Apartment fire shuts down the Alden, and more from Atlanta’s dining scene

A fire on Mother’s Day left the Alden shut down indefinitely, several new food and beverage businesses were announced in Alpharetta, and more happenings from the metro Atlanta food and dining scene.

A fire in the apartment above the Alden has left the restaurant damaged and closed indefinitely. (Courtesy of Jared Hucks)

The Alden in limbo after Mother’s Day fire

On the afternoon of Mother’s Day, typically one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants, chef Jared Hucks and his team at the Alden began to smell an odor like burning plastic in the restaurant.

The Alden, an Atlanta 50 restaurant, was fully booked for the evening and had even opened an hour earlier than usual to make more reservations available. Hucks and his staff searched the kitchen to figure out what was causing the burning smell before realizing it was coming from outside.

In an interview this week, Hucks told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he didn’t think the smell was much more than an irritant on a busy night, at first. Then, he began to see police officers outside directing people away from the building. Soon after, their fire alarm went off. Hucks and his staff walked out of the restaurant, unaware they were exiting the Alden for the last time in its original form.

Many staffers left behind important personal items, such as wallets, IDs and car keys, Hucks said, most of which were recovered by firefighters. Crucially, no one was killed or injured, though dozens of the building’s residents were displaced, Channel 2 Action News reported.

“At the end of the day, you can replace things, but you can’t replace life,” Hucks told the AJC. “And nobody got hurt. We all walked away from it, and that’s the most important thing.”

The Alden was not burned, but the space suffered badly from smoke and water damage. The Parkview on Peachtree Boulevard apartment building partially collapsed, making the restaurant space unsafe to access. The damage has remained untouched for a week so far, and it’s not clear when people will be allowed to enter, Hucks said. He said he expects to recover very little from the space.

Certain items in the restaurant were irreplaceable, like a sourdough starter Hucks had kept for 15 years. The Alden had an art show planned for Sunday in collaboration with House of Daydreamers and the Distillery of Modern Art; many of those art pieces were already placed in the restaurant. Those artists have likely lost their work, according to Hucks.

Hucks said he’s been touched by the outpouring of support from his community, including the Alden’s patrons and other restaurant industry professionals. He has been working with other local chefs to help find work for all of his employees.

The Alden sustained smoke and water damage. Chef Jared Hucks said he lost a sourdough starter he'd had for 15 years. (Courtesy of Jared Hucks)

“It feels good to know that that’s what we’ve built. We’ve built a community around us,” he said. “It’s a clear sign that we’ve been doing something right all these years.”

The Alden is well-insured, Hucks said, but he expects the process of investigating a fire that affected so many residences and businesses to be complicated and drawn out. With that in mind, he set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to help support his staff while they wait for support from other avenues. In less than 24 hours, the page raised nearly half its $12,000 goal.

Hucks said the shock of the fire and the Alden’s sudden closure has slightly diminished, and he is already working on plans for events and appearances that will help keep the restaurant’s name alive.

“I’ll have a little time to spend with my family and focus on my own health so I can really dig into this stuff and make sure we come out of it stronger,” he said. “That’s really the idea, that we come back stronger in whatever capacity that is, whether it’s here or somewhere else. But it’s definitely not done for us.”

5070 Peachtree Blvd., Chamblee. thealdenrestaurant.com

A rendering of the Ledger Bar and Lounge at the recently renovated JW Marriott Downtown Atlanta hotel. (Courtesy of Marriott)

Restaurant openings and announcements

The Ledger Bar and Lounge, a restaurant in the JW Marriott Downtown, is now open; the hotel completed its recent renovation.

45 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. NW, Atlanta. 404-582-5800, jwatlantadowntown.com

Little Alley Steak has opened its third location in metro Atlanta — this one in Alpharetta, according to an announcement on social media. The popular and widely acclaimed restaurant already operates locations in Buckhead and Roswell.

102 S. Main St., Alpharetta. 770-558-4550, littlealleysteak.com

Stage Kitchen & Bar opened Friday at Campus 244 in Dunwoody, according to a news release. This is the restaurant’s second location; the original has been open in Peachtree Corners for about five years. The restaurant team plans to open a third Stage Kitchen & Bar later this year in Buford, according to the website.

110 Campus Way, Dunwoody. 678-956-6009, stageatl.com

Novo Cucina opened its long-awaited second location, in North Druid Hills, earlier this week, the restaurant announced on social media. In the Lumen Briarcliff development, the restaurant was originally slated to open the summer of 2025 but was delayed nearly a year.

3078 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta. 678-823-1150, novocucina.com

Amistad Coffee Co., a Latin-inspired coffee shop, recently opened in Midtown, the shop announced on Instagram. Amistad is at the base of the Arts Center Tower on West Peachtree Street.

1270 W. Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta. 205-332-5634, instagram.com/amistadcoffeeco.com

Jeremiah’s Italian Ice will hold grand opening celebrations all weekend at the chain’s new location, in Mableton. The frozen treat shop will feature a mural honoring the Mableton community, according to a news release.

5015 Floyd Road SW, Mableton. 770-892-8804, jeremiahsice.com

Fiorenza Italian, which will open in Alpharetta this summer, will bring to fruition the lifelong dream of first-time restaurateur Jessi Qilafi. (Courtesy of Fiorenza Italian)

Fiorenza Italian, a Tuscan-inspired restaurant from first-time restaurateur Jessi Qilafi, will open in Alpharetta later this summer, according to a news release. Qilafi was born and raised in Italy but now calls Alpharetta home. After more than 15 years in the industry, Qilafi is “realizing a lifelong dream” by opening his own restaurant, the announcement said. Fiorenza’s kitchen will be helmed by executive chef Eugene Thompson, who previously cooked at Oak Steakhouse, Davio’s and Zakia.

11500 Webb Bridge Way, Alpharetta. fiorenzaitalian.com

Under Pressure Wine Bar, a David Bowie-inspired bar and restaurant with a focus on sparkling wines, will open in Sandy Springs later this year, Rough Draft Atlanta reported. Interested diners can preview the wine bar through its pop-up series at Brush Sushi in Buckhead.

4920 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. instagram.com/underpressurewine

Last Dance, an eclectic new American restaurant, will take over the space in Avondale Estates formerly occupied by Rising Son, Atlanta Magazine reported. The restaurant will open for happy hour and dinner later this month, according to its website, with brunch to follow later.