The Cafe at Linton’s

We went to Linton’s last night for my birthday dinner. As members of the Botanical Gardens and Atlanta natives we’ve anxiously awaited the grand (re)opening; I was extremely excited and looking forward to our dinner. I told the reservation team when I booked through Open Table that it was my birthday and they even mentioned it when they called to confirm my reservation, however, at the actual restaurant no one ever mentioned anything about it — not even a happy birthday. Putting that aside the ambiance is quite lovely and the décor really brought the environment of the gardens inside the restaurant (we did not sit on the patio). We ordered drinks first and then food. We had to ask the wait staff three times — including the manager — where our drinks were even after our appetizers came. I mean, if you have to ask three times over the span of 10 minutes it’s pretty clear they are not on their service game. The manager was apologetic and he eventually brought our drinks.
For starters I had the chilled pea soup and it was good but nothing spectacular and my husband devoured his salad which looked fresh and he said was yummy. We were then offered bread service, which was divine. Great bread and butter, y’all! After our food arrived we were asked again by one of the wait staff if we wanted more bread to which we said yes because it was really good bread — and yet they never came back with bread — and then we were asked by another server who had walked by if we wanted more bread to which we also said yes — and it also never came. Once again, if you tell three people and it never happens their service game really sucks.
I had the tagliatelle pasta and my husband the turnips. Both were okay but that’s it… both were just okay, mediocre meals. If you want great fresh food in this city there are plenty of other restaurants to choose from at this price point where the food is actually better and most importantly the service is as well. We turned down dessert and left. We weren’t mad at the service, I was overall disappointed in the service. I had high expectations for this dinner based on the Botanical Gardens reputation, the names of people behind the restaurant design and caliber of standards usually seen at this location, however, I won’t be back there for food. There are too many wonderful midtown restaurants to decide to return to Linton’s and even though we are members of the garden’s, I can eat at home and then take the 10 minute drive from my house in Buckhead to explore the beautiful Garden’s in midtown. I decided to write this review to spread the word that you’ll be overpaying for a bougie location where the rest of the patrons around me seemed to get great service but this millennial couple got shoddy service.
The only reason I didn’t give this one star review is because President Jimmy Carter was dining with his family right behind us and that was amazing. Politics aside — that does not happen everyday on your birthday — breaking bread (the one piece that I got) with the President!

My mom made reservations, but the menu turned out to be «too fou-​fou» for my folks, so we headed for the sandwich stand at the back. Big mistake. Cold, cold sandwiches, super-​salty tomato bisque (don’t expect a crumb of bread with that soup, either), «meh» brownies and no seating.

Beautiful, relaxed and elegant atmosphere. Perfect environment to pair with the garden atmosphere. Kind a white on white summer house theme. They do have an outside patio on the side — definitely ask for the patio seating as you are overlooking the hydrangea garden area which is beautiful!

Diner’s BEWARE ! We had reservations for 6 people at 8:30pm. We arrived at 8:00 0pm and inquired if it was possible to be seated earlier and the host stated he did not have a table for 6 at this time. I looked at many empty table INCLUDING a table for 6! I didn’t say anything. At 8:25 pm the host told me our table was ready. The table for 6 near the front was still empty !
We sat at our table for 20 minutes watching many servers standing around as the restaurant was only half full. No water, no menus and no waiter in sight !
We all got up to leave after 20 minutes of no person !
The host chased us out the door asking why are we leaving ! I stated we sat there for 20 minutes without any service — the waitress then approached us outside acting surprised !
I will NEVER return to this restaurant as it is obviously poorly managed !

I went with a group of friends to try out the most talked about café in Atlanta. First, we had to pay close to $ 60 just to get into the gardens, Second, I ordered grouper, which approximately 3oz piece, served over no more than four table spoons of steamed rice. I had to send my grouper back because it was overcooked and dry… WOW for $ 28 I expected more. I left Linton’s starving. Don’t waste your money or time on Linton’s Café.
P. S. We ended up having leftovers when we got home.

Linton’s and Quick Café recently opened in April 2016 in the Atlanta Botanical Garden to offer full-​service dining or to grab something quickly while visiting the gardens. As always, Chef Linton Hopkin’s menu is savory, fresh, and delicious. The dining is garden-​to-​plate inspired. I appreciate Chef Hopkins’ dedication to southern food from local producers. I preferred the coziness of original restaurant The Café at Linton’s (Easter Brunch was fabulous by the way!) The new Linton’s, however, is very family-​friendly, reasonably priced for high-​quality food, and more good ideas are in the plans. I also liked the outdoor seating over looking the gardens.

Food was amazing and price was decent too. Best trout I’ve ever eaten. Kids at egg benefits and loved it. French toast was like a meal and dessert in one. My father in law has the eggplant plate that was unbelievably good (he shared a bite). Best of all though was the daiquiri! Service was good and timely even though we entered when another guest was leaving who was complaining about never having been served. Well, we were attended right away. Would definitely come again and would recommend to others.

We went to the Botanical Garden to see the Chihuly exhibition, so we decided to make a walk-​in reservation for dinner. We were told that the wait would be between 30 – 40 min. and that they would call us at our cellphone.
After 46 min we decided to walk back to the restaurant as nobody had called us yet. We were seated; if we had not been back, nobody would have called us.
We placed our order and after an hour wait, yes, 60 min, I asked the waitress about our food. She went back to the kitchen and came out without any explanation. A few min later we got served, but my New York steak was not cooked properly. Obviously, I just ate it, because I did not want to wait any longer.
In summary, not the kind of service I expected, and after complaining about the long wait, it seemed like they did not care at all.

My wife and celebrated our anniversary at Linton’s and were blown away by the experience. The outdoor seating gives you the feeling of being in a five star retreat. The food was fresh and healthy with attention to detail on the level of the top 10 restaurants in Atlanta. Highlights were the grouper entrée, the cold English pea soup and the black eyed pea hummus. Bread was fresh and plentiful.
You have to pay admission to the park but the Chihuly exhibit is truly spectacular.
The experience was so wonderful that on the way home we put together a list of friends we plan to invite for a return visit.

Very disappointed in this restaurant. Joined the Gardens today and my family was excited to have lunch here. The host told us there was no availability due to a large crowd scheduled to arrive in an hour. I am 8 months pregnant and was with my 21 month old. We weren’t planning on a leisurely 2 hour lunch. We would’ve been in and out quickly, there were several open tables, and I feel we could’ve easily been accommodated. The host was rude. Very disappointed.

Took my mom here for mother’s day, kind of on a whim after seeing an ad somewhere and wanting to try a new restaurant. Best ad click I’ve made possibly ever!
Note that you have to pay for museum admission to go to the restaurant here if the garden is open. Given the Chihuly nights exhibit going on, I believe this means that you have to pay for that ticket currently, which is $ 20 each for nonmembers. That’s plus $ 10 event parking. The Chihuly nights exhibit is absolutely amazing, though, so the full experience of dinner at Linton’s + Chihuly nights is a spectacular evening. But the full price is something to consider here.
First, definitely get a reservation.
5-​star atmosphere: we dined outside, basking in the amazing green backdrop. The temperature was perfect, and it was so pleasant! Cool people-​watching as well, as all the exhibit-​goers walked by. The indoor atmosphere is lovely as well, with full-​length window walls so you can enjoy the view.
5-​star food with 4-​star portion sizes and 4-​star selection: Absolutely delicious. We had the johnny cake appetizer, then I had the vegetarian turnip entrée. I adore creative vegetarian entrees so I was excited to try this, and it did not disappoint! We had the chocolate mousse and lemon curd tart for dessert, both top-​notch as well.
The only things I would improve: (1) slightly larger portion size, at least on the vegetarian entrée (2) more vegetarian selection on the menu — mainly because it’s a «garden-​to-​table» restaurant and I think having only one vegetarian option (even an awesome one) is a missed opportunity to demonstrate how eating *only* from the garden can be a satisfying and elegant meal.
3.5 or 4-​star service: The service was good, but they may still be working out the kinks. Everyone I interacted with was pleasant and nonobtrusive, which is best — but service was a teeny bit on the slow side (example: I ordered a second glass of wine with dinner and by the time it came, I had finished my entrée… partly due to the portion size and the fact that I am a nursing mother but still), and they weren’t great about filling water.
This restaurant further elevates the garden, a trend that has been going on for the last several years. I look forward to going back for more special occasions — maybe a date night!

Service a little lacking. The «pour» a little shy. BUT the ambiance can’t be poked at. Beautiful, modern artwork, straight lines, comfortable indoor and outdoor seating. And the food… Small portions but it was most appetizing. The botanical gardens as the backdrop also brought zero complaint.

Can’t beat the beautiful setting and view of the trees. We were delighted it rained while we were dining at night, which added even more charming ambiance to the already beautiful view. We had roasted vegetable gratin and pasta with bacon, cream and peas. Food was great and service was superior. We attended the first public day of «Chilhuly at Night» and Linton’s evening dinner service. Will come back to enjoy the upper deck when it opens, as well as the fireplace.

Great atmosphere but if you are hungry eat at one the cafes at the Botanical Gardens.
The food is expensive and portion sizes are tiny.
Not many vegetarian options.

Linton’s is the epitome of fresh cuisine and why not? When so many of your ingredients are grown in a botanical sanctuary just outside and tended by botanists, you come to expect top quality produce. Don’t be mistaken: there is plenty of protein on the menu and they try to source that locally as well from some of the best producers North Georgia has to offer.
Still, you could eat a veggie meal here and feel completely satisfied. Every ounce of flavor seems coaxed to its maximum potential through the culinary acumen of Linton Hopkins. Heck — just eat the bread and butter. It’s ridiculous! I’ve had plenty of specialty butters, but I’ve never tasted a pure butter that came close to this. I cannot describe how good it is.
Naturally, the menu changes and is heavily based on seasonal items. If you see something recently harvested from the garden, there’s a good bet that it will be featured in — at least — one recipe. There are some favorites which are available year round. The shrimp and grits are not just a favorite of mine, but of everyone I know who has tried them. Elegantly creamy, there is a deeper variation of texture than just grits to compliment the shrimp. The bacon and the crab don’t hurt either. It’s not light and it doesn’t need to be. Portions are actually really well thought out at Linton’s.
The charcuterie platter is somewhat standard, but executed perfectly. All the elements are there and the flavor battle can really get cracking with a bite of each item on the plate.
The strawberry basil sorbet is a must-​try. It’s not overly sweet like so many processed sorbets and the basil forces it’s way past the subtle berry flavor to steal the spotlight. It’s plenty to share too.
I won’t comment on the atmosphere, because — while pleasant — it’s soon-​changing as they prepare to open in their new site (about 25 feet away) this coming spring. I look forward to that upper deck on a summer evening in the city.
The staff are brilliant. They bring their A game and they know their stuff. You’ll get a full run down on any ingredient’s source, whether requested or offered. They don’t push, but they’ll advise if you are unsure of which food will best suit you. All the class without the pretense — how grand.
The price can be a little… daunting. The food is so fresh and wonderful, but it’s still a café. I’ve certainly been guilty of looking at my bill and doing a double take, but I keep coming back and spending my hard earned money here. It’s an experience and not one to miss.
If you’re visiting the gardens, stop in. It will complete your trip.
Did I mention the great brunch? Pastries, man! Pastries!

I’ve been here for both dinner and brunch. Both of which I would recommend. I’m so glad they put in a proper café rather than the burger/​dogs of old. The menu tends to change based upon seasonal items and some of the vegetables are even sources from the Botanical Garden itself. Portions are ‘proper’ too. If you’re looking for a ‘big’ meal, look elsewhere or order a full course (app, soup/​salad, main, dessert). I became a member of the botanical gardens for two reasons, 1. An excuse to come eat here, and 2. The seasonal garden lights.
I highly recommend you make reservations here. Showing up w/​o one can cause a wait of an hour or worse, not even able to get a seat.
High chairs and kids menu is available as well.

This is one of the best brunches I’ve had in Atlanta. I joke that I became a member of the botanical gardens just so could eat here whenever I wanted to lol. I’m only kind of kidding.
Food — this is a case where the food is actually refined. No that does not mean it is over processed or that it’s fancy food like tuna liver caviar or whatever the latest thousand dollar food is. It means that the chef knows how to select excellent ingredients and put them together in a sophisticated way which basically just means it’s awesome and tasty. We’ve had almost their whole brunch menu, even though a lot of it changes and we’ve never been disappointed.
This restaurant is moderately child friendly. They have high chairs and cater to kids well, however, it’s quieter than you’d like. Meaning, if little lady gets overly excited and raises her tone, everyone will know. They don’t get pissy that I’ve noticed, but I wouldn’t expect to be able to let the kiddos run a mock here.
The service is very attentive and friendly. The atmosphere is light and pleasant. Couple that with the great food and really, it is worth becoming a member just to have brunch here.

I came to the gardens to check out the scarecrows and see the stuff they have going on Thursday nights in October and since you can’t get to the restaurant without paying admission to the gardens I figured I would go.
We had the charcuterie which was pretty good, and the bread they bring out is also great since it’s Holeman and Finch bread. The waitress told me the shrimp and grits was the top seller so I went with that. Definitely had better in ATL. My friend got the pork chops though. I had a bite and those were AWESOME! Really juicy and tender.

It was an interesting place to eat. Definitely a nice upscale place but it just didn’t have the impressiveness that would earn it a higher rating. The food was not super memorable and it is not someplace that is easy to get to being in the botanical garden. It is a small space and kind of has a cramped feeling.
Maybe a good first date place but not some place I would want to keep going back to. Try it once if you are checking out the gardens, other than that I would say you really aren’t missing much.

We came here for my fiancé’s birthday before going to the Bruce Monroe Lights in the Park exhibit (5 stars there for date night, sadly it’s not open much longer).
I had a reservation, and when I got there we changed our mind to eat outside, which they had no problem. We only had to wait about 2 minutes.
The charcuterie plate and some drinks were our first order. I enjoyed the pickles and homemade mustard more than the salami, but the pâté and other sausage were pretty nice.
For the entrees, I had the shrimp and grits while my fiancé had the pesto tortellini. The grits were very flavorful and the crunchy bits of bacon were a nice tough. The shrimp would have been better had they been cooked differently (they seemed to have been simply boiled.)
My fiancé liked her tortellini.
Everything I tasted at Linton’s was good, but at the price we paid and for the portions we received, I can’t give it a higher recommendation.
However, I will say, one of my favorite parts was the idyllic location. It has a completely enclosed courtyard along with a modern bar. I would go back to Linton’s, but it would probably be after visiting the botanical gardens and having a drink and an appetizer with friends.