When her first restaurant outgrew its location in Virginia-Highland, Kelly Goggin took the opportunity to relocate her business to a larger facility in West Midtown. What evolved was not a larger
version of her original business, but an out growth combining some old favorites with new gourmet recipes. That is how Ambra was born almost three years ago. 
Located in a refurbished warehouse, Ambra fuses Southwestern and Mediterranean flavors to create truly unique dishes. The wood
grilled Atlantic salmon with pablano-cheese grits and the lobster burrito with saffron cream sauce are house specialties. Ambra's ambiance is warm and hip. High ceilings give way to an exposed red
brick interior and the mosaic-tile covered bar is eye-catching. From a 10-person, mostly take-out establishment to an 85-person gourmet restaurant, Kelly is pleased with Ambra's growth. With
uniquely combined flavors, Ambra makes use of the freshest seafood and seasonings. Chilies of all sorts find their way into many dishes here.
Kelly was raised in a family where cooking played an integral role
for generations upon generations. She grew up as an Air Force pilots daughter, and cites her family and traveling as the biggest sources of inspiration for the development of Ambra's fare. Prior to
entering the culinary world, Kelly worked as a banker for more than 12 years. Although she had always lusted over being involved in the food industry, Kelly pursued a degree in Finance and a minor in
Marketing from Georgia State. It was not until 1991, when Kelly was offered a job at Azalea, that she first broke into the business.
Since Ambras founding, Kelly has received numerous culinary distinctions Zagat Survey rated Ambra excellent two years in a row, and Kelly has served as a guest chef on various
television shows. But as for her favorite part of the industry, I love creating new dishes, she says enthusiastically. Running
a restaurant and everything that goes along with that is fun, but what I really love and look forward to is the food.
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