Which Columbus restaurant is among Top 40 in America?
Columbus restaurant Epic has landed on a list of the Top 40 fine-dining eateries in the United States, and is the only one from Georgia.
Epic, located in downtown Columbus and owned by Chef Jamie Keating and his wife, Melissa, is one of the featured establishments on the website, Gayot, which promotes itself as “The Guide to the Good Life.” The site covers other aspects of upscale life as well, including hotels, wine, travel and lifestyle.
Keating, who opened Epic in 2012, called his restaurant’s appearance on the Gayot list a “huge honor,” considering it includes fine-dining restaurants from across the U.S., a number of them in New York, Chicago and major California cities.
“It’s affirmation of our constant efforts to provide only the best food, ambiance, service and overall experience for our guests,” said the chef in a statement. “I believe a great meal is not only about the food, but also the wine, the conversation and the people you share it with. My wife and children are the most important ingredients in my life. They are what inspire me. Epic is about my family. Food should be both emotional and comforting. Epic tells my story, my love of food and people … it is a journey of life experiences and triumphs.”
Epic also received a four-diamond rating from the travel club AAA several months ago. AAA’s rating system is from one diamond to five diamonds, with four a designation for “fine dining” and five signifying “world class.” Just over 1,500 hotels and 689 restaurants — out of more than 58,000 across the U.S. — are in the four-diamond category.
Epic is located in the Eagle & Phenix complex overlooking the Chattahoochee River in Columbus. Eagle & Phenix is a former textile mill that has been renovated into loft condos and apartments by the W.C. Bradley Co. of Columbus, a firm best known today for owning the grill manufacturer Char-Broil.
Keating also operates the RiverMill Event Centre in the Bibb City area of Columbus, as well as JK Culinary, a catering business.
Here are the restaurants included on Gayot’s list of the best in fine dining for 2016:
▪ Addison in San Diego, Calif.
▪ Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, Calif.
▪ Aubergine in Carmel, Calif.
▪ The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif.
▪ La Toque in Napa, Calif.
▪ Manresa in Los Gatos, Calif.
▪ Mélisse in Santa Monica, Calif.
▪ Michael Mina in San Francisco, Calif.
▪ Patina in Los Angeles, Calif.
▪ Providence in Los Angeles, Calif.
▪ Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena, Calif.
▪ SAAM at The Bazaar by José Andrés in Los Angeles, Calif.
▪ Saison in San Francisco, Calif.
▪ Studio in Laguna Beach, Calif.
▪ Urasawa in Beverly Hills, Calif.
▪ Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, N.C.
▪ Brushstroke in New York City
▪ Daniel in New York City
▪ Eleven Madison Park in New York City
▪ Jean-Georges in New York City
▪ Le Bernardin in New York City
▪ Le Cirque in New York City
▪ Alinea in Chicago
▪ Grace in Chicago
▪ Tru in Chicago
▪ Vie in Western Springs, Ill.
▪ Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas
▪ Picasso in Las Vegas
▪ Restaurant Guy Savoy in Las Vegas
▪ Twist by Pierre Gagnaire NV Las Vegas
▪ Chef Mavro in Honolulu, Hawaii
▪ Epic in Columbus, Ga.
▪ Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colo.
▪ The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Va.
▪ L’Espalier in Boston, Mass.
▪ NAOE in Miami, Fla.
▪ Restaurant August in New Orleans, La.
▪ Restaurant Nicholas in Red Bank, N.J.
▪ Vetri in Philadelphia, Pa.
▪ The Willows Inn in Lummi Island, Wash.
This story was originally published August 8, 2016 at 5:19 PM with the headline "Which Columbus restaurant is among Top 40 in America?."