Novo Cucina, the Italian spot that built a loyal following in Dunwoody, has quietly planted its second flag at the corner of Briarcliff and Clairmont roads inside the new Lumen Briarcliff development. The stand-alone building comes with a bright, glassy dining room, a covered rooftop and a gelato case built right into the bar, giving this version a bigger, breezier feel than the original. Owner Riccardo Ullio, who also operates Sotto Sotto and Fritti, has aimed the menu squarely at neighborhood needs, pairing casual pizzas with date-night pastas. Early reactions suggest it is already settling in as a true local go-to.
The Briarcliff outpost finally opened in mid May after months of construction and permitting delays. Ullio told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that a last-minute snag with the fire-suppression system dragged the debut roughly four months past the original plan. In its review, the AJC landed on three out of five stars, praising the light-filled room and its gleaming gelato bar, while calling out some uneven pacing and seasoning. Ullio, for his part, has largely shrugged at the rocky rollout, saying he is more focused on where the restaurant will be in a few years than how it performs in the first few weeks.
The menu closely tracks the Dunwoody original, with house-made pastas like linguine del pescatore and lasagnette alla Bolognese alongside pizzas that range from robiola e pesto to capricciosa. A tagliata di manzo is listed at $58 on the restaurant’s online ordering page, and dessert leans on house-made gelato carried over from the first location, according to U-Restaurants. Cocktails such as the Sorsi di Blu round out the bar, giving the new spot enough range to work for both quick weeknights and longer hangs. The Briarcliff location is bookable through Resy, which included Novo Cucina in a July roundup of new Atlanta openings.
The Space And Service
The restaurant occupies a custom-designed freestanding building, with large windows that flood the dining room with light and a covered rooftop for outdoor seating, features highlighted in the AJC review. Diners can park in the development’s deck or use complimentary valet, and listing details indicate the space is fully ADA accessible. Early reviewers note that the staff is still settling in and that meals can feel a bit hurried, a tradeoff Ullio says he is willing to accept while the team finds its rhythm.
Neighborhood Fit
County permit records show a December 5, 2024 permit for a 5,685 square foot restaurant at 3078 Briarcliff Road listed as "NOVO CUCINA," confirming the lengthy buildout and tying the address to the Lumen development. Lumen Briarcliff bills itself as a boutique apartment complex with ground-floor retail, a rooftop lounge and other amenities, so a full-service, stand-alone restaurant fits neatly into the pitch. Ullio’s family of concepts, including Sotto Sotto and Fritti, has built a loyal fan base around the city, a track record that was already in play when the original Novo Cucina opened in Dunwoody.
Reservations for Briarcliff are available on Resy, and the restaurant’s online ordering page handles pickup and to-go orders. For now, Novo Cucina is shaping up as a reliable neighborhood resource, with solid pizzas, hand-made pastas and standout gelato, while the staff and service continue to settle into the new floor plan.
