Snail of Approval Winners for 2025!! 🐌
/GOOD, CLEAN, AND FAIR FOOD IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND BEYOND
The 2025 Ricipients of the snail of approval award and the snail of support award gathered outdise of avize during the slow food Atlanta annual meeting.
WHAT IS THE SNAIL OF APPROVAL AWARD
The Slow Food Snail of Approval award is a recognition given to food and beverage establishments whose business practices align with the principles of Slow Food. To win this award, a business must have a proven track record of excellence in their commitment to community involvement, environmental impact, local sourcing, staff support, cultural connection, and business values such as antiracism and anti-oppression. These leaders are selected annually by the Slow Food Atlanta chapter from a large pool of applicants, and have been proven to meet this criteria. They also make darn good food and products!
MEET THIS YEAR’S WINNERS
This charming, whimsical café and bistro in the heart of the Inman Park neighborhood is known for its top-notch global cuisine and enchanting ambiance. This is a place where you come for “the biscuit” and stay for the Haitian risotto. Their fusion of flavors from the African diaspora, Europe, and beyond is ever present on the menu from top to bottom—including the craft cocktail menu!
Raymond Hook opened Capella Cheese with the goal of providing high-quality products to the community and the belief that everyone should have access to good cheese. He brings over 30 years of experience and relationships with cheese makers, other artisan producers, importers, exporters, and distributors. The expert staff at Capella Cheese is educated in the nuances of the cheesemaking process and can make recommendations based on taste preferences and food pairings. Capella Cheese has a commitment to the support of community organizations such as the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Food Well Alliance, and Les Dames d’Esscoffier.
For Founder and CEO, Monica Sunny, chai is more than just a drink. It is a link to her culture and heritage. The business started out of a desire to share the traditions and rituals around chai that she experienced from a young age. The Chai Box blends are inspired by the various regions in India, they use sustainably sourced ingredients, and blend everything in small batches. They focus on minimizing food waste and single-use items in the production process. The Chai Box has also partnered with Compost Now to ensure their leftover tea and spices (“chai mulch”) is put to good use. They have contributed to over 6000 pounds of compost input so far!
After working at one of Osaka’s most prestigious restaurants for over 10 years, Chef Kiyoka was selected to by the Japanese Consulate General in Atlanta to become their official chef. She yearned to find local vegetables, meat, and fish like she had access to in Japan. Now via Cheffrey’s Kitchen, Chef Kiyoka wants the community to experience the joining of Japanese cuisine with Atlanta’s locally grown produce. Her vision comes to life through making exquisite, accessible, and affordable bento boxes.
Located in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood, Colette Bread and Bakeshop is a community resource for both wholesale and retail clientele. Sarah Dodge has been a longtime champion of utilizing seasonal ingredients from community markets to incorporate into her pastries and naturally leavened breads. Her and her team’s delicious baked goods can be purchased during Colette’s retail hours, at the neighborhood farmer’s market, or at one of their wholesale partners. They also offer classes and events during the evenings. Follow their Instagram for the most up-to-date Colette info!
Local, sustainable food from Georgia’s farmers to your door. You can choose what size of produce box works best for your needs and family size. The assortment of organic veggies can be customized based on your preferences and supplemented with local meats, staples like eggs, and prepared entrées. By focusing on local purveyors, they reduce fuel emissions, support GA’s organic agricultural economy, and create a community of Georgians passionate about eating ethically. Fresh Harvest also works to lift up the refugee community which makes up the bulk of their work force. They also have exemplary food waste mitigation and environment-focused packaging practices. Doesn’t get much more Slow Food than that.
Ashley and Morgan started Galette can be found whipping up a variety of small-batch, handmade pastries and breads at their bakeshop located in the heart of Avondale Estates. Their focus on using the best quality ingredients (often from local producers) and well-tested recipes ensures visitors are in for a delicious and memorable treat.
Heaps was born out of Jake Harvey’s desire to re-create the magic of a New Zealand pie, and to bring a bit of his culture and Whānau to the Atlanta community. At Heaps, he combines this food tradition with his love and knowledge of global cuisine. Heaps partners with local purveyors such as Riverview Farms, Southern Cap Mushrooms, Pine Street Market, Love is Love Farm.
Kaluna Farm Retreats is a 92-acre haven located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. The property is comprised of forest, orchards, fields, and a mountain spring. They practice regenerative, chemical free farming techniques and focus on being good stewards of the land. They offer wellness retreats, family experiences, farm dinners, and more for those that want to get in touch with the natural, slow, good way of life.
Kimball House aims to serve food and drinks that reflect the seasons, farms, and personalities of the people preparing them. Located in Decatur, visitors can expect a top-notch raw bar and delicious farm-to-table fare executed with technique, finesse, and passion.
GREAT food, drinks, and atmosphere are in abundance at this Decatur staple. They’re all about the hospitality here. Leon’s Full Service focuses on supporting local farmers and small producers, taking care of their team, being a good member of the community, and giving to organizations like The Giving Kitchen.
At Nàdair, chef and restaurateur Kevin Gillespie draws inspiration from years of cooking in Atlanta, the Pacific Northwest, and his time spent with family in New England, Scotland and in the American South. Featuring refined, reimagined Scottish dishes and the bold flavors of woodfire cooking Gillespie is known for, Nàdair offers a three-course, price fixed menu, each course has multiple options to choose from. Authenticity, intentionality, sustainability and excellence are the guiding principles of the restaurant, which is set on the edge of Zonolite Park, a beautiful and quiet trail with gardens and streams.
Prana Kitchens is founded on the ethos that Prana thrives when we eat mindfully, live consciously, and support our communities. Aruna and Sri believe that Prana flows through food that is farmed sustainably and cooked & eaten mindfully in accordance with unique constitutional (Prakriti) needs. By bringing these foods into your kitchen, they are creating healing and vitality for the body and the planet.
Hudson Rouse opened Pure Quill Superette in the summer of 2024, and it has since become a favorite Edgewood community spot. This neighborhood market and kitchen serves a variety of food, pantry staples, local products, grab-and-go items, and more!
Located in the heart of Roswell’s historic district, Table and Main focuses on serving simple yet elevated, seasonal, Southern cuisine. The hospitality and the fried chicken are so good, they bring even the most ITP-only diners across 285!
Unearthing Farm and Market is a community green space in the heart of the city where visitors can come to wander, relax, buy produce and handmade goods, and find a team of people aiming to enrich the community. They believe good food should be for everyone and farm organic, regionally specific produce and flowers to sell in their flex-pay farm stand. This means they don’t turn away any market shoppers for lack of funds. The also double EBT. They are committed to maintaining a workspace that prioritizes antiracism and inclusivity—uplifting marginalized voices and projects. This just scratches the surface. Check them out to learn more!
After spending time in the jungles of Costa Rica, befriending chocolate makers, and learning about how GOOD chocolate could be when done right, Elaine and Matt came back stateside determined to share their discoveries with community of Atlanta. They opened up a micro-factory and a shop in Krog Street Market in 2014. Since then, Xocolatl has been offering customers a bean-to-bar artisan chocolate that highlights the variety of flavors naturally inherent in fine cacao.
