Saints + Council, a new restaurant serving chef-driven, seasonal menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner alongside a “non-traditional” service style, is set to open Friday, December 10 at the reimagined Colony Square, at 1221 Peachtree St., Suite 130, according to a press release this week.
Founder William Pitts, the former CEO of Cafe Intermezzo, is behind Saints + Council alongside General Manager Craig Knapp Executive Chef Carter Vaughn, and Mixologist Madison Tolman.
Sourcing seasonal ingredients from local farms, the culinary team will serve sweet and savory entrees at breakfast, like “Bruleed Brioche French Toast” and “Saints Sweet Potato & Chicken Sausage Hash.” For lunch, guests will experience an ever-changing array of soups, salads, sandwiches, shared plates, and entrees, including “Alderman Burger” with mushroom, whiskey, candied garlic aioli, tobacco onions & fontina on brioche, and “Tahini Roasted Cauliflower” with tahini, yogurt, sultana grapes, pomegranate & EVOO.
The kitchen will offer a variety of small plates like “Crispy Apricot Glazed Pork Belly” and “Roasted Winter Squash Toast,” plus salads and other locally driven entrees, sides, and desserts during dinner. Highlights will include “Cast Iron Seared Yellowfin Tuna” with eggplant, harissa, labneh, local mushroom, thin beans & radishes, and “Miso-Bourbon Glazed Bone-in Pork Chop” with radicchio, miso butter, baked apple & Korean sweet potato.
Each menu will also feature an item that is inspired by Pitts’ favorite dish: sweet and savory Dutch Babies. These fluffy egg pancakes rise to form crispy edges and will be used in dishes like the “Gulf Shrimp & Dutch,” featuring crispy bacon, bbq butter, hot sauce, caramelized onion, arugula & charred lemon. On the dessert menu will be a “Baked Apple Crumble Dutch” with twice baked apple, pecan streusel & vanilla ice cream.
On the beverage side, mixologists will serve handcrafted cocktails made with small-batch spirits over custom, oversized ice cubes. Guests can opt to order zero-proof versions of cocktails, local and American craft beers, and wine. The restaurant will also feature a barista-driven coffee program with coffee and espresso drinks, plus hot chocolates.
“Saints + Council will offer a curated dining experience allowing guests to break free from the traditional restaurant visit by eliminating the concepts of single servers per table, time constraints and rigid seating assignments,” according to the release. “The new service concept will free guests to start on a sofa with friends and cocktails, move to a table for a chef-driven meal, and then retire around the fire pit under the pergola.”
To order, guests can scan digital tiles around the dining room, living room pods, and outdoor pergola to view menus and order directly on their phones. Their order will then be served to them wherever they’re located in the restaurant. Food and drink will also be available for carry-out, with customers being able to order in advance by visiting the restaurant’s website and have it waiting for them at the hostess stand.
“As their innovative model evolves, Pitts envisions guests’ ability to place an order in advance of their arrival and have lunch waiting at a dining room table upon their arrival,” according to the release.
Located on the corner of Peachtree St. and 15th St., the over 6,000 square-foot space will feature dark charcoal walls, modern brass fixtures, and reclaimed wood beams on vaulted ceilings. The design will be clean and contemporary, but eclectic — “comfortable nostalgia” as Pitts describes his vision.
Anchoring the dining room will be a central island bar featuring small peninsulas for guests to enjoy sitting at the bar face-to-face with more room than the typical bar-style experience. Seating includes sounded booths, tables, and six living room pods, two of which will be around a huge stone fireplace.
