ATLANTA — A beloved staple of Atlanta’s dining scene is up for sale. R. Thomas’ Deluxe Grille, the iconic Peachtree Street restaurant known for its organic, vegan, and vegetarian dishes, is officially looking for a new owner.

The family-run restaurant has been serving Atlanta since 1985. Now, Linay Thomas-Sheltra, daughter of founder Richard Thomas, says it’s time to “pass the torch.”

“We are really searching for somebody that’s going to be a good steward of the brand, and just carry the torch forward,” Thomas-Sheltra said. “Obviously Atlanta’s not willing to give us up and we’re not willing to go away.”

She emphasized that the decision wasn’t made lightly. “It was a very hard decision. We are not closing guys, we are just passing the torch,” she wanted customers to know.

Thomas-Sheltra says there is no set asking price yet, but any potential buyer will be carefully vetted to ensure they are committed to preserving the restaurant’s legacy; and yes, the restaurant’s famous tropical birds are part of the deal.

“I could easily just shut the doors and walk away, but I think Atlanta deserves better than that. My employees deserve better than that,” she said.

As the search for the next chapter begins, the restaurant remains open and committed to serving the loyal customers who have helped make it a local institution for nearly four decades.

WSBs Ashley Simmons contributed to this story