It feels like Atoma has been around a long time. It’s inside an old Craftsman house in the heart of sleepy Wallingford, and possesses a kind of relaxed, lived-in elegance. But it’s actually relatively new, arriving in 2024 to a boatload of praise, including a James Beard nomination and inclusion in Eater’s list of the Best New Restaurants in America. Does it live up to the hype (and the relatively high price point)? Short answer: yes.
Atoma generally opens reservations at the beginning of the preceding month (i.e. November reservations go live at the beginning of October). Follow Atoma on Instagram to be reminded of reservation drops.
…Or try grabbing one of the walk-in-only seats at the bar or in the “solarium,” a strategy that works well for single diners or couples, especially if you show up right at when the restaurant opens at 4:30 or 5 p.m.
Former Canlis executive sous chef Johnny Courtney and his wife Sarah have moved their buzzed-about pop-up into a converted Wallingford house as of November, and hoo boy, Atoma does incredible things with vegetables. There’s meat on the seasonal menu, but the real stars are joints like the Winter Luxury, which is squash done three ways: tempura-fried, roasted, and thinly sliced and pickled, served on a luxurious pepita salsa macha. There’s even vegetables for dessert — Atoma’s take on the hoary old baked Alaska features parsnip ice cream, fennel, dehydrated carrot chips, and carrot cake. Like so much of what they do here, it’s quirky, ambitious, and a delight when you realize how well the kitchen has pulled it off. — Harry Cheadle
Dining and Cooking