King + Duke

King + Duke, the latest chef-owned restaurant from Atlanta’s Ford Fry, offers a seasonal dining experience in the heart of Buckhead. A 24-foot open hearth is the restaurant’s centerpiece, and executive chef Joe Schafer’s passion for cooking over wood comes through in every dish. Named after characters in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, King + Duke nods to classic literature and American traditions. The locally sourced dishes harken back to the way food used to be prepared—cooking over fire is a primitive technique that lets the ingredients speak for themselves. Guests can watch their food being prepared over the fire in the main restaurant space, dine al fresco on the large patio, or host an event behind a hidden door in the private dining room. Start with a cocktail and the warm Yorkshire pudding that’s served at every table, and move on to a coal-roasted onion soup or charred octopus salad. Then enjoy “The King,” a dry-aged, bone-in ribeye, or share a whole-roasted chicken for two. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the roasted bone marrow, or a Mississippi rabbit with liver toast. There are plenty of options for vegetable lovers, too: wood-roasted artichokes, farm carrots and beets, grilled eggplant, and more. The menu changes often, based on seasonal ingredients and the chef’s inspiration, so don’t be a stranger.