Restaurant closures
ICYMI the last remaining intown location of Taco Mac closed in Midtown earlier this week. Located on Peachtree Street, the sports bar and restaurant closed abruptly on Monday, just three weeks after the sudden closure of the original location in Virginia-Highland. A representative declined to speak further on the closure of the OG Taco Mac last month, including what specifically led to the decision, other than it was part of “Taco Mac’s strategic evolution and regional growth plan.” It appears this may also be the case for Taco Mac in Midtown.
Peter Chung and Sean Chang closed Mukja Korean Fried Chicken this week after nearly five years in Midtown. For Chang, who is wheelchair-bound following a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down, said the closure simply came down to prioritizing his health. “…health comes first above all else. I do have some good days, but the majority of the month is a struggle, and I’m tired of having to give 110% to even function normally,” Chang wrote in the closure post. “Being disabled is difficult enough, but having an injury with subsiding pain and problems makes it so much more difficult to continue.”
Mini food hall Social Bites closed last week after less than a year on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. Dubbed a “food hub” rather than a food hall by owner Experiential Brands, Social Bites featured a bar and four fast food restaurants serving everything from hot chicken to tacos across two levels. However, an Instagram post indicated the owners are looking for a new location.
Coming attractions
A fourth location of Little Tart Bakeshop will open next year in Candler Park. The popular bakery and cafe, owned by Sarah O’Brien, will take over the former Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party space on McLendon Avenue. The tea room relocated to Grant Park earlier this year, becoming part of biscuit and coffee shop Howdy ATL across from Zoo Atlanta.
Thai restaurant Tyde Tate Kitchen will open this summer in the former Recess space at Krog Street Market, according to a press release. Owned by brother and sister Sai Untachantr and Bank Bhamaraniyama, Tyde Tate includes locations at Chattahoochee Food Works and along Hotel Row in South Downtown.
More Krog Street Market news
Hop off the Eastside Beltline for a drink and snacks at the Refreshtent posted outside Ticonderoga Club at Krog Street Market. All summer long on the weekends, from noon to 3 p.m., Ticonderoga Club will serve frozen drinks and snacks like BEC sandwiches from a tent just outside the back door to the restaurant off Krog Street.
Must-attend June dining events
Starting June 12, Tio Lucho’s chef Arnaldo Castillo will kick off a month-long residency at Wild Heaven Beer in Avondale Estates, serving Peruvian street food from his Hermanita pop-up.
On June 22, a Juneteenth edition of Bien Vegano Market takes place at King of Pops world headquarters on Decatur Street. Starting at 4 p.m., expect vegan food from Black restaurant pop-ups and chefs, along with drinks, DJs, and dancing.
Also on June 22, Kevin Gillespie’s Glenwood Park restaurant Gunshow will host Charleston-based chefs and restaurateurs Jill Mathias and Juan Cassellet, co-owners of Chez Nous and Malagón Mercado y Tapería. Part of the restaurant’s “Hired Guns” series, expect a menu of traditional tapas dishes using ingredients from Spain and the South Carolina Low Country. Tickets are $300 per person. Dinner begins at 8:30 p.m.
The second annual Atlanta International Night Market returns to Chamblee City Hall June 27-28 with over 60 food and craft vendors representing countries from around the world. Free to attend, the festival is expected to draw close to 10,000 people over the weekend, celebrating food, art, and cultural performances from Asian, Latin American, and European countries.