The Federal in Midtown Closes Permanently on Crescent Avenue

The Federal, owned by chefs Shaun Doty and Lance Gummere, closes after four years on Crescent Avenue in Midtown, a representative confirms to Eater Atlanta. The restaurant has been closed since mid-March, right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Due to the uncertain future created by the pandemic, I have decided to close The Federal. It was a wonderful experience and I want to thank our staff, our loyal clientele and the City of Atlanta for the honor to serve,” Doty writes in a statement.

Opened in 2016, the Federal replaced a location of Southern diner Bantam + Biddy and was meant to be a destination restaurant for the Midtown community. The restaurant served a mix of American steakhouse staples and European bistro fare. Think Sardinian flatbread, beef tartare, pork schnitzel, and 30-day, dry-aged Kansas City steak frites.

Doty continues to oversee Bantam + Biddy, which includes locations at Ansley Mall, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and in Tennessee and Florida.

At the end of 2018, Doty and Gummere closed their short-lived Alpharetta barbecue restaurant King Barbecue at Avalon, followed by their Mexican restaurant and tequila bar ATL Taco at Lenox Square Mall last October. Both replaced locations of Bantam + Biddy.

June saw several restaurants close permanently due to the financial crisis caused by the ongoing pandemic. On Saturday, Noble Fin seafood restaurant closed after four years in Peachtree Corners. Amelie’s French Bakery and Cafe closed after seven years on the corner of Marietta Street and Northside Drive last week. The owners of Mother announced they were closing their popular Edgewood Avenue bar after eight years. Sports bar and restaurant Dantanna’s also closed in June after more than a decade inside the CNN Center in downtown Atlanta.

Adding to the growing financial pressures already being felt by Atlanta restaurant and bar owners, some establishments are choosing to temporarily close after learning employees have tested positive for the virus. BoccaLupo in Inman Park, Woody’s Cheesesteak in Midtown, Pure Taqueria in Woodstock, and Marcel in Westside are among the restaurants temporarily closed this week after reporting employees tested positive for COVID-19.

1050 Crescent Avenue NE, Atlanta.

• All the Federal dining coverage [EATL]
• The Atlanta Restaurants Now Permanently Closed Due to the COVID-19 Crisis [EATL]
• These Atlanta Restaurants Have Chosen to Close Following Employees Testing Positive for COVID-19 [EATL]

Stay home if sick. Check the Georgia Department of Public Health website for guidance and updates on the latest number of reported COVID-19 cases.