Luella steakhouse progress, Mambo Zombi to leave Edgewood and more Atlanta dining updates
This week in the metro Atlanta dining scene, Luella steakhouse announced its management team, cocktail bar Mambo Zombi shared that it will be closing in Edgewood and relocating to East Atlanta Village, and an intimate omakase experience is launching next week above Umi.
Luella steakhouse taps management team
Luella, the steakhouse from Revival Hospitality Group that’s taking over the former Ivy sports bar space in Buckhead, has tapped its executive chef and general manager as it prepares for a fall opening.
Jamey and Benjie Shirah closed the Ivy last year after 14 years of operation to trade it in for a steakhouse.
Luella is on track to open in November inside the Buckhead mansion at 3717 Roswell Road NE, Jamey Shirah said. Executive chef Stuart Rogers (Your 3rd Spot, Lyla Lila and Oak Steakhouse) and general manager Andrew Ahlquist (Gypsy Kitchen, Lapeer Seafood & Steak and Oak Steakhouse) will lead the back- and front-of-house staff, respectively. Luella will add an in-house sommelier and a pastry chef closer to opening.
Similar to the menu offered at its sister restaurant, Little Betty in Birmingham, Alabama, Luella’s menu will have a Japanese and Italian influence with crudo, pastas, seafood and steak.
The beverage menu will include unique takes on classic cocktails, Ahlquist said, and the wine program will feature New and Old World wines.
“We want it to be a neighborhood spot along with a destination spot,” Ahlquist said. The goal is to provide an elegant atmosphere with “warm hospitality, friendly, engaging service, a great bar program and just a lively scene in general.”
3717 Roswell Road, Atlanta. luellaatl.com
Mambo Zombi to close on Edgewood Avenue, relocate to East Atlanta
Cocktail bar Mambo Zombi is closing its location on Edgewood Avenue after a final day of service on Sept. 28, according to a social media post. This isn’t a permanent closure; the bar has signed a lease for a new, undisclosed location in East Atlanta Village.
Georgia Beer Garden owners Brandon Ley and Johnny Martinez, along with partner Kysha Cyrus, opened Mambo Zombi in 2022 on the second floor of the building at 420 Edgewood Ave. Georgia Beer Garden closed in 2023 after about seven years of operation.
“We’ve always known that one day we’d have to move after the Georgia Beer Garden building sold, and now, that day has come,” they shared in the social media post. “Thank you for loving Mambo on Edgewood as much as we have. We can’t wait to show you what’s next.”
Krog District to add three new food tenants
The Krog District announced in a news release that it will add three new dining tenants over the coming months. The forthcoming restaurants include:
Tyde Tate Kitchen. This Thai restaurant began in 2019 as a pop-up where it found popularity at the Atlanta International Night Market. In 2021, it opened a location in the Chattahoochee Food Works followed by a brick-and-mortar in South Downtown. The menu features Thai comfort dishes. It is expected to open in October in Krog Street Market.
Eggslut. Egg lovers will find a menu filled with classic comfort fare highlighting eggs as a key ingredient. The restaurant chain was founded in Los Angeles in 2011 and offers a variety of sandwiches that incorporate eggs. The restaurant is set to open next spring in SPX Alley next to Woof Gang, and will be the brand’s first Southeastern location.
Nando’s. The South African chicken chain will open its third Georgia location in the Krog District next spring. Nando’s specializes in flame-grilled chicken marinated for 24 hours in a peri-peri sauce made with African bird’s eye chile. Menu items include bowls, sandwiches, chicken skewers, wings, wraps, salads and sides like corn on the cob and macho peas. It will take over the former Bar Mercado space in Krog Street Market.
Ghee Indian Kitchen coming to west Midtown
Indian restaurant Ghee Indian Kitchen is expanding with its first location in Georgia in the Sentral Building at 1050 Howell Mill Road next to Northside Tavern this fall.
The eatery comes from Miami-based group FEAL Hospitality, which is led by chef Niven Patel and Mohamed Alkassar.
The menu includes shareable dishes like green papaya salad, chili paneer and short rib dosa; tandoor and biryani; curries like Kerala lamb and saffron channa masala; and naan. There is also a daily 13-dish tasting menu available for $75 and specialty cocktails like the Mumbai Libre with coconut rum, tamarind, lime and cardamom bitters.
The restaurant’s interior includes bone-inlay tables and shell-inlay mirrors and a color palette of yellow, terracotta, blue and green. There are 78 seats in the dining room, 12 at the bar and 50 outdoor seats.
Patel said in a prepared statement they have a farm-to-table commitment and plan to work with local farmers as well as use produce from his farm in Florida.
1050 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. gheeindiankitchen.com
Other items of interest
Overstory, the rooftop bar at Westin Atlanta Gwinnett, has launched an afternoon tea service on its patio. It is available from noon-2:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and includes a selection of tea blends, pastries, sandwiches and desserts. There are three tiers of offerings that range from $65-$115 per person.
6450 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. overstoryrooftop.com
CT Taqueria & Cantina has added a mini hour with smaller, lower priced cocktails and small plates weekdays from 2-5 p.m. at all restaurant locations, including CT Reforma. The Dunwoody location has also launched a Mexican brunch buffet on Sundays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for $40 per person.
244 Perimeter Center Parkway NE, Dunwoody, 770-765-6171. 6220 Town Square, Alpharetta, 770-765-6042. cttacos.com
3699 Lenox Road NE, Atlanta. 770-765-6828, reforma.cttacos.com
The Chai Box now sells its Masala Chai Concentrate in Georgia, North Carolina and Alabama-area Costcos, according to a social media post. The Chai Box, an Atlanta-based chai company founded by Monica Sunny, first launched its chai concentrate in California Costcos last year. Now, the product can be found in seven Costco locations around metro Atlanta, including Alpharetta, Brookhaven, Cumberland Mall, Gwinnett, Kennesaw, Cumming and the Perimeter.
Multiple locations. thechaibox.com
Restaurant openings
M @ Umi, an eight-seat omakase experience from chef Kazuo Yoshida, launches Sept. 24 at Umi. Yoshida joined Umi’s program as lead chef from New York City about 10 months ago. The omakase experience will be located one floor above Umi’s main dining room and features 19 courses with offerings like smoked bonito salad, madai sashimi, a wagyu hand roll with caviar and uni risotto. The reservation-only experience costs $295 per person. A sake pairing is available for an additional $135. The 250-square-foot space features bar stools, a white maple chef’s counter, globe pendants and white yakisugi walls. The omakase room is open for 7 p.m. seatings Wednesdays-Fridays.
3050 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta. 404-841-0040, umiatlanta.com
Toastique, a gourmet toast, juice and coffee bar, has opened its second Georgia location in Marietta. The menu features toasts like smoked salmon, tomato burrata and peanut butter crunch, plus smoothie bowls and cold-pressed juice. The store is open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.
4250 Roswell Road, Marietta. 470-787-2159, toastique.com
Roaring Social, a 1920s-inspired bar, has opened its second location in downtown Decatur. The 7,500-square-foot space includes a horseshoe bar with cocktails and shareable plates, a stage for entertainment, a dance floor and bowling lanes. Roaring Social is open 5 p.m.-midnight Tuesdays-Thursdays and 5 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
101 W Ponce De Leon Ave., Decatur. 678-752-1191, roaringsocialdecatur.com
The Wine Shop at Ivy Walk, a wine store that first opened in Serenbe, has debuted its second location at Ivy Walk in Smyrna. It offers a collection of wines from around the world, tastings and educational events.
1675 Cumberland Parkway SE, Smyrna. 706-489-9463, ivywalkwine.com
Restaurant announcements
Biscuit Belly, a Southern breakfast and brunch restaurant, will open in the Avenue Peachtree City next spring, according to a news release. The menu will feature dishes like biscuits and gravy, biscuit sandwiches, coffee and breakfast cocktails.
238 City Circle, Peachtree City. biscuitbelly.com
Restaurant closings
Nut Cafe, a vegan food truck, announced in a social media post it will cease operations permanently.
“As many of you all know, our food truck was involved in an accident, and after battling for several months, it has just recently been declared a total loss,” according to a statement. “We’re deeply grateful for the support, smiles and encouragement you’ve given us over the years.”
About the Author
Olivia Wakim is a digital content producer on the food and dining team. She joined the AJC as an intern in 2023 after graduating from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree. While in school, she reported for The Red & Black, Grady Newsource and the Marietta Daily Journal.
