Atlanta Award Winners
Remember our profile earlier this week on Atlanta chef and The New South collective member Christan Willis, who competed on “Chopped” Tuesday night? Willis won the Food Network cooking competition! The Atlanta native and private chef went head-to-head against three other chefs on “Chopped.” Dozens of supporters gathered for a watch party at cocktail bar MidCity ATL in Midtown to learn whether Willis had won, which she did and had to keep secret for weeks.
Atlanta cookbook author and food writer Nandita Godbole was honored at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Lisbon this month, receiving a Special Award of the Jury for her 2023 cookbook “Masaleydaar: Classic Indian Spice Blends”.
Automat Burgers
The Emerald City Bagels automat on the Eastside Beltline will temporarily transition from serving bagel sandwiches to burgers on July 5. Cameron Lukkar of Camburgers pop-up burger stand will take over the automat starting at 5 p.m. on July 5, stuffing the vending machine full of cheeseburgers. Lukkar is also one half of the Shuckboyz, the roving oyster pop-up we told you about in May that serves raw and chargrilled oysters on patios around Atlanta, including at Pure Quill Superette.
New Milton Steakhouse
Chef Nick Leahy will open Vice Steak Bar at Heritage Walk in Milton on July 1, next door to his burger joint, Smash Burger by Vice. The two restaurants source beef from Leahy’s butcher shop and market, Vice Kitchen, on Medlock Bridge in Johns Creek. The menu at Vice Steak features a family-style platter serving up to six people, which comes with American wagyu and a cowboy ribeye accompanied by four side dishes and two sauces for $165.
Atlanta Brewery Expansion
The original location of Monday Night Brewing in Berkeley Park will debut its expansion in August, which also coincides with the opening of the new northwest section of the Beltline. Called The Grove, expect a taproom, patio, and an amphitheater-style outdoor space located adjacent to the new section of the pedestrian trail that connects Northside Drive with Howell Mill Road. Read more here.
Battery Atlanta Openings
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux officially opened on Monday at the Battery Atlanta, just outside Truist Park, home of Braves baseball. The sports bar serves a Cajun-inspired food menu and features 50 TVs.
Shake Shack opens at the Battery Atlanta on June 30, to include a double-sided bar with outdoor seating, a walk-up window serving beer and cocktails, free arcade games, and a hot dog cart on game days.
Midtown Coffee News
The Piedmont Park location of Henri’s Bakery is now open adjacent the aquatic center for coffee, sandwiches, pastries, and other baked goods. Henri’s is currently open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Over on Peachtree Street, the Midtown location of Spiller Park Coffee will likely open by the end of August at 999 Peachtree, the same building as Lazy Betty. Owner Dale Donchey gave followers a peek at the progress at the new location, which will include coffee, toasts, and bagels. “I have a lot of personal history in that building, starting out with Hugh Acheson and Empire State South,” Donchey told Rough Draft last year about the new Midtown location. “And I’ve always wanted a Spiller Park sign on Peachtree. Now I’m getting one, and to me putting your mark on Peachtree Street like that is one of the most Atlanta things you can do.” Read more here.
Lee + White Parking Update
Beginning Sept. 1, the Lee + White complex along the Westside Beltline in West End will charge for parking at the complex, which includes ASW Distillery, breweries Monday Night and Wild Heaven, El Tesoro, Hop City Beer and Wine, Bovino After Dark, Boxcar, and a food hall. According to the Instagram post, the first two hours to park will remain free. After two hours, however, patrons will need to pay $5 for up to five hours of parking. For people parking beyond five hours, the fee becomes $10. In response to feedback, Lee & White plans to double the number of bike racks at the sprawling West End complex. Parking remains free at Lee + White through August.
Food Events
Black chefs collective The New South will hold its next dinner at Auburn Angel in Sweet Auburn on June 29, to include eight courses of dishes by chefs Rodney Smith, Robert Butts, Demetrius Brown, Jaye Smith, Gary Caldwell, India Johnson, Carlos Granderson, and Chryssie Lewis. Tickets are $124.56 per person.
The Atlanta Music Arts and Culture Foundation (AMAAC) will host its inaugural Food & Spirits Fest, starting June 29, in conjunction with the FIFA 2025 Club Cup games taking place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The festival resides at Rodney Cook Sr. Park in Vine City and runs through July 5.
Tickets are now on sale for the annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, taking place Sept. 11-14. Expect four days of tasting tents, chef demonstrations, and special dinners. Tickets start at $99 per person.
