:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66078237/ComingAttractions_Burger2.13.jpg)
New restaurants seem to be announced nearly every week around Atlanta. Can’t keep track? Use this continually updated list of upcoming restaurants, bars, breweries, and distilleries headed to ATL and beyond in 2020.
Know of an upcoming restaurant opening Eater Atlanta missed? Send it to the tipline.
March 2020 Announcements
INMAN PARK: Middle Eastern restaurant Delbar replaces the short-lived Daily Tavern on Inman Village Parkway in May. Delbar is owned by former Rumi’s Kitchen manager Fares Kargar. The menu focuses on Persian, Turkish, and Israeli dishes.
HOME PARK: Giovanni di Palma (Antico pizza) opens Gio’s Sicilian slice and pizza shop at his “Little Italia” food village on Hemphill Avenue as early as March 7. The shop resides in the back of Gio’s Chicken Amalfitano and is mainly for takeout and delivery orders. Sicilian-style pies are typically rectangular in shape, include a thick, focaccia-like crust, and are loaded with oregano and tomatoes.
KIRKWOOD: Gastropub the Abby Singer opens on Rogers Street at the forthcoming Pratt Pullman District in Kirkwood this summer. The name refers to the second-to-last shot of the day during on-location filming, and is a nod to the late film production manager Abby Singer. Owner and former Minneapolis resident Mike Horn’s new pub apparently includes a take on the famed Minneapolis cheeseburger the “Juicy Lucy” on the menu. The bar burger features two patties stuffed with hot melted cheese.
GROVE PARK: Atlanta rappers Michael “Killer Mike” Render and Clifford “T.I.” Harris reopen legendary fried fish and soul food restaurant Bankhead Seafood next spring on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. A Bankhead Seafood food truck begins rolling in April 2020, with the 130-seat, two-story restaurant (re)opening next spring. Founder Helen Harden closed the beloved restaurant in January 2018 after 50 years. Render, Harris, and developer Noel Khalil purchased the property and the name from Harden that same year, vowing to turn Bankhead Seafood into something bigger than the original brick and mortar building.
UNDERWOOD HILLS: Lebanese barbecue food truck Babakabab opens a permanent location this summer at Chattahoochee Food Works in the northwest Atlanta neighborhood of Underwood Hills. Restaurateur and Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern serves as the food hall’s “culinary advisor”. Babakabab, owned by Mark Haddad and Samer Bakri, offers build-your-own platters and boxes of grilled kebabs and falafel.
February 2020 Announcements
MIDTOWN/TECH SQUARE:
Burger and sandwich shop SmoQue Burger, a second location of Buford Highway Malaysian restaurant Mamak, and a bar called By Weight and Measure, owned by Johnny Martinez and Brandon Ley (Joytstick Gamebar, Georgia Beer Garden) and Ian Carlson, open at the Collective food hall at Coda later this fall. El Super Pan chef Hector Santiago’s El Burro Pollo burrito stand, a second location of chef Kameel Srouji’s downtown Atlanta Mediterranean kiosk Aviva by Kameel, Wildleaf salad, and a location of Seven Chan and Ken Yu’s prolific sushi and poke bowl restaurant Poke Burri, all open in March.
UNDERWOOD HILLS: The two-story, 26,000-square-foot brewery Round Trip Brewing opens this summer in the northwest Atlanta neighborhood. It features a taproom accommodating up to 250 people offering 12 beers on tap, an outdoor area, private events space, packaging hall, and a 15-barrel brewhouse. Head brewer Craig Mycoskie plans to focus on German-style beers, such as hefeweizen, dunkel, and helles.
MIDTOWN/COLONY SQUARE: Chicago restaurateur Donna Lee is opening an Atlanta location of her popular Brown Bag Seafood Company restaurant this summer at Colony Square in Midtown. The counter-serve spot, located next to sushi restaurant Sukoshi at the complex, offers sustainable seafood on its menu at a relatively affordable price point served as salads, tacos, sandwiches, and grain bowls.
BERKELEY LAKE/GWINNETT COUNTY: Buckhead Moroccan restaurant Imperial Fez relocates to the Gwinnett County city of Berkeley Lake in March after 30 years on Peachtree Road. Imperial Fez is known for its lavish decor, tapas and five-course dinner specials, and traditional belly dancing on Friday and Saturday evenings. The Buckhead location remains open until February 29. A grand reopening celebration is planned for some time in March.
OAKHURST: Saba returns to its former home in Oakhurst as Paolino Italian Restaurant and Gelateria soon. The renamed restaurant, owned by Shane Mixon, takes over the Son of a Bear Korean tavern space, which closed in September. It includes a gelato and dessert shop. Paolino’s menu is similar to Saba but with a greater focus on classic Italian dishes and pastas. Think freshly made pastas used to create old school Italian favorites like fettuccine Alfredo, linguine and clam sauce, and lasagna, along with lobster ravioli and eggplant pappardelle.
CHASTAIN PARK: Longtime Southern restaurant Horseradish Grill closes Saturday, February 15, after 26 years in Chastain Park. Steve Alterman sold the Buckhead institution last year to former Atlas chef Christopher Grossman and general manager Geno Dew. The duo open their all-day neighborhood establishment the Chastain in the renovated space later this summer. In addition to dinner, the Chastain will also offer a daily “casual counter-service breakfast” with breakfast sandwiches and coffee, weekday lunch, and weekend brunch.
PIEDMONT HEIGHTS: After a decade at the corner of Piedmont Road and Monroe Drive, Hobnob Neighborhood Tavern is becoming a Mexican restaurant and tequila bar called Lazy Llama later this month. Lazy Llama is expected to open Wednesday, February 26. The menu includes a variety of tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas, and lunch specials hovering just under $12. Expect a “fiery” huevos rancheros, huevos divorciados, baked chilaquiles, Austin-style migas tacos, and horchata French toast during weekend brunch.
BOLTON: The old Adams Hardware building in the northwest Atlanta neighborhood of Bolton is set to become the Companion bar and restaurant later this spring. It’s owned by Andy Gonzales, the longtime chef at Decatur’s Steinbeck’s Ale House. Gonzales tells Eater Atlanta he plans to “lean toward big, delicious sandwiches,” along with a few entrees and burgers, “snacky items,” and soft serve ice cream. The bar includes 16 beers on tap, craft cocktails, a couple of frozen drinks, and wines by the glass.
BATTERY ATLANTA: Atlanta whiskey producer ASW Distillery opens a third location this spring at Battery Atlanta in Cobb County, the home of Braves baseball. The new 3,500-square-foot operation, located at the corner of Legends Place and Battery Avenue, includes a tasting room and still house production facility. ASW also begins distilling a new vodka and gin from its Battery location.
WESTSIDE/HOWELL MILL: A third Atlanta location of health-conscious (and super Instagrammable) Flower Child plans to open this summer across the street at Westside Provisions District. It takes up residence in the former J. Crew space at the complex. The menu focuses on superfood, grain, and vegetable-based bowls, plates, wraps, and salads.
January 2020 Announcements
WESTSIDE/HOWELL MILL: Jacksonville-based Maple Street Biscuit Company, which Cracker Barrel acquired last October, replaces Holler and Dash this spring at the Ironworks complex on Howell Mill Road. Holler and Dash COO Mike Chissler tells Eater Atlanta both restaurants are “very similar” and merging the two biscuit brands is the “best option” for future growth.
SANDY SPRINGS: Irish pub Thos. O’Reilly’s Public House replaces Meehan’s Public House, which closed after 15 years in the north Atlanta suburb. New owner, Butch Elmgren, plans to retain Meehan’s employees at the Sandy Springs location and offer a similar menu, which should also include a few new entrees like a ribeye and more whiskey and beer selections.
OLD FOURTH WARD: The Spindle Kitchen at Studioplex Alley in the Old Fourth Ward hosts Puerto Rican food pop-up My Abuelas for a year-long kitchen residency, starting Tuesday, February 4. My Abuelas, run by chefs Luis Martinez and Monica Martinez, serves dishes inspired by recipes from the chefs’ grandmothers. Think sancocho boricua (beef and root vegetable stew), fried sweet plantains, sorullitos (fried corn sticks), and pigeon pea soup served with tostones.
DECATUR/DULUTH/STOCKBRIDGE: Hattie Marie’s Texas Style BBQ and Cajun Kitchen, based in College Park, expands with three new metro Atlanta locations this year. Owners Willie Griggie and Ramona Griggie are eyeing the cities of Duluth, Decatur, and Stockbridge for the new restaurants. Hattie Marie’s serves pit-smoked brisket and pork platters and sandwiches, pork ribs, sausage links, smoked wings, and Cajun-style fried catfish and shrimp.
BUCKHEAD: South African steakhouse Cape Dutch closes after four years on Cheshire Bridge Road on Saturday, January 25. But the restaurant group plans to reopen the restaurant in a new Buckhead location later this year.
BUCKHEAD: South African-American restaurant Yebo Beach Haus on West Paces Ferry is relocating a half mile northeast to the Andrews Square complex on East Andrews Drive this spring. Yebo Beach Haus plans to take over the former Bar Americano and Bar Crema spaces, which both closed in April 2018 after only six months in business.
PONCE CITY MARKET: Root Baking Co. plans to open Pizza Jeans on the second floor of Ponce City Market this spring. Pizza Jeans will take over most of Root Baking’s current space, with the bakery-cafe eventually operating from a counter adjacent to the pizzeria. The pizzeria serves whole pizzas and slices using Root’s naturally-leavened dough, hoagie sandwiches, salads, and tinned fish as well as desserts like Italian lemon ice and sourdough doughnuts.
BUCKHEAD: Illinois-based bowling and bistro chain Pinstripes has confirmed that it’ll be opening in Buckhead’s Phipps Plaza development sometime this year. The Italian-leaning restaurant is taking over a hefty two-level space of nearly 30,000 square feet in the Life Time building.
CASTLEBERRY HILL: Cru Hemp Lounge, owned by Castleberry Hill resident Dennis McKinley (The Original Hot Dog Factory), opens in February on Peters Street. The bar plans to offer Hemp- and CBD-infused hookahs. In addition to hookah, Cru also offers bottle service, a small menu of shared plates, and several cocktails.
SUMMERHILL: Athens import Maepole, a “healthy”, quick-serve cross between the Southern meat and three and a build-your-own bowl restaurant, opens in Summerhill later this year. Maepole, co-owned by chef Peter Dale (the National, Condor Chocolates, Seabear Oyster Bar), takes up residence in what is currently a gravel parking lot across from Wood’s Chapel BBQ. As with the Athens restaurant, diners first choose a base like brown rice or super greens for their plate, then two sides such as mac and cheese, collards, or roast vegetables, and finally a meat or vegan protein and a sauce.
EAST LAKE: Mexican food pop-up and catering business Frita Kale-O opens in a new portion of the Hosea + 2nd development in East Lake this summer. Food, created by Mexico City native chef Edith Zuniga, should be similar to Frita Kale-O’s pop-up menus at breweries like Wild Heaven and include gorditas, quesadillas, empanadas, tacos, and tostadas, along with other “traditional street cuisine” found throughout the country’s capital city and regions such as Oaxaca. In addition to food, Frita Kale-O plans to include several local craft beers on its menu as well as on tap.