The 10 Most Anticipated Atlanta Restaurant Openings of Fall 2020 – Eater Atlanta

Between construction hiccups, staying on budget, and navigating the quagmire of permits needed, opening a restaurant has never been easy, even in the best of times. The pandemic adds another layer of uncertainties to the mix, not to mention new line items to the budget. Previously unforeseen costs could now include installing a high-tech air filtration system, expanding the patio to allow for more outdoor seating, or adding a takeout window.

After several months of frustrating delays and unexpected prep time, several owners are moving forward with cautious optimism in hopes of finally seeing their long-planned restaurants come to fruition this fall. The following list of 10 anticipated openings will infuse the Atlanta dining scene with everything from seafood boils and platters, Sicilian-style pizza, and juicy cheeseburgers, to a celebrity chef-back food hall, a new neighborhood brewpub, and vegan barbecue.

Location: Reynoldstown, 905 Memorial DriveWho: Chef Richard TangProjected opening: October

After the pandemic delayed the spring opening of Char Korean Bar & Grill, owner chef Richard Tang and his newly appointed chef, Karl Gorline (Watershed), finally debut Girl Diver in October at Madison Yards. In addition to its platters and boils featuring Alaskan king crab, jumbo tiger shrimp, and piles of crawfish, expect a menu filled with Chinese-Vietnamese dishes and comfort foods, like poached shrimp spring rolls, Vietnamese hot and sour seafood soup, a pesce baked egg made with sardines, green curry mussels, and lobster mac and cheese. Tangs next restaurant, a game bar called Press Start, opens next year in Summerhill. Take a look at the menu for Girl Diver below.

Location: Grant Park, 1039 Grant Street SEWho: Sam and Sara KazmerProjected opening: October

Elsewhere Brewing opens in October at the Beacon in Grant Park. Owners Sam and Sara Kazmer want to create a drinking hall and beer garden with a cafe vibe around the brewery. Elsewhere Brewing plans to open with 11 different beers on the menu, ranging from European classics, like a pilsner, Bavarian hefeweizen, and dark Czech lager, to West Coast ales, IPAs, and special release beers. Executive chef Thomas Stewart created a menu centered around street foods and family-style dishes, including a variety of empanadas and a 24-hour-brined chicken quarter, steak, and guava BBQ shrimp platter. Much like a CSA (community supported agriculture) helps support local farms, Elsewhere Brewing operates partially as a community supported brewery with CSB memberships. Read more about the brewery here.

Location: Midtown, Colony Square Who: Donna LeeProjected opening: Late October

Chicago restaurateur Donna Lee opens an Atlanta location of her popular Brown Bag Seafood Company restaurant at Colony Square in Midtown. The counter-serve spot, located next to sushi restaurant Sukoshi at the complex, offers sustainable seafood on its menu at a relatively affordable price point served as salads, tacos, sandwiches, and grain bowls. Customers fill out orders on reusable menus at the counter using dry erase markers by checking off a fish or protein of choice, how its served (bowl, taco, sandwich,) and a side to accompany the meal. Colony Square will also feature a new food hall called Politan Row. Read more about the food hall here.

Location: Virginia-Highland, 1023 Virginia Avenue NEWho: Anthony SpinaProjected opening: October/November

After finding success with his two pizzerias O4W Pizza and Nina & Rafi Anthony Spina opens Pizza by the Slice in part of the former Goin Coastal space in Virginia-Highland. Spinas latest pizzeria focuses on Sicilian-style pizza served by the slice or whole pie. The pizza typically features a thick, focaccia-like crust topped with oregano and tomatoes. In addition to pizza, the restaurant will also serve Jersey-style sub sandwiches. The pizzeria, located next door to Paolos Gelato, may finally fill the void left behind by the beloved Everybodys Pizza, which closed in the neighborhood after 41 years in 2013.

Location: Kirkwood, Pratt Pullman District, 225 Rogers Street NE, Building 11Who: Mike HornProjected opening: October/November

Gastropub the Abby Singer opens on Rogers Street at the forthcoming Pratt Pullman District in Kirkwood later this fall. The name refers to the second-to-last shot of the day during on-location filming, and is a nod to the late film production manager Abby Singer. Owner Mike Horn worked in film and television prior to his career in restaurants. The former Minneapolis residents new Kirkwood pub features a take on the Minnesota citys famed Juicy Lucy cheeseburger on the menu two burger patties filled with hot melted cheese.

Location: Underwood Hills, 1235 Chattahoochee Avenue NWWho: Andrew Zimmern and Robert MontwaidProjected opening: Rolling food stall openings throughout the fall

The first restaurant stalls inside forthcoming northwest Atlanta food hall Chattahoochee Food Works begin opening later this fall. So far, nine of the 31 stalls planned for the food hall are preparing to open over the coming months. The 22,000-square-foot market and test kitchen is a collaborative effort between James Beard Award-winning chef and Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern and Robert Montwaid, the creator of luxe food hall Gansevoort Market in New York City. Expect food stalls serving ice cream, Thai food, pasta and pizza, South African fare, breakfast dishes, Lebanese barbecue, along with a bakery, bubble tea bar, and a taqueria. Read more about the food hall and its stalls here.

Location: Midtown, 1010 West Peachtree Street NWWho: Takashi OtsukaProjected opening: November

Takashi Otsuka, the owner of the popular Wagaya ramen restaurants, Japanese market Wagaya Grocery, and robatayaki and sake restaurant Chirori, plans to open a fourth restaurant called Nagomiya in Midtown. Nagomiya, located at the Hanover West Peacthree apartment complex, will serve ramen, rice bowls, and sushi rolls on its menu. Otsuka just opened Wagaya Grocery underneath Wagaya on 14th Street in Midtown over the summer. The market features mostly Japanese food products, candies, sake and beer, and ingredients, but does offer a wide selection of Chinese and Korean items. Wagaya Grocery also includes prepared foods, like a katsu or tamago sandwich and individually wrapped onigiri, too.

Location: Castleberry Hill, 333 Peters StreetWho: Daniel BrownProjected opening: November/December

A second location of Stone Mountain-based Gilly Brew Bar, part of Gilly Brewing Co., opens inside Castleberry Hill gallery and event space Peters Street Station later this fall. Owned by Daniel Brown, Gilly Brew Bar is known for its innovative cocktail-like coffee and tea drinks, referred to as elixirs, including a fat-washed cold brew with bitters, balsamic, and lemon-fig marmalade or hibiscus tea comprising lemon and honey, egg white, bitters, and an aromatic mist. The shop will feature a few tables and seating for up to 16 people at the bar. Brown also plans to expand his Stone Mountain Village coffee shop to include a bar and kitchen next summer. The kitchen will also serve as an incubator with a rotating lineup of Atlanta-area private chefs.

Location: Stone Mountain, 5385 Five Forks Trickum RoadWho: Terry SargentProjected opening: Late November

After opening at We Suki Sukis Global Grub Collective food market last November, then moving to Orpheus Brewing in Midtown earlier this year, vegan barbecue pop-up Grass VBQ Joint opens a permanent location Thanksgiving week near Stone Mountain. Located on Five Forks Trickum Road, Grass VBQ serves smoked jerk wingz, veef brisket, sandwiches like smoked pulled jackfruit, a reuben with corned veef, and an oyster mushroom poboy, alongside desserts such as mini sweet potato pies and vegan cupcakes. Check out the menu here.

Location: East Atlanta, 714 Moreland Avenue SEWho: Corban IrbyProjected opening: December/early January

Okonomiyaki popup OK Yaki becomes a permanent restaurant when it opens in the newly renovated Seville complex on Moreland Avenue. Owned by Corban Irby, expect a menu offering Osaka-style street foods like yakisoba noodles, gyoza dumplings, and okonomiyaki a savory, onion and cabbage-filled griddled pancake topped with meats and okonomi sauce. Irby plans to expand the menu further to include other dishes such as karaage Japanese fried chicken and Japanese curry. At full capacity, OK Yaki will seat 45 people between a 15-seat bar, four booths, and six bar stools along the wet bar in back. OK Yaki should be open five nights a week, from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., serving food and sake, shochu, whiskey highballs, and Japanese-style draft beers in frozen mugs.

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The 10 Most Anticipated Atlanta Restaurant Openings of Fall 2020 - Eater Atlanta