Sunday Edition
Sunday, Oct. 18 — Good morning! Beth McKibben here, Rough Draft’s editor-in-chief and dining editor, back on Sunday newsletter duty. It’s a perfect day to drop in on the High Museum’s Centennial Block Party from noon-5 p.m.
☀️ After a chilly morning, it will be sunny with a high of 66° today.
My husband and I recently returned from London and Kent, in southeast England, home to Canterbury and its grand cathedral. London is an A+ food city, and I’m not sad that I’ve become a regular at two restaurants there. One restaurant even remembered us from a previous trip. A new find also became a fast favorite: We went three times in 10 days. So, in the spirit of sharing (never gatekeeping), you’ll find a few of my favorite London restaurants from the trip later in the newsletter.
But first, here’s some news.
LOCAL NEWS AND EVENTS
🏀 The Atlanta Dream fell 68-64 to the Golden State Valkyries in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals yesterday after shooting 2-for-14 in the fourth quarter. Game 2 is Mon., Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. in San Francisco.
🏈 Unranked Auburn stunned No. 1 Georgia 27-24 in Athens, rallying from a 14-0 deficit to win on a walk-off field goal. It was only Georgia’s third home loss since 2017. Five of the AP’s top seven teams lost yesterday.
➡ In yesterday’s other local college football results:
- James Madison 49, Georgia State 22
- Clark Atlanta 17, Allen University 14
- Virginia Tech 34, Georgia Tech 24
- Howard 31, Morehouse 17
- Mercer 31, Samford 21
📣 No Kings rallies across North Georgia, including one in Virginia-Highland, urged voters Saturday to cast ballots early for the Nov. 3 midterms.
💲 Invest Atlanta approved a $330 million lease-purchase bond for Amsterdam Walk, a large mixed-use development next to the Beltline’s Northeast Trail at the edge of Virginia-Highland and Morningside.
🚶 Atlanta Streets Alive takes place this afternoon, from 2-6 p.m. The car-free route from West End to Grant Park includes food, music, and activities.
🍎 The annual Georgia Apple Festival concludes today in Ellijay. Expect more than 250 arts-and-crafts vendors, live music, and food.
🛞 Michelin will reveal its 2026 Guide to the American South at a ceremony in Nashville on Wed., Oct. 21. Look for the complete list of metro Atlanta restaurants in the guide online at Rough Draft that night. Watch the ceremony live here.
⚽ Lionel Messi scored twice as Inter Miami beat Atlanta United 3-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium last night.
🏈 The Falcons host the Chicago Bears at Mercedes-Benz Stadium today at 1 p.m. (Fox; 92.9 FM)
ELSEWHERE
🇻🇦 Pope Leo XIV was discharged from the hospital yesterday, four days after undergoing lung cancer surgery.
🇫🇷 Hundreds of thousands of protesters across France clashed with police and looted shops on Saturday over rising living costs. Rioters set fire to the 143-year-old town hall in Limoges, largely destroying the landmark.
🌞 La Roche-Posay and Neutrogena began rolling out U.S. sunscreens with bemotrizinol, a filter Korean brands have used for years and the FDA’s first new sunscreen ingredient in more than 25 years.
🎈 A hundred years of art in Atlanta calls for more than one party. Expect special exhibitions, collection favorites returning to the galleries, music, family programs, and one-of-a-kind events that honor the past and look toward the next 100 years. See what’s planned at the High. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Beth’s mini restaurant guide to London
💂 Every time I travel to London, I discover new-to-me restaurants. You’ll often find me frequenting restaurants in Bethnal Green and Hackney (including De Beauvoir Town) in East London; Fitzrovia, Soho, and Marylebone in the West End; and Highbury and Holloway in North London.
Below are the restaurants I enjoyed most on a recent trip. (Save this list.)
💯 London go-to
Brawn (Bethnal Green)
On regular rotation; Columbia Road (yes, the one with the famous Sunday flower market); hyper-seasonal cuisine; fresh-caught fish dishes; natural wine; cocktails; good for couples and groups of four; limited bar seating; reservations recommended.
🥰 New favorite
Goodbye Horses (De Beauvoir Town; pictured)
Now on regular rotation; Michelin Bib Gourmand; recommended by a London food-writer friend; wine and listening bar; lively yet relaxed vibe; small bites and oysters; good for couples, groups, hangs in the courtyard; reservations recommended.
🇲🇾 Casual dinner
Mambow (Hackney)
Michelin Bib Gourmand; Malaysian restaurant; cozy seating inside and on covered patio; get the mussels (stir-fried with pineapple and shrimp floss), ayam percik (half chicken in a spiced coconut glaze) with sambal belacan, mung bean coconut custard tart; solid wine list, tight cocktail and beer list; reservations recommended.
😘 Romantic dinner
Akub (Notting Hill)
Recommended by a London food-writer friend; named for a flowering thistle; Palestinian cuisine incorporating UK-grown ingredients; Palestinian wines; cozy, warm lighting; bread service is a must; fava bean stew; arak-cured monkfish; mujadara (rice, lentils, fried onions, sumac); reservations recommended.
🤩 Michelin-starred splurge
Chishuru (Fitzrovia)
One Michelin star; West African tasting menu with wine pairings; abbreviated tasting for theater ticket holders; must-order okra martini; pescatarian and vegetarian options on request; reservations necessary.
➕ Bonus recs
Westerns Laundry (Highbury and Holloway; wine, small plates)
Quality Wines (Farringdon; wine, small plates, pasta)
Master Wei (Bloomsbury; Xi’an cuisine)
🍽️ Museum restaurants
The Tate Modern Restaurant (Bankside, Southwark)
Breathtaking views of the Thames, Millennium Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Victoria and Albert Museum Cafe (South Kensington)
World’s first museum restaurant; stunning Victorian-era dining room; cafeteria-style service.
Great Court Restaurant at the British Museum (Bloomsbury)
Mezzanine level; full afternoon tea; full-service restaurant and bar; reservations necessary for tea, recommended for lunch.
⭐ Best Canterbury meal
The Fordwich Arms
One Michelin star; hyper-seasonal a la carte or tasting menu; polished service; deep wine list; superb martini; cozy English pub on the banks of the River Stour outside Canterbury; reservations necessary.
The High Centennial Block Party
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM
🎉 Happening this weekend! Join the High Museum today, Sun., Oct. 18, from noon to 5 p.m. for the celebration of a lifetime. Giveaways, immersive experiences, the custom beer we made with Wild Heaven, and exciting photo moments are all in the works. This is one you don’t want to miss! Learn more here.
Leaf-peeping in the North Georgia mountains
🍁 Much closer to home, how about a day trip to the North Georgia mountains for some leaf-peeping? We’ve got the hookup from the Georgia Forestry Commission.
The commission tracks the changing colors throughout North Georgia and regularly reports this very important intel to the public with photos, best viewing spots, and timelines for peak peeping in the mountains.
Metro Atlanta leaves start changing at the beginning of November, peaking right before Thanksgiving. My favorite tree to watch change colors each fall is the beloved ginkgo on the front lawn of the High Museum. Fall is truly here when its leaves turn a golden yellow. You can’t miss that sudden shock of color on Peachtree in early November.
🏞️ Read the latest “Leaf Watch Report” to plan a mountain day trip.
🥳 Free museum entry on Oct. 21! Access for All Day is Centennial-themed this month. Join the High for fun conversations in the gallery, a collection story you probably haven’t heard before, and postcard-making. Register for your free day of art. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Refer friends, see Yacht Rock Revue
Win 2 tickets to see Yacht Rock Revue on Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Stave Room!
Share your personal referral link below with friends, and if at least 3 new subscribers sign up for Rough Draft by Monday, Oct. 19, you’ll be entered to win a pair of tickets!
P.S. The best places to share? Facebook, LinkedIn, or your favorite group text.
Share your personal referral link below:
Do the Time Warp at Symphony Hall tonight
🚀 While this story might not be about traveling per se, it’s certainly about transporting yourself to another dimension for an hour and 40 minutes.
With Halloween approaching, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” returns to Atlanta Symphony Hall tonight at 7 p.m. The screening comes less than two months after the death of Tim Curry, who originated the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The event includes a shadow-cast performance, costume contest, a special tribute to Curry, and a Q&A with original stars Barry Bostwick (Brad Majors) and Nell Campbell (Columbia), with a meet-and-greet for VIP ticket holders.
“Rocky Horror” began in 1973 as a London stage musical playing to an audience of 64 and quickly became a hit, Georgia Voice’s Katie Burkholder writes. Soon after its release in 1975, the film itself reached cult status, with midnight showings that developed into a participatory play-within-a-movie affair, complete with shadow casts lip-syncing along with characters and audiences using props, dancing, and shouting call-outs.
🎩 Tickets are still available for tonight’s show. Read Katie’s story. And don’t forget your costume!
🏛️ Curious about Midtown history? This walking tour on Oct. 29 is for you! Learn about the architects who designed the buildings that have housed the High throughout its 100-year-old history. Get your tickets! SPONSOR MESSAGE
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