One of the more anticipated restaurants to open in Chattanooga in some time, Bona Fide Restaurant and Bar, will officially open its doors to the public today, July 31st. The upscale, modern, and chef-driven neighborhood restaurant is located in the city's Southside district at 55 Johnson Street, the former home of the architectural landmark that housed Ernest Chinese and Flying Squirrel.
Bona Fide has an always fresh, rotating, seasonal menu, with eclectic flavors and dishes, ranging from succulent housemade pastas to savory entrees and elegant small bites. There is also a wide-ranging dessert menu and extensive beverage offerings, including craft cocktails, wine, and beer, amidst a host of other incredible non-alcoholic options.
The culinary team is made up of head chef Joey Milenkovic, Pastry chef Estela Felipe, owner of The Boneyard, Jared Padovani, Rachel Holland, and beverage director Garth Poe. From the start, the entire experience was about more than just opening a restaurant; the team wanted to place value in craft, community, and partnership, which ultimately became the heart of the restaurant and led to multiple collaborations with surrounding restaurants, bars, and spaces.
As part of their soft opening series, I was invited along with my partner to attend last night to experience the restaurant in person before it opens to the public, and, let me tell you, it did not disappoint. When I say this was one of the top five dining experiences I’ve had in my life, I am being dead serious.
I was able to find paid parking right beside State of Confusion, directly across from Bona Fide, and it took less than five minutes to pay and make my way towards the restaurant. As you walk up, past Niedlov’s on the left, the space and building feel both familiar but different and fresh, with a beautifully designed outdoor space and a bright red neon sign spelling out Bona Fide above the top of the restaurant.
The hospitality was superb from my first interaction, as the pleasant hosts greeted guests out front and took us to our table. Immediately, as you walk through the tall wooden doors, you are entranced by the modern aesthetics and incredible touches and features throughout. There is a lovely upstairs, and the walls are decorated with what looks to be different-shaped blocks of oak. We sat downstairs, and our waitress, Deaglan, was beyond kind, efficient, friendly, and fun throughout the entire evening. She made the entire night extra special.
While all orders are placed at once, my partner and I started by ordering the tuna crudo, the spelt sourdough bread, brushed with lardo and bay laurel, and Mussels on the half shell, served cold with n’duja hot sauce. Each dish was unique and tasty, and I especially loved putting some of the tuna crudo on the hot, spelt sourdough bread. This is some of the best bread I have ever had in my life. Typically, bread at restaurants can be bland, but this was magical.
Next up was the handmade pasta dishes, starting with the Saffron Campanelle, a pasta dish served with sea urchin, egg yolk, pancetta, and ricotta salata. Afterwards, we ordered the Carnaroli Rice Risotto, a highlight of the evening for me, and certainly one of the best risottos I have ever had in my lifetime. It was served with maitake mushrooms, chicken jus, and Piave.
For the main entree, we went with the mouthwatering Denver Steak, served with potato rosti, bone marrow, and red wine jus. For dessert, we went all in with the Banamisu, a banana- and coffee-inspired take on tiramisu. The entire evening was a delight, and we left feeling overjoyed and ecstatic for another magical night at Bona Fide.
This is the experience that the culinary team behind the restaurant spent countless hours cultivating, wanting patrons to feel at home in a familiar space, with modern touches and an entirely new concept. It is welcomed and evident that there is an intentional commitment to hospitality and an emphasis on upscale neighborhood dining without the white tablecloth.
In speaking with head chef Joey Milenkovic about what all went into forming this incredible new neighborhood restaurant, and how excited he is to be in such an iconic space in Southside Chattanooga, Milenkovic detailed the heart and grit it’s taken to get to this moment, and that he hopes to be a community staple known for quality and values.
“We wanted to have a space to call ours, and share it with our community. A restaurant where we could blend our favorite elements of dining with warm hospitality, while leaving out some traditional dining norms. It's been an incredible process to get here; it's taken consistent heart, soul, mind, and body for about the last year to get to this moment.
We're very excited to be in such an iconic restaurant space in Chattanooga's Southside. We've put a lot of energy into reimagining the flow of the building and designing a space that is exciting and comfortable for our staff and guests. We hope to be a community staple that is known for quality and value-driven experience.”
Milenkovic, when asked about where he sees the restaurant heading in the next few years, mentioned wanting the upscale establishment to be known as home and as an institution.
“I hope we can become an institution, where guests and staff celebrate milestones and special occasions, as well as just surviving another Monday, finding quick reprieve before the evening routine. Where staff can be proud of where they work and grow to get to wherever they want to go. I want Bona Fide to be known as a home.”
Bona Fide is a perfect addition to the Southside community, elevating the dining game in the Scenic City, and combining a wealth of culinary talent to create a concept and an experience unlike any other in Chattanooga. I imagine it will be a staple in the community for decades to come, and tables will book very fast, so be sure to make reservations in advance and get ready for the meal of a lifetime.
Bona Fide Restaurant and Bar
- Opening Friday July 31st.
- Hours: 4:30 p.m.-midnight; Friday-Sunday.
- Bona Fide Restaurant and Bar. 55 Johnson Street. Chattanooga.
- $20-$30, though prices vary.
- bonafidechattanooga.com