European With A Touch Of The South
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Airport location
Cuisine Style: Upscale Mediterranean
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined in July 2013
Article Updated: February 2020
Article Updated: February 2020
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
By Cuisine / By Country
By Cuisine / By Country
Ecco Zomato Rating:
Executive Chef:
Michael Patria
Midtown Chef:
Jonathan Beatty
The picture below is courtesy of Ecco Restaurant
Before joining Fifth Group Restaurants, Jonathan Beatty was the Corporate Chef of Davanti Enoteca in Chicago, Illinois. Soon after its opening, Time Out Chicago named Davanti Enoteca “Best New Italian Restaurant” and Chef Beatty was named “Best New Chef” by Chicago Magazine.
Ecco Restaurant, which is part of the Fifth Group Restaurants which has three locations in Atlanta. My experience was while traveling through the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, and having a decent meal before the start of a long international flight at an airport restaurant is a wonderful feeling, because once onboard the airplane, you get offered chicken or pasta by the flight attendant. Some airports have good places to eat especially when you have a long layover, but most airports only offer the basics and don’t really give you the fulfillment to say, wow, that was worth my time. The original Ecco restaurant opened in Midtown Atlanta in 2006, and this location opened with the completion of the new International Terminal in 2012.
Menu:
- Cured Meats
- Cheeses
- Taste and Share
- Appetizers
- Pizzas
- Panini
- Pasta
- Mains
- Sides
- Kids
- Desserts
Since being named a “Best New Restaurant in America” in 2006 by Esquire, Ecco in Atlanta has become one of Atlanta’s, and the Southeast’s, most recognized and renowned restaurants. The seasonal European menu offers delicious meat and cheese boards, house-made pasta, authentic wood-fired pizzas and a variety of desserts. The restaurant also features a nationally recognized wine list representing both boutique and well-known European vineyards with many exclusive selections. With award-winning décor including an over-sized bar, a large, open-air patio on the mezzanine level of the airport terminal
For the wine, I had a few glasses of the Terres d’Avignon, “Reserve desArmoiries" from the Rhone Valley. I enjoyed an item from the taste and share appetizer section as well as an entrée while I waited before boarding the plane. The Appetizer was the braised beef-stuffed Spanish piquillo peppers. Fantastic flavor, with combinations of sweet and spicy, with the beef giving it a smoked flavor, went down wonderfully with the wine. The presentation was also on the rustic side giving the dish more appeal.
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| Ecco Restaurant / Braised Beef piquillo peppers |
For the entrée course, I enjoyed the Pappardelle pasta and braised pork dish mixed with sautéed garlic and peppadew peppers. Though very Italian in style there was a nice twist of southern comfort in the dishes offered. Midtown Executive Chef and Ecco menu creator Jonathan Beatty were born and raised in Atlanta before being trained in New York, and working in Chicago as mentioned earlier. It is nice to see a unique eclectic style in Mediterranean dishes.
 |
| Ecco Restaurant / Pappardelle Pasta |
Dessert:
Dessert selections include a pannacotta with blood orange sauce, a pear-almond tart, and a chocolate-pecan torte to name a few. Of the few times I have been here, I have never had room for dessert.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.” - David Auerbach
Other Noteworthy Mediterranean Articles and Restaurants similar to Ecco:
Mediterranean cuisine represents the foods and methods of preparation by people of the Mediterranean Basin region, primarily to the Southern European countries of Portuguese, Spanish, Provençal French, Italian, Sicilian, Greek, Cretan, and can include elements of North African and The Fertile Crescent. These areas include Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian, Israeli, Turkish-Ottoman, and Syrian cuisines.
Castile Restaurant Med-Latin and tapas café with 360 views at the Hotel Zamora, in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Chill Restaurant and Bar New American cuisine, tapas, and exotic cocktails in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Iberian Rooster Colonial Portuguese fusion with tapas restaurant in St Petersburg, Florida
Muse Italian villa with classic Mediterranean dishes and wine bar in Charleston, South Carolina
O’Bistro A casual style bistro focusing on the Mediterranean and New American Cuisine with a small eclectic flair in St Petersburg, Florida
Rioja Creatively presented high-energy Mediterranean fare in Denver, Colorado
Table 9 Stylish modern Spanish and global cuisine at the Hilton Dubai Creek in Deira Dubai, UAE
The Garlic An old-world approach to Italian with Mediterranean classics in New Smyrna Beach, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine, Dine, and Play Article Glossary”
Other Atlanta restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
|
Upmarket Brazilian chain Churrasco Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
|
Sci-Fi Convention Event at the Hyatt, Downtown Atlanta
|
A taste of the Georgia Coast
Atlanta Airport, Terminal F
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
A Few Georgia Favorites:
|
Iconic drive-in, dogs, & American classics,
Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA
|
A hip burger chain with space-age decor
Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
|
Boutique bistro, new American, & Southern favorites
Atlantic Station, Georgia, USA
|
|
Modern and contemporary American cuisine
Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
|
Farm-to-Table Southern bites spot in Sandy Springs, Georgia, USA
|
Eclectic tavern for Surf 'n' Turf in Griffin, Georgia, USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations, and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor.
To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Ecco Restaurant
|
Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
|
Ambiance
|
9.5
|
9
|
0.5
|
Food quality
|
10
|
7.5
|
2.5
|
Plate presentation
|
8
|
8
|
0
|
Customer service
|
7
|
4.5
|
2.5
|
Alcohol and other beverages
|
10
|
8.5
|
1.5
|
Total regular points awarded
|
44.5
|
37.5
|
7
|
Total percentage Before Bonus
|
0.842696629213483
| ||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
Total bonus percentage
|
0.0224719101123595
| ||
Total percentage with the bonus for the final star rating
|
0.865168539325843
| ||
Stars Awarded (see chart below)
|
0 - 5
|
4
|
**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
|
4 of 5 Stars:
87% Rating with a 1 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
|
Ecco Wine rating:
|
7 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Spain, Italy, Germany, England
New World selections:
Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, California, Oregon, Lebanon
|
Restaurant style:
|
Casual dining
|
Ecco Restaurant Cuisine style:
|
Greek, Italian, Mediterranean, Spanish
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten-Free, Organic, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegetarian
|
Reservations:
|
Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted
|
Dress code:
|
Casual or Conservative attire
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
|
Experiences:
|
Place for foodies, Contemporary, Great bar, Upscale, and a Neighborhood Gem.
|
Payments:
|
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
|
Parking:
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Private airport lot
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Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
|
Noise level:
|
Medium
|
Smoking:
|
Ecco Restaurant is a nonsmoking restaurant and nonsmoking patio
|
Patio or terrace:
|
No
|
Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
££
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$$
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥¥
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€€
|
Ecco Restaurant:
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport
Mezzanine Level, International Terminal
Concourse F
2600 Maynard H Jackson Jr. Blvd
Atlanta, GA 30354
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
| |
Maître d or host:
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+1 404 347 9555
(800) 897-1910
|
Online reservations
| |
Webpage Contact:
| |
Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
|
Dinner: Mon-Sun
4:00 pm –10:00 pm
|
Social Media
&
Accolades:
| |
****
The world's best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Rodízio buffet and churrascaria
Niagara, Canada
|
Dessert shop with Southern treats, and praline
Savannah & Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
German Bites in Bavarian-style Tavern
Ruskin, Florida, USA
|
Other Ecco Restaurant Pictures:
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| Ecco Restaurant / Dining room |
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| Ecco Restaurant / Atlanta Airport map |
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| Ecco / Dining room - Picture courtesy of Ecco Restaurant |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
