Yeppa brings its party to the Atlanta Beltline

A hot new bombshell landed on the Atlanta Beltline, a retiring top local chef announced his last night in the kitchen, a longtime Cheshire Bridge restaurant shut down for a major renovation and more happenings from the metro area’s dining scene in the last two weeks.

Yeppa’s Italian party comes to Krog District

Yeppa + Co., the casual Italian restaurant from the team behind Forza Storico and Storico Fresco, opened a second location on the Atlanta Beltline’s busy Eastside Trail. The highly visible new restaurant joins Yuji Modern Japanese at the Junction Krog District, the Portman-developed office building looming over the Beltline’s heavily trafficked crossing of Irwin Street in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.

For now, the new Yeppa + Co. location is open only for dinner 5-11 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, according to a news release. The restaurant will open earlier on the weekend for the Beltline brunch crowd, with hours from 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

The first Yeppa opened in Buckhead Village in February 2023 and has remained a popular social destination known for its focaccia pizzas, espresso martini towers and all-hours viewing parties for Formula 1 races.

“Our goal has always been to bring the essence of Italian hospitality to Atlanta,” co-founder Pietro Gianni said in a prepared statement. “With this new location, we’re bringing that vision to a space along the Beltline that will celebrate vibrant flavors, lively conversation and the simple charm of a true Italian gathering.”

667 Auburn Ave. NE, Atlanta. yeppaco.com

Credit: Drew Amandolia

Credit: Drew Amandolia

Viral lemon pepper pizza maker opens in food hall

Phew’s Pies, the pizza pop-up known for its lemon pepper wet pie, opened a stall in downtown Atlanta’s Municipal Market, also known as the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, on Friday.

Created by Matthew “Phew” Foster, Phew’s Pies grew from a hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic into a bona fide business after his lemon pepper wet-flavored pizza went viral when Atlanta rapper Killer Mike shared it on his social media accounts.

Since Killer Mike’s 2021 post, Phew’s Pies has functioned as a takeout-only restaurant from Foster’s home and a pop-up at multiple locations, including Boggs Social & Supply and the Municipal Market that will now be its permanent home.

Phew’s Pies held its grand opening on May 23. The pizza shop will be open 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays.

209 Edgewood Ave. SE, Atlanta. 470-338-0658, phewpies.com

Credit: Handout

Big week for Mexican restaurants

Two Mexican restaurants opened in metro Atlanta within three days of each other this week, and another newcomer announced expanded brunch service.

Uno Mas Taqueria and Cantina in Buckhead debuted Thursday, while Rreal Tacos opened a new location in downtown Lawrenceville on Monday, its ninth metro Atlanta location.

Credit: Handout

Uno Mas Taqueria makes its home in the One Alliance Center office complex next to Little Alley Steak in Buckhead. The new restaurant from STHRN Hospitality Co., the team behind Westside Motor Lounge, will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.

In addition to those openings, the CT Cantina & Taqueria location that opened in March in Dunwoody announced it will introduce weekend brunch beginning May 31. In Roswell, the new location of Azotea Cantina threw a grand opening party Thursday after officially opening for business on May 8.

Uno Mas Taqueria. 3500 Lenox Road NE, Atlanta. 404-237-8969, unomas-atl.com

Rreal Tacos - Lawrenceville. 30 S. Clayton St., Lawrenceville. 470-709-2704, rrealtacos.com

CT Cantina & Taqueria. 244 Perimeter Center Parkway, Dunwoody. 770-765-6171, cttacos.com

Azotea Cantina. 1025 Alpharetta St., Roswell. 404-902-6010, azoteacantina.com

Burger King franchisee gives out scholarships

A large franchisee of Burger King restaurants has awarded scholarships to nearly 40 students from Georgia.

GPS Hospitality is Burger King’s second largest franchisee, operating more than 400 locations of the fast-food chain throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. On Tuesday, the company awarded $1,000 scholarships to more than 100 employees across its network who are graduating from high school.

Students from Georgia received 41 of those scholarships, far outpacing the other states where GPS Hospitality operates. The scholarships were awarded based on each student’s grade-point average and community impact, according to a news release.

GPS Hospitality has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships since 2013, while the Burger King Foundation scholarship program has awarded more than $64 million over the past 25 years.

Other items of interest

Aria might be a tough reservation on June 14. That Saturday night will be chef Gerry Klaskala’s last regular service in the kitchen at his celebrated Buckhead fine dining restaurant, which is in the running for a 2025 James Beard Foundation award for hospitality. His retirement coincides with Aria’s 25th anniversary, a restaurant representative said.

490 East Paces Ferry Road NE, Atlanta. 404-233-7673, aria-atl.com

Credit: Handout

Willy’s Mexicana Grill, the Atlanta-based burrito chain, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this summer through charitable causes and deals for its customers. From Saturday through June 22, Willy’s locations are running a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta called “Give $5 / Get $5.” Customers who donate $5 to the Boys and Girls Clubs will get a coupon for $5 off a future order at Willy’s. The company hopes to raise $30,000 in 30 days, according to a news release. Willy’s is also featuring a variety of 30% off promotions throughout June and July, as well as giveaways on social media.

Multiple locations. willys.com

Credit: Handout

Nakato, the long-running Japanese restaurant on Cheshire Bridge Road, will close for a three-month renovation on June 10, according to a news release. However, the kitchen will remain open to serve takeout, delivery and catering. Nakato has also partnered with the Tara Theatre down the road to serve themed bento boxes during a Studio Ghibli Film Festival June 8 and June 10.

1776 Cheshire Bridge Rd. NE, Atlanta. 404-873-6582, nakatorestaurant.com

ExploreBomb Biscuit leaving Old Fourth Ward for new location

More restaurant openings

Voagies, a vegan hoagie shop from Slutty Vegan founder Pinky Cole, open today in Atlanta’s Westview neighborhood, according to a news release. The sandwich shop has taken over the Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard location of the first brick-and-mortar Slutty Vegan, which began as a food truck. Cole has been developing Voagies for about six years, the announcement said, and the launch of her new restaurant comes just months after her recent reclamation of the Slutty Vegan brand.

1542 Ralph D. Abernathy Blvd., Atlanta. instagram.com/voagies

ExploreRestaurateur Pinky Cole speaks with UATL about the future of Slutty Vegan

Credit: Handout

Smash Burgers by Vice held its grand opening celebration on May 17. The Milton burger joint from chef Nick Leahy is a showcase for pasture-to-plate dining, sourcing beef from its own cattle that the owners locally raise and process.

3100 Heritage Walk, Milton. 404-764-9555, smashbyvice.com

Brash Coffee began serving from its vintage coffee truck, the Beast, at Halcyon on Friday morning, according to a news release.

6365 Halcyon Way, Alpharetta. visithalcyon.com

New restaurant announcements

Gusto, the local fast-casual chain known for bowls and wraps, will open its 13th location in Sharpsburg on May 29, the company announced. Before its official opening, customers can get one free bowl or wrap from the drive-thru from 6-8 p.m. on May 27. The new location is at 100 Fischer Marketplace in Sharpsburg.

Fogón and Lions will open a second location in Johns Creek in late 2026, a restaurant representative said. Chef Julio Delgado and his wife, Zoribeth Delgado, opened the first location of the Latin restaurant in Alpharetta in 2022.

Eclipse di Luna was officially announced as the new restaurant taking over the space formerly occupied by Nina & Rafi along the Beltline, according to a representative for the Krog District development. The local tapas restaurant will unlock doors at its newest location sometime this summer. An exact date has not been announced.

Pataaka, an upscale Indian restaurant, is planned for Portman’s Spring Quarter development in Midtown, according to a news release. The 113-seat restaurant will be on the ground floor of Sora, a luxury residential tower, and helmed by chef Anish Nair.

What Now Atlanta reported several forthcoming restaurant announcements, including Mexican restaurant La Industria in Peachtree Corners, Smashd Burgers planned for Stone Mountain, a brick-and-mortar location for BBQ 56 in southwest Atlanta and Casa Coya coming to Madison Yards.