Irish pub Elder Tree has closed in East Atlanta Village, and a new British-style bar with a globally-inspired menu is set to take its place.
The Pub @ EAV, which will open later this summer or early fall at 469 Flat Shoals Ave. SE., will be a partnership between owner Kasie Scott, chef Mike LaSage, and former Elder Tree owner Bree Towry, who will serve as general manager.
The bar and restaurant will feature “a rotating, seasonal, shareable, a la carte menu of clever, fun, globally-inspired, beautiful and delicious dishes served in a casual environment at casual price points,” according to a news release.
LaSage, who owned and operated now-shuttered Atlanta restaurants Bone Lick BBQ and P’Cheen International Bistro and Edgewood Speakeasy and Music Room bars before launching event company Captains of Revelry, served in a consulting role at Elder Tree before Towry mentioned wanting to reimagine the concept.
Elder Tree opened in 2012, with a menu featuring pub fare like fish and chips, chicken wings and country fried steak, as well as a full bar with a focus on whiskey cocktails.
“An Irish pub wasn’t really an exciting concept for me, food-wise,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “But once I found out there was no real finite thing they were trying to do and they just wanted drastic change, I was on board. I realized there was a lot of room to play. When you cook for a living for as long as I have, it gets into your DNA.”
The menu was inspired in part by LaSage’s travels, both domestically and overseas. He also wanted to offer small plates and dishes that would “create something more social” by encouraging sharing among guests.
Credit: Courtesy of Caren West
Credit: Courtesy of Caren West
“I used to love taking lowbrow food and having fun with it,” he said. “Now, I want to lean more into middlebrow. I don’t have an interesting in the pace of fine-dining, but I love a lot of those elements. I want to play with that, but in an approachable way and at an accessible price point, in a casual environment.”
Menu items will include a Cuban Pop-Tart with ham, smoked pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and spicy mustard; Scotch egg benny with a soft egg wrapped in sausage, then breaded and fried and served on a nest of Kennebec potatoes with Hollandaise and herbed cream; British pub-style rotating Sunday roasts for dine-in or takeout; and Send Noodz, a rotating selection of noodles and pasta dishes from around the world.
Also featured at Pub @ EAV will be a revamped version of Elder Tree’s popular fish and chips.
LaSage and Towry will collaborate on developing the beverage program, including cocktails to complement the food menu.
Credit: Courtesy of W. Jay George Design, LLC.
Credit: Courtesy of W. Jay George Design, LLC.
The 2,830-square-foot interior will undergo a major renovation, with the goal of brightening up the space and improving functionality. Plans call for entry via garage doors, a large copper-topped bar, a small stage for live entertainment and outdoor seating at the front and back entrances.
Design elements will include live plants, a muted color palate of greens and blues, dark wood and custom tile and rotation of work from local artists hanging on the walls.
Guests can also expect games including darts and poker, pop-up activations, TVs throughout for watching sporting events, and weekly live music.
Aside from fostering a sense of community inside the restaurant, LaSage said he, Scott and Towry also want to contribute to the health of the East Atlanta neighborhood. Pub @ EAV will offer a special menu of a handful of dishes at cost that guests can purchase for unhoused members of the population.
Paid-for meal tickets will be held in the counter, and when people in need make requests, they’ll be given a box with a meal and toiletries.
“We want to help take of people in the neighborhood and help our guests be a part of that, too,” LaSage said.
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