Skip to main content

Russian Renovations: Nikolai’s Roof in Atlanta Gets a Makeover

In case you didn’t know, the Atlanta culinary scene is expanding and progressing at a rapid rate.  Over the past year, innovative restaurant after innovative restaurant have opened all over the city, which has created a highly competitive and creative atmosphere in “Hotlanta.”

To keep up with the field, the famed and iconic restaurant, Nikolai’s Roof, located on the 30th floor of the Hilton Atlanta is undergoing a $1 million dollar renovation to update their look. Nikolai’s is known for its panoramic views of the city, ambiance, impeccable dining staff, as well as a traditional, ruby red and gilded aesthetic that is akin to New York’s Russian Tea Room. After nearly forty years of business, the restaurant has decided to go out with the old and in with the new.

Recommended Videos

The renovations will still keep in line with the Russian theme. The restaurant’s manager, Daniel Rudiger, explains that the new design (drawn up by Atlanta architecture firm CMMI) will call to mind “icy Russian winters”, featuring decorative tiles that give the appearance of cracked ice and a color palette with plenty of “whites and cool grays” for a relaxed feel. Nikolai’s long-standing clients (of which it has many) will be “astonished and amazed” by the all-new look of the restaurant—especially the intertwining glass chandeliers that hang overhead, adding to the icy, calm aesthetic.

However, patrons have nothing to fear where the menu is concerned. Rudiger says that Nikolai’s will still be serving such mainstays as their famous pierogies, borscht, herb-crusted rack of lamb, and the Grand Mariner soufflé. But Stephanie Alderete, the restaurant’s chef, wants to update and improve the overall presentation of each of her dishes to more fully align with the forward-thinking cooking that is occurring all over the city. In addition, all prices on the menu are going to be lowered 15% upon the restaurant’s re-opening.

Nikolai’s closed late in 2013 and the plan is for a soft re-opening at the end of February. Diners can look forward to new “dining niches”, one of which, Rudiger explains “will be surrounded by floor to ceiling wine cabinets for wine dinners and larger party functions.” The restaurant will now also be offering three, four and six course prix fixe menus in addition to their standard, top-level, a la carte fare.

Classics are classics for a reason, but improving on a tried and true aesthetic is something all the more admirable. That’s what Mr. Rudiger and Ms. Alderete are looking to do with the renovation of Nikolai’s rooftop. For all you ATL natives out there, we’ve already got a good feeling.

Matt Domino
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Domino is a writer living in Brooklyn. His fiction has appeared in Slice and The Montreal Review, while his non-fiction…
Topics
What is steak frites? Your new favorite comfort food
How to master the French classic of steak and fries
Steak frites

I've lived in Italy before, which afforded me a quick 2-hour plane ride to Paris in the summers. I'm from the United States, and I don't speak French, so I wasn't exactly familiar with the menu the first time I went to a restaurant in the City of Love. I picked something that looked familiar ... steak frites. I got perfectly seared steak next to a golden mound of crispy fries; it felt familiar and comforting.

So, what is steak frites? It’s one of the simplest, most iconic dishes in French cuisine. A bistro classic, it's exactly what it sounds like: steak and fries. But don't let its simplicity fool you — when done right, it delivers big flavor with minimal fuss.

Read more
Purity Coffee unveils Brazilian cold brew for home brewing
A new clean coffee blend designed specific for cold brewing
Purity Coffee Cold Brew

Health-focused coffee company, Purity Coffee, has just released its latest innovation: Cold Brew. The new Cold Brew is a single-origin Brazilian coffee, specially crafted for cold brewing at home. Purity Coffee is known for its high-end, mold-free coffee—this blend, which uses beans rich in antioxidants and prebiotic compounds. The latest cold brew blend is designed explicitly with gut health in mind, setting a new standard in health-conscious coffee. Available in whole bean or ground coffee, the new Purity Coffee Cold Brew blend is a medium-roast coffee with tasting notes of cocoa nibs and peanut butter.

The Purity Coffee Cold Brew, now available online, can be easily used with any of your favorite at-home cold brew methods. Just steep for at least 6 to 7 hours to ensure maximum flavor extraction, as well as the extraction of caffeine and antioxidants. This coffee blend, along with all products by Purity Coffee, undergoes rigorous third-party testing for mycotoxins, impurities, and other contaminants, leading to the best-tasting cup of coffee. As health-conscious coffee consumption continues to rise, coffee drinkers are increasingly paying attention to potential toxins and mold that can be present in their coffee. As a regular cold brew drinker, I'm especially excited about this new release by Purity Coffee.

Read more
How to make a dairy-free Grasshopper cocktail like a pro
How to make a classic cocktail with a twist
The Mommy Grasshopper.

So many great cocktails, so little time. This week, we thought we'd get a fresh take on a classic cocktail recipe. Naturally, we reached out to those who know them best, aka pro bartenders.

The Mothership is a great bar in Milwaukee. The place resides in the Bay View neighborhood and mixes up some top-shelf drinks. And they were nice enough to offer a fresh take on The Grasshopper, the cocktail that's done everything from feature in timeless bar jokes to shows starring Kristen Wiig.

Read more