South End Smokehouse opening at Chamblee food hall and more Atlanta dining news

Pop-up South End BBQ is set to open in late 2024 in the Chamblee Tap & Market food hall. / Courtesy of South End BBQ

Credit: Courtesy of South End BBQ

Credit: Courtesy of South End BBQ

Pop-up South End BBQ is set to open in late 2024 in the Chamblee Tap & Market food hall. / Courtesy of South End BBQ

Barbecue pop-up South End Smokehouse is set to open later this year in the Chamblee Market & Tap food hall.

South End comes from Buzz Schuster, who currently works as a general manager at Mojito’s in Norcross and previously spent 20 years at Taco Mac, working his way up to managing partner. He also worked for Muss & Turner’s and was a managing partner at Loyal Q & Brew in Alpharetta.

Schuster is partnering with Ken Man and Raquel Stalcup, who own Stage Kitchen & Bar in Peachtree Corners, with a location set to open in Dunwoody later this year. Stalcup also co-owns Peche in Peachtree Corners and Sheesh in the Politan Row at Ashford Lane food hall in Dunwoody.

The trio, who met as students at Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, have been popping up with South End BBQ at 45 South Cafe in Norcross and at Stage while working on their brick-and-mortar. They were initially supposed to open a stall in a micro food hall in the South End development in Norcross, though that project is up in the air.

Schuster said while the stall’s menu will likely change daily, brisket will likely be the star of the show on the weekend. During the week, expect to see sandwiches made with proteins like smoked turkey and pork butt, as well as St. Louis-style pork ribs, salmon, wings and fusion dishes like pulled pork egg rolls. All meats will be smoked onsite.

“You’ve got to have that smell,” Schuster said. “If they smell it, they will come.”

Guests will also find sides like mac and cheese, potato salad and collard green made with turkey legs instead of pork. In addition, South End will offer vegetable-forward dishes including grain bowls and salads, and Schuster said he’s experimenting with smoking jackfruit.

South End BBQ will join previously announced tenants Let’s Taco Bout It and Southern Grace, a food truck concept specializing in Southern food in the food hall, located at 3515 Broad St. Chamblee Tap & Market will also be home to Sidecar Coffee coffee shop and an adjoining taproom with 20 taps offering beer and wine.

The food hall, which is now fully leased, comes from Jeff Kimmel and David Heymann, longtime friends who developed the idea for the project during the pandemic. They’d gather on what they called Beer Club Sundays, and talk about going into business together.

Once open, the food hall, which will also have a private event space, will operate daily. It will join more than 10 food halls across metro Atlanta with several more set to open in the coming year, including Switchman Hall in Peoplestown, Politan Row food hall in Peachtree Corners and Halidom Eatery in East Atlanta.

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Local health-focused restaurant chain Gusto has broken ground on its 13th location at 929 Lee St. SW in the Lee + White development in Atlanta’s West End neighborhood.

The new location, set to open this fall, features customizable bowls and wraps and will be Gusto’s first restaurant connected to a food hall.

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Trey da Chef has taken over the kitchen at Our Bar in Atlanta’s Edgewood neighborhood.

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The Decatur Square location of Atlanta-based breakfast chain Waffle House has closed, Decaturish reports. Employees have been offered employment at other Waffle House locations.

More dining news from the week

Pizza Verdura Sincera opens in Little Five Points

Italian bakery Giulia opens in Peachtree Corners

Pizza, Thai food and tapas coming to Medley development in Johns Creek

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