St. Cecilia is a sprawling 10,700 square foot European-style bistro in Buckhead, Atlanta. The restaurant is framed local chef-restaurateur Ford Fry's second restaurant in the chic and affluent neighborhood of Buckhead, and his fifth restaurant in Atlanta. The design inspiration for St. Cecilia was drawn from a classic, coastal Italian aesthetic. Meyer Davis infused an affluent and upscale European tone into the design, while outfitting the space with hints of antiquity and quirk. The result is a classic modern restaurant with rustic twists that invites intimate moments within a grand collage of distinct and fresh design elements that lend themselves to the attitude of seaside comfort. A color palette of creams, natural hues and soft light blues contrasted with deeper marine blues also lends calm and comfort to the space and offers the setting a relaxed vibe. Splashes of character feature throughout and can be found in details like the domed pendant lighting, modern furniture, and decor - all inspired by coastal Italy.
Built without any straight walls, St. Cecilia is light and airy and flooded by two floors of natural light, and features and open kitchen, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows paired with beautiful patchwork curtain panels. Earnest details have been paired alongside locally sourced recovered hardwood floors, tile-clad Romanesque columns with blackened steel cases, steel straps and bolts, and stark metal industrial light fixtures that hang from soaring ceilings. All seating on the ground level dining area was custom designed by Meyer Davis to compliment one another in a collage of color and texture, from an inviting couch and leather-strapped club chairs in the lounge area, to the round, free-floating banquettes that break up the center of the room, to plush tufted banquettes that hug the perimeter. A darker, more intimate seating area in the rear of the restaurant fits under the mezzanine of the private dining room. This area is complete with marine-blue leather banquettes and standout wooden tables. A bar-height communal table and an open, modern kitchen and prep area with new stonework finish off the dining area.
A central bar anchors St. Cecilia, the curved wooden bar top is complimented by an upholstered patchwork leather front. Custom leather bar stools invite patrons to enjoy a view of the main dining area via distressed mirrors and look up toward a massive oak and brass bookcase filled with found objects. Thoughtful decorative pieces such as worn Mediterranean cookbooks, stuff game birds, and various eclectic vintage items accent the space throughout.