New Atlanta nightlife options lead more than 20 October restaurant openings
Many of October’s biggest happenings in the metro Atlanta hospitality industry revolved around nightlife destinations, from new comedy club Whiplash to a second location of Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall.
Whiplash set up shop at Ponce City Market while Ladybird debuted its second camp-themed outpost in West Midtown. Cuban bar Clave by Mojitos opened inside the Churchill Grounds jazz club in Decatur, while a chain of cocktail bars called Stir opened a new location in Johns Creek.
While just a handful of restaurants closed, some were painful goodbyes: Leftie Lee’s shut down its wholesale and catering operations shortly after closing its retail shop, and Rina closed on the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail.
New restaurant openings in metro Atlanta
Buckhead Brewing, a new brewpub and sandwich shop, opened in the former Chido + Padre’s building in early October, according to the restaurant’s Instagram. The sandwich shop and bar is built to be kid-friendly with an approachable menu of pub food like burgers, french fries, nachos and salads.
128 E. Andrews Drive NW, Atlanta. 404-748-9125, buckheadbrewing.com
Buckhead Butcher Shop is now open in East Cobb, the business posted on social media. The shop opened its second location, in Marietta, on Sept. 29.
1062 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta. 770-758-3856, buckheadbutchershop.com
Clave by Mojitos, a new Cuban restaurant, has opened inside the Churchill Grounds jazz club in Decatur, the business announced. Clave opened Oct. 14 and is run by the team behind Mojitos and the Crossing.
141 E. Trinity Place, Decatur. 404-471-3195, claveatl.com
D’Cuban Cafe celebrated the grand opening of its fourth metro Atlanta location in Roswell on Oct. 13, 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
El Valle opened a second metro-area location in Brookhaven on Oct. 20, the restaurant announced on social media. The modern Mexican restaurant from chef Luis Damian is in the Solis Dresden Village development alongside Confab Kitchen & Bar and Mirae.
1350 Dresden Drive NE, Atlanta. 404-905-7050, elvalleatl.com
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar opened in Midtown on Oct. 19, according to the company’s website. The upscale steak chain is owned by Bloomin’ Brands, the parent company behind Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill. The new Fleming’s will join the Midtown Union development, already home to the Kimpton Shane Hotel and White Windmill Bakery, according to a news release.
1331 Spring St. NW, Atlanta. 404-478-1778, flemingssteakhouse.com
Ida’s Kitchen Counter, a new restaurant from the group behind The General Muir, Fred’s Meat & Bread and more, opened Oct. 16 in South Downtown, according to a social media announcement. The small breakfast and lunch restaurant at on Mitchell Street is backed by chef Todd Ginsberg and restaurateur Josh Kim.
185 Mitchell St. SW, Atlanta. 470-567-0853, instagram.com/idascounter
JuNi, a new sushi omakase restaurant in Midtown, opened in mid-October, Rough Draft Atlanta reported. A new concept from chef Yuki Tanaka of Circle Sushi, the restaurant is on the corner of Juniper and 12th streets.
1081 Juniper St. NE, Atlanta. 770-998-7799, juniatlanta.com
Khao Kitchen opened in Decatur on Oct. 29, the new Thai restaurant announced on social media.
2670 E. College Ave., Decatur. 404-986-8899, khaokitchen.com
Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall, the camp-themed bar and restaurant that has held court on the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail for more than a decade, opened its second location in West Midtown on Oct. 21.
690 11th St. NW, Atlanta. ladybirdatl.com
Lucy’s Market, the popular Buckhead store known for gourmet food, wine and decor, has completed its move to a larger, freestanding space near the intersection of Piedmont and Lenox roads, the business announced on social media. The market had been in the Andrews Square development since opening in 2009.
3402 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta. 404-869-9222, lucysmarket.com
Luga, a new Italian restaurant in downtown Decatur, opened Oct. 5, according to a social media announcement. The contemporary Italian restaurant from chef Robbie Pacheco will focus on handmade pastas and seasonal ingredients; the modern space can be found on the ground floor of the Modera Decatur building on Commerce Drive.
855 Commerce Dr., Decatur. lugaitalian.com
Mr. Perro, a Colombian hot dog pop-up, held a grand opening for its first brick-and-mortar space in Chamblee on Oct. 14, 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
Ophelia Tavern, a new restaurant in Avondale Estates, opened last weekend, according to a social media announcement. The restaurant serves pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salads alongside a full bar.
70 N. Avondale Road, Avondale Estates. opheliatavern.com
Souper Jenny, the Atlanta-based soup chain, opened a location at Lake Oconee on Oct. 20, the company announced.
1100 Parkside Main, Greensboro. 404-295-6761, souperjennyatl.com
Stir, a cocktail and oyster bar chain from Chattanooga-based SquareOne holdings, debuted with the grand opening of the Medley Johns Creek development on Oct. 29, the company announced. Stir is known for carving ice for its cocktails directly from 300-pound blocks at the bar.
3165 Medley Blvd., Johns Creek. 470-945-5323, stirmedley.com
Sunnyside Pizzeria reopened Oct. 15 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 Oct. 16, the company announced. The announcement said the location was “the first of many” coming to Georgia.
3510 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Atlanta. 678-235-9022, swig.com
Taqueria Lobito is now open in the former Yumbii space in the Midtown Promenade development just steps off the Beltline’s Eastside Trail. The new taqueria opened Oct. 6, according to its Instagram.
931 Monroe Drive NE, Atlanta. 404-254-1104, taquerialobito.com
Trap Wingz took over the former Urban Wings building on Piedmont Avenue at the edge of Atlanta’s Morningside/Lenox Park neighborhood, the restaurant announced on Instagram in late October.
1825 Piedmont Avenue NE, Atlanta. trapwingzusa.com
Whiplash Comedy opened at Ponce City Market on Oct. 12, according to a news release. The new venue from longtime Atlanta comedy promoter Marshall Chiles will feature a full food and beverage program. Whiplash will also feature a variety of other programming, including comedy classes and late-night jazz.
650 North Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-201-2424, whiplashcomedy.com
Restaurant closings around metro Atlanta
Fruitea Bubbles Cafe in Smyrna closed at the end of October, the tea shop shared on social media. The business said it plans to offer some of its equipment, furniture and decor for sale.
Leftie Lee’s, the bakery in Avondale Estates that recently closed its retail shop, shuttered its wholesale and catering operations as well, the business announced in late September.
Rina, the Levantine restaurant on the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail, has shut down, as first reported by Tomorrow’s News Today. The restaurant was run by Oliva Restaurant Group out of the Ford Factory Lofts building in the Old Fourth Ward. The group expects to reopen Rina in a new location, Rough Draft Atlanta reported.
The Vick at Healey in downtown Atlanta closed earlier this month, the restaurant announced on social media. Its location in Roswell remains open.