East Cobb seafood restaurant Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar will close after dinner service on Dec. 30 after almost eight years.
Doug Turbush of Seed Hospitality Group addressed the closure in a prepared statement:
“It is with humble gratitude that we announce the closing of Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar. As we approached the end of our current lease term at the close of this year, we were faced with a difficult and challenging decision. After careful consideration and reflection, we have chosen to not renew our lease. We extend immeasurable thanks to the East Cobb community and everyone that has dined with us...Although we may be closing, we are not saying goodbye to the memories and relationships that have been forged here.”
Sister restaurants Seed Kitchen & Bar, which opened in 2011 and Stem Wine Bar, which debuted in 2013, will remain open in East Cobb.
Brandon Amato
Brandon Amato
Turbush opened Drift in the Avenue East Cobb development at 4475 Roswell Road in Marietta in 2016, with a menu of fresh fish and oysters, as well as other dishes prepared on a wood-fired grill. During the summer on the weekend, the Drift patio transformed into Pop’s, a New England-style lobster shack pop-up offering takeout, curbside pickup, and outdoor dining.
“I have a pretty strong background in seafood, so I wanted to do something I was strong at, and I thought this fit the demographic,” Turbush told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution when Drift opened in early 2016. The restaurant partnered with the Seafood Watch program, allowing the restaurant to offer environmentally responsible choices.
A representative for Drift did not immediately respond to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s request for information on if employees will be offered jobs at other Seed Hospitality Group restaurants.
Avenue East Cobb, a 230,000-square-foot outdoor shopping center, has undergone a significant revamp since being acquired by North American Properties in 2021.
North American Properties is partnering with PGIM, Avenue East Cobb’s longtime owner, to revamp the mixed-use retail outlet by adding a central lawn area and restaurants with outdoor patios. Forthcoming concepts include Round Trip Brewing Company, Peach State Pizza and Press Waffle Co., which will join several already-open concepts including Tin Lizzy’s, New York Butcher Shoppe and Vanilla Cafe and many retail businesses.
Drift is one of several notable metro Atlanta restaurant closures or impending closures announced over the past few months. Tin Lizzy’s Grant Park closed after 15 years, while Henry’s Midtown Tavern will close at the end of the month after 10 years and Hodgepodge Coffee will close in December after more than a decade. Noni’s recently closed in Edgewood after 15 years, Taverna Plaka closed on Cheshire Bridge Road after 20 years, the Glenwood closed after 15 years and the Rusty Nail closed after nearly 50 years.
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