Located in the mixed-use Pratt Pullman District in Kirkwood, the Abby Singer opened in mid-May, in tandem with the opening of “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” nearby.
Since then, it’s been all hands on deck, said Mike Horn, the owner-operator of the unique bar and restaurant concept. Horn worked in both the film and food business, before moving to Atlanta to realize a lifelong dream.
“I have a film background, but I always wanted to quit the film business and open a restaurant,” he explained. “I was working 85 hours, and had to wonder, why am I not doing this for myself?”
Credit: Mia Yakel
Credit: Mia Yakel
Raised in Los Angeles, Horn was living in Minnesota with his wife and children when he met Abby Singer head chef Jeffrey Peterson, while they were both working for Whole Foods.
“He was actually my boss,” Horn said. “But we got the opportunity to move here to open a restaurant at Pullman, so we both came down in September of 2019. We were supposed to open in June 2020, but things happened, as we all know.”
Asked about the name of the restaurant, Horn described the Abby Singer as a film term for “the second-to-last shot for the day.” He said he liked it, because when you’re on set, “You get really excited when they call it out. And since there’s a large film community here, I wanted to cater to that.”
Credit: Mia Yakel
Credit: Mia Yakel
Still a work in progress, the Abby Singer build-out transformed a dilapidated cinderblock building with a tin roof into a bright contemporary space with an order counter, an L-shaped bar, and a sleek open kitchen, surrounded by steel and pine accents.
“What made this building historically significant is the roof,” Horn said. “It’s a Butler roof built in the ’50s. But basically we’re going to keep building it as we progress.”
Credit: Mia Yakel
Credit: Mia Yakel
Besides the picnic tables that surround the restaurant, the adjacent outdoor area will feature a “mobile alcohol park” with bars in movable shipping containers mounted on train wheels.
Born in North Korea, and raised in St. Paul, Peterson started working in restaurants in the Twin Cities when he was 14, and later went to culinary school at St. Paul College. Not surprisingly, his menu for the Abby Singer was inspired by Twin Cities cuisine.
Credit: Mia Yakel
Credit: Mia Yakel
The Jucy Lucy burger, described as a half-pound of all-natural beef with molten American cheese in the middle, tops the selections. But look for deep-fried cheese curds, chicken tenders, tater tots, grilled cheese, and a marinated portobello mushroom burger, too.
Credit: Mia Yakel
Credit: Mia Yakel
“With the Jucy Lucy, there’s a huge argument in Minnesota about the birthplace of it,” Peterson said. “The Twin Cities don’t really like each other, and there’s a big rivalry between them. I always thought the Jucy Lucy started in St. Paul, whereas a lot of other people say it originated in Minneapolis. But that’s one reason we had to put it on the menu.
“A lot of my other food was just inspiration from my grandma. I used to spend summers with her in northern Minnesota, and this is a lot of the stuff that we cooked with her and her church friends. So our menu is going to expand and we’re going to do a tater tot hot dish, and a fried pork chop sandwich, and a lot of other stuff you’d find in a Lutheran church dining hall.”
Credit: Mia Yakel
Credit: Mia Yakel
The drink menu includes wine and draft beer, and the cocktail menu was designed by Horn and bar manager Brent Elbon. “We wanted to make them easy to build with flavor profiles that were simple,” Horn said.
Credit: Mia Yakel
Credit: Mia Yakel
“The inspiration for the drink menu from my perspective was I wanted to give them something with fresh ingredients and refreshing, because summertime in Atlanta can be brutal, especially when you’re outside,” Elbon said. “But classic cocktails that are approachable are definitely going to be a staple at this restaurant.”
Credit: Mia Yakel
Credit: Mia Yakel
Though Horn and Peterson appreciate all the business they’ve had from the Van Gogh show, ongoing they’re looking forward to settling in and serving the local community.
“We want neighbors to come here and feel welcome,” Peterson said. “Get off work and go to the Abby and grab a beer or come for a late-night snack. We also want to make it family-friendly so everyone feels comfortable.”
DINING OUT
11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Sundays. Closed Tuesdays.
Dine-in and pickup. Masks required for ordering and dine-in service.
225 Rogers St. NE, Building 11, Atlanta. secondmeal-llc.com.
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