When the days grow longer and the temperature crests into the 70s, it’s time for Atlanta restaurateurs to reopen their patios, dust away a layer of pollen and commence the season of al fresco dining. While there are countless patios and rooftop bars to enjoy around metro Atlanta, here are eight new spots to check out this spring and summer.
Pendolino
This Italian restaurant recently opened near Chastain Park just in time for patio season. The menu offers shareable dishes like barbecued octopus braised with olive oil and herbs as well as traditional entrees like chicken Parmesan, a New York strip steak marsala and pasta. The expansive patio offers seating for 50 guests, allowing diners to sip on a classic cocktail like the Negroni or select a glass of wine from the curated list. The space is designed to have a late ‘70s coastal Italian feel, so you’ll find an outdoor patio decorated with wood furniture, light upholstery and strings of bulb lights.
4600 Roswell Road, Atlanta. 404-937-3057, pendolinoatl.com
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Breaker Breaker
If you’re craving a coastal feel but can’t manage a five-hour drive to the nearest beach, consider making a pit stop at this Gulf Coast-inspired eatery on the Eastside Beltline. You’ll find menu items like a blackened grouper sandwich, fried seafood platters and a Cajun shrimp boil, plus a cocktail list that sounds positively tropical. Snag a spot at the outdoor bar or find a table on the patio, which together seat more than 100 people, and enjoy a day at the beach — minus the sand and ocean. Keep an eye out for the forthcoming rooftop bar, Florida Man, that’s set to debut above Breaker Breaker.
921 Wylie St. SE, Atlanta. 404-254-2969, breakerbreakeratl.com
Credit: Courtesy of Madison Ambrogio
Credit: Courtesy of Madison Ambrogio
Overstory
This rooftop bar perched atop the recently opened Westin Atlanta Gwinnett hotel is a sight to behold. Take the elevator up to the 9th floor where you’ll walk into a spacious bar with wall-to-wall windows and three connected rooftop patios. Expect a menu of small bites and shareable plates including beef empanadas, patacones, yuca fries and a Venezuelan-style hot dog. The cocktail list features drinks like the Outrigger with Venezuelan rum, aged rum, tropical fruit and banana liqueur and Margarita’s Cousin, Maria, made with cachaca, reposado tequila, pineapple, turmeric and citrus.
6450 Sugarloaf Parkway, 9th Floor, Duluth. 470-222-2880, overstoryrooftop.com
Credit: Courtesy of Erik Meadows
Credit: Courtesy of Erik Meadows
Culinary Dropout
The restaurant group behind Flower Child and North Italia opened its first Georgia location of Culinary Dropout in October in West Midtown. The eatery boasts an expansive open-air rooftop bar and a street-level patio, and a second location that opened in February in Dunwoody’s Ashford Lane development also offers a covered outdoor patio. Both spots serve a casual menu of “comfort food with a modern twist,” said Shang Skipper, director of operations, including items like pretzel bites and fondue, 36-hour pork ribs and fried chicken drizzled in honey. Expect a range of cocktails, beer and wine.
1231 Ashford Crossing, Atlanta. 470-242-6712; and 1000 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta. 470-579-6050, culinarydropout.com
Credit: The Velvet Hippo
Credit: The Velvet Hippo
The Little Hippo
Jamie and Aaron Russell, the couple behind Michelin-recommended restaurant Poor Hendrix, opened this casual sandwich shop in Avondale Estates last fall. The Little Hippo serves a menu of seasonal sandwiches and cocktails with such bites as the Mediterranean Beet sandwich, the Chicken Caesar and the Vietnamese-Style Fried Fish Sandwich. Cocktails include a Bloody Mary or Maria; the Cali-Foro-Cation with rye, Foro Amaro, sherry and demerara; and a Velvetini with gin, dry vermouth and orange bitters. The modest-sized eatery has no indoor seating and offers around 75 to 80 seats in its astroturf courtyard.
27 N. Avondale Road, Avondale Estates. 404-941-9763, thelittlehippoavondale.com
Credit: Courtesy of Dos Burros
Credit: Courtesy of Dos Burros
Dos Burros
The teams behind Fishmonger and Hopstix opened this eatery on the Eastside Beltline in November. Here you’ll find fast-paced, grab-and-go Mexican street fare from chef Domingo Gallardo Salome. Try a few $5 tacos with fillings like al pastor, barbacoa, carne asada and carnitas, or opt for a more hearty burrito. Pair your meal with a margarita or one of co-owner Andy Tan’s Hopstix brews and grab a seat at the patio for optimal sunbathing and people watching.
699 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta. 678-990-8954, instagram.com/dosburrosatlanta
Credit: Courtesy of Hawkers
Credit: Courtesy of Hawkers
Hawkers
After closing for about three years due to repairs, Hawkers has reopened on the Eastside Beltline with an expanded patio and bar that seats 108. Park your bike nearby and grab a table on the patio or snag a stool at the outdoor bar and peruse the Asian street food-inspired menu. The offerings are similar to the Dunwoody location, but co-owner Kaleb Harrell likened the Beltline spot to “a chef’s playground” with a variety of new items like pandan and ube soft serve, Penang poutine with curry sauce and cheese curds and Hong Kong barbecue. Beer, wine and frozen cocktails are also available.
661 Auburn Ave. NE, Atlanta. 470-809-1586, eathawkers.com/locations/beltline
Credit: Heidi Harris
Credit: Heidi Harris
Indaco
The restaurant group behind O-Ku and Sukoshi opened this Italian eatery in October just above the Eastside Beltline. The restaurant’s design takes inspiration from the Amalfi Coast with pastels and terracotta shades of orange and yellow, and the outdoor patio seats about 45 and offers covered and open-air dining options. Enjoy some friendly competition at the built-in bocce court or stop by on the weekend to peruse the eatery’s new spritz menu and weekend lunch service. Expect drinks like the Meadow Hopper with Italicus, Braulio, honey, mint and soda, and Life in the Evening with Pernod, grapefruit and burlesque bitters.
725 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-205-5183, indacorestaurant.com/location/indaco-atlanta-beltline
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