Rough Draft continues to track the progress of some of this year’s hotly anticipated restaurants and bars. Here’s an update on five establishments opening within the next four to six weeks in neighborhoods around Atlanta.
Gene’s
Viet-Cajun barbecue and comfort food
2371 Hosea L Williams Drive, East Lake
East Lake residents won’t have long to wait for the opening of the next restaurant debuting at Hosea and 2nd. Gene’s, owned by chef Avery Cottrell and John Ward of Victory Brands restaurant group, will bring the neighborhood takes on Viet-Cajun barbecue and comfort foods by the end of March. Named for Cottrell’s 35-pound orange and white cat, Gene’s takes over the former Salaryman space next door to Poor Hendrix. Expect meaty dishes like fish sauce caramelized dinosaur beef ribs, boudin egg rolls, and brisket. There’s also marinated crab claws and Gulf fish dip with seasoned Saltines, seen on the menu during Cottrell’s pop-ups at Kimball House, Bogg’s Social and Supply, and Talat Market. Look for dive bar cocktails, frozen concoctions, and even Jell-O shots created by Kimball House co-owner and barman Miles Macquarrie.
Pure Quill Superette
Local meat and provisions market and lunch counter
1366 Memorial Drive, Edgewood
Rising Son and Whoopsie’s chef Hudson Rouse will transform Chop Shop butcher shop and market into Pure Quill Superette in mid-March. The local market and lunch counter will continue selling Riverview Farms meats, local cheeses, and other local food and pantry provisions. It will also serve coffee and a light breakfast in the morning, followed by soups, sandwiches, and a daily steak frites plate in the afternoon. The small building beside Pure Quill will become an outdoor bar later this summer.
Painted Pickle
Pickleball venue and restaurant with full bar
279 Ottley Drive, Armour Yards
After multiple delays, Justin Amick and William Stallworth will open Painted Pickle at Armour Yards some time in late March. The pickleball gaming and entertainment venue will feature eight pickleball courts, a clubhouse with a pro shop and professional instructor, and a restaurant with a full bar and sushi bar. Like The Painted Pin and The Painted Duck, Painted Pickle will include complimentary game options like darts, ping pong, shuffleboard, and an indoor putting green, along with a stage for live performances. Painted Pickle joins SweetWater Brewing Co., Capella Cheese, East Pole Coffee, and Fox Bros Que-Osk at Armour Yards.
Damsel
Cabaret and restaurant with a rooftop bar
1235 Chattahoochee Avenue, Underwood Hills
Part cabaret, part restaurant, part nightclub, Damsel should open by late March at the Works complex in Underwood Hills. Look for live entertainment nightly during dinner, followed by dancing later in the evening. A members-only lounge and rooftop bar upstairs will offer more food and drinks like interactive food carts and a midnight breakfast by executive chef Julian Parker. Owned by David Green of The Select in Sandy Springs, Damsel is likely one of Atlanta’s most hotly anticipated openings of 2024. It joins several other restaurants and bars at the Works, including Chattahoochee Food Works, Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, The Forum Cocktail Co., and Scofflaw Brewing.
Floridaman
21+ rooftop sports bar
Above Breaker Breaker, 921 Wylie Street, Reynoldstown
The 21-and-up rooftop bar located above Breaker Breaker should open by the end of March along the Eastside BeltLine trail. Called Floridaman, think of this rooftop spot as an outdoor sports bar with covered seating similar to the bars found at Grindhouse Killer Burgers, also owned by Alex Brounstein and Johnny Farrow. Floridaman will feature multiple televisions and serve a limited food menu.
