Swanky & Tasty Westside Provisions Date Spots

***The below article is written by Henna Bakshi, a guest blogger for Atlanta Eats***

My husband Andy and I love our date days. However, knowing how much this city has to offer, it’s always so hard to pick just one restaurant for a date spot! And if you’re especially excited about your date, you want to stretch out the time you have with them as much as possible.

Fear not, Andy and I have a great date-day adventure for you! We cover a 4-course meal at 4 different spots in the Westside Provisions district! Join us on our adventure below.

The appetizer & drink: JCT Kitchen and Bar

Photo credit: Andy Leverett

The JCT Bar patio on the upper floor is one of our favorite places to get started on a food escape. This Ford Fry original keeps in theme with its industrial surroundings, and the bar offers seasonal cocktails and light-fare.

I ordered their “Honey Rider” cocktail ($12): a springy blend of lavender-honey, moscato and vodka, garnished with the cutest edible flower (edible flowers are so in right now!) Andy got a craft beer, Cigar City’s Maduro Brown ($5.5). We enjoyed our drinks with an overlook of a train passing right under the restaurant! It’s the simple things that add to the magic.

One of the best parts about this airy bar is that even on busy Saturday evenings, it has open seating. You have the liberty to move from the indoor bar to the outdoor patio and select whichever table is available. We moved outside to the patio and ordered their “Angry Mussels” ($14). And angry they did not make us! What a treat. The mussels—packed with heat from Serrano chiles—were served with hearty sections of wood-grilled bread. This dish is dainty but hearty at the same time. A great start!

Entrées: Little Trouble

Photo credit: Andy Leverett

Once we wrapped-up at the airy JCT, it was time to switch up the tempo. We crossed over the Westside Provisions bridge and shuffled down to the edgy Little Trouble. All you need to do is follow the neon lights back into what seems like a back alley, but it’s actually the restaurant and bar from your sci-fi dreams. You don’t even need reservations! The restaurant is split into two, with a full bar to the left, and a chic, moody lounge to the right. It’s like a modern cave, with smooth electronic music amplifying the vibe.

Little Trouble’s menu is compact, offering light Asian street-fare food and a great selection of sake and cocktails. We ordered a round of the Miyozakuka Junmai “Panda Can” sake to share ($15) and then got an amazing assortment of dishes to sample from.

Photo credit: Andy Leverett

First up were 2 buns ($5 each): a pork belly bun with pickled cucumber, cilantro and a spicy sesame mayo and a chicken bun (to die for!!!) that had a teriyaki glaze, napa slaw and a smear of sriracha mayo. The chicken, my personal favorite, was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Is your mouth watering yet?!

Photo credit: Andy Leverett

We also got what Little Trouble calls “Meat on a Stick.” We tried their flank steak ($7) and grilled shrimp ($6) sticks and both were robust in flavor, different from each other. Delicious!

The whole idea of this date was variety, and this restaurant offered just that. I’m a nibbler, so getting an assortment of yummy dishes was perfect for dinner!

If you’re craving a bigger serving, the restaurant also has a red miso bowl of ramen! It was date night, so I didn’t feel like taking a risk and splashing broth all over my clothes. But hey, maybe you’re more coordinated than I am!

By the end, Little Trouble had us feeling all sorts of good. On your way out, one thing you absolutely cannot miss is their iconic neon sign worthy of a photo-op. I know you’ve seen these in your Instagram feed. We think it’s worth the hype!

Dessert: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Photo credit: Andy Leverett

Let your inner-kid free & go stand in that long line, it’s so worth the wait! Jeni’s is perhaps one of the most popular destinations at Westside Provisions, tucked in towards the back of the building.

Jeni’s offers up some wonderfully innovative and seasonal flavors like Thai Spiced Pumpkin in the Fall and Wildberry Lavender in the Spring.

Our favorite, and usually always on the menu, is the peanut butter with chocolate scoops in an ice-cream sundae with toasted pecans, honey-whipped cream, hot-fudge, salty caramel sauce and a waffle cookie. The sundae ($7.25) is sweet and salty, the gooey hot fudge sauce is rich and the waffle cookie adds just the right amount of crunch. I’m dying just while writing about this. It is oh-so-good and romantically share-worthy!

Late-night cravings: Marcel

Photo credit: Andy Leverett

You’d think we would have stopped at ice cream. WRONG! This next spot is only if you’re date is going exceptionally well and you need a reason to stretch it a bit longer with more fantastic food and drinks.

Marcel offers up a special discounted late-night menu on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 11pm. Score! The super swanky spot is dimly lit with brown leather chairs, and offers an ambience of secrets being whispered back and forth in between martini sips. The bartenders all wear vests (I’m sold) and man, they make some great cocktails.

Photo credit: Andy Leverett

Andy and I chose to sit at the bar to just sit back and lounge. We skipped on the food, but it sure was tempting for the price. The late-night menu features dishes like a duck confit, a cheeseburger and soft-crab omelet all for just $10-$12! I got “The Jasmine” cocktail ($13) with a gin base and rhubarb bitters, and Andy got another craft beer, the Ommegang Witte ($7). It was the perfect way to wind down and marinate in all the good times we shared that evening.

Talk about an amazing Westside Provisions date-day adventure! We hope this inspires you to have an adventurous culinary date of your own. Let us know your thoughts below in the comments!

To search for more date spots, click here to use our Restaurant Finder.

Last Updated: July 1, 2019