Here’s the scoop on Loaded Nachos, incredibly quick ways to feed a bunch of hungry basketball-viewing fans this month. Think Hawaiian pulled pork or loaded BBQ chicken nachos instead of plopping saucy meat on buns or pizza nachos that favor crisp chips over doughy crusts. For something different, top nachos with shrimp, chorizo and fresh pico de gallo, lobster, an Irish-y Reuben topping or veer off chips onto Cuban nachos tatchos. S’mores and apple-caramel are “nacho” usual dessert…had to throw that pun in somewhere.
Officially, Labor Day pays tribute to the workers who have added to the well-being of our country. Unofficially, it marks the last holiday weekend of the summer vacation season. Whether you’re pausing to relax, pursuing activities going on around town or heading to/fro that last getaway, count on Atlanta restaurants to stay busy in the kitchen (so you won’t have to). Thanks, restaurant and hospitality workers, we appreciate you!
5Church Atlanta, at the corner of Peachtree and 14th streets, will be open as usual over Labor Day weekend and on the Monday holiday. Enjoy dinner, weekday lunch, Saturday and Sunday brunch and “Rush Hour Remedy” specials (Monday-Thursday, 4:30-6:30 p.m.) inside the art-filled dining rooms or out on the rooftop patio overlooking Peachtree Street. 5Church is an ideal spot to connect over appetizers and drinks, desserts or a late night bite before or after taking in concerts or theatrical performances at the Woodruff Arts Center and other Midtown theaters.
Say “Salud!” to three-day weekends and spend Sunday afternoon, Sept. 3 doing nothing more strenuous than raising a glass of rosé or plowing through paella during a special 4-11 p.m. holiday weekend edition of Basque in the Sun at Gypsy Kitchen in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. Wine away the hours with friends sharing select bottles of wine at half price or rounds of rosé priced at $6 a glass. Paella on the patio is a must! Click your heels (or castanets) to the music of a live flamenco guitarist playing from 4:30-7:30 p.m. followed by a DJ spinning until way past dark. No cover charge. Gypsy Kitchen will be closed on Monday, Sept. 4 to give staff a rest.
Fans of football and fried chicken rejoice! The Mercedes-Benz Stadium will see both this weekend as Kevin Gillespie’s Gamechanger fires up the grill while the competition heats up between The University of Alabama and Florida State University during the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff Game on Saturday, September 2 at 8 p.m. On Labor Day, Georgia Tech fans can cheer on the Yellow Jackets and grab a bite at Gamechanger before and after kickoff at 8 p.m. Located on the 200 concourse western end zone, Gamechanger offers drool-worthy elevated stadium food like the craveable Closed-on-Sunday Chicken Sandwich and the Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder French Dip.
Both HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern locations -- near Piedmont Park in Midtown and at Town Brookhaven -- will be open on Monday, Sept. 4 serving brunch from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. followed by regular dinner service at 5 p.m. Big Peach Sizzler runners, loosen your laces for a post-run celebration brunch at HOBNOB in Town Brookhaven.
If all the good eats at Atlanta restaurants start weighing you down this Labor Day weekend, put on your dancing shoes and head to Johnny’s Hideaway for a dance floor workout. Since there’s no laboring on Monday, Johnny’s is staying open late on Sunday, Sept. 3 with live music starting at 8:30 p.m. along with DJ Spin and food and drink specials.
Dive into Ray’s Restaurants for a two-course 1.25-pound lobster dinner at a special Labor Day Monday price of $24.95 (versus $29.95) that includes a choice of field green or Caesar salad and a choice of side (Yukon Gold whipped potatoes or chef’s vegetable du jour). Excludes beverages, tax and gratuity. Catch the deal from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Sept. 4 at Ray’s in the City, Ray’s on the River and Ray’s at Killer Creek. Restaurant radar alert: Ray’s in the City is a super convenient sustenance stop for Dragon Con-ers and those going to the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff games at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
College kickoff weekend hunkers down in smoked meat, cold libations and air-conditioned glory at Smokebelly BBQ from Friday, Sept. 1 through Monday, Sept. 4. Come for live music Friday night from 8:30-11:30 p.m. and take in better-than-sideline views for games all day Saturday plus the FSU vs. ‘Bama game at 8 p.m. Enjoy drink specials like $5 Tito’s cocktails, $3 drafts and $10 pitchers of Bud Light all weekend. Sunday’s “Boozy Brunch” from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. pours on a bloody mary bar, bottomless mimosas and live music. And because football works up an appetite, the Smokebelly team works on through Labor Day, opening Monday at 11 a.m. to provide your daily dose of ‘cue!
Wine and dine at Storico Fresco Alimentari this weekend! Whether it's for lunch, dinner or retail items for your trip to the lake or pool, swing by Storico and let them do the labor for you. Don’t forget that every Monday night is 1/2 off bottles of wine during dinner. That means September 4 too!
Thursday nights, follow the smoke signals rising above Monroe and Piedmont to HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern and satisfy your burning desire to chow down on ‘cue, smoked meats and Southern sides – outside under the big sky. Enjoy barbecue on the patio from 5 p.m. until it’s all gone, dine-in or take out, along with the regular menu. Fall nights are patio perfect so stick around for live music by James Patrick Morgan from 8-11 p.m.
Smokebelly BBQ’s smoked chicken wings seasoned with house rub, slowly smoked and flash fried put points on your noshing and viewing scoreboard. Comes with celery, carrots and a side of blue cheese or ranch dressing ($10.75). Add $1 if you’re an all flats or drums wing dinger – and a few bucks for a cold brew or two.
How about some squeal with that squash or a pound or two of ‘cue to accompany the cukes? “Sow” be it, thanks to Terminus City pop-ups at two local farmers markets this week. Bag a pound or two of Terminus City chopped pork barbecue ($16/pound) or grab a meaty barbecue sandwich ($6) to stave off hunger pangs while shopping for freshly harvested veggies and fruits at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market on Wednesday, September 28 (4:30-8 p.m.) and at the Freedom Farmers Market on Saturday, October 1 (9 a.m.-1 p.m.). Chef Kevin Gillespie’s barbecue is pure pork awesomeness at its tastiest!
Cue the 'Cue because May is National BBQ Month. Pull the pork out of the wings and throw it into the limelight with “So Good You’ll Slap Yo Mama” smoked pork butt or 16-hour pulled pork. Strut the bird in bacon bourbon BBQ chicken kabobs, spicy smoked chicken thighs or go tandem with BBQ chicken and ribs. Slather on barbecue sauces – Guinness, Cheerwine, smoky bourbon, homemade root beer, blueberry, Alabama white, North Carolina vinegar or South Carolina mustard to name a few. Rather massage your meat? Pat it down with Buffalo spice rub, sweet and smoky BBQ dry rub mix, cowboy spice mix, pulled pork rubs or coffee rib rub. Your grill will be thrilled.
BBQ bowling in Buckhead? Refusing to confine their chef-crafted ‘cue to buns and plates, Smokebelly BBQ calls on quinoa, that powerful chameleon of grains, to make a strong foundation for their mouthwatering smoked meats. The quinoa bowl begins with chilled quinoa salad packing julienne carrots, crisp celery, diced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, fresh cilantro, mint and honey citrus vinaigrette ($7.50). For a few more bucks, add sliced smoked turkey (+$5), chopped pulled pork (+$5), thick-chopped beef brisket (+$6), chilled smoked salmon filet (+$7.50) or sweet corn-edamame succotash (+$1.50). Right up our alley.
Fastest way to brew up a party? Invite friends and neighbors to meet at Three Taverns Craft Brewery on December 20 for Sunday Beer-B-Cue featuring Kevin Gillespie's Terminus City BBQ and live music from 5-8 p.m. Andreas Müller, executive chef of Revival and Terminus City's pitmaster, hand chops KG’s mouth-watering whole hog BBQ for sliders to chomp into while enjoying live music and complimentary Three Taverns handcrafted beer with a brewery tour. Tickets available online, $15 plus small service fee. A percentage of the proceeds go to nonprofit Decatur-area Emergency Assistance Ministry (DEAM).
Smokebelly BBQ in Buckhead tackles football season opening day in a pig way, lining up a Buds, Burgers & Bellies party with live music, games, prizes and food and drink specials from noon until closing time Saturday, September 5. Jot a playbook note that this Buckhead barbecue joint is loaded with 16 screens for game-day viewing from the first kickoff to the last bowl game. Buds, Burgers & Bellies scores a full day of football action, live music and DJ spins beginning with Jacob & the Good People performing on the patio from 3-5 p.m. followed by a DJ from 5-6 p.m. and the Dean Dollar Band from 6-9 p.m. Meanwhile, inside, the Auburn game takes the stage from 3:30-6:30 p.m., and The Park Band parties from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Loosen up that throwing arm over cornhole, ladder ball, darts and a Bud Light table basketball hoops game. The Bud Light Rita sampling team cheers on fun times with prizes and samples for adults. Pound down a bucket of 20 wings for $15 or a bucket of Bud or Bud Light for $15; a Budweiser or Bud Light with Smokebelly’s 50/50 burger of ground bacon and pork with ghost pepper cheese and onion strings on a Holeman and Finch bun plus a side for $9.99; Jack and Coke for $6 or Goose Island IPA Tall Boys or Shock Top Aluminums for $5.
Only 33 guests will be able to sit down to "A Night in the Parlour" beer dinner featuring a trio of courses and beers at The Blind Pig Parlour Bar on Wednesday, July 29 at 7 p.m. Chef Nagib Sued of The Blind Pig and Smokebelly BBQ will be joined by Brian Purcell of Three Taverns Craft Brewery to guide guests through three courses paired with three different Three Taverns brews. Buy tickets in advance online, $33 per guest. The Blind Pig is located behind Smokebelly BBQ in Buckhead.
Tangy sauce and twangy tunes are coming to Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails in Crabapple on the Sunday between Father’s Day and the July 4th weekend. The farmhouse-turned-restaurant throws summer’s first BBQ & Blues evening on Sunday, June 28, ushering in lazy evenings with live music, cornhole, craft brews and cocktails. Eats? Right on cue, chef Derek Dollar presents a choice of three meats basking in the glory of distinctly different sauces: sweet tea-smoked chicken with Carolina gold BBQ sauce and cheddar corn muffins ($18), pulled BBQ pork shoulder with Crabapple BBQ sauce and Texas toast ($17) or a half rack of ribs with Georgia red BBQ sauce and cheddar corn muffins ($20). Choose two of these Southern sides to round out your entrée -- white cheddar-and-bacon mac, creamed Silver Queen corn, garden potato salad or cracked mustard coleslaw. Feel free to make a meal of sides ($4 each) or order them alongside a bowl of thick Brunswick stew ($7). Shindig runs 5-9 p.m. Pull your phone out and call 770-817-0161 for reservations, then flag the remaining three BBQ & Blues 2015 dates: July 26, August 30 and September 27.
Glistening under a SweetWater Blue-honey barbecue glaze, HOBNOB baby back ribs are the ultimate finger food. Be gentle, the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. Keep one hand on the fork to spear every morsel of rib mates jalapeño mac and cheese, garlic green beans and the onion ring, which is way too big for your finger ($16). Offered after 5 p.m. on the dinner menu.
When was the last time you grilled a local cattle farmer? Asked questions about raising Berkshire pigs or Angus and Braunvieh beef cattle? Chased the conversation with meaty samples testifying to these extraordinary meats, raised nearby without added hormones or antibiotics? Twin Smokers BBQ comes through as your meaty mentor, hosting its monthly Meat & Greet night on Thursday, June 4. From 6:30-8:30 p.m., meet farmers from Gum Creek Farms, located southwest of Atlanta, and Brasstown Beef, a few hours north in Brasstown, North Carolina -- and savor morsels of their naturally raised meats. The Luckie Marietta District restaurant with a passion for regionally inspired meats and barbecue styles beefs up the evening even more with great specials. Carve out more information by calling 404-698-4707.
Cuisine from Around the World is a veritable passport on a plate. Venture north for Canadian poutine, south for Aussie party pies and Brazilian brigadeiro (chocolate truffles), east to Chinese cha siu bao (BBQ pork buns) then westward, ho, for an In-N-Out copycat burger. Ireland? Baileys Irish Cream pound cake. Greece? Easy chicken gyro and tzatziki sauce. India? Crock-Pot Indian lentils. Get the picture? Not a bad idea -- snapshots for a vacation victuals photo album before these culinary landmarks disappear.
A year has blown by faster than smoker clouds for Smokebelly BBQ, and the Buckhead barbecue joint is cueing up an anniversary party Saturday, May 30. They’re roasting a whole hog and divvying out portions for free from 3-4 p.m. (while grub lasts). Toss back drink specials such as $3 Curious Traveler Shandy and Angry Orchard drafts and $4 specialty cocktails throughout the afternoon and evening. Games, giveaways and live music continue the festivities until 12:30 a.m. On the patio, Anthony Crane strums out acoustic tunes from 5-7 p.m., and Bluegrass Flashmob Trio picks and grins from 7-9 p.m. Convoy takes the tunes inside for a full band stage experience from 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.
‘Cue and brew. Have two rhyming words ever been so delightfully compatible? Smokebelly BBQ and Atlanta’s own Red Brick Brewing Company join forces for a harmonious evening of chef-crafted barbecue and craft beers at the Buckhead barbecue joint on Tuesday, May 12 at 7 p.m. Smokebelly chef Nagib Sued and Red Brick lead brewer Steve Anderson navigate attendees through five courses and five Red Brick beer pairings. Plans are to tap into a special cask created specifically for this event! Seats are $50 each and are available to purchase online.
Downtown Atlanta boasts a smokin' hot new lunch, dinner and drinks destination this week. Twin Smokers BBQ opens Saturday, December 27 at 300 Marietta Street (a few doors down from Der Biergarten) in the Luckie Marietta District. The newest member of the Legacy Restaurant Partners family, the Twin Smokers BBQ opening comes as Legacy marks 20 years of serving the downtown area. Football fans, Twin Smokers BBQ is only a gridiron length away from the newly built College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience. Legacy corporate chef Chris Blobaum's menu of smoked meats, fresh sides, craft beer and strong cocktails will please 'cue connoisseurs, no matter where they call home. Blobaum's culinary team traversed the U.S. on a reconnaissance mission to uncover the nation's best barbecue. They brought back their favorite styles from Texas, the Carolinas, Kansas City and Memphis to connect with signature rubs and a touch of Georgia flair and flavor. Southern-style barbecue, hickory-smoked chicken and pork, and Texas-style mesquite-smoked beef brisket start with locally sourced meats. Smoky meats love smoky spirits and cold brews, hence Twin Smokers commands an extensive bourbon and beer program. What's in a name? "Twin Smokers" refers to the restaurant's two custom, fire engine-red Oyler 700 smokers -- one for chicken and pork and one for beef. These smokers are designed to strengthen the individual flavors of each meat, especially when stoked with mesquite, hickory, white oak or post oak from the restaurant's "wood library." True 'cue lovers will want to check out Twin Smoker's BBQ Club for fired up perks.
Even the highly organized may find themselves in a bit of a time crunch over the next few weeks. A house full of family, a full schedule of activities and a kitchen full of turkey trotting recipes to prepare still doesn't quell that quake-causing question of "What's for supper?" Before crying "uncle," call Uncle Kevin Gillespie's Terminus City team. For a limited time, Terminus City Family BBQ Packs will be available for pick up at Gunshow in Glenwood Park. Each family pack is priced at $46 and feeds four to five hungry folk. First, pick your protein -- two pounds of pork or chicken. Sidekicks include a pint of slaw, a pint of potato salad and cookies. Posse landing at your house? Double up and order two packs, one pork and a chicken. Either way, you can add a quart of Brunswick stew for $18. Pick up is available Wednesday, November 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For availability, call 404-380-1886 or email TerminusCity@gunshowatl.com.
On your mark, get set, carpool! Pile three or more people in the car and drive
to Smokebelly BBQ for lunch and
receive a free appetizer Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Choose
from Snacks, Belly Bites or Skinny Fixin’s on the menu. (Not valid with any
other offer; one per table.) To compliment your appetizer, dive into a crisp
chopped salad with bacon ($7.50) or the smoked salmon club sandwich and a side
($12.15). Whatever you choose, round up the herd and head to 128 East Andrews
Drive, NW.
There are quite a few stereotypes about the South, like how we all love Nascar and have a borderline obsession with sweet tea. Despite some of the truly awful accents that Hollywood has inflicted on us, I can still say I'm proud to be a Southerner. Overall, we really are a friendly, generous group. A perfect example of this is the friends and communities coming together to help Rodney Scott, the famed pitmaster of (Scott's Bar-B-Que). Two days before Thanksgiving, Scott's pit house in Hemingway, SC went up in flames. Members of The Fatback Collective, a group of restaurateurs, entrepreneurs and creative folk focused on a progressive Southern future, immediately rallied behind him to support his fundraising efforts. Gunshow's Kevin Gillespie and Fatback member Angie Mosier are hosting Scott as he travels throughout the South on the Rodney in Exile BBQ Tour from January 20-February 4. On Monday, January 20, Gunshow marks the second "pit" stop on the tour, as everyone donates their time and services to prepare a Southern, four-course dinner that night. Gunshow staff will prepare the first two courses for the 7 p.m. meal. Scott's open-pit barbecue and Gunshow's Southern sides come together for course number three, and Mosier is baking her classic Southern layer cake for dessert. $100 per person, plus tax. Any gratuity will be donated. Limited to 50 seats; reservations required (with credit card; call 404-380-1886). No shows will be considered a donation. For those who can't make it to dinner, Scott is also serving up his barbecue sandwich for $5 and a $10 boxed lunch that includes a sandwich, sides and drink. Dine-in and take-out options available; first come, first served from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. As the tour progresses, any fund overage will be allocated to help others in need.
