13 April food and drink events to check out in metro Atlanta

Big Green Eggs seen at the Big Green Egg headquarters. Food will be cooked on Big Green Eggs at Green Eggs & Kegs 2022 on April 23 at The Village in Dunwoody. (Henri Hollis / Henri.Hollis@ajc.com)

Credit: Henri Hollis

Credit: Henri Hollis

Big Green Eggs seen at the Big Green Egg headquarters. Food will be cooked on Big Green Eggs at Green Eggs & Kegs 2022 on April 23 at The Village in Dunwoody. (Henri Hollis / Henri.Hollis@ajc.com)

In April, dine out for a good cause, treat yourself to dessert and sip on wine and beer.

A pizza legend

Head to Atlanta pizza eatery Varuni Napoli to Neapolitan-native Enzo Coccia of La Notizia, the first Michelin-rated pizzeria in the world, who will join the Varuni team in its open-concept kitchen during dinner service. Coccia, who recently appeared on CNN’s “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy,” will cook Varuni pies including the Margherita, the Oro Bianco and the Bastardo, as well as a pizza special.

5-9:30 p.m. April 1. Varuni Napoli, 1540 Monroe Drive NE, Atlanta. 404-709-2690, varuni.us/midtown/#location

Celebrate Georgia beer

Raise a glass to Georgia beer at the Georgia Craft Brewers Festival at Atlantic Station. Hosted by the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild, the event offers ticket holders the opportunity to sample more than 250 beers from more than 60 Georgia Craft Brewers Guild members, including collaboration beers. There will also be a number of Georgia wineries present, local food trucks, live entertainment and craft vendors.

1-5 p.m. April 2. $50 in advance, $60 at the door. Atlantic Station, 1380 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta. georgiacraftbrewersfestival.com

Indulge your sweet tooth

Dessert Wars returns to Atlanta for the second year, offering sweets from more than 50 local dessert vendors competing for the Judge’s Champion and People’s Choice Awards. Try cookies, cakes and ice creams from vendors including last year’s winner Moki Pops as well as Shugga Sweets, Cinnaholic, the Cereal Lab and RoHo Bakery.

4-7 p.m. April 2. $65 for VIP tickets, $45 for general admission. Cobb Galleria Centre, 2 Galleria Parkway SE, Atlanta. dessert-wars.com/atlanta.html

Kickoff wine dinner

Head to Alpharetta for the first of Cattle Shed Wine & Steak Bar’s monthly five-course wine dinners, held the first Tuesday of the month. Dishes will include salmon carpaccio, mascarpone ravioli and a cowboy-cut rib-eye, each paired with a different wine.

6:30 p.m. April 5. $125, plus tax and gratuity. 6290 Halcyon Way, Alpharetta. 770-559-8749, cattleshedwinebar.com/locations/alpharetta

A cocktail party

The team behind New York City cocktail bar Death & Co. will stop by the Hotel Clermont rooftop to celebrate the launch of its third book, “Death & Co: Welcome Home.” The ticketed event includes a welcome cocktail, spirit tastings, small bites and a copy of the book. All proceeds benefit non-profit Another Round Another Rally, which helps support hospitality workers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

6-9 p.m. April 6. $60. Hotel Clermont, 789 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. give.anotherroundanotherrally.org/event/death-and-co-welcome-home-book-tour/e373471

A Masters party

The Southern Gentleman at Buckhead Village will celebrate the Masters Tournament with special cocktails and Augusta-inspired special dishes including truffled egg salad tartine, smoked turkey melt and cheddar hush puppies. The restaurant will open at 3 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and at 11 a.m. Saturday-Sunday.

April 6-10. The Southern Gentleman, 3035 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 404-939-9845, thesoutherngentlemanatl.com

Try beer and smoked foods

Drink and eat for a good cause at Green Eggs & Kegs 2022. The ticketed event Green Eggs & Kegs is from 1 to 5 p.m., with drinks from several breweries and distilleries, live music, and food from more than 20 local restaurants including Bar{n}, NFA Burger, Breadwinner Cafe and Bakery and Chupito’s Azteca Grille, cooking on donated Big Green Eggs. Green Eggs & Kegs will be hosted throughout the Dunwoody Village courtyard and parking lot, with proceeds benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. VIP tickets include early entry, an event T-shirt and private restrooms.

1-5 p.m. April 23. $100 for VIP tickets, $60 for general admission. The Village, 5521 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. thevillagedunwoody.com/happenings

Celebrate heritage-breed proteins

Head to Guardian Works in West Midtown for Heritage Fire by Cochon555, featuring local and statewide chefs cooking globally inspired heritage-breed proteins al fresco on open fire with offerings including whole pigs, lamb, goat, chicken, rabbit, duck, fish and heirloom vegetables. Participating chefs include John Castellucci of Cooks & Soldiers, Chad Clevenger of Alma Cocina Buckhead, Archna Becker of Tandoori Pizza & Wings Co. and Jennifer Hill Booker of Your Resident Gourmet. Tickets will also include wine and craft cocktails and sweets from Cast Iron Creamery Scoop Shop and Waffle Bar. VIP tickets include early entry, and a special dish and cocktails.

4:45-8 p.m. April 24. $150 for VIP, $99 for general admission. Guardian Works, 755 Echo St. NW, Atlanta. heritagefiretour.com/atlanta/

Get ready for meat and cheese

Learn how to make the perfect charcuterie board at this class hosted by The Charcuterie Chick and Bellyard Hotel. Learn the basics behind board assembly and board pairings and get a step-by-step live tutorial. Tickets also include workshop materials and ingredients as well as a cocktail, and non-alcoholic beverages, take-home box, cotton tote bag, wooden tag, stemless wine glass and other giveaways.

3-4:30 p.m. April 24. Bellyard Hotel, 1 Interlock Ave. NW, Atlanta. eventbrite.com/e/spring-charcuterie-cheeseboard-class-at-the-bellyard-hotel-tickets-288535777277

Dine out for a good cause

Annual fundraising event Dining Out for Life returns to support Open Hand Atlanta. Atlantans are encouraged to dine in or get takeout or delivery from one of the more than 50 participating restaurants, including Guac y Margy’s, the General Muir, Local Three, Max Lager’s and Agave. A portion of their bills will go to help Open Hand Atlanta provide nearly 5,000 meals daily for those battling chronic disease and disability.

April 27. openhandatlanta.org

A tour of beer

Drink to the Upper Westside as part of a tour of the Upper Westside Ale Trail Brewery Tour. Starting at the Works development, the tour includes transportation on the Atlanta Beer Bus between participating breweries including Atlanta Brewing, Bold Monk and Dr. Scofflaw’s; an Ale Trail Passport Book, one sample-size beer at each brewery and a 2022 Ale Trail commemorative pin. Some proceeds benefit the Upper Westside Community Improvement District.

Noon-6 p.m. April 30. $50. The Works, 1295 Chattahoochee Ave. NW, Atlanta. tickettailor.com/events/upperwestside/651813#

Get cheesy

Get your dairy in at the Atlanta Grilled Cheese Festival, offering sandwiches from participating restaurants, pop-ups and food trucks including Char Korean Bar & Grill, Pho Cue and Suga’s Pimento Cheeses. Tickets include three grilled cheese samples, an event koozie, live music and access to the Game Zone and Bloody Mary Garden. Beer and cocktails will be available for purchase.

Entry times at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. April 30. $35. Atlantic Station Pinnacle Lot, 1380 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta. atlantagrilledcheese.com

Barbecue and man’s best friend

Head to Dunwoody for Bourbon, Barbecue and Best in Breed to benefit Atlanta Lab Rescue. The event will feature Maker’s Mark cocktails, along with a tasting tent with samples from other brands including Knob Creek, Booker’s and Basil Hayden. Tickets also include barbecue from Daddy D’z BBQ, pie from the Southern Pie Company, Gold-Plated Gundogs “pack” doing field trial demos, games, a DJ and art.

7-10 p.m. April 30. $125. Donaldson-Bannister Farm, 4831 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. atlanta-lab-rescue.square.site

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