This story is from Side Dish, our weekly Thursday newsletter about Atlanta’s dining scene. Subscribe for free via the Newsletters tab at the top of this page.
In celebration of O-Ku’s ninth anniversary on Howell Mill Road, check out the Nigiri Flight, available only during the week of Dec. 15-21. Highlights include the yakiniku A5 wagyu with shiitake mushroom “bacon” and Japanese barbecue sauce; the smoky hamachi with smoked yellowtail, tomato, pesto, and ponzu; the crème de la crème featuring otoro, black truffle, and caviar; and the snow king – blue crab, garlic butter and yuzu koshō. The Japanese fried chicken with a sriracha-inspired twist is also on the menu through the end of January. You can make reservations here.
Westside Motor Lounge includes a new bar. Echo Room – an all-vinyl listening lounge – is now in full swing. Curated by four Atlanta DJs – DJ Kemit, Kai Alcé, Salah Ananse, and Mike Zarin, along with WML’s Kelly Campbell – you can stay updated through their Instagram.
Handel’s homemade ice cream opens their 150th location nationwide in Buckhead this week. For more updates and to check out their flavors of the month, visit their Instagram.
Soberish locations in Kirkwood and Serenbe are offering two spirit-free tasting events this month. On Dec. 14, you can explore botanical blends from Drømme with adaptogens and nootropics, and on Dec. 21, you can sample non-alcoholic bitters by All the Bitter. For more details on how to participate, visit their website.
If it is Christmas takeaway you are after, check out what Decatur’s Wahoo! Grill has in store. Their three-course Christmas to-go menu feeds up to 10 people, spotlights turkey or ham, and offers a selection of sides including mac and cheese, collard greens, and mashed potatoes. Salad and dessert options are also included. One caveat: be sure to place your order by Sat., Dec. 14.
Attention Tim Hortons fans! If you are one of the first 50 cars in line for the grand opening of Tim Hortons at 110 Vaughan Road in Suwanee this Saturday, you might just land free coffee for a year. Celebrations for the new location include 10-packs of Timbits for $1 (while supplies last), and a visit from Santa starting at 1 p.m. Keep tabs on updates by following their Instagram.
Get ready for an Ugly Sweater Holiday Contest as part of Vesper’s Old Fashioned Holiday Party on Dec. 18. The Glenwood Park restaurant will feature riffs on traditional cocktails and zero-proof selections along with special prizes and surprise giveaways. Festive attire is encouraged. For more information visit here.
SAVOR – an inaugural community dinner – showcases the culinary talent of The Works, features live music, and raises proceeds for Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit supporting hospitality staff in need. The event – featuring a multi-course dinner and dessert, complete with appetizers and festive drinks – will kick off at 6 p.m. on Dec. 19. You can make your reservations here.
Craving breakfast for dinner? The Alpharetta location of Snooze is hosting a Snooze After Dark holiday event on Thurs., Dec. 19 featuring an appetizer, entree, dessert, cookie decorating, and two drink tickets. Plus, 100% of ticket sales will also be donated to Giving Kitchen. You can purchase your tickets here. Snooze is also running a nationwide Pancake It Forward initiative throughout December. Fill out the form and gift a free pancake to a family member or friend.
All four of Sugar Shane’s locations in Atlanta are featuring Cookie for a Cause throughout December. Sales from the limited-edition Turtle Dove cookie – a combination of dark chocolate, pecans, milk chocolate chips, and caramel – will benefit Life Interrupted, an organization offering financial, emotional, and mental support to those recovering from unexpected loss.
Going, going…Lingering Shade’s Holiday Cocktail Class has proven so popular that they are adding an encore edition on Dec. 22; you can register here while spots remain. And be sure to check out their menu of other festive cocktails – including the Campfire Manhattan, Blitzen’s Warm-Up, the Santa-Rita, Prancer’s Eggnog, Donner’s Cider, and the classic Peppermint Martini. For more updates follow their Instagram here.
Here are a few holiday highlights in Atlanta’s Summerhill neighborhood:
- Holiday cookie boxes are back at Little Tart Bake Shop. You can place your order via their website. And, while their Buche de Noel offerings are sold out, you can still nab a buttermilk chess pie with cranberry jam or a maple pecan pie with dark chocolate. Check out the full list of Christmas offerings here.
- Even though the Jewish Chinese Christmas prix-fixe dinner at Little Bear is booked for Dec. 25, you can join the waitlist here in case cancellations arise.
- Boevenmarkt Holiday Markets are live at the Halfway Crooks Biergarten on Dec. 14, Dec. 15, and Dec. 21. Guests can shop local vendors and enjoy seasonal beverages and live performances. You can also sample two limited-edition holiday beers: Descent – a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout – and Boeven, a Flemish-style winter ale.
