A new restaurant is set to open its doors next month in a space formerly occupied by Atlanta rapper/actor Ludacris' eatery, with a new chef at the helm.
Allysa Storms will serve as the executive chef at Simon's when it opens Sept. 1 at 793 Juniper St. in Midtown. The spot is the former site of Spice restaurant and Luda's eatery Straits, which then became Time Restaurant & Lounge ( Luda went on to open Chicken + Beer at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport ).
Storms replaces Marvin Woods, who owned the now-shuttered Asante in downtown Atlanta. Woods was named executive chef and operating partner in February, when plans for Simon's were first announced. but soon after accepted a job offer in South Carolina.
Simon's is an homage to "the New York dining experience," according to a prepared statement, "with a stroll to your neighborhood eatery where everybody knows your name."
The menu offers Southern takes on American dishes, with items including grilled flank steak, pecorino fries, fried brie, chopped salad, niçoise salad, Guinness-braised short ribs, red Snapper and Dr. Pepper-glazed pork belly. The restaurant will also feature a raw bar and small plates, as well as a custom cocktail menu.
The 4,500 square-foot space boasts a 69-seat main dining room in addition to a bar and lounge on the first floor, with an additional 50-seat dining room and a 14-seat private dining room on the second floor.
Owner Simon Guobadia, the restaurant’s namesake, operated Time and the popular Buckhead Bottle Bar, which closed in 2014, and helped open American Cut in Shops Buckhead Atlanta in 2016.
"The vibrant atmosphere and innovative menu are a natural fit for Midtown’s eclectic dining culture," Guobadia in a prepared statement.
Storms, a Milwaukee native, attended the California Culinary Academy and has worked at Barcelona Wine Bar in Inman Park as well as restaurants in Miami and Chicago.
Simon’s will offer daily happy hour from 5-7 p.m. and late night happy hour Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m.-12 a.m. Dinner will be served Tuesday-Thursday from 5 -10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 -11 p.m. and Sunday from 5-10 p.m.
793 Juniper St., Atlanta. 404-698-3715, simonsatl.com.
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