The 8 Most Anticipated Restaurants in Atlanta, Fall 2018

The first half of the year is over, and Atlanta experienced a steady stream of highly-anticipated restaurant openings, including Tiny Lou’s at the Hotel Clermont, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Watchman’s Seafood from the Kimball House crew, and Brush Sushi chef Jason Liang’s Japanese cafe Momonoki in Midtown. And, there’s so much more to come before the year ends. Here, now, are eight of the most anticipated restaurants slated to open this fall in Atlanta.

Field Day Cafe and Everyday Market

When: September/October

Where: Old Fourth Ward, 668, 670 Highland Avenue NE

What: Rob Bouton, owner of Charleston cafe and market Queen Street Grocery (QSG), is opening Field Day Cafe and an adjacent market call Everyday in the space formerly occupied by Across the Street (ATS) Mexican restaurant. The new Highland Avenue neighborhood cafe plans to serve a “hodgepodge menu” of eclectic fare and not take itself too seriously; much like its Charleston counterpart. Expect all-day breakfast sandwiches and crepes and cheeky dinner specials at an affordable price point. A dog-friendly patio with a full bar in back should be a popular spot for Freedom Park Trail walkers to gather and grab a seat for a glass of wine or even a High Life and a shot of Fernet. As for Everyday market, it’s stocking the shelves with mainly local products, grab-and-go food, and will include a frozen section selling items like King of Pops popsicles.

Queen Street Grocery

Ammazza

When: September/December

Where: Decatur, 314 East Howard Avenue; Old Fourth Ward, 591 Edgewood Avenue SE

What: Will it or won’t it reopen on Edgewood? That’s been the question Eater Atlanta readers have pondered for over a year since the widely popular Neapolitan pizzeria closed after two cars crashed (on separate occasions) into its building. The accidents also delayed the opening of Ammazza’s second location in Decatur. But, word on the street is Ammazza is set to open on East Howard Avenue in Decatur in September, followed by the reopening of the original location at the intersection of Edgewood and Randolph Street in December. Ammazza-Decatur is located next door to Doggy Dogg hot dog shack and across the street from Kimball House.

Ammazza

LLoyd’s

When: Early fall

Where: Inman Park, 900 Dekalb Avenue

What: Construction delays with the buildout at 900 Dekalb Avenue (aka The Dickey) have caused Victory Sandwich Shop’s new restaurant LLoyd’s to push its expected opening date to later this fall. When it finally does open, LLoyd’s plans on being an “unholy mix of Chili’s and southern comfort food” with a menu skewing more diner than dive bar. Think French dips and burgers as well as prime rib and fried chicken nights. For those who remember the low-key steak nights at Decatur’s Paper Plane, they’ll be happy to know that’s the type of food and atmosphere LLoyd’s is bringing to the Dickey this fall. An adjacent coffee shop is also in the works, along with a small shop selling Victory brand merch and swag from other Atlanta restaurants like Ticonderoga Club.

LLoyd’s

Nina & Rafi

When: Early to mid-fall

Where: Old Fourth Ward, 661 Auburn Avenue

What: After moving his pizzeria 04W Pizza and the beloved Grandma pie to Duluth, Grandma and its creator Anthony Spina are finally coming home this fall not far from where it all began in the Old Fourth Ward. Spina is teaming up with local restaurateur Billy Streck (Hampton + Hudson, Cypress Street Pint & Plate) to open Nina & Rafi at the SPX Alley complex on the Eastside BeltLine. The restaurant’s menu plans to feature the Grandma pie in addition to Spina’s other pizzas, Italian snacks, sandwiches, salads, and pasta. A full bar is also planned. Nina & Rafi is named in honor of their grandmothers.

Smith Hanes Studio

Wood’s Chapel BBQ

When: Late fall

Where: Summerhill, 85 Georgia Avenue

What: Barring any more construction delays, Wood’s Chapel BBQ from the team behind the General Muir should open by the end of the year in Summerhill just west of Grant Park on Georgia Avenue. The barbecue restaurant is part of a multi-million dollar redevelopment project south of Georgia State Stadium (née Turner Field). The General Muir chef-partner Todd Ginsberg says in addition to barbecue plates, Wood’s Chapel plans to offer sandwiches like fried, smoked catfish, a barbecue-inspired Cuban sandwich, brisket grilled cheese, and lamb belly cemita or torta. Bread for the sandwiches is being supplied by the partners’ bakery TGM Bread. Weekend brunch is also planned.

Lazy Betty

When: Late fall

Where: Poncey-Highland, 652 North Highland Avenue NE

What: Howard and Anita Hsu, the brother and sister team behind Sweet Auburn BBQ, plan to open Lazy Betty with their brother chef Ronald Hsu. The tasting menu-only restaurant is named for their mother and is taking over the space currently occupied by Soul Vegetarian No. 2 in Poncey-Highland. Chef Hsu is planning a variety of tasting menus—including a vegetarian option—drawing on his decade-long kitchen experiences working in New York City restaurants like Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin with the cross-cultural meals he recalls from his childhood growing up in his mother’s Chinese restaurants. A dish likely to be on one of the tasting menus is a version of Waffle House’s steak and eggs using wagyu beef Hsu sous vides and sprinkles with grated wasabi. The chef then wraps a sous vide egg yolk in a wasabi leaf (like a ravioli) and places it atop the steak. In the meantime, Hsu and his chef de cuisine Aaron Phillips are hosting monthly pop-up dinners at Sweet Auburn’s neighbor The Poncey-Highland Cafe & Coffeehouse.

Gianna Keiko

The James Room

When: Late fall

Where: Old Fourth Ward, SPX Alley, 661 Auburn Avenue NE

What: The restaurant and cocktail bar from Missy and Kristin Koefod of 18.21 Bitters will open by the end of the year at SPX Alley along the Eastside BeltLine in the Old Fourth Ward. The couple released renderings this past spring of the interiors which show a cafe located in the front of The James Room, a back bar and lounge, and an opulent ‘den’ slated for private events. The all-day eatery and lounge is planning to serve coffee, baked goods, and pastries in the morning and lunch and dinner later in the day. Aperitivo cocktails and wine are expected on the menu in the evenings. The James Room will join Gauc y Margys (now open), Nina & Rafi’s, and Hawker’s Asian Street Fare at the complex.

Rendering by RWDS

Woodward & Park

When: Late fall

Where: Grant Park, Larkin on Memorial, 519 Memorial Drive

What: One Eared Stag and Mary Hoopa’s House of Fried Chicken & Oysters chef Robert Phalen is opening a “European-inspired bistro” named Woodward and Park adjacent to Full Commission at Larkin on Memorial in Grant Park. Not much else is known at this time, but all eyes are definitely on this next restaurant from Phalen.

Stephen Rickard