Rough Draft continues to track the progress of some of this year’s hotly anticipated restaurants and bars.
We’ve already seen some big restaurant openings in 2024, including Mexican restaurant Casa Balam in Decatur from the owners of Oaxaca, the return of The Porter Beer Bar in Little Five Points, and Chef Kevin Gillespie’s Nadair. It opens on May 24 in the former Floataway Cafe space.
Since our last anticipated restaurants update dropped in February, Damsel, Painted Pickle, and Floridaman have opened, and the openings of Gene’s in East Lake and Pure Quill Superette in Edgewood appear imminent.
Here’s an update on eight more establishments we’re looking forward to seeing open within the next 12 weeks in cities and neighborhoods around Atlanta
The Dumpling Factory
Dumplings, Chinese dishes from Northern China Eatery
950 West Marietta Street, Knight Park/Howell Station
Listen up, Northern China Eatery fans. In case you missed it, the owners of the popular Buford Highway Chinese restaurant are planning to open this dumpling-centric spot at Westside Paper. Taking over the Boxcar Betty space, The Dumpling Factory should open some time in June, according to owner Fan Zhang. Look for Northern China Eatery’s handmade dumplings and other dishes like fried rice and thick-cut and angel hair rice noodles. The Dumpling Factory will also serve beer, wine, and soju. Zhang said he’s also looking at opening a location at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport next year and a location of Northern China Eatery near the Krog District along the Eastside BeltLine by the end of 2024.
Pisces
Music, cocktails, Vice Taco in kitchen from DJ Ree de la Vega
483 Edgewood Avenue, Old Fourth Ward
When The Sound Table closed four years ago after a decade on Edgewood, it left gaping holes in Atlanta’s cocktail, pop-up, and music scenes. Two months later, many Atlantans feared The Sound Table space would be lost forever following the construction-related collapse of a wall facing Boulevard. Extensive repairs eventually brought the space back to life and Edgewood Dynasty opened in 2023.
It never really took off. The space became available again earlier this spring and Atlanta DJ and party promoter Ree de la Vega didn’t hesitate to snag it for Pisces. She even had the blessing of longtime friend, DJ, and Sound Table partner Karl Injex. Look for a high-energy vibe downstairs with cocktails, music from local and national DJs, and dancing. Upstairs in the restaurant and lounge, a chiller vibe will prevail. Expect Tijuana-style street tacos from Alejandro Godinez of Vice Taco Truck and DJs spinning vinyls during listening sessions. De la Vega hopes to open Pisces in mid- to late-July.
Block and Drum
Eco-friendly restaurant, distillery, coffee and drinks district
5105 Peachtree Boulevard, Chamblee
This sprawling, eco-friendly restaurant and drinks district in downtown Chamblee promises to be a gathering place for the community when fully open. The coffee shop and cafe portion of Block and Drum opened in March, with converted shipping containers serving as incubator spaces for chefs, a micro-distillery and tasting room, a listening bar, and a hydroponic farm opening over the summer. Expect Block and Drum to be an all-day eating, drinking, and live entertainment district, starting in the morning with coffee and breakfast and ending with late-night food, cocktails, and music.
Fawn
Wine and amaro bar from Chef Terry Koval
119 East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur
Decatur will gain another spot from The Deer and the Dove owner and James Beard award-winning chef Terry Koval later this summer. He and beverage director Matt Watkins plan to open Fawn next door to Cafe Alsace. Billed as a wine and amaro bar, Fawn will focus on wines from many volcanic regions, including the Canary Islands, Crete, Campania in Italy, and Verne in France. Amaro on the menu will come from a variety of countries throughout the world served by the glass and in flights. As for food, expect house-made charcuterie with local cheeses, crudos, fresh breads, caviar, and desserts from Koval.
Ryokou
Japanese dishes from Omakase Table
565 Northside Drive, Adair Park
The team behind Omakase Table, which includes uber-talented sushi chef Leonard Yu, will open this Japanese restaurant at the Abrams Fixtures complex in Adair Park this summer. Led by Omakase Table chef Paul Gutting, Ryokou will feature only 11 seats and serve a curated menu of Japanese small plates and sushi. Look for Japanese-inspired cocktails and sake from the bar, too. We have a story coming soon on Ryokou’s neighbor, Vine Club ATL (a social club and wine bar offering memberships opening across from the Japanese restaurant.)
Butter and Scotch
Afro-Caribbean fare
110 Mitchell Street, Downtown Atlanta inside the Origin Hotel
Construction delays with the new Origin Hotel have continued to push back the opening of Che Butter Jonez owners Chef Malik Rhasaan and Detric Fox-Quinlan’s next restaurant. But it seems both the hotel and Butter and Scotch are now on track again and could open in August. Look for an all-day menu from Rhasaan and Fox-Quinlan, including bodega breakfast sandwiches, oxtail ragu, and chopped cheese. Fans of the That Sh!t Slambing lamb burger at Che Butter Jonez will find it served at Butter and Scotch, along with some of the Southwest Atlanta restaurant’s most popular Afro-Caribbean dishes.
Bryan Furman BBQ
Barbecue plates and sandwiches from pitmaster Bryan Furman
186 Windy Hill Road, Marietta
It’s finally happening, y’all! Pitmaster Bryan Furman will indeed open a new barbecue restaurant. But it won’t be in Riverside as previously planned. Instead, Furman will open his eponymous barbecue joint in Marietta. He scrapped plans to open on Bolton Road earlier this year due to “rising construction costs,” according to reporting from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Mike Jordan, forcing him to abandon the location. Taking over the former Herb’s Rib Shack on Windy Hill, Furman will serve his award-winning whole hog barbecue, barbecue hash, and desserts like his mother’s apple cake. Unlike his former Riverside barbecue restaurant, which a fire claimed in 2019, this iteration will focus on takeout and won’t serve booze. You can continue to catch Furman slinging barbecue around Atlanta until the restaurant opens in August, including on the weekends at Pure Quill Superette in Edgewood.
Mothers Best
Fried chicken and cocktails
406 Church Street, Decatur
It’s been a long road toward opening this Decatur fried chicken and cocktail establishment across from Chef Terry Koval’s The Deer and the Dove. Blame the delay on pesky construction hiccups continuing to crop up since Ean Bancroft and Ross Winecoff announced Mothers Best last spring. Taking over the former Calle Latina space, Bancroft and Winecoff will serve buckets of fried chicken, fried chicken sandwiches, and fried chicken tenders here. Expect sides of red beans and rice, brined collard green coleslaw dressed in Duke’s mayo, and a fast-casual take on Robuchon potatoes. A takeout window will dole out fried chicken sandwiches during Golden Hour, along with cocktails and frozen drinks. If all goes well, we could see Mothers Best debuting in late-summer.