Celebrate cooler nights with these food and drinks events in metro Atlanta this October.
For chocolate (and film) lovers
It'll be a world of pure imagination as The Plaza Theatre Foundation and the team from forthcoming restaurants Georgia Boy and Southern Belle present an interactive tasting experience alongside a screening of the beloved 1971 "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." The evening will feature confections served throughout the film, and introductions to the film and food will be made by Emory Film & Media Studies Professor Matthew H. Bernstein and Chef Joey Ward.
6:30 p.m. Oct. 4. $25. Plaza Theatre, 1043 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. ticketing.us.veezi.com/purchase/6542?siteToken=h3l14GGYtU6k9QX1PXQIUw
A harvest feast
Join Dunwoody Preservation Trust for its first Harvest at the Farmhouse, featuring food prepared by Marlow’s Tavern chef Chris McDonald using ingredients sourced from local farms, and live music from an American roots music band. A cash bar will be available.
6-9 p.m. Oct. 5. $75. The Donaldson-Bannister Farm, 4831 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. dunwoodypreservationtrust.org/bluegrassfarmtotable/
A five-year celebration
Help Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall celebrate its five-year anniversary at Party at the ‘Bird. The event will feature live music, an experiential art zone, food by Ladybird’s sister restaurants Muchacho and Golden Eagle and other Beltline restaurants selling block party-inspired dishes, a selection of beer, wine and craft cocktails and an afterparty in the Grove. Ten percent of all proceeds from the day will be donated to local nonprofits Giving Kitchen and Open Hand Atlanta.
2-11 p.m. Oct. 5. Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall, 684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-458-6838, ladybirdatlanta.com/
A White House chef shares his secrets
Meet former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, who will speak about his book, “Creating the Sweet World of White House Desserts: A Pastry Chef’s Secrets,” at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. Mesnier was hired by First Lady Rosalynn Carter in 1979 and served five presidential families until his retirement. The book is available online and will be available for purchase at the event.
7-8 p.m. Oct. 7. Free. Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, 441 John Lewis Freedom Parkway, Atlanta. jimmycarterlibrary.gov/events/
Wine down
Check out a six-course wine dinner at Murphy’s featuring dishes from executive chef Andy Tran including scallop tarta tatin with mousseline, mustard and Parisian gnocchi with rock crab, tomato and lime, paired with wines from California winemaker David Ramey. Part of the proceeds will be donated to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
6:30 p.m. Oct. 8. $120. Murphy's Restaurant, 997 Virginia Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-872-0904, https://murphysatlanta.com/product/jdrf/
Eating with a James Beard Award winner
Cooks & Soldiers’ all-female chef dinner series hosted with S. Pellegrino continues with an appearance by James Beard Award-winning chef Arian Daugin of food purveyor D’Artagnan. Expect a menu celebrating both the Basque culture and Daguin’s native Gascony roots. The menu will be served a la carte alongside an abbreviated version of the Cooks & Soldiers menu. Reservations, which can be made throughout regular dinner service, are recommended.
Oct. 9. Cooks & Soldiers, 691 14th St. NW, Atlanta. 404-996-2623, cooksandsoldiers.com/
Champagne and chicken
Indulge your love of chicken and champagne at Red Sky Tapas & Bar’s Birds & Bubbles event. The family-style dinner features chef Brian Kennington’s fried chicken three ways: Nashville Hot Chicken, Korean Fried Chicken, and Southern Fried Chicken paired with Southern sides and boozy bubbles.
6:30 p.m. Oct. 10. $40. Red Sky Tapas & Bar, 1255 Johnson Ferry Rd, Marietta. redskytapas.com/
Prost to Oktoberfest
Raise a glass to Oktoberfest Atlanta at Old Fourth Ward Park. Produced by Atlanta Sport and Social Club, this two-day event includes three different beer gardens, a Bud Light College Football Viewing Experience and vendors serving Oktoberfest-themed food, plus live music, a dog parade, costumes and games.
5-11 p.m. Oct. 11 and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Oct. 12. $21-$60. Old Fourth Ward Park, 680 Dallas St. NE, Atlanta. oktoberfestatl.com
Celebrating five years of beers
Help Second Self Beer Co. celebrate its five year anniversary with a party at their West Midtown taproom featuring more than 30 different beer offerings including beer collaborations, one-off beers and a beer raw bar featuring several no-boil fruited Berliner Weisse beers from the Second Self cellar. General admission tickets include a souvenir glass, six drink tickets and entry at 1 p.m., while VIP tickets include a souvenir anniversary glass, two 16 oz cans of The Wake, a collaboration beer with Mi Abuelas and Slow Wave Coffee benefitting disaster relief for Puerto Rico, unlimited pours throughout the party and early entry at noon. Designated driver tickets are also available for $5, including a selection of Cirrus CBD mocktails, coffee and hot chocolate. Food will be available for purchase from The Real Mexican Vittles, Illegal Food and Psyodelic Snow Co.
Noon-10 p.m. Oct. 12. Second Self Beer Co., 1317 Logan Circle NW, Atlanta. 678-916-8035, secondselfbeer.com/
Harvest on the Hooch
Visit the Chattahoochee Nature Center and enjoy local brews and food from top local breweries and restaurants at the annual Harvest on the Hooch taste fest. In addition to food and drink, tickets feature live music, farm animals, games and tours. VIP tickets also include private cooking demonstrations and chef Woolery Back of Table & Main and Coalition Food & Beverage in Alpharetta. Proceeds go toward the Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Unity Garden and programming.
1-5 p.m. Oct. 13. $50, $65 at the door. Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell. chattnaturecenter.org/special-events/harvest-on-the-hooch/
Previewing a new restaurant
Get a taste of forthcoming Midtown restaurant Lyla Lila at a pop-up at East Atlanta eatery Banshee. Chef and co-owner Craig Richards will partner with Banshee owners and Atlanta restaurant industry friends to offer a three-course menu with a choice of starters, pastas and entrees. Banshee will offer a full bar for purchase in addition to a specialty cocktail created for the event. Reservations are recommended and can be made by emailing info@lylalilaatl.com.
5:30-8 p.m. Oct. 13. $65. Banshee, 1271 Glenwood Ave. SE, Atlanta. 470-428-2034, banshee-atl.com
Get some pride
Celebrate Atlanta Pride with a party on the terrace at Livingston Restaurant & Bar. General admission tickets include viewing of the Atlanta Pride Parade and a dance party, with VIP tickets also featuring private terrace seating, brunch buffet, three-hour parking and choice of mimosa, bloody mary or mint julep after 12:30 p.m. Bottle service will be available for an additional fee.
11 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 13. $28-$75. Livingston Restaurant + Bar, 659 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-898-8300, livingstonatlanta.com
When food meets art
Celebrate art and food as Lazy Betty and ARTS ATL team up for an evening of conversation, canapés and cocktails. Guests will be able to chat with potter and sculptor Jenifer Thoem, painter and muralist Christina Kwan and ceramicist and painter Masa Sasaki, whose work is permanently featured at Lazy Betty. Chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips will be passing around canapés – including Cauliflower “Bone Marrow,” Georgia Shrimp Causa, Curried Duck Rillete with Orange Chip and more – alongside wine, beer and cocktails. Each ticket includes an entry into a raffle to win a piece of art from a presenting artist or a seven-course tasting menu experience for two from Lazy Betty, plus drinks and bites.
6-8 p.m. Oct. 14. $35. Lazy Betty, 1530 Dekalb Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-975-3692, https://www.lazybettyatl.com/
Eating for a good cause
Some of Atlanta’s top culinary talent will come together for The Gathering, an annual fundraiser hosted by local nonprofit City of Refuge that will focus on health and wellness. The event will feature chefs working alongside students from the 180° Kitchen Culinary Arts Academy, one of several on-site vocational training programs offered at City of Refuge. The three-course meal will feature hors d’oeuvres, main dishes and dessert.
6:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 17. $500. City of Refuge, 1300 Joseph E. Boone Blvd. NW, Atlanta. give.cityofrefugeatl.org/event/gathering-2019/e233489
Taste of Atlanta
Check out some of Atlanta’s best restaurants during the Taste of Atlanta, featuring food, craft beer, wine and spirits from more than 100 local restaurants, as well as demos, cooking classes, Food Districts and an expanded VIP district. A kickoff party on Oct. 18 hosted by chef Nick Leahy of Aix and Tin Tin will offer food and drink from several local chefs, and a concert featuring Yacht Rock Revue will take place on Oct. 19.
Oct. 19-20. General Admission tickets for the weekend's main tasting events include 10 Taste Points and cost $30 in advance and $40 at the door; VIP Experience tickets cost $80 in advance and $90. Tickets for the opening night dinner and Saturday concert can be purchased separately. Old Fourth Ward Park, 680 Dallas St. NE, Atlanta. tasteofatlanta.com
An oyster party
Try some oysters and barbecue from more than 20 chefs across the Southeast at Landlocked 3. The festival features homegrown raw oysters, oyster-inspired dishes, whole hog BBQ, cocktails and pastries. The event is a fundraiser for Oyster South.
3-7 p.m. Oct. 20. $100-$150. Color Wheel Studios, 508 E. Howard Ave., Decatur. eventbrite.com/e/landlocked-3
Raise a glass
Get bubbly at a five-course champagne dinner at Miller Union, featuring seven champagnes from Terry Theise. The evening will begin at 7 p.m. with a welcome reception, followed by a five course tasting menu beginning at 7:30 p.m.
7 p.m. Oct 22. $180. Miller Union, 999 Brady Ave. NW, Atlanta. 678-733-8550, millerunion.com/site/
Viva Tequila!
Celebrate tequila at the Viva Tequila Festival, hosted by tequila importer and connoisseur Juan Bonilla and Atlanta event producer Sean O’Keefe. The event pairs 25 Atlanta restaurants, including Casi Cielo, Eclipse de Luna and Loca Luna with 25 boutique tequilas such as Mi Tierra, Don Fernando and Siempre. Also look for live music and entertainment, plus local and imported artisan goods including clothing and jewelry. A portion of the festival’s proceeds benefits the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance
Noon. Oct. 26. $75-$150. The Promenade at Piedmont Park, 400 Park Drive NE, Atlanta. eventbrite.com/e/viva-tequila-festival-atlanta-2019-tickets-61000199238?aff=vivaweb
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