Kinship Butcher & Sundry expands, and more from metro Atlanta’s dining scene
Two major Atlanta restaurateurs were honored by the Culinary Institute of America, a former Georgia Tech quarterback opened a restaurant franchise and more happenings from the metro Atlanta food and dining scene.
Kinship Butcher & Sundry announced expansion plans
On the heels of instantly selling out the first three months of its multi-course tasting menu experience Kin, Virginia-Highland shop Kinship Butcher & Sundry has announced plans to open a second location.
Kinship will take over a 4,000-square-foot space at the Beacon in Grant Park. The new shop will expand Kinship’s offerings to include seafood butchery, a larger dry-ageing program and more produce and locally made goods. The shop will also include an all-day cafe program featuring the original shop’s popular breakfast sandwiches.
Kinship’s second location is expected to open in the fall of 2026.
1039 Grant St. SE, Atlanta. kinshipbutcheratl.com
Walk of Fame honors for Atlanta restaurateurs
Two major figures in the Atlanta dining scene were given stars on the Culinary Institute of America’s Alumni Walk of Fame, which was unveiled earlier this week at the school’s campus in Hyde Park, New York.
The first Atlantan in the inaugural class of 20 was Chef I. Pano Karatassos, one of the founders of the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group.
Karatassos, now 89, graduated from the CIA in 1960 and built a strong reputation in his native Savannah before moving to Atlanta to open Pano’s & Paul’s restaurant alongside Paul Albrecht. The success of Pano’s & Paul’s provided a foundation for the Buckhead Life group, which would become one of the most influential and transformative hospitality companies in the city and entire Southeast.
The second Atlanta-based restaurateur to receive a star was John C. Metz, CEO and executive chef of Sterling Hospitality, the company behind local chain Marlow’s Tavern. Metz graduated from the CIA in 1992 and now runs more than 60 restaurants, according to the institute’s website.
Both Karatassos and Metz received stars alongside some of the world’s foremost culinary luminaries, including chef Grant Achatz of the Alinea Group, chef and hotelier Charlie Palmer and the late chef, author and TV host Anthony Bourdain.
Former Georgia Tech QB opens frozen treat franchise
A second Milkshake Factory location opened Saturday in metro Atlanta with the backing of former Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Rick Strom, the franchise announced in a news release.
Strom said he learned of the milkshake chain during his time in Pittsburgh, where the restaurant chain began.
“Having played in Pittsburgh and spent important years of my life there, I’ve always had a special connection to the city,” Strom said in a press statement. “MilkShake Factory was founded there more than a century ago, so being able to introduce this beloved Pittsburgh brand to families here in Cumming makes the opening especially meaningful to me.”
The new Milkshake Factory will hold a grand opening celebration Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Strom said he plans to open two more franchise locations in the area.
850 Peachtree Parkway, Cumming. 470-688-3834, milkshakefactory.com
Other items of interest
The Thompson Atlanta-Buckhead hotel, home to rooftop restaurant Tessarae, has been rebranded as the Tess, according to a news release. The 201-room boutique hotel is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection and claims to feature one of only two outdoor rooftop pools in Atlanta.
415 East Paces Ferry Road NE, Atlanta. 470-600-3510, marriott.com
Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe, a fast-casual restaurant chain, will partner with the Giving Kitchen later this year to raise money for service workers in crisis, according to a press announcement. The campaign will begin Nov. 12 and run through Dec. 2, known as Giving Tuesday.
Multiple locations. tazikis.com
Brasserie Margot will introduce weekend afternoon tea on Oct. 18, a restaurant representative said. The “cute but not too cutesy” tea service will be offered from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays with a menu of cocktails, specialty tea and patisseries.
75 14th St. NE, Atlanta. 404-253-3840, brasseriemargot.com
Il Giallo Osteria & Bar will celebrate truffles throughout October with a variety of menu enhancements featuring the rare fungi in their peak season, according to a restaurant representative. A different truffle pasta special will be available each night and guests will have the option to order fresh truffles shaved on any dish at the Sandy Springs Italian restaurant.
5920 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. 404-709-2148, ilgialloatl.com
Melt Yard, an “eatertainment” venue featuring a restaurant, bar and retro arcade, will open a second location in Dallas, according to a news release. The forthcoming Paulding County restaurant will take over a former car dealership on West Memorial Drive.
“What’s great about this Dallas location, is that it will really be Melt Yard 2.0,” Justin Wilfon, co-owner of Melt Yard, said in a press statement. “An old car dealership matches our vibe so well, and the huge amount of space allows us to offer live music for the first time. We’ll also have a big outdoor patio.”
This will be the second location of Melt Yard after the original opened in Marietta in 2022.
300 W. Memorial Drive, Dallas. meltyard.com
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.
