Metro Atlanta’s dining scene buzzes with 20 openings in October, few closings
Coffee shops and brands new to Georgia dominated metro Atlanta openings in October, from Storyteller Goods launching a coffee residency inside Home Grown, to Ghee Indian Kitchen opening its first location outside of Miami to the debut of Le Kee in west Midtown, an Asian fusion restaurant from New York.
There weren’t many closures this month, but longtime restaurant Eats said its final farewells, and Jolene Jolene, a sports bar for women’s sports, wrapped up a four-month residency.
Restaurant openings
Bb.q Chicken, a Korean fried chicken chain, opened a location in Midtown on Oct. 8, according to a news release. The chicken franchise has more than 200 locations across the U.S., including eight in the metro Atlanta area.
903 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 470-536-1025, bbqchicken.com
Milkshake Factory opened a second metro Atlanta location Oct. 11 with the backing of former Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Rick Strom, the franchise announced in a news release. Strom said he plans to open two more franchise locations in the area.
850 Peachtree Parkway, Cumming. 470-688-3834, milkshakefactory.com
Ignite by Blaze Pizza opened Oct. 15 at Akers Mill Square in the Cumberland area, restaurant representatives said. Ignite functions as a typical Blaze Pizza location, according to the company’s announcement, but it also serves as a testing ground for new products and flavors.
2955 Cobb Pkwy. SE, Atlanta. 770-288-5580, blazepizza.com
Auxiliary Coffee from Connan Moody, founder of Virginia-Highland’s Academy Coffee, opened in Adair Park Oct. 16 as a “coffee brewing experiment,” according to its social media page. The cafe offers guests a space to experience intentional coffee creations that emphasize education, according to a news release. It features a simplified menu of espresso, cold brew, pour over, matcha and chai, with a rotating selection of independent roasters.
945 Allene Ave. SW, Atlanta. instagram.com/auxwestend
FNF Hot Burger opened in the Halidom Eatery food hall in East Atlanta Oct. 18, Rough Draft Atlanta reported. The restaurant offers smash burgers, hot dogs, cheesesteaks and fries.
1341 Moreland Ave. SE, Atlanta. 469-237-0543, instagram.com/fnf.hot.burger
Tyde Tate Kitchen, a Thai restaurant with locations in south Downtown and Chattahoochee Food Works, opened a stall in Krog Street Market on Oct. 19, Rough Draft Atlanta reported.
99 Krog St. NE, Atlanta. 770-377-9014, tydetatekitchen.com
Storyteller Goods, a coffee pop-up from Atlanta barista Justin Brostek, launched a residency inside breakfast restaurant Home Grown on Oct. 20, according to a social media announcement. It is open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. daily.
968 Memorial Drive SE, Atlanta. storytellergoods.com
Ghee Indian Kitchen, a Miami-based Indian restaurant, opened its first Georgia location in west Midtown’s Star Metals District Oct. 23. The restaurant comes from chef Niven Patel and Mohamed “Mo” Alkassar, both of whom are James Beard Award semifinalists, according to a news release. The locations in Miami both hold the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand distinction for excellent cooking at a reasonable price. The restaurant highlights farm-to-table Indian cuisine and offers a 13-dish tasting menu for $65 per person.
1050 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 404-201-2581, gheeindiankitchen.com/location/ghee-westmidtown
Mirae, a modern, Asian-fusion restaurant from husband and wife team John and Grace Lee, opened Oct. 24 in Brookhaven, according to a news release. The word “mirae” is Korean for “future,” and the restaurant’s menu focuses on comfort food from across the Asian diaspora. Mirae is now open for dinner reservations and will expand its hours and walk-in availability in the coming weeks.
1350 Dresden Drive, Brookhaven. 470-355-6221, miraeatl.com
Lo Kee, an Asian fusion restaurant from the founders of celebrity hot spot Sei Less in Manhattan, opened in west Midtown on the ground floor of the Windsor Interlock apartment complex on Oct. 24. The menu features plenty of crowd-pleasing Asian cuisine, from spring rolls to dim sum, lettuce wraps and udon noodles. Read about the restaurant here.
2 Interlock Ave NW, Atlanta. lokeeatl.com
Spring 2nd Branch, a casual Korean restaurant from chef Brian So, chef Kyung Kim and sommelier Daniel Crawford, opened in Marietta’s Church Street development Oct. 24. It offers an expansive menu of Korean dishes and a beverage program with makgeolli, beer, wine and sake, including some offerings from Doraville distillery Minhwa Spirits. Read more about the restaurant here.
113 Church St., Marietta. 770-575-3454, spring2ndbranch.com
Bellwood Coffee opened a location inside Little Shop of Stories in Decatur on Oct. 24, Rough Draft Atlanta reported. Its hours are 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Saturday, according to its social media.
133 E Court Square, Decatur. instagram.com/bellwoodcoffee
Gather’d Market, which bills itself as a “dinner store for modern life,” held its grand opening Oct. 25. The shop sells a variety of ready-made meals, including fully cooked proteins, sauces and side dishes. Meal options include family-style casseroles, grain bowls, hearty salads and other items. The store is also stocked with easy-to-eat items like chicken salad and cheese boards.
3872 Roswell Road NE, Atlanta. gatherdmarket.com
Longtime Japanese restaurant Nakato reopened in October after three months of renovations. For its 50th anniversary, the team decided to temporarily close to refresh the interior. Atlanta-based Nelson Design Group worked with owner Sachi Nakato Takahara to design the space. It includes a new bar top made from a white oak tree; a bar canopy made in Japan from paulownia wood and embedded with asanoha designs; and an updated hibachi room.
1776 Cheshire Bridge Road NE, Atlanta. 404-873-6582, nakatorestaurant.com
Ishin by Ito and Celestia opened in October at Ten Twenty Spring, the office tower in mixed-use development Spring Quarter in Midtown. Chef Fuyuhiko Ito is behind both concepts. Ishin by Ito is an omakase restaurant with offerings like crudo, nigiri and yakizakana. Celestia is a rooftop cocktail bar with a menu of international cuisine like caviar, escargot, wagyu ravioli, oysters, lobster and dessert.
Ishin by Ito. 1020 Spring St. NW, Atlanta. 678-272-5747, ishinomakase.com.
Celestia. 1020 Spring St. NW, Atlanta. 678-272-5747, celestiatl.com
Dutch Bros Coffee opened another metro Atlanta location in Tucker, Tomorrow News Today first reported. It joins two other locations in Johns Creek and Lawrenceville.
4545 Hugh Howell Road, Tucker. 877-899-2767, dutchbros.com
Community Roots Market in downtown Madison reopened Oct. 25 two months after a devastating fire in July that affected several related businesses. The market reopened with expanded hours, now 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday.
292 Hancock St., Madison. 706-438-1206, communityrootsmarket.com
Eddie V’s, an upscale seafood and steak restaurant with a separate bar called the V Lounge, opened in Alpharetta on Oct. 26, the restaurant chain announced in a news release. The company has 30 locations of Eddie V’s across the country. Its new restaurant on Haynes Bridge Road occupies more than 10,000 square feet and includes three private dining rooms.
11405 Haynes Bridge Road, Alpharetta. 770-870-1129, eddiev.com
Daybright Coffee, a new beverage-focused concept from Chick-fil-A’s subsidiary Red Wagon Ventures, opened in Hiram on Oct. 30. The restaurant serves specialty coffees, smoothies, cold-pressed juices and food. It does not offer any Chick-fil-A items. Read more about Daybright here.
4326 Jimmy Lee Smith Parkway, Hiram. 678-904-1655, daybrightcoffee.com
Restaurant closings & relocations
Eats on Ponce de Leon Avenue closed its doors a final time Oct. 18 after a weekslong farewell period that saw mournful crowds swarm the old-school restaurant. Read about why it closed and its final days.
Phew’s Pies, the pop-up known for its viral lemon pepper wet pizza, closed its stall in the Municipal Market Oct. 31. Owner Matthew Foster told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution it “just wasn’t doing financially what it needed to do.” He decided he would close the location and “go back to the drawing board.” He said he hopes in the long term to get back into a brick-and-mortar. Keep up with Foster’s pop-up schedule on the Phew’s Pies Instagram.
Jolene Jolene, a sports bar that features women’s sports, has ended its residency in the Brick and Mortar incubator space at Pullman Yards. The concept began as a pop-up in 2024 and launched a residency in Brick and Mortar for the past four months.
“We’re closer than ever to announcing our permanent home, the space Atlanta’s women’s sports fans deserve,” according to a social media statement from Jolene Jolene.
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.
