Brunch is feminism, actually!
May 7 — Hello, internet friends.
🌷 Did you know that Mother’s Day brunch honors an early victory in the women’s suffrage movement? I didn’t either. According to NPR, the right for women to dine in public sans-chaperone (scandalous!) was one of the suffrage movement’s initial triumphs.
Yes, we’ve prepared a Mother’s Day brunch guide, that also includes a few non-brunch events.
👀 In this week’s Quick Bites, get the scoop on two new restaurants coming to Alpharetta, a local author’s new cookbook, and an industry veteran who could use support during a tough time.
Today’s “Side Dish” features a story on the ongoing legal saga of Pihakis Restaurant Group, which owns Rodney Scott’s BBQ and other restaurants in Atlanta. Beth McKibben brings you details on the closure of How Crispy Express in Summerhill. Plus, there’s a quick ode to my favorite chicken barg kebab at Yalda.
🌀 In the May 5 edition of “Family Meal,” you can catch up on the Bellwood Coffee mural developments in Grant Park and read my story on Hurricane Helene’s impact on Georgia’s pecan industry, which won its category last night at the Atlanta Press Club Awards of Excellence.
See y’all next week,
🍰 Sarra
QUICK BITES
Openings
🥞 All-day brunch spot The Bistro by Whisk is now open in East Point. Unlike its sister restaurant, Whisk, The Bistro closes on Sundays.
🐔 Arnaldo Castillo’s Peruvian rotisserie chicken pop-up, Hermanita, launched its residency at Tio Licho’s this week. Get your pollo a la brasa fix on Monday nights starting at 5 p.m.
👐 After a temporary closure, Chow a la Carte at Uptown Atlanta near the Lindbergh MARTA station is back in business. Breakfast and lunch resume next week.
🇬🇭 Ike’s Cafe & Grill opened a location in Marietta last month. The West African restaurant will host a grand opening on Friday, complete with a ribbon cutting and multiple food specials. Score free puff puff with a coffee purchase in the morning, $12 lunch deals, and a free Ghanaian nkate cake (contains peanuts) with vanilla ice cream tomorrow evening.
Coming attractions
🍣 Owners of Juni Sushi Restaurant filed a permit with the City of Atlanta to open a location at 1081 Juniper St. in Midtown, taking over the former Einstein’s Bagels.
🇹🇼 A second location of Doraville Taiwanese fried chicken, coffee, and boba spot Java Saga will open soon in Alpharetta.
🇮🇹 Italian panetteria and pasticceria Giulia Italian Bakery will open a location in downtown Alpharetta. It joins locations in Peachtree Corners and East Cobb.
Cookbook release
📖 Atlanta author and fermentation specialist Julia Skinner will publish “Essential Food Preserving: The Comprehensive Guide” on May 19. Skinner’s other books include “Our Fermented Lives” and “The Fermentation Oracle.” Preorder from Bookshop.org here.
Menu updates
🍸Yeppa & Co’s Eastside Beltline location launched Lo Snack, an Italian lunch and snack window inspired by Rimini’s beach club culture. A portion of the proceeds from the window will go toward a friend of the restaurant’s leukemia treatment. Expect pastas, focaccia panini, skewers, salads, gelato, and an apertivo hour.
🍝 Inman Park Italian restaurantAmore e Amore debuted an early bird dinner special, Tuesday through Thursday. The $50 prix-fixe menu includes pastas, classic Italian dishes, and desserts. There’s also a $20 kids menu.
Pihakis Restaurant Group legal update
💰 A Delaware-based financial firm is suing Charleston’s Rodney Scott’s BBQ and Nick Pihakis of Pihakis Restaurant Group for failure to make timely payments on a loan, WCIV reports.
Industry veteran in need
💗 A GoFundMe page raising $4,000 for Atlanta restaurant industry veteran Kelly Youssef (il Giallo, Brasserie le Coze, F&B Atlanta) was posted last week. Youssef, a two-time cancer survivor, needs two surgeries to remove rapid and increased activity in her throat.
Add to your calendar
☕ Coffee shop and roastery Radio Roasters in Avondale Estates will host a free public cupping on Friday at noon. DM on Instagram to RSVP.
🚗 Hapeville’s Coffee & Chrome car and motorcycle show launches this Saturday at Jess Lucas Y-Teen Park. Look for free biscuits and coffee (first-come, first-served) while viewing rare and classic cars and motorbikes. Coffee & Chrome takes place every second Saturday of the month through Sept. 12.
💃 La Fiesta en Hapeville returns May 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Jess Lucas Y-Teen Park. Admission and parking are free. Expect salsa dancing lessons, local food and art vendors, face painting, inflatables, and a mechanical bull. The Brass Tap, Corner Tavern, and Sombreros Mexican Cantina are already on board as food stalls.
Sip, savor, and celebrate!
SPONSORED BY FOOD THAT ROCKS
🥂 Food That Rocks 2026 returns to City Springs on June 4 as Sandy Springs’ all-inclusive tasting event, presented by Taste of Atlanta.
From 6–10 p.m. for VIP entry and starting at 7 p.m. for general admission, guests sample bites from more than 25 neighborhood restaurants alongside craft cocktails, beer, and wine tastings. The under-the-stars evening features live music from Band X, chef meet-and-greets, and interactive sponsor activations.
Celebrating Sandy Springs’ growing culinary scene, the event brings together local favorites and new spots for one high-energy night of food, drinks, and community.
TOP STORIES
What Pihakis Restaurant Group’s legal troubles mean for Atlanta
😮 What do four sudden restaurant closures in metro Atlanta all have in common? The parent company, Pihakis Restaurant Group, which owes nearly $14 million in lawsuits and liens.
Rodney Scott’s BBQ on the border between Adair Park and Pittsburgh was the latest casualty.
⏩ Read about the affected restaurants here.
How Crispy Express closing in Summerhill this weekend
🐔 Fried chicken sandwich shop How Crispy Express closes Sunday after four years along Georgia Avenue.
Partner Greg Best told Beth that lease negotiations between How Crispy and its landlord broke down after both parties were unable to agree on extended lease terms. This coupled with rising ingredient costs, the addition of paid parking in the neighborhood, and diminishing foot traffic made operating the Summerhill chicken joint unsustainable.
⏩ Read the full story here.
Mother’s Day roundup!
❣️ Just in case you haven’t finalized your Sunday plans, we’ve rounded up some Mother’s Day restaurant specials and events in metro Atlanta.
⏩ Read the full roundup here.
AT THE MARKET
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKETS
🫐 Each week, Rough Draft Atlanta and Community Farmers Markets partner to bring you two recipes using ingredients from the local farmers market. We’re focusing on blueberries this time around, with a berry crumble and blueberry pie. Check out both recipes here.
THAT SLAPS
🥙 This is a surprise to absolutely no one, but I love Persian food. In fact, the majority of my food delivery app purchases are kebabs or kebab-related.
On Sunday, I ordered from Yalda for our family lunch. I usually rotate restaurants, but we had multiple cravings for barg (marinated sirloin) kebab.
My general move is the chicken barg kebab, salad shirazi, and kashk-e bademjan, which is exactly what’s pictured above. I’m also extremely grateful that the restaurant included a few sabzi plate kits because my grandparents tore those up.
🥰 I tend to order too much. But it just means that my husband and I get to enjoy the leftovers for several days.
We’re always looking for recipes to highlight on Rough Draft. If you have a favorite dish from a restaurant you want the recipe for, please send me an email to sarra@roughdraftatlanta.com.
