19 new metro Atlanta restaurants opened in May, but 11 closed
May was another strong month for restaurant openings in metro Atlanta, with at least 19 new food businesses setting up shop.
But nearly a dozen restaurants closed during the month, as well — including the Alden, which was unexpectedly shut down when the Chamblee apartment building where it occupied a ground-floor space was destroyed by a fire.
Jared Hucks, executive chef and owner of the Alden, plans to remain active with his staff, holding pop-up dinners and other events while he works to recover what he can from the original restaurant space.
Several of the other restaurants that closed in May were chains that shuttered under much less dramatic circumstances, like Cracker Barrel in Alpharetta, La Madeleine in East Cobb and the Melting Pot in Duluth.
Metro Atlanta restaurant openings
AfroDistrict, a new Pan-African restaurant and bar, opened in early May in Midtown, the business announced on social media. The new restaurant moved into the prominent location once occupied by Henry’s at the intersection of 10th and Juniper streets. AfroDistrict serves West African-influenced dishes like bante yi skewers, a suya burger and chicken or lamb dibi. The restaurant is open until 3 a.m. from Tuesday through Saturday.
132 10th St. NE, Atlanta. 470-788-8043, afrodistrictatl.com
Amistad Coffee Co., a Latin-inspired coffee shop, opened May 8 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
Beyond Juicery + Eatery, a wellness-focused restaurant chain, held a grand opening at its newest location in East Cobb on May 16, according to a news release.
4101 Roswell Road, Marietta. 404-566-7507, beyondjuiceryeatery.com
Bottle Rocket Fine Food and Beverage, known for serving both poke bowls and burgers, reopened in late May in South Downtown after relocating from Castleberry Hill, Rough Draft Atlanta reported.
231 Mitchell St. SW, Atlanta. 404-574-5680, bottlerocketatl.com
The Gelatist is now open in Sandy Springs after holding a grand opening celebration May 29. The sweet shop serves traditional Italian gelato.
220 Sandy Springs Circle, Atlanta. 404-975-3488, thegelatistatl.com
Ike’s Cafe in Marietta, which held a soft opening in April, officially opened its new location May 8, according to a news release.
24 Cherokee St., Marietta. ikescafe.com
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice opened two new metro Atlanta locations in May, one in Mableton and another in Roswell, the franchise chain announced.
5015 Floyd Road SW, Mableton. 770-892-8804; 580 E. Crossville Road, Roswell. 678-404-7681; jeremiahsice.com
Joupe Jeht, a brick-and-mortar Cambodian restaurant based on a pop-up of the same name, opened in Kennesaw on May 30, restaurant representatives told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
3055 N. Main St. Kennesaw. 404-862-8686, joupejeht.com
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, the largest chain restaurant out of Hawaii, opened its newest location in Duluth on May 24, according to a news release.
2442 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth. 770-674-0033, hawaiianbarbecue.com
The Ledger Bar and Lounge, a restaurant in the JW Marriott Downtown, opened in May following the hotel’s completion of its recent renovation.
45 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. NW, Atlanta. 404-582-5800, jwatlantadowntown.com
Little Alley Steak, one of the AJC’s 50 best restaurants, opened its third location in downtown Alpharetta on May 11, according to a social media post. The menu includes Linz Heritage Angus beef, more than 300 bourbons and whiskeys and a global wine list.
102 S. Main St., Alpharetta. 770-558-4550, littlealleysteak.com/locations/alpharetta
Mendoza Cafe y Vino opened May 25 in downtown Atlanta, the cafe announced on social media. The Latin coffee shop and wine bar has a large, industrial space in the Giant Lofts building at the corner of Marietta Street and Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard.
426 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta. 404-590-3055, mendozacafevino.com
Novo Cucina opened its long-awaited second location May 12 in North Druid Hills, the restaurant announced on social media. The restaurant was originally slated to open the summer of 2025 in the Lumen Briarcliff development but was delayed nearly a year.
3078 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta. 678-823-1150, novocucina.com
Patria Mezcalería reopened in the Pata Negra space in Midtown. Pata Negra temporarily closed for several days to transform into this new concept inspired by its sister restaurant in Grant Park, Patria Cocina, according to a social media post.
1777 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta. 404-343-6212, instagram.com/patriamezcaleriaatl
PopUp Bagels opened its second Atlanta location in Buckhead Landing on May 29, the franchise chain announced on social media.
3330 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta. 855-747-6347, popupbagels.com
ScentTok Craft Cafe is now open in Johns Creek after a soft opening period that began May 6, the shop shared on social media. The business offers a full menu of Asian-themed dishes and a dizzying array of beverages, including coffee, tea, kopi, smoothies and more. But ScentTok’s main differentiator is its crafting service, offering customers the opportunity to make simple projects like bracelets, key chains and sand wax candles.
6000 Medlock Bridge Parkway, Johns Creek. 678-696-7888, scenttokcraft.com
Showdown Social, a concept combining food, drinks and entertainment, opened May 14 in Alpharetta. Guests can enjoy host-led card games throughout the evening with a range of games such as Ace Face (similar to Black Jack), Chain Reaction (similar to Uno) and Card Mafia (similar to Mafia) available. The menu includes dishes like rib-eye steaks, salmon, Cajun pasta, crab corn dip, wings and skewers. The venue is open 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Monday-Friday and noon-1 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
7955 North Point Parkway, Alpharetta. 770-676-7604, showdown.com
Stage Kitchen & Bar opened May 15 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
Metro Atlanta restaurant closings
The Alden closed indefinitely after a fire on Mother’s Day severely damaged the Parkview on Peachtree Boulevard apartments, where the restaurant occupied a space on the ground floor. The Alden was not burned, but the space was seriously affected by smoke and water damage, chef and owner Jared Hucks told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The apartment building above partially collapsed, causing the structure to be condemned and blocking the restaurant’s team from entering the space for about a week.
Read more: Apartment fire shuts down the Alden, and more from Atlanta’s dining scene
Johnny’s World Famous Chicken & Waffles has closed its location in College Park and is posted for sale, according to a listing from Steven Josovitz of the Schumacher Group. The restaurant was opened in 2021 by Crystal Smith, singer-songwriter Ne-Yo and reality star Karlie Redd. A location in Dallas, Texas, remains open.
How Crispy, a fried chicken restaurant in Atlanta’s Summerhill neighborhood, closed May 10 after four years of operation, Rough Draft Atlanta reported.
Tomorrow’s News Today reported half a dozen metro Atlanta restaurant closures this month: Chicago’s Steak and Seafood in Roswell, which closed May 31; Cracker Barrel on Windward Parkway in Alpharetta; Cupcakin, which closed in Buckhead after less than two years in business; La Madeleine, another East Cobb restaurant, which closed May 22; Mirko in East Cobb, though the Buckhead location remains open; and Sucre in Brookhaven, which shut down after less than a year.
The Melting Pot closed its location in Duluth the last weekend of May after 36 years in business, according to Channel 2.
Rodney Scott BBQ shut down its location on Metropolitan Parkway in early May, another casualty of the fallout from the Pihakis Restaurant Group’s legal troubles. The group, which owns Rodney Scott BBQ, is facing multiple lawsuits related to unpaid bills, AL.com reported. Pitmaster Rodney Scott, who founded the restaurant, has said he plans to reopen his restaurants, the Charleston Post & Courier reported.
Read More: Longtime coastal Georgia steakhouse expands and more from Savannah’s dining scene
About the Author
Henri Hollis is a restaurant critic and food reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he covers Atlanta’s restaurants, chefs and dining culture. As part of the AJC’s Food & Dining team, he reviews new restaurants, reports on industry trends and explores metro Atlanta’s culinary scene through the neighborhoods and people that shape it.
