ATLGuide
Atlanta’s New Restaurant Openings
photo credit: Courtesy of Painted Pickle
If you tried to keep track of every new restaurant and bar in Atlanta, your head might spin. So just read this list instead. These are the openings that seem like they have the most potential. Although, keep in mind, we make no promises about the places we haven't visited yet. Go forth and be a pioneer—or just keep up with our Hit List to see which new restaurants we checked out and loved.
April 2024
photo credit: Courtesy of Painted Pickle
The Painted Pickle
The team behind The Painted Pin and The Painted Duck are betting on the growing popularity of pickleball with their newest concept, The Painted Pickle. The eatertainment complex has eight indoor courts, an outdoor court, a full bar, and a menu stocked with shareables.
Sinful Sliderz, a mini burger stall, is the newest addition to East Atlanta Village's food hall, Southern Feedstore. We're most excited for their special weekend menu that features oxtail sliders and loaded fries.
While Mattchews used to be at the ghost kitchen at Forrest Eatery, this late-night haven was temporarily closed for months. They re-opened in April with their very own food stall in the Municipal Market. But don't worry, the bulgogi cheesesteak is still on the menu.
Formerly a pop-up, Gene's now has its very own brick-and-mortar in East Lake. Serving up smoked meats and Southern favorites like deviled eggs and pimento cheese, we can't wait to see if this new spot will make it on our best barbecue guide.
March 2024
Pendolino is Chastain Park's newest restaurant, featuring an Italian menu with pizzas, meatballs, and ravioli.
Pull out your fedora and cop some Billie Holiday on vinyl to get prepared for Damsel, a 10,000-square-foot restaurant and supper club with a cabaret, now open at The Works on the Upper Westside.
photo credit: Bites & Bevs Media
J'ouvert Caribbean Kitchen & Bar
A new Pan-Caribbean spot from the team behind Belle & Lily's Caribbean Brunch House is now open in Uptown Atlanta (the area around Lindbergh MARTA station if you missed the rebrand). Expect Caribbean favorites like sorrel, doubles, and french toast with island flavors.
The new speakeasy from the team behind Eight Sushi Lounge sits right next door to the West Midtown sushi hotspot. The new bar addition makes the whole dinner and drinks combo a no brainer.
February 2024
This African-Caribbean restaurant in Sandy Springs features lamb chops, oxtail, and snapper on their dinner menu. But we're most excited to get our hands on the seafood tower—a multilevel literal tower overflowing with lobster, snow crab, and shrimp.
photo credit: Courtesy of Politan Row
Politan Row at Ashford Lane
The success of Colony Square's Politan Row spawned a sequel in Dunwoody. Politan Row at Ashford Lane will have ten food stalls plus a bar from the same team behind Jojo's Beloved.
Ela will take over the space formerly occupied by The Original El Taco in Virginia-Highland. Their Mediterranean menu will showcase Greek, Moroccan, Israeli, and Turkish flavors with dishes like Moroccan hot chicken and a lamb kofta burger.
The team behind Firepit Pizza Tavern is opening a new Grant Park spot. Birdcage will feature a Latin menu with dishes like red chicken tacos and chile lime street corn. Expect an aviary-themed decor and a casual atmosphere.
January 2024
photo credit: Courtesy of Signia Hotel
Highball at Signia by Hilton
Signia by Hilton, a highly anticipated downtown hotel development, has eight new restaurants and bars inside. We're most excited about their Italian fine dining spot (Capolinea), a sports bar (Nest on Four), a Southern breakfast spot (Homespun), and a seasonal pool bar (Highball).
Highness Cuisine is another late-night, upscale dining experience from the team behind Midtown's Octopus & Hookah. Expect dishes like lamb chops and surf 'n turf alongside their cigar and hookah offerings at this new Cheshire Bridge spot.
Promising to bring NYC-style bagels to Chamblee, the Bronx Buggy Bagel will offer a variety of bagels from chocolate chip to sea salt. And we've already got our eye on the hot honey sriracha cream cheese schmear.
Replacing the old Club Reign, Prime on Peachtree is set to be a see-and-be-seen fine dining spot in Midtown. With their open-late cigar bar (Prime Cigar) next door and $100-ish price tags on steaks and lobster, it appears Prime is more primed for the country club lane than the night club one.
December 2023
From the chef behind Palo Santo, this taqueria at Westside Paper serves a variety of corn tortilla tacos in a casual counter-service dining room. They’ll be open ‘til midnight on weekends, which may make it a prime pit stop after grabbing drinks at nearby Bar Diver.
This Ponce City Market breakfast staple now has a second location at Westside Paper. Expect a pancake-heavy menu and other brunch favorites like eggs and grits.
The success of the first Atlanta Planta in Krog Street Market spawned a second location in Buckhead Village. Look for new menu items like a sushi burrito and a scallion pancake egg wrap from this plant-based chain.
November 2023
This mezcal bar and restaurant in Buckhead offers Mexican dishes like tlayuda, enchiladas, and tacos. And (obviously) Pata Negra's signature cocktail list leans heavily on a variety of mezcals.
photo credit: Rocket Farm
This steak frites spot sits atop another newly opened restaurant, Little Sparrow, in West Midtown. A $49.50 prix fixe menu with steak as the main attraction means there's no struggle when deciding what to order. But we're most looking forward to the full bar and Bar Blanc's assorted desserts like the gateaux basque.
This chain bills itself as the perfect spot for anyone who “loves damn good food and drinks” (we’re raising our hands aggressively). The new West Midtown location, which is the first in Georgia, serves up takes on American classics, including meatloaf, burgers, and fried chicken. Plus, Culinary Dropout has games, live music, and plenty of beer too.
It's been a long time coming for El Malo, the new rum and agave bar in Reynoldstown. After what seemed like years of delays, it's finally open and ready for business. And by business, we mean people who love rum drinks.
October 2023
photo credit: Amy Sinclair
From the team behind Bon Ton and The Waiting Room, Rwby is a new brunch and dinner spot (focused on American bites like burgers and chicken) takes over the space previously occupied by The Lawrence.
Little Sparrow is the latest concept from the team behind Marcel and Little Rey. It’s the much-anticipated replacement for the hospitality group’s popular JCT Kitchen spot in West Midtown. Named after Edith Piaf, this French bistro has things like roasted chicken, a massive burger, and unlimited warm baguettes with lots of saucy and cheesy appetizers to dunk them into.
Some interesting pizza and pasta options make this new Italian spot alluring to carboholics (eyes on you, duck ragu agnolotti). The Indaco location sits off the BeltLine near Ponce City Market. So if your meal turns out to be more Chef Boyardee than buono, you can hit the food hall for a second meal.
This new stall at Ponce City Market features a rotating roster of four pop-up chefs every month. There's also a themed dinner every Monday night (like their Chicago-style one). Punk Foodie's goal is to help elevate up-and-coming chefs in the Atlanta area. Meanwhile we’ll be elevating the food from the plate to our mouths.
photo credit: Emily Andrews
It’s omakase. And everyone is doing it, including Umi, which has been a reliable sushi hotspot in Buckhead for almost a decade. So adding an omakase table to their offerings makes sense for this celeb-infested spot. But with just eight seats available per night and reservations booked solid for months, you might need to actually be a celeb to get into M.
September 2023
The team behind Kinjo Room and Mai Kitchen opened this Virginia Highlands spot in September. Expect a variety of proteins on skewers, a whole squid, and lobster shishito from Yakitori's Japanese-inspired menu.
photo credit: Amy Sinclair
Brush relocated from Decatur to Buckhead in September. The dining aesthetics have been upgraded and the tasty sushi is still spot-on, which is why they made our Hit List.
photo credit: Amy Sinclair
Expanding from their Sandy Springs location, this Persian eatery has a new spot on the Westside, which made our Hit List. Now anyone who won’t venture OTP can taste test Yalda's kabobs and stew of the day.
August 2023
Touting themselves as "Atlanta's best kept secret," Weezy's is a new Buckhead hookah lounge that serves brunch all day.
The team behind Antica Posta open another Italian restaurant in Buckhead. Bar Ti Amo serves Tuscan inspired dishes for brunch, lunch, and dinner alongside their espresso bar.
