DINING GUIDE and also serves as restaurant manager, greeting guests, talking sports, and reminiscing about the old neighborhoods. For newbies, he’s a Philly food and culture ambassador. Lo calls him the supreme maître d’. Fellow Northeasterner and kitchen manager Russ Lamlin oversees a menu dripping with authenticity and cheesesteak. I ordered the cheesesteak “Whiz wit” (Cheez Whiz and onions) on a plain Liscio’s roll (from the famed New Jersey bakery). With that first toasty bite came deeply flavorful chopped rib-eye steak; melty cheddar-style cheese, gooey and glorious; and sweet grilled onions turned to translucent perfection. There are hoagies aplenty, too, busting with fillings and oil-and-vinegar dressing—start with the must-have Italian. As for the fried chicken cutlet sandwiches, Gebelein favors “the underrated” Nick Foles, featuring broccoli rabe, sharp provolone, roasted red peppers, and balsamic. Lo is smitten with the Italian roast pork sandwich. Meanwhile: massive, foldable pizza slices? Check. And among the sides are crinkle-cut fries and Herr’s potato chips (Old Bay seasoning is an option for both). There are water, or “wooder,” ices for dessert; Lo likes the cherry, for its nostalgia factor. The Philly Salted Caramel Pretzel and Butterscotch Vanilla are winners on the list of Bassetts ice cream flavors available. And the splendid pistachio cake with ricotta cream filling shouldn’t be missed. I left wanting an-other slice of not just the cake but everything. –VF Bottega Italian Market & Pizza Marietta As the hour grows late, it takes the promise of something special to get this East Pointer to drive to the northern burbs for a bite. But on a recent Satur-day, hunger and curiosity won out, because, as my Italian boyfriend from Jersey says, “I’m hearing things.” We made our way to the south side of Marietta Square, where a moonlit night led us to Bottega La Glorieta Italian Market & Pizza. We were welcomed by Italian music and warm greetings from behind the counter. Holding court was owner-chef Raffaele Crispino, a charismatic, espresso-fueled dynamo from Naples. Chef Raff, as he’s known, owns other Atlanta-area restaurants, including the charming Crispina Ristorante & Pizzeria in Vinings. Here at his bottega, a mural potrait of Sophia Loren adds cinematic glamour to a minimalist Italianate space defined by white subway tiles, wood flooring, tall ceilings with fleur-de-lis stamps, and stylish pendant lamps. A pair of nostalgic oversized clocks—one marked “Marietta,” the other “Roma”— hang above the imported Italian pizza oven. Along a stretch of tables and a dark-green banquette, a photo mural shows a scooter outside a cafe, while an actual red Vespa that belonged to Crispino’s grandfather sits across the way, on a platform above the front door. In a similar vein, the food is a study in doing things simply and well, with lighthearted flair. The hybrid resto/deli/market offers imported meats, cheeses, and olives, plus prepared mains and sides, homemade desserts, and freshly baked focaccia and ciabatta. Seasonal menu specials include items like lobster ravioli. The marketplace shelves are packed with Italian goodies, from pantry staples, snacks, and condiments to curated wines and pretty, gift-ready olive oils and vinegars, notably Briati Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. A recommended sampler for first-timers: Bruschetta Bella, caprese salad, squares of pepperoni and margherita pizza, and homemade cannoli and tiramisu. Each one perfetto. We took home marinated artichokes, grilled eggplant, and ribbon-wrapped bundles of amaretti cookies (lemon and chocolate). Memorable bites on a second visit: the pesto-slathered grilled vegetable sandwich and the dreamy affogato (salted-caramel gelato layered with a dense cream swirl and dusting of espresso powder). Sinatra crooning “Strangers in the Night”: bonus. –VF Dumpling Factory Westside Sometimes, when a craving for Asian dumplings strikes, downtown traffic can make Buford Highway seem so far away. But the famed Northern China Eatery in Doraville has brought its signature recipes, plus steamer baskets aplenty, to an offshoot on the Westside. Dumpling Factory is located in the food-and-drink enclave at the Westside Paper development, joining El Santo Gallo, Pancake Social, and King of Pops, among others. Fans of Northern China Eatery might consider this a place to savor the restaurant’s greatest hits, without the sometimes-long waits. Enter from the courtyard and you’re smack-dab in front of the order counter, with a clear view to the bustling kitchen. There, cooks crank out handmade dumplings, filled buns, “juicy” soup buns, and pot stickers, plus stir-fried rice, hot and cold noodle dishes, soups, and more. Takeout business is brisk, but a scallion pancake doesn’t always travel well, so opt for the casual dining room if time allows. The space is bright, with sky-blue walls, tall windows, comfy booths, wooden banquettes, and high-top tables. The dangling red lanterns, potted orchids, and charming dumpling illustrations add an artful touch, but your attention will likely be drawn to what’s in front of you: spicy Sichuan dan dan noodles; hefty steamed pork buns; pork and chive dumplings; crab roe soup dumplings; beef and carrot dumplings; tiger salad (green pepper, cilantro, and cucumber); shrimp fried rice; wonton soup; pan-fried lamb and zucchini dumplings; or chicken and corn pot stickers, to name a few of the many ways to load your table and share with friends (or not). If you love dumplings and buns, you can’t order too many here. They come steamed, pan-fried, or boiled, with black vinegar and chili oil sauces on the side. It’s like dim sum till you drop. The restaurant does not serve alcohol, but if diners want to bring libations from nearby establishments in with them, they are welcome to do so. –VF La Glorieta Tucker On the corner of a sleepy strip mall in Tucker sits a tropical gem serving comforting, soulful Honduran food that translates easily. Manager Isis Cornejo runs the restaurant owned by her Honduran husband, Nelson Flores, and his brother, Edgardo Flores. Their friendly, all-Honduran crew cooks street food (“La Glorieta” means “little kiosk,” explains Isis) that is typical of the Central American country—a place with both Caribbean and Pacific coastlines and cuisine influenced by African, Caribbean, European, and Indigenous cultures. Popular choices include baleadas (tortillas filled with a smear of refried red beans, queso duro, and crema, plus add-ons such as avocado, egg, chicken, or steak); pollo chuco, a dish of fried green bananas with fried chicken, cabbage, chismol (vegetable salsa with lime juice), pickled red onion, and dressing; and tacos dorados (made with chicken or steak). Aguas frescas in such flavors as pineapple and jamaica (hibiscus) are a perfect refresher. Big bottles of Jutiquile Sabor Olanchano, an aged hot sauce from Honduras, top each table. –VF 142 Atlanta • August 2025 MAR T H A WI LLI AM S
Atlanta Magazine Atlanta Magazine August 2025: Page-142
