As Atoma celebrates their one-year anniversary of bringing a fine dining experience to Wallingford, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight what I believe this restaurant brings to the local community. Mark your calendars—Atoma’s one-year anniversary is November 5th!
Last November, Johnny and Sarah Courtney opened Atoma in the compact former Craftsman where Tilth pioneered organic dining and won a James Beard Award. Johnny’s culinary resume is full of cred, but his four years in the Canlis kitchen are an especially shiny accolade for Seattle diners. Canlis plus Tilth equals a lot of big-name expectations to heap on a new restaurant powered by an SBA loan and some DIY general contracting. 
Atoma means invisible. At Atoma they celebrate the invisible aspects of dining — the things often forgotten or overlooked when enjoying an interesting meal. The local farmers who worked year-round to grow the food, the small winemakers and brewers cultivating a remarkable drink, and the team whose dedication continually strive to make the dining experience unforgettable. As part of being in the community, Johnny and Sarah go out of their way to also support the community. I asked about where the dining plates came from, and they indicated they came from Beau Rush in Ravenna. Even looking around the dining room one can appreciate the local flavor, for example the artwork is made locally as are the dining room tables. These often-invisible nuances make dining at Atoma special.
Although the patio is closed for the season, they plan to bring it back next year when the weather warms again, it certainly was a welcome addition to the dining experience.
Please note, I have purposely not described the many food delights to be found as part of the dining experience, as I feel interested readers should explore the menu items for themselves.
However, the following is an excerpt from an article on Oct 9th, 2024, written by Allecia Vermillion of Seattle Met Magazine. “Where Atoma burst onto Seattle’s challenge-addled restaurant landscape with fine dining ambitions and the heart of a small, bootstrapped place. Like a fried, cheese-filled cookie, it offers the best of both worlds. For striking this elusive balance, for Johnny Courtney’s precision menu, for delivering finesse but also housemade Cheez-Its at the bar—and, yes, for that rosette cookie—Atoma is Seattle Met Magazine Restaurant of the Year”.
Luxurious delight is a scarce commodity in Seattle restaurants right now. There are plenty of places where you can ring up a sizable check. But establishments big and small are reckoning with decades of off-kilter math. Keeping your doors open in this city—while also paying staff a living wage, serving delicious food, and keeping prices at a level where regular humans can afford to go out to eat—is a diabolical game of fiscal Jenga. Hiring remains hard. To work in the restaurant business is to work your ass off. But some of the same measures that help a place stay solvent, like balancing costs with counter service or simplifying the menu, can disappoint customers. These moves become a trip wire as much as a lifeline.”
Being named Seattle Met “2024 Restaurant of the Year” is an extraordinary honor bestowed upon one of Wallingford’s local establishments! Three cheers to the Courtney’s for achieving this significant recognition within their first year in business. There is something special at Atoma where you can find “fine dining” in Wallingford. An additional shoutout to the staff at Atoma for their dedication in customer service, making the dining experience quite memorable.
In closing, as the holiday season approaches, additional items of interest are described below from Atoma.
November Reservations Now Open!
We are excited to announce that November reservations are now available. Please note that Atoma will be closed from Thanksgiving Day (November 28th) through December 2nd to give the Atoma team well-deserved time away with their friends and family.
We’re excited to see the nominations for the James Beard Awards open! It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the vibrant hospitality scene in Seattle. If you have a favorite local spot, now’s the time to share the love!
Introducing ISHA’s Nourish Independent Program
We’re excited to be part of the Indie Seattle Hospitality Alliance (ISHA), a group of small, independent businesses working together to strengthen our community. ISHA is launching Nourish Independent, a dining program running from September 15th to December 15th. Collect stamps from 5 ISHA spots and join us for a small gala in early 2025! More details at indieseattlehospitality.org.
Holiday Private Events
The holiday season is fast approaching, and we are now accepting private event requests! If you’re planning a gathering, be sure to fill out our private event form or reach out via email at [email protected]. We would love to help make your holiday celebration unforgettable.