Much-Anticipated Charleston Italian Restaurant Indaco Finally Debuts on the Beltline

Indaco, the much-anticipated, Charleston-based Italian restaurant from the group behind O-Ku on Howell Mill Road and Oak Steakhouse in Alpharetta, opens Friday, October 6, at the 725 Ponce complex on the Eastside Beltline.

Located in the same complex as Kroger near Ponce City Market, Indaco is known for its wood-fired pizzas and protein dishes and pastas like bucatini tossed with blue crab or mezzalune stuffed with sweet potato puree. Expect an emphasis on Italian wines, along with classic cocktails, including a take on the Aperol spritz in the La Firma and the Beltline Negroni made with reposado tequila, Hoodoo Chicory, sweet vermouth, Campari, cacao, and mole bitters.

With seating for up to 130 people in the dining room, with banquettes punctuating the center of the room, and a large outdoor seating area offering covered and non-covered dining, Indaco brings the breezy aesthetic of the Amalfi Coast to the Eastside trail. A bocce ball court at the restaurant also features seating nearby.

“Our large outdoor patio space sitting just above the Beltline was a huge draw for us,” says Indigo Road Hospitality Group founder Steve Palmer of opening at 725 Ponce. “The location really lends itself to our cuisine and culture at Indaco. We want to make it fun and approachable for all, which is very much in the spirit of the Beltline.”

Heidi Harris

Heidi Harris

Heidi Harris

When it comes to food, Palmer says the Beltline location features some of the Charleston restaurant’s greatest hits. But other dishes cater specifically to the Atlanta crowd, such as the semolina fritters topped with caviar and a tuna and n’duja tostare.

He’s also excited to feature local and regional meats and seafood on the menu. This includes a whole hog butchery program from Riverview Farms in Ranger, Georgia. The whole-animal approach to meat dishes at Indaco is seen in the pork salami toscano using off-cuts of pork served with house-made pickles and semolina crackers and the duck agnolotti en brodo.

“It’s another good example of how we utilize all parts of the animal with using the meat in the filling and bones in the broth,” says Palmer of the duck agnolotti. “It’s also a great example of our how we blend Southern and Italian cuisines, since it’s our play on tortellini and brodo.”

For pizzas, Palmer is particularly fond of the roasted mushroom pizza baked in a wood-fire oven, considered the focal point of the restaurant’s open kitchen. There’s even a chefs choice option for the table ($55 per person), which comes with three courses served family style. Meals should end with a square of rich tiramisu or desserts sporting seasonal produce and flavors, like the apple crostata with spiced Chantilly cream.

Ann Packwood

Ann Packwood

Ann Packwood

Ann Packwood

Ann Packwood

It’s important to Palmer to make Indaco part of the communities surrounding the Beltline in the Old Fourth Ward and Poncey-Highland neighborhoods, including eventually offering grab-and-go food for people strolling the trail, working nearby, or simply looking to pick something up on their way home. Brunch and lunch are expected to begin in the coming weeks, as well as a menu of food and drink options exclusive to the patio and outdoor seating areas at Indaco.

“I love that we’re able to offer different experiences to different guests, whether they’re coming in off the Beltline looking for a quick pizza and glass of wine or have made a reservation for a special occasion,” he says.

Check out the dinner and dessert menus for Indaco Atlanta below:

Open Sunday - Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

725 Ponce De Leon Avenue, Atlanta. indacorestaurant.com.