Minhwa Spirits will move in town, and more from Atlanta’s dining scene

This week in the metro Atlanta dining scene, Doraville’s Korean American soju distillery announced a move to West Midtown, the Georgia Restaurant Association announced its award finalists selected by industry peers and more than a handful of new restaurants were announced.

Big move for Minhwa Spirits

Award-winning soju distillery Minhwa Spirits will move its tasting room from Doraville to Atlanta’s West Midtown neighborhood, the company announced this week.

The new Minhwa Spirits tasting room will take over the former Aziza space in the Westside Provisions District development on Howell Mill Road, a major addition to the development. which was first reported by Rough Draft Atlanta. In an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, co-owners James Kim and Ming Han Chung said their main production facility would remain in Doraville, and that Postern Coffee would take over the entirety of the current tasting room.

“When we saw the Aziza space, it just kind of spoke to us in terms of the concept and the feel that we wanted to share,” Kim said. “We love the industrial look of Westside Provisions. We love the complex. We love that our guests are going to get three hours of free validated parking.”

Chung and Kim waved aside concerns about the narrative around West Midtown restaurant closures. As Georgia Tech graduates who once ran a photography studio at the Goat Farm, they have a certain affection for the neighborhood.

“It was a really cool time at the Goat Farm … We have very good memories of the area,” Chung said.

“Don’t be scared of the comment section,” Kim said, noting the availability of parking and the number of other restaurants and entertainment venues in the area.

“I think we’re getting in at a pretty good time,” he continued.

Chef Jess Kim, who formerly ran the pop-up Ganji at Minhwa Spirits, will rejoin the team at the new tasting room. And the Korean street food pop-up TKO, run by chef Lino Yi, will take over the former Falafel Nation counter-service space carved into the front of the restaurant suite.

When the new Minhwa Spirits opens in the first quarter of next year, customers can expect to see lunch and dinner service, as well as some late-night bites on the weekends. The team is building a DJ booth into the new tasting room, but Kim said the vibe will be more like a listening room than a dance club. Once the restaurant and tasting room get through their initial opening stages, the team plans to introduce brunch.

1170 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta. minhwaspirits.com

Finalists announced for GRACE Awards

The Georgia Restaurant Association announced the finalists for its annual GRACE Awards this week.

Now in its 18th year, finalists for the GRACE (Georgia Restaurant Association Crystal of Excellence) Awards are nominated by their peers in the association. The winners are then chosen by the GRACE Academy, an independent panel of former honorees, association board members and other stakeholders.

“Every year, the GRACE Awards give us the opportunity to recognize the extraordinary people behind Georgia’s hospitality industry,” Stephanie Fischer, president and CEO of the GRA, said in a press statement. “This year’s finalists represent the talent and spirit of service that make our industry so special. From seasoned leaders to the next generation of hospitality professionals, each finalist is helping shape the future of hospitality in Georgia.”

Finalists in a few major categories this year include:

Restaurateur of the year

• Lucky Momo Hospitality (Brush Sushi, Cuddlefish, Lucky Star, Momo Cafe, Momonoki and O by Brush), chef Jason Liang and John Chen
• Nooshé Jān Restaurant Group (Bibi Eatery, Delbar Middle Eastern), Fares Kargar
• Sterling Hospitality (Marlow’s Tavern, Sterling Culinary Management and the Woodall), John C. Metz Jr.
• Surcheros, Luke Christian

Chef of the year

• Chef J. Trent Harris — Mujō and Koshu Club (Castellucci Hospitality Group)
• Chef Freddy Money — Atlas (Tavistock Group)
• Chef Brian So — Spring, Spring 2nd Branch
• Chef Joey Ward — Georgia Boy, Rivalry Beef, Southern Belle and Southern Belle Chicken Co.

The awards will be handed out at a gala Dec. 7 at the Georgia Aquarium.

Jittery Joe’s launches collab with Goose

On Thursday, Athens-based coffee company Jittery Joe’s launched a collaboration with the jam band Goose, according to a news release.

What a Day to be Livin’ coffee is a medium-roast blend of Brazilian and Guatemalan beans that will be available for a limited time. The collaborative coffee offering is the latest in a line of similar releases from Jittery Joe’s, which has previously featured artists like Widespread Panic, Drive-By Truckers, Jason Isbell, Kishi Bashi and more.

The Goose-themed coffee is available in limited quantities at all Jittery Joe’s cafe locations and can be ordered on the company’s website.

Multiple locations. jitteryjoes.com

New restaurant openings and announcements

D’Cuban Cafe celebrated the grand opening of its fourth metro Atlanta location in Roswell on Wednesday, the local chain announced. The Cuban cafe serves its traditional menu in Chamblee, Marietta and Norcross, as well.

1007 Alpharetta St., Roswell. 678-404-7588, dcubancafe.com

Mr. Perro, a Colombian hot dog pop-up, held a grand opening for its first brick-and-mortar space in Chamblee on Thursday, the restaurant announced on social media. Mr. Perro serves hot dogs with creative flavor combinations like the Colombian, made with pink salsa, queso fresco, pineapple and a quail egg, or el fuego, made with jalapenos, bacon, queso fresco, ketchup and mayonnaise.

3400 Malone Drive, Atlanta. 404-923-4489, instagram.com/mrperroatl

Sunnyside Pizzeria reopened Thursday in Sandy Springs after a major renovation, according to a social media announcement. The restaurant doubled in size and upgraded its space, including the addition of a pink stone waterfall-style bar.

220 Sandy Springs Circle, Sandy Springs. 404-343-0585, sunnysidepizzeria.com

Swig, the dirty soda chain that exploded in popularity thanks to the reality show Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, opened its first Georgia location in North Brookhaven on Friday, the company announced. The announcement said the location was “the first of many” coming t o Georgia.

3510 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Atlanta. 678-235-9022, swig.com

Hillrose Market, a new development in downtown Roswell, announced itself this week on social media. The forthcoming development across the street from Roswell City Hall will feature 73,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and office space, the announcement said.

Intersection of Hill and Ellis streets, Roswell. hillrosemarket.com

Brasiliana Pizzeria & Cucina, a local pizza restaurant with locations in East Atlanta and on the Emory University campus, will open a third store at the Beacon in Grant Park, the business announced on social media. The announcement indicated the new Brazilian pizza restaurant, which features a lineup of six dessert pizzas, will open in spring 2027.

The Beacon, Atlanta. brasiliana.us

Coalition Steak and Seafood will open a new location at the Forum in Peachtree Corners, the restaurant announced this week. This will be the second location for the Alpharetta-based restaurant, which first opened in 2018.

The Forum, Peachtree Corners. coalitionfandb.com

Souper Jenny, the Atlanta-based soup chain, will open a location at Lake Oconee later this month, the company announced. The new soup-focused spot will begin ladling Oct. 20.

1100 Parkside Main, Greensboro. 404-295-6761, souperjennyatl.com

SJ Cafe & Cocktails will open next month at the St. James Live jazz club, according to a news release. The southwest Atlanta jazz club is expanding to offer food and drinks to go along with the venue’s live music.

“By adding a dedicated restaurant and cocktail experience alongside our concerts, we can give guests even more ways to enjoy St. James Live — all in one destination,” the club said in a statement.