As you might have come to realize, Atlanta is a relatively big city. My parents live in the same house where I grew up which is ‘OTP,’ that is, Outside the Perimeter, a local Atlanta colloquialism. For the most part, the best restaurants in the city are, as you might also have guessed, not in the suburbs, but instead ‘ITP’ or Inside the Perimeter. However, for a free place to stay and seeing family who you haven’t seen for two years, it’s worth the chance to seek out good restaurants away from the city. Thus, having revisited 1910 Public House (which, most, unfortunately, did not hold up in value or quality) earlier in the week, for our last night in the States, it was up to me to find a new place to try.
Gwinnett County has a great website for supporting local restaurants, and I poured over them, looking for a hidden gem. In a location I wouldn’t have expected, with an exterior that belies the value inside, I found Parkside District (which, for the record, is neither near a park, or in any type of district). Much like the spacious loft-style interior of The Optimist (but with much better scallops), Parkside District is spacious and broken into different areas — bar, dining room, and outdoor patio. As it was absolutely pouring down outside, I snagged us a booth were we were able to enjoy a nice meal together. We started with some delicious cocktails, mine a Peach Whiskey Cosmo (yes, please!) and Hubs with something whiskey based that I’ve now forgotten the name of.
I also ordered the Charcuterie and Cheese Board, USD$14, which honestly, was the only disappointing part of our experience (we did much better earlier in the week at Leon’s Full Service. For mains, I decided on building two appetizers (both veggie dishes, not on purpose), the Fried Green Tomatoes (served with Pimento Cheese), USD$8 and the Cauliflower Steak (served with Gruyere cheese, nom and SUPER reasonable at USD$6), while Hubs predictably ordered the Hanger Steak (overpriced by at least $10 at USD$30, but still quite tasty). My parents, who we were treating as a belated gift for my Dad’s birthday, as well as their hospitality, were both happy to order the Seared Scallops (with an extra scallop versus my less than deisrable version at The Optimist, a day earlier). The scallops were also USD$30, which seems high for a main, but again, they were some of the best we had during the trip. Maybe that’s the cost of mains in Gwinnett?
As it was our last day of our holiday, Hubs decided on a dessert, which had an interesting presentation, Jeni’s Affogato (USD$8, very reasonable), which involves a tiny Cafe Du Monde French press, Lotus cookies and Jeni’s Homemade ice cream (a local favorite).
Altogether, the experience was a lovely one and a great last night in the States. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, and the music fit the mood. My only notes would be to completely overhaul the exterior, which read like a TGIFridays.
Would I go back? Yes, casual and fun, and not a chain restaurant who works with local suppliers? Sign me up!
Who is Parkside District best for? Families, girls night, book club, maybe even a date night or place to watch the Atlanta Falcons.
Have you been to Parkside District? What did you order?
The Verdict
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Price
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Atmosphere
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Food
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Service
Summary
Parkside District is a local gem in Gwinnett County and definitely worth stopping by.
