After years working at other people’s restaurants, four Atlanta hospitality veterans have banded together to go out on their own. Opening in the next month in Avondale Estates, Last Dance is the first project from co-owner Kathryn Fitzgerald, executive chef Joshua Fryer, pastry chef Chris Marconi, and partner Patrick Daugherty. Most of the team met while working at the General Muir and more recently concentrated on their own concepts, including Regina’s Westside in Asheville, North Carolina (Fitzgerald), Long Snake pop-up (Fryer), and the Deer and the Dove (Marconi). The team now shares a vision for a seasonal, chef-driven establishment.
“We think chefs are more driven when they have ownership,” Fitzgerald says. “Last Dance is inspired by Josh’s ethos and his knowledge of wine, cocktails, and the food he creates.”
The restaurant occupies the former Rising Son space in Tudor Village, but the room has been fully reimagined. Working with designer Kathryn Deminichi, Fitzgerald softened what she describes as a once-open, sterile interior with layered color, textiles, and lighting. Two-tone blue walls now extend to the ceiling, fabric-wrapped sconces line the room, and a deep borscht-red bar anchors the space. Vintage and personal elements—including oil paintings by Fitzgerald’s grandmother, hand-refinished chairs sourced from South Carolina, and a functioning disco ball overhead—give the dining room an eclectic, lived-in feel rather than a pristine one. Diners will be able to draw with crayons on paper-covered tables as they wait for their food. A patio rounds out the footprint, expanding the restaurant’s daytime appeal.
In the kitchen, Fryer’s cooking leans New American with continental European influences, shaped by the collective histories of the team and an emphasis on restraint. Dishes are intended to be shared. Whole fish is a centerpiece. Other items include lamb schnitzel, a smash salad featuring broken-down fruit and vegetables with herbs and spice, and a bread platter with house-made butter, focaccia, hoe cake, and pickles. Dinner service runs Thursday through Monday, with brunch offered Friday through Sunday…