Much of Buckhead’s dining scene seems designed for Buckhead Betties or is otherwise overwhelmingly “meh” (the top notch H&F notwithstanding). So I was very excited to find recently that the Seven Lamps (opened in December) is actually pretty hip and certainly appropriate for date night.
Tucked away in the Shops Around Lenox complex next to Tootsies, Seven Lamps fills a much needed gap in Lenox Mall dining options – a genuinely cool option with high quality food. According to Eater, Seven Lamps is “named the restaurant after art critic John Ruskin’s principles of architecture: sacrifice, truth, power, beauty, life, memory, and obedience” which Chef Drew van Leuvan, formerly of One Midtown Kitchen, believes applies to the kitchen as well.
Van Leuvan is known for his handmade pastas, so we opted for appetizer portions of two of them. The gnocchi in particular was unusual in all the best ways. Made with baby spinach, d’anjou pear, gorgonzola, and gingerbread, the cheese lends it a pungency that works so well with the pillowy gnocchi and the sweet pears.
Our second pasta, Agnolotti stuffed with aged fontina and ricotta, served with pancetta, sofrito and asiago, was more traditional seeming with a fairly straightforward red sauce. Definitely tasty, but, I’d go for the gnocchi if I could only have one.
It’s not that much of a secret, but there’s also an off-menu burger to consider. Made with half brisket, have top round, and topped with Thousand Island, caramelized onions, pickles, and cheese, this burger is a worthy entrant to the city’s burger wars. It was meaty and perfectly cooked with enough yummy toppings to keep things interesting. The seasoned cottage fries were an awesome accompaniment. They’re crisp on the outside and fluffy inside. I thought I was too full to eat this before it came, but it was so good, I found room for my half.
Overall, I was quite pleasantly surprised by Seven Lamps. It’s upscale quality in a casual but still stylish atmosphere with plenty of interesting options to make return visits appealing. It just might give me a reason to drive up to Buckhead more often and has given me a new go-to recommendation when people ask what’s new and worthwhile.
Seven Lamps
3400 Around Lenox Rd
Atlanta, GA 30326