Atlanta Dining: Spend a Night Out at Sage Woodfire Tavern

For a fun date night or even a classy girls’ night out, Sage Woodfire Tavern restaurants are a chic and entertaining way to grab a sumptuous meal and trip the light fantastic, too.

I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying both the food and entertainment at Sage on separate occasions, and both have made for an unforgettable evening!

Currently, there are three Sage restaurants in the Atlanta area, with the first location having been the one in Alpharetta, and the second being the one at Perimeter. Now, with the opening of Sun Trust Park, a third location at Cobb has opened, and a fourth new location in Buckhead is currently in the works, to take the place of Morton’s. 

I had always passed by Sage at Perimeter when I had a dessert or coffee date with friends at Cafe Intermezzo. There would usually be lively music emanating from Sage, beckoning to us to join the party, but I always thought it was a very fancy place where we’d have had to make a prior reservation. Then, finally one time, when our group was waiting for a table at Intermezzo, we decided to give in to the music calling out to us from Sage and sip a cocktail while we waited.

When we entered, the music was so upbeat and enthralling, we walked straight past the bar, forgot about the drinks, and stepped onto the glowing dance floor. Our group of about eight people filled the tiny dance space, but soon, others in the restaurant got up from their seats and started to join us on the previously empty floor. It was such a fantastic time that I told myself I would visit again later to actually check out the menu.

Inviting menu, warm service

That finally happened last week, when I used a 2-4-1 entree deal in the DiningOut Atlanta Passbook to try the Alpharetta location. My husband and I had been very busy the previous weeks and hadn’t had a chance to sit down to a meal together, and we decided a date night was in order.

Upon first glance at the menu, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to find much vegetarian selection, but the staff were so friendly, they were willing to accommodate. We started with the fried goat cheese appetizer (vegetarian). The goat cheese paired with honey drizzle made for a mouthwatering combination, with the bed of greens adding crispness to cut through the sweet and creamy flavor of the cheese.

For my entree, I ordered the fettuccini pasta with no chicken; instead the waiter offered to throw in additional vegetables, and he volunteered that the sauce had no chicken broth, which showed me he truly knew his stuff. Most places don’t consider this when mentioning cream-based sauce unless specifically asked. This Asiago-based cream sauce was sufficiently savory, without being overpowering.

Additionally, Sage gets extra points in my book for serving interesting, seasoned dipping sauce beyond just butter or olive oil with their bread. I’ve grown tired of places that give boring bread and plain olive oil. Instead, here, we got a warm loaf and a mixture of olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, green onions and other herbs.

For his entree, my husband got the parmesan crusted chicken, which came with vegetables and a side of tagliatelle pasta as well. It’s quite a large dish, so make sure you leave room for it or even consider splitting it. Since I’m a vegetarian, my husband scarfed it all down himself and brought the side of pasta home in a box. He said he enjoyed it.

Entertainment-wise, the live music playing that night was pleasant and made for a festive atmosphere since it was around Christmas, without being overbearing since we could still hold a conversation.

Finally, and for me what truly made this experience stand out, was the excellent service . Our waiter, Kevin, was a smiling, middle-aged man who seemed warm and understanding. He told us at the end of our visit of how much he loved his job and his customers. That itself made for an inviting experience. Kevin was proud of where he worked and had been working with this group of restaurants for 14 years! To me, that was a true testament to the culture of the place.

I’ve had such a satisfying dining and entertainment experience the times I’ve visited Sage that my husband and I have now made our New Year’s Eve celebration reservations there for tomorrow night. We look forward to a spirited evening of dinner, champagne and music to ring in the new year!

BOGO DEAL AVAILABLE

Sage Woodfire Tavern locations are included in the Dining Out Atlanta Passbook.

With BOGO deals to more than 90 Atlanta restaurants, this $99 passbook pays for itself when you use my PROMO CODE JMIT18 for a final, discounted price of $39.

Order yours here, and use the promo code for $60 off this coupon book that is filled with deals, valid until November 2018.