Larakin, a wine and coffee bar with a food menu focused on tinned fish, is set to open in the next few weeks. In the meantime, owner Jordan Chambers is hosting an opening party to introduce his concept to Atlanta.
The celebration, held from noon-7 p.m. Oct. 29, will feature pizza from Phew’s Pies, oysters from Bright Side Oysters, sandwiches from Humble Mumble, live music and a DJ, as well as tinned fish from Larakin. Tickets, which are $40, include all-you-can-drink wine and beer from Elemental Spirits Co. and coffee from Larakin.
“We thought we would have been open a few months ago, but these things take a lot of time” he said. “So we’re just rolling with the punches and saying, ‘If the best we can do right now is just open and give the neighborhood a place to hang, let’s do that.’”
Located at 208 12th St. NE, Larakin will give Chambers the opportunity to show off his coffee knowledge before Larakin starts serving wine in early 2023 (the spot will be BYOB until then).
The co-founder of Steady Hand Pour House, which closed in Emory Village in 2013, Chambers also worked for coffee company Intelligentsia for several years, took a wine and beverage course while attending culinary school in 2006 and spent time with the sommelier at now-closed Emory Village restaurant Ink & Elm. “I thought the merging of (coffee and wine) would be fun,” he said.
The small menu will feature hot and iced coffees, espresso, cappuccinos and lattes, along with a couple of teas.
“This is such a small space, that I think it’s a golden opportunity to do a condensed, highly-executed coffee menu that I think is every barista’s dream.”
Credit: Larakin
Credit: Larakin
Though he’ll primarily be using a rotating list of Intelligentsia coffees, Chambers said he also plans to help promote small, local roasters.
Larakin’s wine selection will offer one skin-contact, white, red and rose by the glass at a time, with 25-40 bottles available, along with amaros, vermouths and a few beers.
The food menu will feature a breakfast sandwich, a couple of lunch sandwiches, snacks like pan con tomate, an extensive selection of tinned fish and a small, rotating selection of tinned fishes and boards with cured meat from around the world. “It’s going to be about creating more conversation and education across the board,” he said.
A happy hour special will offer a glass of wine, along with espresso and “a little bite of something to activate the palette.” He plans to source bread and baguettes from a local bakery and make focaccia in-house.
The intimate Larakin space, which Chambers said “called me,” is located in the heart of Midtown with “no parking, highrises everywhere and the type of activity that feels like you’re really living in a city.”
With no seating inside, the expansive outdoor space will serve as the primary gathering spot for guests. Chambers is working on ways to make the area more comfortable in the winter and summer months, with plans to provide some coverage to keep out rain and sun, along with heaters and fans when necessary.
A bar rail around the outside will offer seating for 20, with small tables, communal tables and a standing lounge area round out the rest of the area. Guests can also stand at the interior bar if they prefer to be inside.
“We’re just going to let (the space) show us what we should do with it,” he said.
208 12th St. NE, Atlanta. larakinwineandcoffee.com
Scroll down to see the full opening menu for Larakin:
Credit: Larakin
Credit: Larakin
Credit: Larakin
Credit: Larakin
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