Nearly 20 new restaurants joined the metro Atlanta restaurant scene in April, compared to just a handful of closures.
The month’s openings were almost evenly split between restaurants at opposite ends of the dining spectrum: About half the new openings were upscale, full-service dinner restaurants, while the other half were counter-service or breakfast-specific.
The new full-service restaurants included the highly anticipated Koshu Club, a sister restaurant to Mujo, the acclaimed omakase counter that was the top restaurant on the Atlanta 50 last year.
Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee / Koshu Club
Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee / Koshu Club
Ikara, another ambitious restaurant, opened in Atlantic Station, where it gives Indian cuisine the fine-dining treatment.
Several casual breakfast restaurants also joined the restaurant scene, led by Babygirl from chef Hudson Rouse, who recently shuttered Rising Son in Avondale Estates. Stellow Coffee & Floral opened a permanent shop in Chamblee, while chains like 7 Brew, Biscuit Belly and Spread Bagelry landed new locations in the metro area.
Though there were just a few closures to report, the shuttering of Hero Diner and Psito in Summerhill is apparently part of a larger story brewing in Alabama. The hospitality company that owns both restaurants, Pihakis Restaurant Group, has also closed multiple restaurants in its native Birmingham and faces a multimillion-dollar lawsuit, AL.com reported.
Metro Atlanta restaurant openings
7 Brew, the rapidly expanding coffee franchise, opened a new location in Milton on April 2.
12875 Highway 9, Milton. 479-358-9274, 7brew.com
Babygirl, a new restaurant from chef Hudson Rouse, who closed the popular breakfast destination Rising Son at the end of March, opened its doors April 11, the business announced on social media.
2371 Hosea L. Williams Drive SE, Atlanta. 404-549-9692, instagram.com/babygirl.atl
Biscuit Belly, a Southern-style brunch chain, opened its second Georgia location in Peachtree City on April 24. The brunch chain’s founders, Chad and Lauren Coulter, are both from Georgia, according to a news release.
238 City Circle, Peachtree City. 678-729-6820, biscuitbelly.com.
Bite More, a fast-casual halal chain, held a grand opening at a new location in Duluth on April 3.
2148 Duluth Highway, Duluth. 943-296-4518, bitemore.us
Breakfast on Luckie Street opened at the very beginning of April, Rough Draft Atlanta reported. The Southern-style breakfast spot is located just across the street from the Georgia Aquarium’s parking deck.
320 Luckie St. NW, Atlanta. 404-800-6712, breakfastonluckiestreet.com
Credit: Courtesy of Angie Webb
Credit: Courtesy of Angie Webb
Clark’s Steakhouse opened in Buckhead April 23 with a combination of New York steakhouse sensibilities and Southern influences, according to a news release. The restaurant comes from Rich Clark, the restaurateur behind C&S Seafood and Oyster Bar in Sandy Springs, Brookhaven and Cumberland.
2827 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta. 404-343-1831, clarkssteak.com
Finally Wine, a new wine shop in Atlanta’s Kirkwood neighborhood, opened April 19, the business announced on social media. The shop offers tastings and monthly classes.
2033 Hosea L. Williams Drive NE, Atlanta. 404-907-4586, finallywine.com
Ikara, a fine-dining Indian restaurant from chef Yugal Sharma, opened April 10 in Atlantic Station. Though it debuted with a typical a la carte service style, Sharma plans to offer a nine-course progressive tasting menu in the future.
361 17th St. NW, Atlanta. 678-904-0313, ikararestaurant.com
J. Alexander’s opened at The Battery on April 27, the fine-dining chain announced in a news release. The unique location will be the first with a garage-door-style opening in the bar area to serve customers during Atlanta Braves game days or other events.
455 Legends Place, Atlanta. 470-361-0644, jalexanders.com
Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee / Koshu Club
Credit: Courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee / Koshu Club
Koshu Club, the highly anticipated new Japanese restaurant from the team behind Mujo, the No. 1 restaurant on the Atlanta 50 list, opened April 14 in the 99 West Paces apartment building in Buckhead. J. Trent Harris, the executive chef at Mujo who was named a James Beard Award finalist this spring, is leading the restaurant with a menu featuring elements of Japanese cuisine he doesn’t offer at sushi-focused Mujo.
99 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta. 404-806-1404, koshuclubatl.com
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, a Hawai‘i-based restaurant chain, opened its fifth Georgia location in Duluth on April 2. The menu includes Spam musubi, garlic shrimp, loco moco and chicken katsu.
2442 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth. hawaiianbarbecue.com
Le Faucheur Tearoom, a boutique, European-style tea room, opened in Dunwoody in early April, owner Valerie Fatemi announced. The brick-and-mortar location builds off Fatemi’s mobile tea service, The Cheeky TeaCup, which has served tea at hundreds of private events around metro Atlanta, she said in a news release.
4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road NE, Dunwoody. lefaucheurtearoom.com
Mai Thai Kitchen and Bar began its soft opening in Buckhead on April 22, the restaurant announced on social media. The restaurant, which is located in the Buckhead Court shopping center on Roswell Road, draws inspiration from the historic fusion of Thai and European cuisine, according to its website.
3872 Roswell Road NE, Atlanta. 404-343-1516, maithaibuckhead.com
Spread Bagelry, a chain bagel shop, held its grand opening in Buckhead on April 9.
47 Irby Ave. NW, Atlanta. spreadbagelry.com
Smalls Sliders, a fast-casual chain, opened in Marietta on April 14, restaurant representatives told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
2355 Windy Hill Road SE, Marietta. 470-412-0388, smallssliders.com
Credit: Rendering by John W. Boggs, Jr., RA Principal
Credit: Rendering by John W. Boggs, Jr., RA Principal
Stable Comfort Food and Cocktails, a new Southern restaurant, joined the fun in Dunwoody Village on April 9. The new restaurant took over the space formerly occupied by Steak & Grace. It’s the latest concept created by David Abes, founder of Funwoody Restaurants and DASH Hospitality. The Funwoody lineup already includes four restaurants in the Dunwoody Village development: Barn Booze and Bites, Good Vibes Ice Cream Shop, Message in a Bottle and Morty’s Meat Supply.
1317 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody. 470-709-4304, stabledunwoody.com
Stellow Coffee & Floral, which began as a coffee and flower cart, has opened a brick-and-mortar cafe in Chamblee, according to a social media post.
3466 Chamblee Dunwoody Way, Chamblee. 470-502-2889, stellow.com
Tenku Sushi, described in a news release as “an innovative and elegant Japanese restaurant,” opened at Avenue East Cobb in Marietta on April 28.
4475 Roswell Road, Marietta. tenkuavenue.com.
Three Taverns Ponce Brew Terminal opened April 4 at Ponce City Market, bringing a combination brewery, distillery and kitchen to the development. Food will be provided by DAS BBQ.
680 North Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-600-3355, threetavernsbrewery.com
Metro Atlanta restaurant closings
Bar Ti Amo, an Italian restaurant and espresso bar in Buckhead, has closed. It’s not clear when the restaurant shut down; news of the closure was shared by a reader and confirmed by the AJC.
Credit: Angie Mosier
Credit: Angie Mosier
Hero Diner and Psito, sister restaurants in Summerhill from the Birmingham-based Pihakis Restaurant Group, both closed this month. Representatives from the hospitality company have not responded to requests for more information from the AJC, but local reports from Alabama indicate that Pihakis Restaurant Group has shut down multiple restaurants in Birmingham and faces a multimillion-dollar lawsuit. Another location of Hero Diner in Fayetteville’s Trillith development is also listed as temporarily closed.
Tomorrow’s News Today reported a trio of closures this month: Voagies, the vegan hoagie restaurant from Pinky Cole; Jinya Ramen in Roswell; and local fast-casual Indian restaurant NaanStop at Atlantic Station.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
