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A new Southern restaurant from DASH Hospitality Group will replace Steak & Grace in Dunwoody this spring.
The Dunwoody Village steakhouse, owned by Barry Mills (Big B’s Fish Joint), closed earlier this month after less than a year in business. DASH Hospitality Group founder David Abes scooped up the space to open {S}table Comfort Food {n} Cocktails in April, adding to his collection of restaurants at “Funwoody” Village. Abes also owns Bar{n} Booze and Bites, Morty’s Meat Supply, Message In a Bottle, and Good Vibes Ice Cream.
“I sold Steak & Grace to David, who owns multiple successful restaurants in Dunwoody Village,” Mills told Rough Draft when asked what prompted the decision to sell. “[I’m] proud of what the team built this past year [at Steak & Grace] and am excited to see what David does with the space.”
But the decision to sell Steak & Grace wasn’t a sudden one. Mills reached out to Abes right after Thanksgiving to present the idea. Abes said taking over the Dunwoody Village steakhouse and rebranding it just made sense.
“It’s the same landlord [Regency Centers] as my other restaurants, so it made things a lot easier and streamlined the process. [Barry] is focused on B’s Fish Joint right now,” Abes said. “We threw out a couple of different concepts and really loved the idea of Southern food.”
Once Abes and his team settled on a Southern restaurant, they spent December testing dishes and finalizing design plans for {S}table.
{S}table (pronounced “stable”) plays on the words stable and “table,” with braces separating the ‘s’ to highlight table in the name. It’s similar to how Abes played on the words “bar” and “barn” for his Dunwoody Village restaurant Bar{n} Booze and Bites. The names {S}table and Bar{n} (pronounced barn) also pay homage to Dunwoody’s agrarian roots and Abes’ childhood riding horses at nearby Banister Farm.
The menu for {S}table, under the direction of Chef Camron Woods, will feature starters like the Southern Lazy Susan, a cheese and charcuterie board with Georgia gouda, pimento cheese, smoked duck, and country ham. Barbecue pulled pork dumplings will come served with chow chow and garlic chili crisp, while apricot-pepper jelly and sorghum butter will accompany the buttermilk biscuit and cornbread basket.
For entrees, expect buttermilk fried chicken, Georgia mountain trout “pecandine,” and whole-roasted quail served with cornbread dressing. Woods will also offer a daily meat-and-two option, with seasonal vegetables and protein choices like fried catfish, meatloaf, and pot roast.
At the bar, look for wines from American producers, domestic beers, and Southern-leaning cocktails, including a sorghum Old Fashioned, a riff on the Mint Julep, and the Atlanta Sazerac made with peach bitters.
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While flattered that some longtime residents consider {S}table an ode to the Old Hickory House in Dunwoody, Abes said people should think of {S}table as a tribute to former Chastain Park restaurant Horseradish Grill (currently The Chastain).
“I was the general manager of Horseradish Grill in the 1990s, right after the Olympics. This restaurant will be similar, in that it’s casual but refined,” said Abes. “We have Morty’s, our barbecue and Americana restaurant. I would say, that’s my ode to Hickory House.”
With Mills having undertaken the major renovation work needed for Steak & Grace, Abes said the build out for {S}table should move fairly quickly. Abes will warm up the dining room and bar with fresh paint, new light fixtures, and homey design elements like seat cushions. The biggest transformation will take place on the patio, which Abes will redo into an all-weather space meant to resemble a horse barn, complete with chandeliers and an outdoor bar.
For now, Abes said he has no other new restaurants in the works, beyond expanding Morty’s into the old dentist office next door. Set to open in March, the Morty’s expansion will include a stage for weekly karaoke and dueling piano shows.
“[Steak & Grace] just fell in my lap. I think {S}table is going to be a great addition to my other restaurants,” said Abes. “I’ve been offered spaces in Buckhead and Midtown, but Dunwoody’s my home. I just want all of my restaurants to be gathering spots for the community.”
{S}table Comfort Food and Cocktails, 1317 Dunwoody Village Pkwy, Dunwoody. Opening in April 2026.