In short… A holistic farm on a 4,000-acre estate an hour from the Atlanta airport, with an incredible destination restaurant and beautiful cottages set within the landscape.
The surroundings… While it’s very close to the largest airport in the country (second in the world after Dubai), this area feels so remote—more Midwestern plains or Africa, which makes sense given the background of the family who bought it in the 1970s (more on that below). Driving in, you pass groves filled with majestic pecan trees—there’s so much natural beauty, with no end in sight.
The history… The Duke and Duchess Visconti di Modrone were living in Milan with their young son during a period of intense political unrest, and decided to flee the country, temporarily landing in South Carolina, where they had some professional contacts. Soon after, they were introduced to the governor of Georgia who, when he heard that the Duchess was considering a move to Africa, suggested looking at land in Meriwether County instead. They fell in love with the ranch, bought it, had a daughter, and raised their family on this working ranch. Friends would visit from all over—some for the epic quail and white-tailed deer hunting, others to just relax in nature. The estate has remained in the family since then, with their daughter, Chiara, and her husband, Angelos, at the helm. During the pandemic, they decided to move here with their family full time, and Angelos discovered a passion and talent for gardening. With the garden producing such abundance and with so much space to work with, they began to plot ways to realize the full potential of the land—to open it up to others who would love a bucolic escape. Partnering with Kara Hidinger and Ryan Smith—the owners of Staplehouse, an award-winning Atlanta restaurant—they’ve created a serious food destination property on par with Single Thread.
The vibe… It’s a very IYKYK place, at least for now. It really has just been in full-ish swing only since September, so it’s just a matter of time until it will be hard to get into. My friends from Atlanta were very jealous that we were coming here—it’s a bit of the talk of the town, but in a very subtle way. Staplehouse was the hardest tasting menu to get into for years, so everyone who is super into food is excited to check the place out. Given its small size, however, and that it’s a trek from the city, it feels intimate and cozy.
The rooms… There are four individual cottages, all very private and surrounded by trees. Our cottage had two bedrooms, so we invited our friend, Sid Mashburn, to visit from Atlanta. Some have indoor fireplaces, some outdoor, and all have a wood-burning sauna outside. They have plans to make more rooms available soon. All are very well appointed—and for a minute, you might forget you’re in the US and think you’re in Tuscany, given that Chiara did the design and decorated all the spaces with her family’s antiques and objects. Given the property’s wellness focus, all bedding is organic and there’s even a WiFi kill switch, should you want to completely unplug. The cottages are super spacious—more weekend house than suite. And since they serve you breakfast in the cottages, there’s a proper dining table, as well as a nice kitchen stocked with very well curated coffee, snacks (best chocolate-chip cookie ever), and teas they source locally (they were so good I had to sneak some back to NY with me).
The food & drink… We arrived in the early afternoon, and our first meal was lunch—a delicious and multi-colored carrot salad sourced from the garden just 100 feet away, along with maki rolls that were light and just what we needed given that our big dinner was just a few hours away. Our first dinner at Uberto was a Donabe experience that was mindblowing. We never expected we’d be eating this way in Georgia, with the most seasonal, kilometer-zero ingredients, prepared so thoughtfully—we almost cried. And as someone who turns down tasting menus because I just find them endless, too filling, and just exhausting, this was anything but. We asked for their wine pairings, and even with those, which can often slow down the process, we were not too full, and each course was beautifully presented—and most importantly, delicious. It’s really one of the most exciting restaurants I’ve been to in the US in a very long time. To be honest, I enjoyed my experience here so much more than at Noma.
The wellness… Chiara is an integrative nutritionist with her own practice, Intuitas Wellness, and you can book a holistic or Nutrigenomic consultation with her. There are weighted vests in the room to wear on hikes around the property, a trampoline if you’d like, and red-light therapy. There isn’t a gym yet, but one is planned. In-room massages, scalp treatments and yoga are available. Plus your own wood-burning sauna and cold plunge!
The activities… Depending on the season, the options vary drastically, but they offer clay shooting, hunting, equine therapy, fishing and kayaking.
Be sure to… While a garden tour can blow on entirely too long for me, the biodynamic garden is so impressive, and a tour makes you feel more connected to the land you’re eating from. Ask to have a tour of the fermentation lab, too–it’s on the level of Noma.
Parting words… If you like Noma, Single Thread, and Blackberry Farm, this is very up your alley. While it’s not an inexpensive weekend (each night works out to about $1,350 pp per night, including all food and drink—a deal compared to Noma), it feels like a very special treat that isn’t that hard to get to.
Date of stay… December 5-7, 2025
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