A barbecue restaurant will land in the South Downtown development next year.
Jason Furst and Sam Pinner of the sandwich shop Sammy’s will open Broad Street BBQ at 96 Broad St. The building borders what Furst said will become South Downtown’s main square, just across from where El Tesoro is also expected to open in 2026.
The announcement comes weeks after the longtime Atlanta friends debuted their first restaurant, Sammy’s in Adair Park.
Broad Street BBQ will offer plates and sandwiches featuring brisket, pork butt, chicken and some sausages, along with house-made sauces and sides, Furst said.
It will also have a full bar, with a cocktail program led by Connor Hammond, a bar lead at BoccaLupo who followed Furst and Pinner to Sammy’s. Furst said they’re keeping in mind the restaurant’s proximity to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena when developing drinks like batched cocktails that can be prepared in volume and allow for faster service.
Furst and Pinner have been friends since attending high school at The Paideia School in Druid Hills. They moved around to various Atlanta restaurants, starting with KR Steakbar when Pinner helped Furst get a job as a food runner. During the pandemic, the pair moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington, near Seattle, where they operated a series of pop-ups, including one where Pinner smoked barbecue.
Elements of that experience, which Furst said is still one of his favorite restaurant industry memories to date, will be echoed in Broad Street BBQ.
The idea for Broad Street BBQ began even before Sammy’s, Furst said. The business partners were searching for restaurant space when several people suggested they look into South Downtown.
Furst said he appreciated what South Downtown investors Jon Birdsong and David Cummings envisioned for the area. Growing up in Atlanta, Pinner and Furst were familiar with the constant hopes of reinvigorating downtown, and he was excited to be part of building that community in Atlanta.
They also thought barbecue would be a good fit for the area since it’s casual, approachable and can appeal to nearby government workers in search of a quick lunch.
“It’s like a snowball effect. Once a neighborhood reaches a certain critical mass, then it becomes a place that you want to be,” Furst said. “I do believe in the vision, so all it takes is enough like-minded people to believe in this vision to make it a reality.”
The restaurant will take over three existing storefronts at 96, 98 and 100 Broad St., South Downtown representative April Stammel said in an email to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The space will feature historic brick and plaster from the original buildings, counter ordering, communal tables, a preexisting American flag mural that feels “so right for barbecue” and a takeout window that offers a view of the smoking process, Furst said.
The latter was an important feature for Furst, who saw how much customers were fascinated with watching the pitmaster smoke hundreds of pounds of brisket during their barbecue pop-ups on Bainbridge Island. He also wanted the cooks to be out “in the action” instead of hidden away for hours.
Furst said they plan to unlock doors before Atlanta hosts the FIFA World Cup next summer.
Birdsong and Cummings, the entrepreneurs behind Atlanta Ventures, purchased the stretch of 57 buildings and six acres of downtown parking lots in 2024 with the goal of turning it into a bustling commercial and residential development and a hub for startups and entrepreneurs.
Coffee shop Spiller Park and Thai restaurant Tyde Tate Kitchen are among the food and beverage concepts currently open in South Downtown. Forthcoming restaurants include Broad Street BBQ, El Tesoro and Delilah’s Everyday Soul.
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