The Optimist is Esquire Magazine's Pick for "Restaurant of the Year"

Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee

Congratulations are in order - The Optimist has just been named "Restaurant of the Year" by Esquire magazine! Esquire Food and Travel Correspondent John Mariani, who has eaten his way across the country for nearly three decades, selected the 20 best new restaurants in America including “Restaurant of the Year.” Mariani described the restaurant as a “soaring, convivial spot” with “seafood cooked with old-school expertise.” He also noted that “far more than a resounding local success; it is an overnight totem of all that is wonderful about American food today.” 

Owner Ford Fry opened The Optimist and Oyster Bar at The Optimist in May 2012 as a place for landlocked Atlantans to enjoy a classic seafood experience. Executive Chef Adam Evans' menu features sustainable seafood simply prepared using wood-burning ovens and grills. The Oyster Bar at The Optimist casts a more casual "fish camp" vibe with an outside patio and oyster bar. Even the beverages evoke coastal qualities: light, herbaceous and savory cocktails, Fish House Punch at The Oyster Bar and a daily punch by mug or pitcher, a wine list plucking from coastal vineyards and draft brews gathered from American craft breweries anchored in port cities. 

Make sure to check out the November issue of Esquire available on October 16 for the complete list of "Best New Restaurants."