
The Deer and The Dove
A farm-centered neighborhood gem offering rustic, creative cuisine with unique ingredients and an energetic, upscale ambiance.

Highlights
Must-see attractions
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The Deer and The Dove

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A farm-centered neighborhood gem offering rustic, creative cuisine with unique ingredients and an energetic, upscale ambiance.
"This farm-centered neighborhood restaurant is serving fresh rustic food w/ eclectic menu items for the adventurous eaters!"
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended to secure a table at this popular establishment.
Embrace Small Plates
Explore a variety of flavors with small plates or choose standout entrees like Pheasant ballotine.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
American
Price
$$$
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Creative and Adventurous Dishes
Savor unique offerings like coffee-dusted venison and bone marrow with snails, showcasing culinary innovation.

Cozy & Energetic Atmosphere
Experience a warm, inviting ambiance perfect for intimate dinners or lively celebrations.

Farm-Centered Rustic Cuisine
Indulge in thoughtfully prepared dishes highlighting local, seasonal ingredients from regional farms.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended to secure a table at this popular establishment.
Embrace Small Plates
Explore a variety of flavors with small plates or choose standout entrees like Pheasant ballotine.
Creative Cocktails
Don't miss unique drink options like 'Buck the Invasion' or 'See You Tomorrow'.
Bar Seating Option
Consider sitting at the bar for a lively experience and interaction with the bartenders.
Tips
from all over the internet
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended to secure a table at this popular establishment.
Embrace Small Plates
Explore a variety of flavors with small plates or choose standout entrees like Pheasant ballotine.
Creative Cocktails
Don't miss unique drink options like 'Buck the Invasion' or 'See You Tomorrow'.
Bar Seating Option
Consider sitting at the bar for a lively experience and interaction with the bartenders.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
The Deer and The Dove offers a unique dining experience with a cozy ambiance and attentive service. Diners rave about adventurous dishes and creative cocktails, but some find the portions small and prices high for the value. While highly acclaimed, a few reviews mention inconsistencies in food preparation.
"Where do I start, we found this hidden gem while headed to another restaurant and ended up here. God works in mysterious ways I tell you. Just peaking in, something about this place caught our attention. The decor and dem lighting, we were like we will check it out next time and ended up dining here lol. Definition of fine dining, host very friendly and greet you with a smile, once we was seated, our waitress, Aybek, I might of chopped up her name and I’m soo sorry, she was wonderful. I love a waitress that can give you a few suggestions off the menu. Also suggestion on drinks and have a sense of humor. Me & my wife lose track of time when we are in each others company so it was just a vibe all over. Downtown Decatur is just a vibe and this place matches everything. We have the Duck potatoes, Octopus 🐙.. I wanted more lol, the yeast something and Duck dish. I don’t really remember the name because the drinks was delicious and the food matched. I strongly recommend this place. This restaurant is fine dining so the price will match however the do have reasonable meals as well however I wanted to try certain foods and had no problem paying what’s the price was because IT WAS GOOD 😂. Thank you for the wonderful date night experience. Certainly a wave."
Lyndon Boyd
"$280 for two. The food itself is fine, but the price is too high and the amount of food is rather small. It’s gonna cost a lot if you want to get full (me and my friend weren’t full even though we spent $250+).
Taste: food themselves are good. We especially liked the burrata. The bone marrow & snails is a little disappointing because the edible part is really small. Most of the dish is the bread (although the bread tasted good). The squab has a good texture and the beans underneath taste nice. The duck and the hulibut are good but not beyond my expectations. The desserts are average.
Service and vibe: the atmosphere is cozy and the servers are nice. The only problem is that the serving speed is really slow, perhaps because the house is packed that night. We waited thirty minutes after we placed our order and the main dishes took another thirty minutes to come.
Price: the price is too high for almost every dish. The food is good but either the amount and the taste don’t really match with the price."
丁弈
"We’ve been twice now to this restaurant in two weeks. Both times we’ve driven 45 minutes in order to come experience this restaurant. The food is absolutely incredible extremely unique and well-thought-out and curated. The service is incredible and the atmosphere is super cool and a beautiful restaurant. Be sure to get the coffee rubbed venison, and the trout is incredible as well. On both occasions, people in our party got the burger and absolutely loved. It said it was one of the best burgers they’ve ever gotten."
Britt Brown
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Diners often recommend the coffee-dusted venison, bone marrow with snails, and the housemade salted yeast rolls.
Yes, the cozy ambiance and upscale dining experience make it a great choice for anniversaries and celebrations.
Yes, reservations are highly recommended due to the restaurant's popularity.
The menu emphasizes seasonal vegetables, and while not explicitly stated, it's worth inquiring about vegetarian preparations.
The restaurant is considered upscale, with some reviewers noting that portions can be small relative to the price.
They offer creative and unique cocktails, with 'Buck the Invasion' and 'See You Tomorrow' being mentioned.
Mentioned in
Featured in these publications
The 17 Best Decatur Restaurants - Atlanta
The Deer and the Dove on the Square should be your first consideration if you want to try wild game. The juicy venison, dry-aged duck with duck bone jus, and rich foie gras are prime examples of how seriously they take their meats (it made our Best 25 Restaurants list). But they do everything well, including their delicious burger and vegetable plate with silky pesto hummus.
Aviva by Kameel 805 reviews Open Now Lebanese, … 10 Must-Visit Restaurants in Decatur, Georgia Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Decatur, GA - Tripadvisor Witryna13 maj 2023 · (404) 924-2230 Private dining Book your next event with us View all details Additional information Dining style Fine Dining Cuisines Steakhouse, Seafood Hours of operation Mon–Thu, Sun … fussball 08.10 22 Witryna10 paź 2022 · The Deer and The Dove American, $$, Decatur 4.5 4.0 Restaurant details Book a table Café Lily Mediterranean, $$, Decatur 4.4 4.0 2022 Best Brunch Restaurants Inside the Perimeter in Atlanta Area Gayot: The Guide to the Good Life, 2022 Restaurant details Book a table Brush Sushi Izakaya Japanese, $$$, Decatur … Witryna22 lis 2022 · 129 E Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030. One of Decatur’s … Witryna25 lut 2022 · 2700 E College Ave #3000, Decatur, GA 30030 9. Gokul Sweets Gokul … fußball 100 minuten THE 10 BEST Restaurants in Decatur - Updated May 2023 THE 10 BEST Restaurants in Decatur Updated May 2023 - Tripadvisor THE 10 BEST Restaurants in Decatur Updated May 2023 - Tripadvisor WitrynaFeast on a variety of Greek, Italian and Seafood dishes!
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Three years after opening, Terry Koval’s casually elegant celebration of our regional foodshed is firing on all cylinders: soulful entrees from the familiar (beef burger with thyme aioli and foraged chanterelles, whole trout over farro verde) to the literal deep cuts (sweetbreads au poivre, beef-heart pastrami with beet and potato rosti); vegetables that get at least as much love in the kitchen (Koval’s ever-changing Harvest Plate doubles as a work of art); cocktails that also make thoughtful use of seasonal and foraged ingredients; gorgeous desserts; and, if that weren’t enough, a daytime auxiliary cafe, B-Side, that serves a mean wood-fired bagel. Photograph courtesy of Empire State South
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This downtown Decatur gem is getting national attention, thanks to chef/owner Terry Koval winning the 2023 James Beard Award for Best Chef Southeast. The rustic menu takes its cues from its partners—regional farmers—to the delight of guests. You can’t go wrong with agnolotti made with Georgia corn and ricotta, the Georgia-centric cheese board made with offerings from Sweet Grass Dairy and Decimal Place Farm, or whole trout in smoked coconut milk.
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Owned by James Beard award-winning chef Terry Koval, B-Side serves Montreal-style bagels in the morning, followed by quiche, fresh-made sandwiches, and meaty “pounders” like the chopped cheese and Reuben in the afternoon. Head to The Deer and The Dove next door in the evenings, where Koval and his team offer everything from crispy rabbit to duck fat-poached red snapper with cocktails and wine.
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Not only is Terry Kovall, the chef and founder of Deer and the Dove, a James Beard semi-finalist for one of the Best Chefs in the Southeast but this restaurant is known to be a Farmer Champion, purchasing a portion of its food from local and organic producers and committing to source locally. Location: Decatur - 155 Sycamore St; Website: deerdove.com; Contact: 404-748-4617
The Ultimate Decatur Dining Guide - Best places to eat in Atlanta, GA
This farm-centered neighborhood restaurant serves rustic cuisine made with farm-fresh ingredients and meats. Combined with incredible service and a beautiful patio, The Deer and The Dove is a must-visit. In the inaugural publishing of The Michelin Guide to Atlanta, The Deer and The Dove was mentioned alongside many other incredible restaurants and eateries.
Explore Decatur
Foodies flock here for our critically acclaimed restaurants including many Atlanta Magazine’s Best of Atlanta experiences and James Beard award winners and nominees (the Oscars of the food world) include Chai Pani, Kimball House, Deer and Dove, and a dozen more. Expect chef-driven menus, hand-crafted cocktails, and excellent service at every meal.
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Chef Koval’s cuisine pays homage to the bounty of the region’s surrounding farms and local purveyors,” his biography says. “Named a 2012 Atlanta Rising Star Sustainable Chef by StarChefs, he is active in the Atlanta restaurant and nonprofit community and known for his dedication to and practice of the Slow Food movement.
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The Deer And The Dove’s menu is packed with gamey proteins that you’re more likely to find in a North Georgia restaurant than in ATL. But no one does these meats as well as this Decatur spot. Dry-aged duck topped with duck bone jus and foie gras is so rich we've almost lost our train of thought mid-chew.
Top Restaurants in Decatur, Georgia: Where to Eat Now
At The Deer and the Dove, Koval specializes in rustic meat dishes cooked over a wood-burning hearth. The adventurous menu features seasonal vegetables, beef and pork from local farms, and game meat entrees, like crispy rabbit legs fried in fermented buttermilk, duck sausage roulade, venison, and quail.
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Style: B-Side is the coffee shop side of this two-in-one cafe and restaurant. You can find coffee, sandwiches, bagels, salads, and more on the B-Side, open during the morning and afternoon. The Deer and the Dove is open for dinner where they serve snails, duck, liverwurst, and more.
Decatur — An in-depth guide to
Q: Prior to opening the space, was it your intention to build out the coffee shop/cafe (B Side) separate from the main dining / restaurant in The Deer and The Dove?. If so, can you explain your vision behind the two components?
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155 Sycamore StDecatur, GA 30030(404) 748-4617 Visit Website See Menu Open in Google Maps. The Deer and The Dove lines itself among the swanky eateries set at the heart of Decatur.
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What’s Good: Seasonal riffs on classics match the approach of the kitchen. The bar team is the kind who listens to your mood, favorite spirit and stirs up a new favorite.
Social
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit