The Dog Park at Reynoldstown Cafe ParkGrounds Is Becoming a Beer Garden

The off-leash dog park at Reynoldstown coffee shop and cafe ParkGrounds is officially closed, but the covered patio and seating inside remain open.

Johnny Gianoulidis, who also owns Greek restaurant Kafenio in Avondale Estates and the Greek Pizzeria and Gyros in Brookhaven, kicked off renovations last week to convert the small dog park at ParkGrounds into an outdoor seating area and beer garden, complete with food trucks on weekend evenings. Dogs on leashes are welcome when the new patio opens, with owners expected to clean up after their animals and keep them from digging or damaging furniture. People not properly supervising their dogs, cleaning up after them, or using the park as a rest stop for their dogs without purchasing items from the cafe have been ongoing issues for ParkGrounds.

“Please do not expect to use the park as a poop way station for your pet,” a Facebook post reads in part. “You will be asked to leave and not return. If dog owners can not meet these expectations, they will be asked to leave immediately.”

Gianoulidis plans to add more cocktails and beers on draft and expand the breakfast and sandwich menus to offer wraps and other dishes from his restaurants Kafenio and the Greek Pizzeria and Gyros.

“We will be regrading, mulching, putting down slate, getting some new tables and chairs, putting up shade sails and more string lights,” according to the Facebook post. “We look forward to serving the community and becoming a place where the neighborhood can gather for coffee, breakfast, beer, booze and sandwiches in a clean and comfortable setting under that beautiful tree in the park.”

The beer garden and new outdoor seating area at ParkGrounds should debut some time in May. [FB]

Slutty Vegan opens in May near UGA in Athens

A fifth location of Aisha “Pinky” Cole’s wildly popular vegan burger restaurant Slutty Vegan is finally opening in Athens next month. Located at 700 Baxter Street, on the edge of the UGA campus, expect the Athens restaurant to open for lunch, dinner, and late night. Slutty Vegan includes locations in Atlanta’s Westview and Old Fourth Ward neighborhoods and in the metro Atlanta cities of Jonesboro and Duluth. New locations are also opening in Birmingham and Brooklyn, New York. [Official]

Drive-thru Krispy Kreme pop-up shop on Ponce closes

The drive-thru Krispy Kreme pop-up at the original site of the historic doughnut shop on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Midtown is now closed. Construction begins soon on a new Krispy Kreme location, after two fires caused major structural damage to the original building at the corner of Ponce and Argonne in 2021. [Official]

Atlanta Food and Wine Festival returns in September

The annual Atlanta Food and Wine Festival returns with its tasting tents, chef demonstrations, and dinners, September 15 through September 18. Taking place at Historic Fourth Ward Park, a percentage of this year’s festival proceeds will benefit nonprofit Children of Conservation to help support the school lunch program for children living in Africa. Tickets go on sale for the festival later this spring. [Official]