made Eater Atlanta’s Best Dishes We Ate roundup in April. It is cooked in sous vide first, making the octopus super tender, and then flash-fried with a thin batter. It’s served with fingerling potatoes and chorizo, nestled on top of a butter and lemon sauce, making it a classic dish. Pair it with the Graham Beck sparkling rosé from South Africa. Be sure to try the peanut butter candy bar dessert by pastry chef Gus Castro, formerly at Lazy Betty. The banana cake with banana sorbet and caramel is very much still a nod to Lazy Betty in its plating and structure. Worth noting, the dining room floor has a light tremble to it, given it’s on the second floor of a parking deck. —Henna Bakshi" - Alex Leo-Guerra
"In a giant pool of great metro Atlanta restaurants, Alpharetta's Foundation Social Eatery is an easy standout. That’s thanks to excellent signatures like their crispy fried octopus with smoky chorizo and a fancy-adjacent setting that works well for all occasions. On weekends, the upscale American gastropub is hopping with dates and long-overdue friend catch-ups. Of course, it’s also Alpharetta-sceney (corporate types who feel cool in their waxed cotton vests and celebrating suburbanites who don't know the world outside SR-400). But whether you're an OTPer or ITPer, everyone is here for the same reason—to experience some of the best food in the metro. Of course, you'll want to get the octopus. Other standouts include the flaky halibut and the FSE Burger, stacked with buttery, grill-marked bread, a juicy, perfectly seasoned patty, melty white american cheese, caramelized onions, and tangy pickled red onions. photo credit: Sarah Newman photo credit: Sarah Newman photo credit: Sarah Newman Food Rundown photo credit: Sarah Newman FSE Burger This is a simple burger—it comes between buttery bread and is topped with melty white american cheese and tangy caramelized and pickled onions. Yet, it all comes together with precision, which is why it's on our Best Burgers guide. photo credit: Sarah Newman Crisp Spanish Octopus The octopus is braised then pan-seared, and it comes with smoky chorizo, lemon, fresh cilantro, tender fingerling potatoes, and chicken sausage. It's worth an hour-long standstill in 400 traffic. photo credit: Sarah Newman Endive & Apple Salad This is a great salad. Thin slices of snappy green apple, fresh endive, and chopped walnuts give this salad a pleasing balance of sweet, bitter, and crunchy. photo credit: Sarah Newman Phony Negroni If earthy-citrus is your thing, this has all the flavors of a bittersweet negroni without the alcohol. photo credit: Sarah Newman Corn Mousse Topped with crispy caramel popcorn, the corn mousse is velvety and sweet, with the salted caramel sauce adding a sharp kick. Get this." - Jacinta Howard
"Foundation Social Eatery is an Alpharetta staple with a menu of house-made pasta, meaty mains, and crafty appetizers. Chef Mel Toledo’s resume includes Michelin-starred restaurants in France, and his restaurant reflects this distinct approach that’s hard to find anywhere else in the area. The menu changes seasonally and includes dishes like yellowfin tuna tartare, housemade pasta like braised beef agnolotti with black truffle, and fresh fish." - Eater Staff
