LPC

Great décor on the inside. You can see the attention to detail on the construction of the place.
The staff is very friendly and helpful. The bar staff is courteous and pour well.
Unfortunately, the food isn’t as good as the pretty interior.
Fish with risotto came out with severely overcooked and dry fish. They had attempted to create a nice crispiness to the skin and achieved that but the entire fish was dry and unpalatable.
The arugula salad was fairly well done but inconsistent. We had two plates and one was drenched in dressing while the other was almost completely without dressing.

Disclaimer: this isn’t about their food but rather their workers/​service.
If you’re looking for unfriendly pretentiousness this is the place to go. Then again, if you want to have a nice midtown experience maybe go elsewhere.
I just started working in the building last week. Since they have about a dozen tables outside totally unoccupied I grabbed one for my packed lunch one day. Within 15 minutes, someone came out and said that «if I don’t plan on dining with them» I should not be occupying any of their tables (any of their 10 – 15 tables, all unoccupied, mind you). Now, I get it, you’re a business and you want to make sure your customers come first. But I am a customer too, just not on this particular occasion. You could’ve let me (and another person at the table next to me) finish the lunch and know better than sit there in the future. As it is, I’m never going to «dine with you» again.
How do places like this even stay in business?

Visited LPC one night after an art gallery opening, and overall it was okay.
The manager told me they’re in the same «group» as Two Urban Licks, One Midtown Kitchen, etc etc. They aren’t all owned by the same person, just managed by the same group.
LOCATION:
In Midtown, headed towards Buckhead. It’s basically under the Invesco building.
ATMOSPHERE DECOR:
Very nice, intimate, rustic-​chic décor. Great ambience for a date or a gathering. The restaurant wasn’t busy on a Friday night and the manager told me it never really gets busy because a good portion of their clientele comes from hosting lunches and dinners for the surrounding businesses.
FOOD & DRINK:
Pepperoni Pizza — It was okay
Margherita Pizza — It was okay
Chocolate Cake — I don’t think its called chocolate cake, but its basically a chocolate molten cake. Very rich, and pretty good.
Ice Cream — they have seasonal ice creams and gelatos and I had the Fig. It was delicious, and the best thing I had from them.
Wine — we tried several different wines. They were nice in helping us to choose and allowing us to taste different ones.
SERVICE:
We were at the bar, so they were very attentive and talkative.
SUMMARY:
Honestly the food wasn’t that good, but we just had pizza. I wish I would have ordered at least one of the appetizers. The fig ice cream was good though, and I’m not even a fig person. The ambience and setting was very lovely and classy. The service was technically great, but the guy I was with was buying a lot of stuff so you know how that goes.
I’d say a 3.5÷5. I really should round down to a 3, but I’m in a good mood so a 4 it is. :-)

Rediscover LPC, formerly La Pietra Cucina and come quickly because I am afraid it might not last. The night we arrived for a 7:30 dinner reservation there was only one other table occupied in the place, a few woman at the bar for a quick drink after work, and a small private party.
We ordered the arugula salad with hazelnuts, glistening, fresh leaves that were perfectly dressed. Next, a most delicious butternut squash ravioli that did not need the cold bits of ricotta salata as a garnish. The large ravioli were tender and filled with a well balanced squash purée. We shared the seafood special– a perfectly cooked cod filet in a rich, rustic tomato compote served on a bed of al dente white beans.
The meal was excellent. The servers could not have been nicer.
There is someone in the kitchen who knows how to cook and takes pride in the dishes being served.

Went to LPC for drinks and appetizers. The place was dead on Friday night (3 other people at the bar and 4 people dining). The music wasn’t working which made the ambiance even more creepy. Cocktails were fine, service was slow but the food was terrible. I was served the worst meatballs I ever had. They were flavorless, dry and crumbled in my mouth. There credit card machine was also not working and it took quite a bit of time to settle the bill. LPC used to be a great place to dine, not so much anymore.

We (2) arrived around 9:15 on a Friday night, to find a total of FOUR tables dining at that time. We were shocked to see any restaurant that empty on a Friday. However, having heard fantastic reviews about the food (in Atlanta magazine approx 5 years ago), we decided to stay. I had hoped the food reviews would have prevailed, despite their fall off the hit restaurant spectrum in the past few years.
Service was relatively slow considering the amount of people in the restaurant. Bread took forever to hit the table and was cold — could be the way the serve it. but who wants cold bread?
What we ordered:
Shaved Brussels sprout salad (very unique — great if you like Brussels sprouts)
**Beet pasta stuffed with goat cheese (probably my favorite dish, but slightly dry)
Pan fried octopus — (WHO fries octopus? Would never order again)
**White pizza with squash, zucchini, prosciutto (MOST amount of garlic I’ve ever had in a restaurant, however it was excellent at first)
Squid ink spaghetti (could have used more sauce — but overall okay.)
** = daily specials — not on menu
The amount of garlic in these entrees was incredible — do not order the pizza if you are on a date. My date and i were overflown with garlic breath. awful.
Probably would not return to this restaurant. It is evidently hurting. Food was not that great — in fact did not even box up the leftovers. (Minus the pizza, which upon later discovery was overloaded with garlic). Friendly environment, but completely empty.

I went for a weekday lunch on my birthday. The buttermilk squash ravioli was amazing and I don’t even like squash! I had the pepperoni pizza as well which was very thin and crisp. The waitstaff was extremely helpful in navigating the menu and surprised me with the molten lava cake— I would come back for this cake alone. It was SO good and had a whipped mascarpone cream on top– delicious!

LPC — WHEN A MAKEOVER GOES RIGHT
In the restaurant business it take more than good food to become successful, especially in this city. Case in point; take the highly respected rock-​star chef, Bruce Logue, known for creative Italian cuisine and because of poor marketing, a dismal atmosphere, and lack of identity in a section of the city that loves identity, his restaurant La Pietra Cucina fails. Enter into the picture Bob Amick and Todd Rushing and the rest of the Concentrics’ team to do a complete overhaul with a total re-​design of the space and re-​branding La Pietra Cucina as LPC with a much simpler Nuevo-​Italian menu. Prior to the makeover Chef Logue decided to leave to pursue other interest; his shoes needed to be filled with someone that could build upon the new LPC concept and make it flourish. Chef Russell Kook was tapped to take over the kitchen bringing with him his multitude of fine dining experiences from his time in Vegas, Chicago, and as runner-​up on Season 8 of Hell’s Kitchen. Chef Kook has created a thrilling value driven menu that doesn’t sacrifice quality filling a void in the part of the city that’s nestled between Buckhead and Midtown, near the Art Center Complex.
A well-​selected wine list has been assembled that highlights most of the growing regions and varietals coming from Italy giving diners an opportunity to sample little known high quality Italian wines that might be otherwise over-​looked. If bubbles are your desire, consider the non-​vintage Prosecco Rose from infamous Bisol Estate, this sparkler has lots of personality and offers lush floral aromas and has an amazing long dry finish. From the same region, Veneto, the Pieropan Soave Classico is full of fresh citrus flavors, and its zingy acidity beckons food of depth and character, and LPC has many to choose from. The list of wines to explore goes on and on, so have fun finding your favorites. Besides the wines, LPC offers an assortment of high-​octane cocktails, which are made with various Italian liqueurs which on their own have unique and dramatic taste sensations, but to be a key part of a well made cocktail makes for some sensational sippers — recommend LPC’s take on the classic Negroni, or the Medici’s Influx made with a housemade Meyer lemon lemoncello, both are darn easy to enjoy.
Chef Kook’s menu offerings are ideal to be shared amongst the table. Suggest starting with a few of the Spuntini or Snacks to jump-​start the tastebuds. The Fiorello Peppers with pickled feta and the Todd’s Meatballs are both got to haves. The charred peppers with their subtle smoky flavors and sweet spiciness (not hotness), and the veal meatballs on a bed of Anson Mill’s polenta with a hardy pomodoro sauce, both will surely get the appetite going — guaranteed! Of the Antipasti selections, the Pan Fried Octopus and the Buffalo Mozzarella are simply instant gratification on a plate. The ultra-​tender octopus is a not be missed. After braising in a red wine, the octopus is pan-​fried until slightly crisp and is served with grilled frisee and a savory arrabitata sauce. The Buffalo Mozzarella Salad with its preserved lemon vinaigrette is astonishing. It has lively mouth feel with its tart and creamy textures; throw in some blanched fava beans and crispy Nueske’s Applewood bacon and you have the makings of a culinary ecstasy.
Even though there are some delectable large plates like the pan-​fried Scottish Salmon or the Grilled Springer Mountain Chicken, at LPC the stars of the menu are the artistically prepared pasta dishes. Each of these recipes has an obvious freshness, balance, quality ingredients that play off and complement each other, and most importantly the feel of kitchen love. The Squid Ink Spaghetti’s flair comes from the perfect marriage of blue crab with a sea urchin butter, grapefruit, mint and Serrano pepper. — seems a bit odd but it works — the result is a pasta with a mouth pleasing punch. The otherworldly Agnolotti is a ravioli-​like pasta stuffed with a creamy goat cheese and grilled cherry tomatoes that’s drizzled with a tomato brodo, the clear water from roma tomatoes, this dish is all about depth and flavor intensity. The Carbonara is one of LPC’s signature dishes — linguini noodles that’s tossed with a housemade pancetta, percorino grand cru and a raw duck egg yolk, this is Italian comfort food at its best but with a lot of wow factor.
When its time to awaken the sweet tooth, either the oh-​so decadent Chocolate Budino with its warm gooey center or the Pistachio Semifreddo with a burnt orange caramel sauce will do the job, suggest getting both a do the sharing thing, you’ll be grateful that you did. So when the mood strikes for some distinctive Nuevo-​Italian food that’s both pleasing to the palate as well as the wallet, LPC has a seat waiting for you, sit outside on the patio and enjoy the ambience of outdoor dining. Buon appetito!

I’ve had La Pietra Cucina on my radar for a long time. When Bruce Logue was a guest chef at One Midtown Kitchen a couple of years ago during their Summer Chef Series, I was impressed by the dishes he served and have been meaning to give it a shot ever since.
Fast forward two years and I start getting emails from Concentrics’ promo email list for a new restaurant called, «LPC». I thought, nice! A new Concentrics place for Italian. I should try it!
I didn’t realize until after I made reservations and walked up to the front door, seeing «La Pietra Cucina» that it was the same place. Duh, Todd! I suppose «LPC» is a rebranding effort. Needless to say, I was glad that I could finally try their menu.
The «lure» to get me in was the LPC promotion for a free pizza. Sold! I invited a friend to join me. We had a fantastic bottle of wine on their «Going Going Gone» list, and started with a brussels sprouts salad — shredded sprouts, shaved marcona almonds, pecorino, and a lemon vinaigrette. Delicious!
We also split a pasta dish, the orrecchiette with shrimp, what seemed like enoki mushrooms, asparagus and feta cheese. This dish was also very delicious, with perfectly cooked al dente pasta and a fantastic flavor combination.
The pizza, on the other hand, was a miss. We tried the Gambero, with Georgia shrimp, serrano chilies and zucchini squash. Not sure what’s up with the crust, but it was very airy and dry. The serranos were particularly spicy and overwhelmed the rest of the flavors. Meh. Wouldn’t get this again. But on the bright side, the coupon wiped this off the bill. Thanks, LPC! ;-)
Finally, we finished with the most divine chocolate dessert, a dense cake with sea salt, a dollop of whipped cream, and a smear of Nutella. Heaven on a plate!
Good wine, decent food, fantastic dessert, great service… my trip to LPC was long in the making and well worth it.
Tips regarding parking: After 7 pm, street parking is free. Otherwise there’s a $ 3 valet option.

Unfortunately, I believe this may be the worst restaurant in Atlanta. We received an E-​Mail solicitation for a free pizza, so we thought we would try it out. Now, since I’ve been to the dark side, I see why they sent out the solicitation (which they continue to do; the latest being for free wine); they apparently are desperate for customers.
First, the location is poor and the place is depressing! It’s a 3-​D place (dark, depressing and deserted). We felt creeped out to be in such an empty place. We we there in the early evening, and there was one other table occupied inside (plus the loser boozers at the bar) and a large table of folks outside.
We asked the waiter if they had a child’s menu. The answer was a curt «No!» Not «We don’t have a child’s menu, but let me recommend this dish, etc.». Just «No!». We had the FRITTO MISTO and it was awful; just wads of fried crud. The TODD’S MEATBALLS was barely a little better, but not good at all. The ORECCHIETTE was just OK; hardly worth the price. My son was looking forward to a pizza. Sadly, there are only two choices. He got the PEPPERONI. I tried it and it was awful; I’ve had better at Costco’s snack bar.
Overall, THIS PLACE IS SALT CITY! There was so much salt in the food, that when we got home, the whole family ran for the water pitcher. We must have each consumed about a half gallon of water, to get rid of the salt we had all eaten at this joint. If you have high blood pressure, DO NOT EAT AT THIS PLACE. (Actually, NO ONE should eat at this place!)
The only thing worse than the food and the service was the atmosphere. It is really creepy; you expect to be abducted at any moment, never to be seen again. Definitely not going back to this completely unacceptable place.
Mark my words, unless there is a miracle, they will be out of business within a year. The only thing that puzzles me is the people who have written glowing reviews here; perhaps they are plants?!?
[Note: In the Unilocal review survey at the end of this review form, I suggested that the photo of the pizza be used as the storefront photo. It looks like dog-​doo, and is thus very apropos!]

Dined here last night (spoiler alert — no one from my party had food poisoning… was just reading some other reviews — so that is a bonus. Perhaps they have cleaned up their act).
Liked the Parmesan encrusted breadsticks. Liked that some dishes (well one dish and one wine) had some portion of the proceeds donated to ATL Community Food Bank.
Split the pepperoni pizza. Excellent. Yes, ATL 2013 there are plenty of places to get good pizza equal to or different (Antico) than this pizza — but it was solid. The crust was crunchy and tasty, the sauce was fresh and plentiful, the mozarella was authentic and the pepperoni — enough to complement the other flavors while not being overbearing.
My friend had the butter nut squash piramide which he scarfed up. I had the parpadelle with wild boar bolognese. Loved it. The noodles were not too heavy — almost delicate in a good way. The wild boar was good. While the sauce was tasty — it wasnt a traditional bolognese (meat sauce) but more of a red sauce with wild boar. Regardless, I liked it (but I am rating it more as a sauce with meat).
Friend ordered the pistachio dessert. Probably not the best choice. It was a little chalky (it was supposed to be a whipped ice cream/​pistachio dessert). And the salted caramel on top REALLY overpowered the delicate pistachio dessert. Perhaps the gelato is better.
There were many choices of wine but… I was a little surprised there were no savings by ordering a bottle rather than a glass. So I ordered a wine that was also having proceeds donated to the ACFB. It was light but a good choice.
I do like the new décor. Our service was on point but as others have mentioned, it was pretty empty from 7 – 9 pm on a Thursday night.
I would go back, especially for the pizza (they have a happy hour special on it during the week!).

We were big fans of the old La Pietra Cucina and tried the rebranded/​remodeled LPC last night. It was disappointing.
First, as other reviews have mentioned, the place was empty. Literally, there was one other occupied table the entire time we were there. Granted it was the week after New Years Eve, but it was still a Thursday night in ATL.
I had read that the menu had been completely changed with the exception of the black squid ink pasta, which was our favorite dish from old LPC. Well, our server told us the chef has been «dying to put his own spin» on that last remaining dish and revamped it a few weeks ago. That is a shame. It was overwhelmed with too many competing flavors, including serrano, blue crab, sea urchin and grapefruit pieces. Yes, you read that right. My husband’s chicken cacciatore was good, but nothing special. And for anyone saying, «who orders chicken in a restaurant?», his rationale was that if the chef was going to put chicken cacciatore on his menu, it would be damn good. It wasn’t.
What WAS good, however, was my brussels sprout salad, my husband’s arugula salad, and my mushroom pizza. The pizza was very good.
My conclusion was that it would be a decent place to stop and get a light dinner of salad and pizza, but even with the Concentrics Group behind it, I don’t think it will be in business for too much longer.

More ambiance than food. The meal I had was nothing to write home (or Unilocal) about. But the ambiance was very sexy, great for an intimate date.
Don’t know their parking situation as I walked to the restaurant, wish it was easier to park so I can visit in the winter — when I do plan to have an intimate dinner.

My husband and I feel this place is a nice little secret that has yet to truly «be discovered.»
Food: The skate is incredible (and be sure to eat the brussel sprouts that come with it! Might be the best thing I tasted all night.). The beet and apple salad was perfection. Everything I tasted was yummy.
The service was friendly, fast, and helpful, and atmosphere is a nice modern industrial setting. We used the valet parking, which was very easy.
From our experience, this is a nice choice for upscale Italian without being over the top. Yum!

Over. Rated.
Two people I was with had the bolognese dish and they both got sick at the exact same time when we got home.
Nothing to brag about here.

I would give it six stars if I could. This place is in my top two favorite restaurants of all time.
There is no question that you could order ANYTHING on this menu and love it, but the Pistachio Torrone Semi-​Freddo with salted caramel and chocolate sauce drizzled over-​top was simply ridiculous. Even if you couldn’t eat another bite, you MUST order it. Having already enjoyed the most amazing Shitake Mushroom Salad of all time, a perfectly al dente Rigatoni Pomodoro with ricotta, an über-​flavorful Squash Panini ANNND a smoked winter vegetable salad (my sister’s absolute favorite dish ever), I thought I couldn’t possibly find room for dessert. BUT. I’m telling you. You couldn’t possibly regret it. AND their Blood Orange Sorbet (made in-​house!) — is mouth-​watering. This meal was a thing of beauty. Absolute and undeniable beauty.
Thank you, Chris, for service that was nothing short of perfection & Chef Bruce, for delivering food more incredible than any dream.

Let me preface this by saying I originally wanted to give this place four stars. The service kicked it up to five.
On a Wednesday night at 6 p.m., La Pietra Cucina was practically empty. My friend had made a reservation (in accordance with the ScoutMob guidelines) and we were seated in one of the chic tables next to the window. I love when restaurants have high-​backed chairs. They’re so ideal for intimate conversation.
Our server, Questa, came by in a flash to pour water and tell us about the day’s specials. She also educated us on ramps: a seasonal vegetable from the Pacific Northwest. My friend and I decided to share the special menu items featuring said ramps: a wonderful «oragami» pasta similar to tortellini but better. The homemade pastas at La Pietra Cucina are some of the best I’ve had.
Overall the meal was excellent. A couple of glasses of crisp chardonnay accompanied our pasta dishes plus we shared the «caesar-​style» salad where the chef substituted smoked herring for anchovies: a delicious innovation. With our ScoutMob discount our bill was very reasonable.
What really pushed this restaurant from four to five stars was when I accidentally left my sunglasses at the table and one of the servers rushed out to the parking lot to give them to me. If y’all have read my reviews before, y’all know how much I value good service. La Pietra Cucina is my new favorite restaurant in Midtown.

I came back twice thanks to Scoutmob.
The 2^nd time I went for dinner again, and our dinner was fabulous. The only complaint I had was our odd server who would talk really fast, use lots of transitional phrases and hand motions, and then abruptly leave our table w/​o giving us a chance to say anything — he did this every single time, and my friend thought he might be on crack. Maybe he was just really highly caffeinated.
For the app, we shared the «special of the day» which was oxtail terrine and came w/​butter lettuce (or maybe it was escarole), and yummy sweet yellow beets ($ 13). This was very good.
For my entrée, I got the «Strigole alle Vongole» which had clams, pancetta, and Pequillo peppers ($ 16). Loved the texture esp. the pasta. Generous amount of clams, too! My friend ordered the Black Spaghetti ($ 18), and loved it!
For dessert, we shared the bread pudding w/​mango, berries, and strawberries ($ 8). Beautiful presentation with the fruits arranged in separate rows like a garden. Great end to a delicious meal.
FYI — like last time, I parked on the street to avoid the $ 3 valet parking fee. Street parking is free after 7pm.
I’ll review my lunch experience at a later time.

FABULOUS HIDDEN GEM! I’m glad Scoutmob was offering a $ 25 off coupon for this place, or else I would’ve neva eva found it.
To say the least, this place is nearly close to impossible to find. It’s a corporate building, on the 1^st floor (you take the elevator 1 floor down).
I have been learning a lot about Italian food and wines, so my expectations were definitely set high above the bar for this place. And I was swept off my feet. whew.
Started with the proschuitto di parma, which is a sweet and salty combination of the proschuitto & pineapple sauce they give you with it.
My friend & I both got the famous Mario’s Black Spaghetti. It was superrrrb! Loved every single bite of it. There was a hint of spiciness also, which made me love the dish even more. We also ordered the special risotto of the evening, which was a jumbo crab meat. And they don’t jip you on that either.
Topped the night off with strawberry cannolis and drunken conversation. The restaurant is cozy and warm, and dark. Not loud and plenty of room so you’re not rubbing elbows with anyone. Definitely recommend this place for any true foodie or Italian food lover.

I travel to the ATL on a regular basis. For me, the town is one big pain in the ass. I have a business contact there (formerly from Chicago) who hits me up for very very expensive meals that are never anything special.
After a typical siginficant flight delay, he insisted that i meet him at this very expensive very ordinary place.
1. The food is good – no doubt
2. The place was empty on a Monday night
3. The waiter was quite well versed in the dramatic dance of upsell/​bullshit (he said the fish had been swimming in the Med 36 hours ago) and hustle
4. I have eaten in Mario Batali’s restaurants and this has nothing to do with that
really, nothing special, considering all the great meat and 3 down here, why bother with this place?

If Sybil were to open a restaurant, it might have felt a lot like La Pietra Cucina.
As with the character from the 1976 film of the same name, this restaurant — at least the evening we went — suffers from an acute case of identity disorder. Let me explain.
We kicked off our visit pleased by elegant environs, a mix of dark woods and soft lighting, well-​spaced seating, and luxurious design appointments. Beginning with adequate table service, our table of four sat staring at a chef’s bowl of olive oil without bread for about 10 – 15 minutes. (That turned out to be a bad omen — more on that in a minute.)
We were also offered a drink menu with delicious flavor-​infused vodkas — only to find out that they no longer carried any of them. I’d ask, «Why slip that menu on the table if you can’t offer it to your customers,» but that seems blatantly and sadly obvious. oh well. We settled for Grey Goose martinis and moved on.
Our appetizers were, truly, other-​worldly good, with our server smartly suggesting we share a few plates — including delicate, homemade pasta; flash-​fried pork balls; and a heaping plate of house prosciutto — all of which are highly recommended.
With a few twilight-​zone moments at the outset, our appetizers really won us over. however, the evening took a dark turn with our entrees — they were so dramatically different that it seemed as though the appetizers and entrees were made by two different chefs at two different restaurants.
They got one of our entrees wrong (which they did a make-​good for), and re-​served that fairly quickly. But I had a whole fish that was upwards of $ 40 *for the entrée* — and it was inedible. I wish I had stopped and sent it back, but I think I was too busy feting my friend for his birthday. (Speaking of which, our server did not get the hint to bring our birthday boy something for desert — another lackluster showing there, too. Our server seemed rushed and spread thin… if, however, well-​versed in the restaurant’s offerings.)
The whole fish was almost cremated it was so overdone; accented by this citrus compote that was inedible and just plain awful; and also served by a «mystery chutney» that had no relation to the rest of the plate. In hindsight it was definitely on me to call this dish out, but alas, I didn’t. I’d keep this in mind when going to this restaurant — they seem to listen when you don’t like something.
They also plated a dish of beef to one of my co-​diners that looked like it had been spooned from a cafeteria food line — despite being (according to him) very tasty. Very uninspired presentation.
Given the price point and fanfare surrounding this restaurant, I would have expected an absolute homerun from beginning to end. Sadly, they fell flat in a number of areas.

Lot’s of issues with this place!
The food is amazing, the chef takes risks and they work, I’m very impressed with the food and the mixture of Sweet, Savory, Salt and Heat!
The Décor is great, comfortable, warm. I love the artwork, tables. Everything about this place was well designed and thought out!
The service is why it got 3 stars rather than the 5 it deserves. Apparently they had a new manager Friday Night. And it showed, everything was off and I mean everything! The servers were nervous, rushed, to many tables at one time and the place was not that busy!
A restaurant of this caliber should have an orchestrated service with a back waiter to support the smooth transition of courses, the servers were way to casual.
Fix this and you could raise the prices by $ 10 per person or more! I thought for what we had it was very reasonable.
The good stuff. The spedini was amazing, the salumi was awful, the prosciutto was perfect!
The mixed vegetable salad was one of the best salads I’ve ever had, great job!
The Black Pasta was very different and it tasted great! Loved it!
This place has great opportunity to become one of the best Italian restaurants in ATL!