Aria Enters a New Chapter of Fine Dining

For more than a quarter-century, Aria has been one of those Atlanta restaurants that seems less like a restaurant and more like an institution.

Tucked into a converted house on East Paces Ferry Road, the Buckhead dining room has survived changing culinary trends, economic ups and downs, and the arrival of countless newer restaurants eager to claim Atlanta’s fine-dining crown.

In its biggest change yet, Gerry Klaskala, who opened Aria in 2000 and guided it for 25 years, has retired and sold the restaurant to Andrés Loaiza, his longtime general manager and sommelier. Loaiza joined Aria in 2007 and knows the restaurant from the inside out. Klaskala was known for his jovial appearances at local Jewish food events like the Jewish Family & Career Services Tasting.

There has also been a succession of chefs. Joseph Harrison, formerly of Savannah’s Common Thread, took over the kitchen in 2025. This summer, Austin Goetzman (exiting Lazy Betty) became executive chef, returning to the restaurant where he previously worked under Klaskala. Goetzman, who has also cooked at The French Laundry, reworked the menu while maintaining emphasis on technique, hospitality, and seasonality. Our recent weeknight dinner suggests that Aria is evolving while retaining what made it special.

The meal began with freshly baked potato bread served with fried onion and chive and honey butter at $5 per person. Our starters were leeks vinaigrette ($19), with sauce gribiche (an elevated version of tartar sauce or mayo), fried allium (a large genus of bulbous flowering and edible plants belonging to the amaryllis family with onion and garlic scents) and dill salad. The citrus-cured hamachi ($33) was more elaborate: avocado mousse, radish, cilantro, and passion fruit leche de tigre with acidity and tropical boost of a ceviche-inspired preparation. The roasted beets ($18) were paired whipped labneh, basil fudge, oats, frisée, and pickled golden raisins.

For the main courses, the roasted eggplant steak ($36) was stellar with pomegranate molasses, za’atar (Israeli flar), yogurt, and arugula, making it feel like a serious entrée rather than a substitute. The poached halibut ($48) came with spinach and kombu velouté and is normally served with bacon. We 86’ed that and didn’t miss it. The buttery fish and savory seaweed-inflected sauce had plenty of character without the additional smokiness. One of the most interesting preparations was the unilaterally poached Columbia River salmon ($42) served with stuffed morels and citrus beurre blanc. “Unilaterally” translates to cooking on one side rather than being turned during cooking, allowing the chef greater control.

The wine list would satisfy oenophiles. A glass of Thibaud Boudignon Rosé de Loire 2025, macerated rosé made from Cabernet Franc in the Loire Valley, was $17. It was an intriguing choice alongside the food, particularly the lighter starters. Aria’s current wine-by-the-glass program ranges beyond predictable, with bottles from Burgundy, Germany, Sicily, Beaujolais, and more.

For dessert, the peach almond cake ($16) was complex and took advantage of Georgia’s fruit crop, with almond tuile, amaretto anglaise, and peach ice cream. The Thai lime tres leches cake ($16) paired vanilla whipped cream with mango ginger sorbet. Another tempting choice was the raspberry dark chocolate mousse with chocolate cake and lychee ice cream. The fresh sorbets (in addition to the mango ginger) were: passion fruit and lime, served with meringue — refreshing finish after a rich meal.

Aria was a James Beard finalist for Outstanding Hospitality in 2025 and again in 2026, placing it among only five national finalists in the category this year. The question facing Aria after Klaskala’s departure was whether an Atlanta institution could change without losing its identity. Not trying to become a completely different Aria — maybe it’s taking a more difficult route: keeping the gracious service, serious wine program and drama, while gradually making the food feel younger and more adventurous.

After all, Gertrude Stein posed, “What’s in a name?” After 26 years, the Buckhead classic is still very much itself. 404-233-7673.