Natalie Bianca is now open at 2317 Cascade Road SW in Cascade Heights.
The restaurant comes from Jamshad ‘Jaamy’ Zarnegar, who also owns and operates Kitty Dare in Inman Park. It takes over the space previously occupied by chef Deborah VanTrece’s restaurant Serenidad, which closed in 2023.
Named for a friend of Zarnegar, Natalie Bianca features a menu of “New Southern cuisine punctuated with various influences including vibrant Mexican flavors,” according to a news release.
Offerings include small plates like fried green tomatoes topped with red onion and a sweet onion and bacon sauce; potato onion pancakes; and black bean crepe. Larger plates include three burger options (including a seasonal vegan offering); salmon with grits; and Miss Natalie’s Shrimp Pasta in a creamy tomato sauce with toasted breadcrumbs.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Salads, soups, and a kids’ menu are also available, along with desserts like Paige’s Peach Pound Cake; churros; and chocolate walnut pie.
The full bar features a cocktail list with drinks names after women in Zarnegar’s life, wines by the glass, beers and non-alcoholic options.
The exterior of the building is painted yellow with black accents, with two large windows offering a glimpse in to the 1,980-square-foot interior. Inside, an open kitchen and a framed picture of the restaurant’s namesake, the late Natalie Bianca, overlook the dining room and bar area.
The interior features a 16-seat bar and a brown and grey color palette. Limited outdoor seating is available, with plans to expand in the coming weeks.
Natalie Bianca is open daily, with bar service starting at 4 p.m. and dinner at 5 p.m. Brunch will be added in the coming weeks.
*****
Popular Ponce City Market pizzeria Pizza Jeans is now open in the Citizens Market food hall at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead.
Located on the first level of Phipps Plaza, Pizza Jeans serves giant slices of New York-style pizza, whole pies, calzones and sandwiches.
Chris Wilkins and Nicole Lewis started Pizza Jeans as a pop-up in 2019, then opened it as a brick-and-mortar in 2020 on the second floor of Ponce City Market next to their now-shuttered Root Baking Co. The pizzeria moved to the first floor of Ponce City Market in 2022, with Billy Streck and Jeremy Gatto coming aboard as partners.
In addition to owning and operating Pizza Jeans, Gatto also owns Luca’s Brookyln Pizzeria in food halls Politan Row at Colony Square in Midtown and Halidom Eatery near East Atlanta.
Pizza Jeans, which is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily at Citizens Market, joins several other food and beverage concepts in the food hall including the recently-opened Cultivate Food & Coffee, burger stall Umami Burger; sushi spot Krispy Rice; Sam’s Crispy Chicken, which serves grilled and fried chicken sandwiches; pan-Asian concept Sa’Moto; Italian sandwich shop Cicci di Carne; El Pollo Verde, which serves organic chicken salads and bowls; and Soom Soom Mediterranean.
*****
Bocado opens today at 6300 Powers Ferry Road in Sandy Springs. Read more about what to expect here.
*****
Atlanta-based health-focused bowl and wrap brand Gusto will open its 14th location Sept. 26 in the Lee + White development at 929 Lee St. SW in Atlanta’s West End neighborhood.
The location, Gusto’s first connected to a food hall, will occupy an exterior corner of the building.
*****
Loaded Potato Bar opens Sept. 21 at 1087 Euclid Ave. NE in Little Five Points. The hip-hop-themed eatery from Ashly Tate, who also goes by the stage name Passhon, first opened a now-closed location in late 2020 in Vinings.
*****
Credit: Courtesy of Hyatt
Credit: Courtesy of Hyatt
Author’s Den restaurant is now open inside Hyatt Centric Midtown Atlanta at 125 10th St NE. The eatery, which serves “Southern food with a global twist,” according to a press release, is a nod to the hotel’s location across the street from the Margaret Mitchell House, where “Gone with the Wind” was written, and where photographer and civil rights activist Boyd Lewis lived.
The restaurant has been rebranded, renovated and redesigned, with a menu from new executive chef Celso Pinto, Appetizers include crispy pork belly and Brazilian tapioca cheese fritters; green tomato toast with pimento cheese; and smoked brisket sliders. Entrees include steak and frites; crab cake sandwich; and gnocchi with four cheese sauce.
Author’s Den also features a full-service bar and dining room, new private dining and meeting area, a pool table and a bookshelf filled by local bookstores.
Breakfast is served from 6:30-10:30 a.m. Mondays-Fridays and 7-11 a.m. Saturdays-Sundays. Dinner service runs from 5-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and from 5 p.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays. The bar menu is available until 11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and Sundays, and until midnight Fridays-Saturdays.
*****
Virtue Rooftop, located just above 5Church Midtown at 1197 Peachtree St. NE, is now serving brunch from noon-4 p.m. Sundays, with the bar open until 6 p.m. The menu includes avocado toast with poached eggs and tomato jam; the Monte Cristo with herb French toast with honey-baked ham and peach compote; and chicken and waffles.
*****
West Midtown Vietnamese restaurant Le Fat appears to have closed at 935 Marietta St., according to a tip from an Atlanta Journal-Constitution reader. The eatery, which chef Guy Wong opened in 2015, was purchased in 2019.
*****
West Midtown coffee shop Urban Grind is set to open a second location in the Pittsburgh Yards development at 352 University Ave. SE in Atlanta’s Pittsburgh neighborhood, What Now Atlanta reports.
*****
A new food hall is slated for the 1375 Peachtree office building in Midtown, Atlanta Business Chronicle reports. The project would remake a portion of two levels of the building, with one level housing a full-service restaurant and small food hall, and the other level housing a bar.
*****
Desta Ethiopian Kitchen is set to move from its current location at 3086 Briarcliff Road less than two miles away at 2566 Briarcliff Road, Tomorrow’s News Today reports.
*****
Mangiamo Ristorante and Pizzeria is now open at 3103 Cobb Parkway NW in Kennesaw, Marietta Daily Journal reports.
*****
Brookhaven Mexican restaurant Verde Taqueria is set to open a new location at 10 Kings Circle in Atlanta’s Peachtree Hills neighborhood, Tomorrow’s News Today reports.
*****
New Jersey food truck Bro-Ritos is expanding with a brick-and-mortar location inside the Collective at CODA food hall in Midtown, What Now Atlanta reports.
*****
Roswell Greek restaurant Yeero Village is set to open a second location at 4865 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville, Tomorrow’s News Today reports. The restraurant comes from Gus Tselios, who also owns metro Atlanta eateries Cherokee Chophouse, Pasta Bella, Marietta Fish Market, and Casa Grande Bar & Grill.
*****
Another location of Atlanta fried chicken franchise Ponko Chicken has closed inside Lenox Square, Tomorrow’s News Today reports. Another location in Decatur recently closed, with Rreal Tacos set to take over the space.
More metro Atlanta restaurant news
Elsewhere Brewing to close both of its Atlanta locations in October
Upper West Market indoor farmers market, cafe and wine bar to open in Atlanta
DBA Tacos & BBQ opens in Clarkston
Steak & Grace opening in Dunwoody
Pho Cue closes in Glenwood Park
Bookhouse Pub to close by the end of the year
Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter
Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on X and @ajcdining on Instagram.
About the Author
