Pataaka opens at Spring Quarter and more from Atlanta’s restaurant scene
With the opening of Pataaka, Spring Quarter is now home to five restaurants, plus a new location of Hal’s The Steakhouse on the horizon; LikeMinds announced it will extend its Krog District pop-up through the end of the year; Maepole is expanding in the suburbs; and more of the week’s happenings around metro Atlanta.
Pataaka caps Spring Quarter’s busy summer
Modern Indian restaurant Pataaka, from Atlanta-based chef Anish Nair, opened Saturday at Midtown’s Spring Quarter development. The opening is the latest in a flurry of news out of the mixed-use property at the corner of Spring and 10th streets.
Last week, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an exclusive first look at the forthcoming second location of longtime Buckhead staple Hal’s The Steakhouse, which will open next year in the Patterson House at Spring Quarter.
Japanese restaurant Sozou opened earlier this month at the base of the development’s office tower, Ten Twenty Spring. Married chefs Lisa and Fuyuhiko Ito are behind the new restaurant, their third in the development after Celestia and Ishin by Ito opened in October 2025.
Habaneros, a modern Mexican restaurant from a Louisiana-based chain, opened its first Georgia location in June at the Sora building, Spring Quarter’s residential tower.
After the recent Hal’s announcement and Pataaka opening, Spring Quarter’s retail space is fully leased, property representatives told the AJC.
The name Pataaka comes from the Hindi word for firecracker, meant to convey a sense of energy, warmth and celebration, according to a news release. Formerly, Nair served as the corporate chef for Savi Provisions and executive chef of Jai Ho Indian Kitchen.
“With Pataaka, we’re looking forward to creating a destination for the neighborhood that celebrates the breadth of recipes and culinary traditions across India,” Nair said in a press statement. “I’ve dreamed of opening this restaurant for a decade and can’t wait to finally share an experience with our guests that’s full of energy, warm service and bold flavors.”
The menu focuses on small plates meant for sharing, with dishes like a chulbule jhinga tart, a savory tart made with tiger prawns and avocado mousse; oysters Rockefeller made with spinach, paneer and fennel; lamb empanadas; shrimp malvani, featuring a thick coconut curry; and old Delhi butter chicken.
The drink list was developed by beverage director Prrateek Chaudhary, who spent much of his 15-year career at luxury hotels in India.
Pataaka has 114 seats across its open, double-height dining room, patio and mezzanine space. Reservations are open and available via OpenTable.
1020 Spring St. NW, Atlanta. 470-559-6258, pataakaatl.com
Other items of interest
LikeMinds, the pop-up that took over the former BrewDog space in the Krog District, announced this week that it will extend its residency through the end of the year. Initially booked for a 120-day run in the space adjacent to the Atlanta Beltline, LikeMinds will expand its menu, introduce a new brunch and host watch parties for football season, baseball playoffs, reality show finales and more.
112 Krog St. NE, Atlanta. likemindsatl.com
Emerald City Bagels will head to bagel mecca later this year after the popular Atlanta shop earned a spot at BagelFest at New York’s Citi Field in November. It will be Emerald City’s second appearance at the festival after the shop took home second place in the Best Showmanship category in 2025. Other participants include famous New York stalwarts like Blackseed Bagels, Ess-a-Bagel and Utopia Bagels. BagelFest will take place Nov. 15 at Citi Field in Flushing, Queens; tickets go on sale Sept. 8.
Two locations: 1257A Glenwood Ave. SE, Atlanta. 404-343-3758; 665 Auburn Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-748-4321; emeraldcitybagels.com
Bobo Izakaya, which opened in the Toco Hill shopping center in January, has been granted a liquor license and will hold an official grand opening event Sept. 4, according to a restaurant representative. The Japanese word izakaya roughly translates to pub in English, so the addition of beer, wine, sake and cocktails will allow the restaurant to offer a more complete experience.
2899 N. Druid Hills Rd., Atlanta. 404-985-1091, boboizakaya.com
Restaurant openings and announcements
Maepole, the Georgia chain that bills itself as “healthy comfort food,” has broken ground on a new location in Cumming. According to the restaurant chain’s website, additional locations are planned for Decatur, Gainesville and Lawrenceville. Maepole currently operates one location in Atlanta’s Summerhill neighborhood and two in Athens.
Multiple locations. maepole.com
Mister Burger will replace the shuttered Casa Balam in downtown Decatur, according to signage plastered on the restaurant’s windows. With its simple black-and-white aesthetic, the Atlanta-based burger restaurant will be a stark contrast to the high-design modern Mexican restaurant that preceded it. This will be Mister Burger’s second location in metro Atlanta; the first can be found on Pharr Road in Buckhead.
201 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. mister-burger.com
Graze Craze, a charcuterie catering franchise, has opened a new location in Alpharetta, according to a news release. The shop offers charcuterie-themed events, gifts and catering from its storefront in Stonewood Village. Graze Craze Alpharetta is owned by Sara McNabb and her husband, U.S. Air Force veteran Scott McNabb. The franchise has 10 Georgia locations, including six in the metro Atlanta area.
670 N. Main St., Alpharetta. 770-688-0663, grazecraze.com
Eggslut, the popular Los Angeles-based breakfast chain, will open a second metro-area location along the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail later this fall. The restaurant chain’s first Georgia location is inside the Moxy Atlanta Downtown hotel.
661 Auburn Ave. NE, Atlanta. eggslut.com
Restaurant closures
Nori Nori, the long-running Japanese restaurant in Sandy Springs, has closed after nearly 20 years, Tomorrow’s News Today reported.
Casa Balam has permanently closed to make way for the aforementioned Mister Burger in downtown Decatur. The announcement of the new burger restaurant ends what was expected to be a temporary closure for repairs to the restaurant’s grease trap.