Owners behind Sandy Springs’ Cibo e Beve bring authentic Italian experience to Midtown’s premier mixed-use destination
Toscano Ristorante Italiano, a vintage yet modern Italian eatery, has officially opened its doors at the 138-acre mixed-use destination. Toscano is owned by Gianni Betti, Linda Harrell and Gonzalo Di Aristegui and is the sister restaurant to Cibo e Beve located in Sandy Springs. The Italian bistro is designed with the warmth and color of Tuscan marketplaces and restaurants and features authentic Tuscan dishes and drinks.
“Atlantic Station has already proven to be the perfect home for Toscano and offers a young and diverse environment for the restaurant to thrive,” said Betti. “As an Italian native myself, my goal was to bring an authentic feel to the restaurant using the beautiful scenery of Tuscany as my inspiration. We hope our guests will enjoy the elegant yet laid back vibe through our delicious culinary offerings and welcoming atmosphere.”
Award-winning chef Betti began his culinary career in the countryside of Florence with the opening of his first restaurant Fattoria degli Usignoli. After two successful years, Betti came to the U.S. to work as a chef for Germano’s Trattoria Petrucci in Baltimore, Maryland where he met fellow Cibo e Beve co-owner and chef Harrell. Harrell has more than 30 years of culinary experience having received her culinary foundation and formal European training working with acclaimed chef Daniel Yves Abid. In 2018, Betti and Harrell officially opened the doors of Cibo e Beve to Atlanta, with Toscano now following in 2021.
Toscano Ristorante Italiano follows a similar menu structure to Cibo e Beve, but with more options and an added lunch service. Popular dishes on the menu include items such as paninis, piadina, seafood and salads. Toscano offers full bar service, including classic craft cocktails with an emphasis on Italian beverages such as Aperol Spritz, along with a comprehensive wine list and various Italian liqueurs. Pastries are also available on the specialty coffee and dessert menu.
The architecture of Toscano sets the tone for an authentic Italian experience through its exterior and interior colors, signage, seating, logos and menus. The front windows feature decals meant to reflect the vibe of Italian cafes, and the exterior palette was chosen as a Classic Tuscan Yellow. Original artwork from Stephanie Dalton, Toscano’s creative director and professional artist, is featured for sale on Toscano’s walls.
“Toscano provides a completely unique offering, and we are delighted to offer an authentic Italian experience to our guests,” said Kristie Ray, director of marketing at Atlantic Station. “We have been eagerly awaiting Toscano’s opening since it was announced, and the reaction thus far has been overwhelmingly positive. We look forward to seeing its success at Atlantic Station, as we continue to diversify our culinary lineup to offer something for everyone.”
Toscano Ristorante Italiano is now open Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and is the newest restaurant to join the distinctive tenant mix as part of Atlantic Station. Toscano also offers a happy hour from 2:30 to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and brunch on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You can follow Toscano for events and news on Facebook and Instagram. For online reservations and menus, visit ToscanoAtlanta.com. With additional tenants on tap to be announced, Atlantic Station plans to celebrate the openings of Azotea Cantina and Rosé Bistro and Champagne Bar in the coming months. To find out more about Atlantic Station, visit atlanticstation.com and engage with Atlantic Station on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
About Atlantic Station:
A national example for sustainable mixed-use communities, Atlantic Station transformed an abandoned industrial site into a thriving retail and entertainment district at the heart of Atlanta’s vibrant Midtown neighborhood. Opened in 2005, Atlantic Station is home to some of Atlanta’s most popular restaurants, retailers such as H&M, Forever 21 and Dillard’s and leading employers such as Wells Fargo, Facebook, Microsoft and Truist. Atlantic Station is nearing completion of a major repositioning including a revamped tenant mix, with new retail and restaurant offerings, the inclusion of new multifamily residential units, hospitality offerings and more than 700,000 square feet of Class-A office space. In 2020, the property celebrated the opening of its revamped central greenspace, Atlantic Green.
About Hines:
Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with a presence in 255 cities in 27 countries. Hines oversees investment assets under management totaling approximately $83.6 billion¹. In addition, Hines provides third-party property-level services to more than 367 properties totaling 138.3 million square feet. Historically, Hines has developed, redeveloped or acquired approximately 1,486 properties, totaling over 492 million square feet. The firm currently has more than 171 developments underway around the world. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a foundational commitment to ESG, Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organizations in the world. Visit www.hines.com for more information. ¹Includes both the global Hines organization as well as RIA AUM as of June 30, 2021.
