Petite Violette opened in 1974 as Petite Auberge, founded by Wolfgang Gropp after he trained as an apprentice in Europe and Canada, studying under chefs with lineage back to Auguste Escoffier. He ran the restaurant with his wife Ilse and her brother Helmut, building a menu of French specialties and Continental classics for Atlanta diners. The restaurant remains family-owned and operated, now carried on by Michael and Anthony.
The kitchen is known for Beef Wellington, Coq au Vin, and Rack of Lamb, and rounds out the year with rotating special menus — Oktoberfest, Wild Game, Cajun Creole, Mediterranean — plus holiday menus for occasions like New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, and Thanksgiving.
Beyond nightly dining, Petite Violette hosts private events and banqueting, runs an interactive murder mystery dinner theater in its Bordeaux Room, and operates an on-site olive oil and vinegar tasting boutique. The building has also served as a filming location for the movie The Founder. Regulars point to the restaurant's exceptional service and upscale, old-school atmosphere as much as the French cooking itself.
The kitchen is known for Beef Wellington, Coq au Vin, and Rack of Lamb, and rounds out the year with rotating special menus — Oktoberfest, Wild Game, Cajun Creole, Mediterranean — plus holiday menus for occasions like New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, and Thanksgiving.
Beyond nightly dining, Petite Violette hosts private events and banqueting, runs an interactive murder mystery dinner theater in its Bordeaux Room, and operates an on-site olive oil and vinegar tasting boutique. The building has also served as a filming location for the movie The Founder. Regulars point to the restaurant's exceptional service and upscale, old-school atmosphere as much as the French cooking itself.