Paolo’s Gelato in Virginia Highland is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a special event on Wednesday, March 24, from 6 to 9 p.m. Italy native Paolo Dalla Zorza opened his first shop in Atlanta in 2000, serving 62 flavors of Italian ice. After his Atlanta success, Paolo expanded to Charleston, S.C., and created a series of supply companies to offer wholesale accessory items to the gelato, ice cream and yogurt industry in America, Canada and Latin America. As a former veterinarian in Italy, Paolo has also created www.PaoloThePetChef.com, creating recipes and feeding tips for cats and dogs online with mini-cooking shows on YouTube. www.paolosgelato.com.
Piece of Cake, which has locations in Decatur, Buckhead and Roswell, is celebrating its 25th anniversary by offering a special deal the first Wednesday of each month through October: all nine-inch, three-lay iced cakes will be $25 each on that day only (local delivery/shipping not included). Layer cakes are normally $32.50, plus delivery. www.pieceofcakeinc.com
The owners Teela Taqueria, Arte Antoniades and Nik Panagopoulos, have opened Teela Italiano at Citywalk Shopping Center, 227 Sandy Springs Place. Antipasti, paninis, pizza and pasta are on the menu. www.teelataqueria.com
Fifth Group Restaurants – South City Kitchen, La Tavola Trattoria, Ecco, Original El Taco and Bold American Catering – have created separate gluten-free menus and offer instructions on how to order the menu items that might have potentially harmful components for those who suffer from celiac disease. www.fifthgroup.com
Legendary NFL coach Don Shula has opened his first Atlanta restaurant, Shula’s 347 Grill, in the Marriott Buckhead. The menu features gourmet salads, steak and fish. There are also daily specials and events for sports fans to watch their favorite games. www.shulas347atlanta.com
Eleven is the name of the new restaurant opening on the ground floor of the new Lowes Hotel at 1605 Peachtree St. in Midtown next month. The executive chef is Olivier Gaupin, formerly with The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead.
Rare, 554 Piedmont Ave., has reopened after being damaged by fire in 2008. Serving a blend of classic Southern soul food and tapas, the menu includes chicken and waffles, vegetarian pot pie, country-fried steak, salmon croquettes and more. www.rareatl.com
Mitchell Anderson, actor and owner of MetroFresh in Midtown, has announced he will open a three “gourmet boutique sandwich shops” around Atlanta over the next two years. The new shops will be called MitchWich, and serve breakfast and lunch using organic ingredients.
The first annual Buckhead Restaurant Week is set for March 6 to 14. The nine-day promotion will showcase the outstanding cuisine of the area’s best restaurants that will each offer a prix-fixe, three-course menu consisting of an appetizer, a main course and a dessert for $25 per person excluding alcohol, tax and gratuity. Participating restaurants include Buckhead Life restaurants, MARKET, Craftbar, Home, Aja, Prime, Cantina, Capital Grille, Aqua Bistro, Gordon Biersch and Dantanna’s. A complete list of participating restaurants and their menus is online at www.brwatlanta.com.
Shifting Chefs
Dane Scott has left the Atlanta location of Seasons 52 in Buckhead to be executive chef at the restaurant’s new location in Cherry Hill, N.J. Melissa Louty is now top torq in Atlanta.
The Hours & The Times
Pura Vida in Poncy-Highland is now open on Sunday nights for dinner; Bluepointe in Buckhead is no longer serving lunch; Parish in Inman Park is now closed on Mondays; NEO at The Mansion in Buckhead is now only offering breakfast and hosting private events.
Restaurant RIP
Aquaknox and The Taco Stand in Buckhead; Old Spaghetti Factory, Avra and Kentucky Fried Chicken in Midtown; The German Bakery and Cafe Cliche in Decatur.