Try African food with a twist, head to a Christmas brunch and celebrate chocolate in December in Atlanta.
A night of good food
Celebrate the final Night Market of 2019 at the Home Depot Backyard. Look for holiday-inspired cocktails prepared by mixologists Tiffanie Barriere and Kellie Thorn and food from restaurants including American Cut, Brezza Cucina, Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, Hattie B’s, Hawkers Asian Street Fare, Holmes, Honeysuckle Gelato, Kyma, Shake Shack, Spotted Trotter, Sweet Auburn BBQ, Watchman’s and Wheelies Tiny Donuts. In addition, shop from an artisan market curated by Indie Craft Experience and enjoy live entertainment.
6-10 p.m. Dec. 5. Free; $25 for food and a drink ticket. Home Depot Backyard, 1 Backyard Way, Atlanta. thehomedepotbackyard.com/events/night-market/
A taste of Africa
Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) and Ponce City Market are teaming up with Chow Club Atlanta for a dinner featuring Nigerian food with Italian, North American, West African and French influences from chef Wellington Onyenwe of Shamiso Foods. Dishes will include agege sliders, jollof rice and grilled and smoked chicken suya. Tickets also include a welcome cocktail.
6:30-9 p.m. Dec. 6. $75. Ponce City Market, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. bit.ly/37Igc0O
2 nights of chocolate
Help Atlanta-based Xocolatl Small Batch Chocolate celebrate its fifth anniversary via two events in partnership with Georgia Organics’ Cast Iron & Collards Society. On Dec. 8, head to a special screening of “Setting the Bar: A Craft Chocolate Origin Story,” a documentary about how chocolate goes from bean to bar, featuring chocolate makers from around the country, including Xocolatl. Tickets include the screening and Q&A session with the Xocolatl team, as well as samples of chocolate, Cafe Campesino coffee and a Xocolatl collaboration beer crafted with local brewery Wild Heaven Beer.
The celebration will continue on Dec. 9 with a five-course chocolate dinner at Atlanta restaurant 8Arm. The restaurant’s executive chef Maricela Vega and chef Shari Griffith will join with Hopkins and Company’s pastry chef Jen Yee to prepare the meal, which will feature sweet and savory dishes that incorporate cacao and use ingredients from local makers and farmers as well as beverage pairings from 8Arm’s general manager and beverage director Joshua Fryer.
All proceeds from the anniversary events will benefit Georgia Organics.
Screening: 6 p.m. Dec. 8. $10. Plaza Theatre, 1049 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. bit.ly/33pKour
Dinner: 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Dec. 9. $150. 8ARM, 710 Ponce de Leon Ave., NE, Atlanta. bit.ly/2OMXw7y
Raise a glass
Head to Lazy Betty for a five-course dinner prepared by chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips, paired with wines curated by a wine concierge from A Cork in the Road.
6 p.m. Dec. 10. $155. 1530 DeKalb Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-975-3692, bit.ly/33rgZA6
Tacky and tasty
Break out your tackiest attire for BeetleCat’s Tacky Sweater Brunch, offering a selection of holiday doughnuts including eggnog and peppermint as well as punch specials and holiday music from a DJ. All specials will be available in the Den only and alongside the regular brunch menu. The guest with the tackiest sweater of the day will win free doughnuts per week for a year.
10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dec. 14. 299 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta. 678-732-0360, beetlecatatl.com
A barbecue Christmas brunch
Taqueria del Sol and Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q will “pop up” in the Morningside neighborhood for the third edition of their Foxeria del Sol brunch series, with dishes including Smothered Corn and Jalapeno Pancakes with Andouille Sausage and Mushroom Gravy, Eddie’s Red & Green Christmas Tamales topped with a Fried Egg, Posole Chicken, Fried Steak Biscuit and Gravy, Hatch Chile Pork Roll with Cheesy Eggs and Fox Bros. Brisket Hash. Bloody Marias and a full bar will also be available for purchase in addition to starters like Jalapeño Cheese Dip, Guacamole and Salsa Trio. All proceeds will benefit Foxeria del Sol’s fundraising efforts for Hogs for the Cause.
11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 15. Taqueria del Sol, 2165 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta. 404-321-1118, taqueriadelsol.com
