Whether it's a lunchtime martini with fries or a bottle of pinot alongside duck at dinner, Lucian Books and Wine in Buckhead is Atlanta's easiest reservation to say yes to, and a fixture on Eater's Atlanta 38.
Husband-and-wife team Katie Barringer and Jordan Smelt opened the restaurant and bookstore in 2021, with executive chef Jason Paolini building a menu that works in lockstep with the wine list. In 2025, the team earned a James Beard semifinalist nod for that ever-evolving program, and later this year, they will open a second restaurant, Sargent, in Old Fourth Ward.
The cult-favorite French omelet with caviar ($35) comes out annoyingly perfect each time. The glistening omelet is gooey on the inside and needs no frills beyond salty caviar and crème fraîche. The wine list, now in its 30th iteration, reads like a love letter to classic regions and rising producers.
