Gio’s Chicken Amalfitano

I've been wanting to try this spot by the owner of Antico Pizza for a while! They only have a few items on the menu so it is easier for them to do a good job in my opinion. We had the Scarpiello roasted chicken (Salsiccia, dolce piccante peppers, cipolline, aceto rosso). It also comes with a side salad and garlic bread. This was very delicious! We will be back for sure and this time I might bring a bottle of wine. It's BYOB if you like but they also have wine there. We saw a few people with Antico pizza boxes so it is pretty relaxed with bringing other food in.

littleitalia.com
1099 Hemphill Ave
Atlanta, GA 30318
Georgia Tech, Westside / Home Park

Fox Theater Marquee Club

Heard recently about the new bar on top of the Fox Theater and wanted to find out more information.  This article has pictures and when it is available.  It is available to people with tickets for shows or for rented special events.  The picture above sells it for me!

More info click here:  http://atlanta.curbed.com/2016/10/14/13281224/fox-theatre-rooftop-bar-marquee-club-renderings

5Church Partner & Chef Jamie Lynch will be on Bravo's Top Chef Season 14

Watch Sneak Preview Here!

BeetleCat's Low-Country Smoke Out & Patio Party November 5th

From the folks at Scoutmob and Beetlecat:

It’s hard to beat a good old-fashioned low-country boil, but the good folks at BeetleCat may be giving the classic meal a run for its money. This month they’re dialing up the heat with their very own Low-Country Smoke Out. Ring in fall the right way at this exclusive seafood extravaganza, featuring bottomless smoked seafood and craft beer.

• Event on Saturday, November 5th at Beetlecat from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.

WHAT TO EXPECT

• $59 Admission to an exclusive event at one of chef Ford Fry's newest (and highly celebrated) eateries
• An all-you-can-eat seafood smorgasbord, smoked on site by executive chef Andrew Isabella
• Open draft beer bar sponsored by Wicked Weed Brewing
• A fall afternoon of food and fun on the BeetleCat patio

SCOUT NOTES

Summer may be over, but that’s not stopping BeetleCat from throwing one more coastal cookout. Ford Fry’s Inman Park “oyster-ette” is welcoming fall in the best way possible: an outdoor party complete with an all-you-can-eat-and-drink smoked seafood smorgasbord and craft beer bar.

Since opening last year, BeetleCat has been dishing out the same quality seafood as its sister restaurant The Optimist, but in the form of casual small plates served in a relaxing ocean-inspired atmosphere (fun fact: BeetleCat’s name refers to a miniature sailboat and the restaurant’s interior has a distinctive maritime design). It’s communal vibe and fun bar atmosphere have made it the hottest thing in Inman Quarter, with packed houses and long weekend wait times becoming the norm. Now the laid-back eatery is kicking their feet up even more, with a one-day only grill sesh featuring original seafood dishes served fresh of the smoker.

Guests can expect unique dishes like smoked squid pasta salad, barbeque fish collars, and smoked shrimp kielbasa, plus cookout essentials like potato salad and chicken wings. Executive Chef Andrew Isabella will be manning the big green egg himself, offering exclusive insight into each dish. Already a BeetleCat fan? This is your chance to get an unofficial lesson in seafood smoking from the chef himself, all while tasting a completely new and distinctive menu.

When you find yourself getting thirsty, head over to the open bar where you can grab a pint – or three – of some of Asheville’s finest craft beer courtesy of Wicked Weed Brewing. On tap will be one of the brewery’s newest year round offerings, a hopped up pale ale called Napoleon Complex.

A live DJ will be spinning tunes, and the party will extend from BeetleCat’s beautiful outdoor patio to the retro downstairs bar, modeled after a 70’s surfer den. So come ready to mingle and be sure to bring your appetite, because the smoker will be cranking out feast worthy seafood snacks all afternoon long.

INMAN PARK 

299 North Highland Avenue Northeast,

 

Atlanta, GA 30307

Get tickets here:  https://handpickedatlanta.com/checkout/payment

City Winery Atlanta

This new concert venue at Ponce City Market is an excellent way to see a show! They have wines on tap and full dinner. If you are not catching a show you can also hang out at the bar/restaurant upstairs. I had the shrimp and grits and it was phenomenal. Looking forward to going back to catch one of their jazz brunches sometime soon.  NOTE:  I love that they have a doggy menu too if you bring a pooch to the patio:  Click here for doggy menu!

See full schedule of upcoming shows:  www.citywinery.com/atlanta/

650 North Avenue, Ponce City Market, Atlanta, GA, 30308

404-946-3791

Negril Village

Had lunch at this cute spot in Midtown today.  Negril Village opened 2 years ago and specializes in Jamaican Food.  This former firehouse built in 1907 has lots of white marble tables and a patio outside and upstairs.  We really enjoyed the great food and the service.  We had the Jerk Chicken wings as an appetizer and pan seared salmon with sweet potatoes and a bourbon sauce.  I spoke with the server who said they also have a Tuesday-Friday Happy Hour downstairs with rum punch specials.   I will be back to check out the Weekend Brunch with bottomless mimosas!

30 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30308

(404) 464-7159

www.negrilvillageatl.com

Beef Jerky Bar???

Wandered into Biltong Bar at Ponce City Market recently and was very surprised/excited/impressed. This South African snacks bar has great ambiance with huge windows and bar seating overlooking Ponce and part of the Beltine.  Great music selection and craft cocktail menu.  Perfect place to unwind and have a "Something Something DANGER ZONE" or a "See You Space Cowboy".  Check out the beef jerky menu and definitely have the red bean hummus!

http://biltong-bar.com/

Address: Ponce City Market, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE ne152, Atlanta, GA 30308

Phone: (678) 515-0620

Good Eatin’ Great Cause Culinary Tour and Competition

Join us for Good Eatin’ Great Cause Culinary Tour and Competition!

Featuring metro Atlanta’s favorite restaurants and Chefs, an exciting Cooking Competition and a Super Silent Auction! You’ll enjoy an entertaining and energetic evening filled with incredible tapas style food tastings and great company!

All to benefit a great cause! 

Date: Thursday, September 15th / 6:00 -10:00pm 

Location: Cobb Galleria Exhibit Hall D

Tickets are just $75!

Tickets Include: Tastings of 25+ Restaurants, an Exciting Cooking Competition & More!

Purchase tickets here

Lots of fantastic Auction Items!

• Big Green Egg & Supplies
• Lodge Cookware
• Theatre Packages
• Dining Certificates
• Luxury Hotel Packages
• Jewelry and Personal Pampering Packages

* Proceeds to benefit SafePath Children's Advocacy Center

Greece vs. Italy Five-course Wine Dinner at Kyma

The folks at Buckhead Life Restaurant Group are hosting a 5 course dinner Wednesday August 24th:

 

Tap Beer Dinner Saturday, August 13

IT’S A WICKED WEED BEER DINNER!

Join Tap as they feature Wicked Weed with a beer dinner featuring some great brews and Chef Tyler Williams’ 5-paired courses!

When: Saturday, August 13

When: 7:30 p.m.

Price: $80 per person, excludes tax and gratuity

Click here to buy your tickets today!

TAP | 1180 Peachtree Street, Atlanta | tapat1180.com | 404.347.2220

T: @TAPat1180 | Insta: tapat1180

Herban Fix - Vegan Kitchen

I absolutely loved this place! It is located in Midtown across from the Bank of America building on Peachtree (right by North Ave). Pan-Asian dishes using strictly vegan, plant-based ingredients served in open, contemporary digs.  They have a gluten free menu as well.  I have had the mushroom steak, scallion pancake appetizer, spring rolls and also the veggie curry.  Both were phenom.  It is about time Atlanta got a yummy vegan restaurant (in a cool space with bar and private room to boot).  I also think their carrot cake might be one of the best I have had.  A must try.  Try it and let me know what you think!

More deets:

herbanfix.com/menus
565 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
(404) 815-8787

PARISH Friday Nashville Hot Chicken Night

From the folks at Parish:

FRIDAY NIGHTS JUST GOT A LITTLE BIT HOTTER…

Join us at PARISH for Friday Nashville Hot Chicken Night!

The exclusive menu includes:

-Nashville hot chicken wings, buttermilk, dill sour pickles for $6

-Nashville hot half chicken, tomato-celery salad, buttermilk, and soft white bread for $18

Chef Stuart Tracy’s Nashville Hot Chicken is only available Fridays nights from 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

PARISH is located at 240 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30307. For reservations, call 404.681.4434 or visit parishatl.com

Bring your Pooch to Happy Hour at Tap in Midtown!

From the Folks at Tap:

THE DOG DAYS ARE OVER…NOT, THEY’VE JUST BEGUN!

Join us every Sunday at TAP to relish the Dog Days of Summer!

Bring your pooch to dine with us, and enjoy ½ off mimosas and select craft beers!

We are kicking off the Dog Days on Sunday, June 26; we’ll see you on the patio! Reserve your seat: 404.347.2220 or tapat1180.com.

Cannot combine with any other offers.

TAP | 1180 Peachtree Street, Atlanta 30309 | 404.347.2220 | tapat1180.com

#mustlovedogs

#TAPDogDaysofSummer

Happy Hour Specials at Saltyard in Buckhead

Saltyard is offering now $1 oysters, $3 local brews and $5 wines Monday through Friday from 5-7

• 1820 Peachtree Rd NW
• Buckhead  (404) 382-8088
•  saltyardatlanta.com

Healthy Fast Food in Miami at Grown

Could this be the wave of the future?  An former NBA player's wife has come up with a healthy fast food restaurant chain in Miami.  After thorough research with Harvard Business School and School of Public Health her concept has become a reality.  This is a great article and I would love to see more businesses like this pop up in Atlanta and other US Cities!  Kudos to this entrepreneur.

View full article here 

Inman Park's Amer Mentioned in Zagat's "Hottest New Bars"

Atlanta: Amer

Why it's hot: More often than not, Atlanta's best new drinking spots wind up being the bars in equally exceptional restaurants. That's why it's great that this intimate, European-inspired cocktail bar, nestled into the hulking Inman Quarter development, is such a treat. The focus is squarely on smart, satisfying drinks mixed, stirred, shaken, layered and more, with managing partner Shanna Mayo, an ATL drink-scene vet, at the helm.
Must-order: The Bling Machine (vodka, blackberry, ginger, orgeat, vanilla, lemon juice and Chambord) if you're feeling fruity, the Deep Red (rye, mezcal, vermouth, grapefruit juice, Zucca, Cynar) for something funky.
Insider tip: The same owners also run Bocado; head there if you like what you find at Amer, but want something more substantial to eat than the available light bar fare.

299 N. Highland Ave; 404-600-5895

View full Zagat article here

....And They're Off!

Another Derby Day party...this time at JCT this Saturday May 7th.  Looks like no charge for this one.  Make sure you wear your big hat!

Crawfish Boil

This sounds like fun...a tad expensive but fun nonetheless.  New Orleans fans will approve.  Serpas is having a crawfish boil.  Details here:

Get Your Tickets Now for Our  Annual Crawfish Boil! Don't miss out on some good old-fashioned bayou fun! Chef Scott's annual Crawfish Boil returns to the Old Fourth Ward on Saturday, May 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and there are still tickets available! Tickets include: All-you-can-eat crawfish with corn & potatoes Jambalaya Potato salad Georgia strawberry cake One drink of choice (Abita Beer or specialty cocktail) Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased here.

Located at The Pavilion at Studioplex in the Old Fourth Ward historic district 659 Auburn Avenue Atlanta, GA 30312 404.688.0040 serpasrestaurant.com

Grant Park Farmer's Market

Grant Park Farmer's Market is open Sundays from 9:30 to 1:30 from April 3rd to December 18th.  It has grown in size and is worth checking out.  Since I visited a few years ago I noticed they now have more takeaway food to choose from.  You can eat everything from a Revolution Doughnut (get there before they sell out!) to a yummy Mexican style crepe from Crepe Masters (see below).  They have beauty products and other locally made goods as well.  Street parking is available and the address to put into GPS is 600 Cherokee Avenue SE.  More information available here:  http://cfmatl.org/grantpark/

Serpa's has a special Mother's Day Brunch

Celebrate Mom with Us On Sunday, May 8!

We are setting the brunch and dinner table with mom in mind! Join us, Sunday, May 8, for brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m. Executive chef Scott Serpas will be serving up a few off-the-menu specials along with favorites including, fried oyster eggs benedict with creamed spinach, tobasco hollandaise and hashbrowns, banana brown sugar french toast with cinnamon whipped cream and crispy bacon and our signaturebeignets. Reserve your table today by calling 404.688.0040 or visiting us atserpasrestaurant.com.

Is Atlanta Becoming the South’s Cultural Capital?

Great Article from Vogue Magazine yesterday praising Atlanta's quest for culture:

Is Atlanta Becoming the South’s Cultural Capital?

by CHRIS BLACK

Though Atlanta is arguably the capital of the South, most people have only spent time in the hectic Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on a layover. But the city has so much more to offer. Recently, it’s become a place to stop, explore, and be charmed. A new guard of entrepreneurs and restaurateurs has helped reshape many downtown neighborhoods, creating hubs for a burgeoning creative class hungry for culture, community, and seriously ambitious food. And please note: Atlanta’s famed hospitality is real, and so is the politeness. Here, a list of spots that are making Atlanta a destination—not just a layover.

Photo: Courtesy of The BeltLine

The Beltline
The original idea for the Beltline came from a student who wrote a paper on how to develop the old railroad tracks that encircle much of the city. Expected to span 33 miles when it’s finally complete, the Beltline is the long-awaited green space Atlanta needed. The pathway features parks, great views, public art, and vast areas to run or cycle. It also connects some of the city’s best neighborhoods—Ansley Park, Virginia Highlands, Midtown, Inman Park, and the Old Fourth Ward. If you need a break, head to King of Pops for an Arnold Palmer Popsicle.

Photo: Courtesy of Kimball House

Kimball House
Housed in an old Decatur train depot built in 1891, Kimball House is a wise Southern restaurant with little pretense. The menu changes seasonally and features produce from the eatery’s on-site vegetable garden. People come back for the extensive raw bar, where the oyster list includes varieties from all over the South and West Coast. It also has a much-lauded cocktail program that highlights traditionally prepared absinthe. Make sure to order the onion rings.

View Rest of Article Here

Mercury 1/2 priced Monday's

Labeled one of the “hottest new bars” in Atlanta by Zagat, this Ponce City Market spot will start serving half price cocktails ($5 – $7) all day on Mondays. Look for favorites such as Moscow Mules, Manhattans, Kir Royals and more. If you’re in a hurry, you can get drinks to go too.

675 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-500-5253, www.TheMercuryATL.com.

Inman Park Restaurant Week Menu at Parish

Inman Park Restaurant Week celebrates our community's exciting culinary scene. Join us at PARISH as we showcase what Inman Park has to offer! We will be serving a three-course $25 dinner menu for the event. See details below! When: Wednesday, March 30 - Sunday, April 3, 2016  Price: $25 per person excluding tax & gratuity  First, choice of:  - Spring Lettuces, Almond Dressing, Smoked Cheese  - Porcini Mushroom Soup, Crème Fraiche, Brioche  - Eggplant Dip, Charred Flat bread, spicy tomato, pickled cauliflower  Second, choice of:  - Half Roasted Chicken, Salsa Verde, Wilted Greens  - Sunburst Trout, French Beans, Potato Puree, Almondine Sauce  - Tagliatelle, Fava Beans, Braised Lamb  Third, choice of:  - Warm Chocolate Stout Cake; Fleur de Sel Ice Cream, Caramel, Brown Butter Cocoa Crumbles  - Tiramisu; Espresso & Mascarpone Cream, Rum -Soaked Lady Fingers  To make your reservations today, call 404.681.4434 or visit parishatl.com. 240 N.HIGHLAND AVENUE, ATLANTA GA, 30307 PH: 404.681.4434 FX:404.681.4435

Inman Park Restaurant Week March 28th – April 3rd

It's Inman Park Restaurant Week! Inman Park is a major culinary destination. Restaurant-rich, the area has more than 13 restaurants and pubs, offering American, Southern, European and ethnic cuisine. No wonder Inman Park has become an area with an increasingly sophisticated palate.  Here are the participating restaurants below:

Participating Restaurants

• $15 Menu
  • Fritti
  • North Highland Pub
  • Pure Taqueria
• $25 Menu
  • The Luminary
  • Barcelona Wine Bar
  • Fritti
  • il Localino
  • The Brasserie at PARISH
  • Rathbun’s
  • Sotto Sotto
  • The Wrecking Bar Brewpub
  • Wisteria
• $35 Menu
  • Cockentrice
  • il Localino
  • Kevin Rathbun Steak
  • Sotto Sotto
  • Wisteria

Zagat's 8 Totally Unique Bars in Atlanta

As a follow up to yesterday's Unique Zagat restaurants in Atlanta, we wanted to present this bar list.  Agree with it?  Have more to add?  Let us know!  

When you've been to one bar, you've been to them all, right? Not the case in Atlanta, where a number of nightlife spots don't focus their creativity on just the cocktails, but on the surroundings as well. These bars are curious, unique and sometimes just plain weird, but all worth a visit when you're looking for an interesting night out.

• Photo by: Kurz Creative

  
  
  
  
  Battle & Brew
  
  
  This Sandy Springs pub brings new life to the concept of bar entertainment, making itself a mecca for gamers with video stations where guests battle it out on the latest computer and console video games. The bar and food programs are just as playful, mashing up nerd culture with foodie fantasies, and keeping plenty of craft brews and creative cocktails on hand whenever a player needs a power up.
  
  
  What to Order: Go fully nerdy and order a glass of Pie ($7), an apple-juice-and-cider cocktail inspired by a cult drink found at the annual Dragon*Con convention.
  
  
  5920 Roswell Rd., Sandy Springs; 678-560-1500
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Czar Ice Bar
  
  
  At $400, the most city's most expensive cocktail (you get to keep the Swarovski crystal martini glass) can be found at this Buckhead oddity. While those looking for a bar built fully out of ice may be disappointed — try Vegas or Sweden for that — you'll still get the best you're likely to do in Georgia. Czar's 27-ft. bar is topped with a four-inch-thick slab of ice.
  
  
  What to Order: The Sweet Georgia Peach ($12) combines both vodka and whiskey flavored with peach with OJ and cherry liqueur.
  
  
  56 E. Andrews Dr. NW; 678-244-3610
  
  
  
  Photo by: Sarah Dodge
  
  
  
  
  
  Little Trouble
  
  
  The cocktail pedigree of this Westside bar is impeccable (it's from the same team behind Victory Sandwich Bar and Paper Plane), as is its aesthetic vision. Nowhere else in town will you find a spot that dives so fully into its atmosphere — in this case, a neon-and-concrete lair reminiscent of futuristic neo-noir films like Blade Runner and Brazil.
  
  
  What to Order: The Found Art ($12) made with rye, mezcal, Zucca rhubarb liqueur, mole bitters.
  
  
  1170 Howell Mill Rd.; 404-500-4737
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Studio No. 7
  
  
  Along the western edge of Downtown where the Marietta Street corridor crosses Ivan Allen you'll find this spot that's unassuming on the outside but bustling with creativity within. The bar's somewhere between a globally inspired tapas bar, an art gallery, an event space and a general cool-kid hangout. Drinks and food change according to season and according to whatever art show's up in the space.
  
  
  What to Order: My Other Studio is in Paris ($9), combining gin, honey syrup, lemon juice and sparkling wine
  
  
  393 Marietta St.; 404-549-9839
  
  
  
  Photo by: Sister Louisa's
  
  
  
  
  
  Sister Louisa's Church of the Living Room & Ping-Pong Emporium
  
  
  Locals "praise the Lord" for this "unique" Sweet Auburn bar known just as Church that's loaded with with choir robes for wearing, church-organ karaoke and some of the city's most renowned Ping-Pong tables; "down-home hospitality," "drinks you can afford" and "kitschy" religious decor complete the picture.
  
  
  What to Order: Mixed drinks and beers are the standard here, though pitchers of strong sangria sometimes surface.
  
  
  466 Edgewood Ave. SE; 404-522-8275
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  El Bar
  
  
  Fans of this "underground basement" club in Poncey-Highland say "shhhhh, don't let the yuppies find out" about the "wild, sweaty dance parties" going down beneath the Mexican restaurant El Ponce; sure, it may be a "cave" that's "about as big as your closet", but the DJs (mostly club and hip-hop) are "awesome", the drinks are "inexpensive" and it's got an "after-hours" "NYC feel"; P.S. open Thursday–Saturday.
  
  
  What to Order: This isn't a craft cocktail kinda place — find your favorite beer and stick with it.
  
  
  939 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE; 404-881-6040
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Eleanor's
  
  
  This speakeasy-style bar is located in Smyrna restaurant Muss & Turner's. Can't find it? Ask a member of the staff, or just head toward the back of the restaurant, to the right of the main counter, and open what looks like a giant walk-in refrigerator door. The exclusive feeling remains thanks to moody lighting and tucked-away nooks where guests dig into New American cuisine or just spend time over drinks.
  
  
  What to Order: The bar specializes in featuring Georgia beers, and has a killer wine selection too.
  
  
  1675 Cumberland Pkwy. SE, Smyrna; 770-434-1114
  
  
  
  Photo by: Sundial
  
  
  
  
  
  The Sun Dial
  
  
  The iconic and recently renovated restaurant at the Downtown Westin rotates more than 70 stories above Atlanta. Elevated above the main dining area you'll find the bar — there's live jazz several nights a week — where you can sit, sip and take in the famous sights. A limited bar menu offers snacks and small plates.
  
  
  What to Order: The Tallulah ($11), one of several champagne cocktails named after famous Georgia women, combines bubbly, limoncello and fresh raspberries.
  
  
  210 Peachtree St. NE; 404-589-7506