Related: • Provisions To Go

The café is essentially a redo of the front section of the restaurant and bar area. Dark wood, a low, pressed tin ceiling and sheer black curtains give the space a cool, diffused look that manages to feel comfy and sexy at the same time. Wooden tables are covered in bistro-style butcher paper, with black napkins and red votive candles. And a small corner cupboard shows off specialty items including Maldon salt, Tuscan olive oil and assorted dried pastas.

T. Levette Bagwell/Staff (ENLARGE)
The Mediterranean mussels and clams in garlic herb butter (above) and pizetta with cured meat, olive, tomato and cheese (below) are among the choices that make the Café at Woodfire a more 'casual drop-in place.'
T. Levette Bagwell/Staff (ENLARGE)
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• Provisions To Go A simple difference FOR SOME PEOPLE, fine dining is a big deal. But more and more of us are just looking for really good eats without the hassles. We may need a quick bite or we may want to linger. What's most important, though, is easy-in, easy-out access, and food that tastes like it took someone else a long time to fix. This summer, Bacchanalia and Woodfire Grill, two of Atlanta's most organic and seasonally oriented restaurants, unveiled spinoffs that make "slow food" a little faster to grab. And while Provisions to Go and the Café at Woodfire are very different concepts, both places offer some of the flavors of fine dining without all the fuss.

The menu mixes rustic, Mediterranean-inspired foods (some displayed in a deli case near the bar) with basic bistro fare, such as soups, salads and pastas. While reservations aren't accepted for the café, you can still order from the full Woodfire Grill menu. And that includes the award-winning wine list, which is good to know on Sundays, when bottles are half-price.

Sticking to the cafe menu, most items average $7-$12. Wood oven-roasted Mediterranean mussels and Sapelo Island clams are a succulent combo that mixes the salty-sweet flavors of the sea with a touch of smoke and a rich garlic butter broth. The delectable wood-fired pizzas are bready and airy and come covered in grilled veggies or cured meats and a variety of cheeses. Antipasti, such as egg salad with olives, roasted peppers or cannelini beans, can be ordered individually or in an assortment. Ditto freshly sliced artisan cured meats, which include several kinds of prosciutto, sopressata and salami, as well as roast porchetta rovagnati and Serrano ham. Panini made with prosciutto or sopressata and fontina cheese comes with a choice of antipasti.

The wood-grilled Painted Hills burger is one menu item that seems like a sure winner, especially for this sort of drop-in spot. But it could use some tweaking. The meat is outstanding, with a freshly ground texture and smoky sear. But it's served on unwieldy slices of thick focaccia, and the accompanying frites are soggy and oily.

Service is enthusiastic and savvy, especially with wine recommendations. But if you're looking for a super-quick food fix, best stick to the antipasti and cured meats. And, of course, the cheeses, many house-aged, are always worth a visit.