Brewhouse Cafe plans 2nd soccer pub in South Downtown, and more from the Atlanta dining scene
A local hospitality group announced two new hires, a popular daytime bar added amenities for football season and more from the metro Atlanta dining scene.
Brewhouse eyes World Cup with planned South Downtown location
Nearly 30 years after opening in Little Five Points, Atlanta’s premier soccer bar is looking ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and expanding to a second location in South Downtown.
Brewhouse Cafe, which was voted the best soccer bar in the U.S. in a survey by the popular Men In Blazers podcast earlier this year, will join the restaurant lineup in South Downtown next year, according to a news release. The announcement did not provide a specific opening date but said the new location on Broad Street, about a 10-minute walk from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, would open in time for the World Cup, which begins its group stage in June.
The new 3,200-square-foot Brewhouse space will introduce a new look, the announcement said, “elevating the experience with design elements that capture the warmth and character of a timeless European pub, while staying true to the energy and spirit fans have always loved.”
“Brewhouse has always been where the world comes to watch the beautiful game,” owner Humberto Bermudez said in a press statement. “Little Five Points gave us our roots, and now South Downtown gives us the perfect stage for the future. There’s nothing like the energy of soccer fans under one roof, and we can’t wait to bring that magic downtown just as Atlanta takes the global spotlight for the World Cup.”
401 Moreland Ave., Atlanta. 404-525-7799; 89 Broad St. SW, Atlanta (forthcoming). brewhousecafe.com
Two major new hires join Castellucci group
The Castellucci Hospitality Group announced two important new hires this week.
The first is at Mujo, which garnered the top spot on the Atlanta 50. Published earlier this week, the Atlanta 50 is The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s list of the best restaurant experiences in the metro area. Tomoyuki Hayashi was named the omakase restaurant’s new executive sushi chef. At Mujo, he will work alongside executive chef J. Trent Harris, with whom he has a long friendship dating back to Harris’ time in New York, the announcement said.
Hayashi, a native of Japan, has more than 25 years of experience in sushi, according to the Castellucci group. He moved to Atlanta from New York, where he previously worked as the executive chef at Sushi Amane and spent 12 years at Sushi Azabu, both Michelin-starred restaurants.
“In Japanese, there is a word, en, that speaks to the invisible threads connecting people through chance, shared history and fate,” Hayashi said in a press statement. “My path has been guided by this principle, and Mujō is where those threads have led.”
The Castellucci group also hired Nick Quinones for a newly created role as beverage director for the entire group, which includes Cooks & Soldiers, the Iberian Pig, Double-Zero and Sugo, in addition to Mujo. The announcement represents a return to the fold for Quinones, who was previously worked as the general manager of Cooks & Soldiers beginning in 2015. Quinones also previously ran the wine program at Murphy’s and was an owner of Woodfire Grill.
Castellucci Hospitality Group. 404-596-8066, chgrestaurants.com
Atlanta 50 wine bar gets national recognition
Lucian Books & Wine, an Atlanta 50 restaurant, was also recently recognized by Wine Spectator magazine as one of the editors’ favorite wine bars in the country. Though Atlanta has seen a surge in new wine bar openings in recent years, Lucian was the only Atlanta establishment to receive the honor.
Wine Spectator editors called Lucian “one of Atlanta’s most unique food-and-wine experiences” thanks to its combination of a 400-bottle wine list and curated library, according to a press release.
3005 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 404-549-2655, lucianbooksandwine.com
Young chefs return to compete at Taste of Chamblee
The Taste of Chamblee Festival, taking place Oct. 18, will once again feature a cooking contest between future chefs in its youth culinary competition.
Three teams of teenagers will compete in a Master Chef-style format live in front of the festival crowd, according to a news release. The crowd will have the opportunity to taste dishes made by the culinary students and vote on their favorites; a panel of local chefs and community leaders will also judge their entries, the announcement said.
The contest has been arranged by the Navigate Foundation, a workforce development initiative that offers professional development programs. To learn more, visit thenavigateprogram.org and chefacademyatl.com.
Taste of Chamblee will take place 3-8 p.m. Oct. 18 at Chamblee City Hall.
3518 Broad St., Chamblee. tasteofchamblee.net
Ladybird adds “jumbotron” for football season
One the Atlanta Beltline’s most prominent gathering places has added a new attraction. Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall has installed a 14-foot “jumbotron” TV screen on the building’s exterior. The massive installment is accompanied by several other new TVs inside and out, according to a news release.
The Ladybird team hopes the new screens will solidify the Beltline restaurant as a gameday destination for both college and pro football fans, the announcement said.
684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave., Atlanta. 404-458-6838, ladybirdatl.com
Restaurant openings and announcements
Smash’d Burgers and Bourbon, a new restaurant from chef Donnie Wicker, is now open in Stone Mountain. The burger establishment joins two other nearby restaurants owned by Wicker (also known as Chef Wic): Trend Urban Cafe and Guac Taco Studio & Bar.
5370 Stone Mountain Highway, Stone Mountain. 470-268-6068, smashdbb.com
Gather’d Market will open in the Buckhead Court development on Roswell Road in October, according to a news release. The market functions like a brick-and-mortar meal kit service, where customers can buy fully prepped meals that can be heated and assembled at home. The concept was founded by Antoinette Rosenberg, an entrepreneur with an MBA from Emory University and experience at General Mills. Gather’d Market’s grand opening is planned for October. A specific date has not been announced.
3872 Roswell Road, Atlanta. instagram.com/gatherd.market
Restaurant closings
Iron Hill Brewery closed its Dunwoody location Wednesday amid a complete shutdown of the chain, the company announced on social media. Another Atlanta-area location closed in May 2024, the AJC previously reported.
About the Author
Henri Hollis is a reporter and restaurant critic for the Food & Dining team. Formerly a freelance writer and photographer with a focus on food and restaurants, he joined the AJC full-time in January 2021, first covering breaking news. He is a lifelong Atlantan and a graduate of Georgia Tech.
