In a year often marked by sadness, we’re all seeking something to which we can look forward. Set to make their metro Atlanta debuts before the end of the year, here are some food and beverage spots that will have offerings ranging from crab cake hash and Reuben baos to sparkling mead and craft cocktails, to keep you sated and hopeful for a better 2021. Opening dates are subject to change.
5/4 Meadery. Still and sparkling versions of the fermented honey drink mead will be on offer when this meadery opens in Roswell. Named for the 5/4 time signature in music, it will be a dream realized for owner Sean Walcek, who started experimenting with making his own mead several years ago. Walcek and his wife, Lisa, will serve traditional meads, as well as more experimental varieties, including the lower alcohol, hops-filled Honeymoon Hoppage.
35B Oak St., Roswell. 54meadery.com
Botica. Chef Mimmo Alboumeh, formerly of Atlanta Mexican restaurant Red Pepper Taqueria, will present the flavors of Mexico and Spain at Botica, which is aiming for an early December opening. Look for dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, as well as in-house smoked meats; house-made dressings, salsas and sauces; and a full bar.
1820 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta.
Edgewood Dynasty. Greg Johnson and Noelle Taylor are carrying on the legacy of Old Fourth Ward bar-restaurant Sound Table with Edgewood Dynasty, set to open in the Sound Table space before the end of the year. The menu, developed by chef Keith Hand, who also owns Bridge Catering and Hecter’s Kitchen in downtown Atlanta, will feature many favorites from the Sound Table days, as well as new dishes, and a curated cocktail menu. Johnson, a medical doctor and U.S. Air Force Gulf War veteran, and Taylor, who owns and operates a popular intown Airbnb, also plan to open a dessert bar and a social bar, as well as a wellness center, in the space next door.
483 Edgewood Ave., Atlanta. edgewooddynasty.com
Esco Seafood. Entrepreneur Mychel “Snoop” Dillard and rapper Tauheed “2 Chainz” Epps are opening this Old Fourth Ward seafood restaurant. Set to open in mid-November, the restaurant’s menu likely will include lobster tails and grits, crab cake hash, salmon croquettes, crab legs, and fresh charbroiled and raw oysters.
447 Edgewood Ave., Atlanta.
Falling Rabbit. Chicago transplants Chuck and Barbara Woods bring years of experience in the hospitality industry to the new Parsons Alley development with Falling Rabbit, serving as executive chef and general manager, respectively. Starting Nov. 17, look for a rotating seasonal menu that includes a Reuben bao made with wagyu brisket; comte and kraut in a rye dumpling; a skirt steak with yams, mushrooms and soft herbs; and a kids menu with offerings like a charcuterie plate and chicken bites. Falling Rabbit — named for a poem Chuck’s mother read to him as a child — also will feature a beverage program developed by Barbara, with a selection of custom cocktails and wines.
3580 W. Lawrenceville St., Duluth. fallingrabbit.com
Grass VBQ. Terry Sargent has been in the restaurant industry for more than 20 years, but the chef discovered his niche when he adopted a plant-based lifestyle and opened Grass VBQ, first as a pop-up at Global Grub Collective in East Atlanta, and then at Orpheus Brewing in Midtown. The menu features vegan barbecue dishes, including Nashville hot “chic’n” and smoked “veef brisket and lobstah,” all made with vital wheat gluten and pea protein. Now, Sargent is going brick-and-mortar with Grass VBQ, planning an early December opening in Stone Mountain.
5385 Five Forks Trickum Road SW, Stone Mountain. grassvbqjoint.com
Rena’s Italian Fishery and Grill. Chef Darren Henderson is set to open Rena’s, named for his wife, at the beginning of December. Henderson, who also owns Crust Pizzeria in Alpharetta, developed a menu of seafood, meat and pasta dishes for his two-story restaurant.
222 S. Main St., Alpharetta.
Established restaurants opening additional locations before the end of the year:
Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks. The popular downtown Atlanta eatery will debut its long-anticipated second location at 6035 Peachtree Blvd. in Doraville in mid-November.
Cru Hemp Lounge. The bar from Original Hot Dog Factory founder Dennis McKinley, which has locations in downtown and Midtown Atlanta, will open at 605 Indian Trail Lilburn Road NW in Lilburn and at 5299 Old National Highway in College Park by the end of the year.
Das BBQ. The Collier Road barbecue restaurant plans to open a location at 350 Memorial Drive in Grant Park.
Plant-Based Pizzeria. The vegan pizza spot, which opened in early 2019 in Virginia-Highland, will unveil a new location at 8540 Roswell Road in November.
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