Bellina Alimentari December Classes and Tastings are Gifts to Treasure

Some gifts shouldn’t wait to go under the tree. For a priceless gift they’ll treasure, seize opportunities to share time and experiences at Bellina Alimentari in Midtown’s Ponce City Market. Sure, some assembly is required in making pasta and Italian specialties or pairing cheeses and wines or brews and bites…but no stressful, convoluted instruction manuals to frustrate the giver and receiver.

Gift-able pasta-bilities follow for those who participate in Bellina’s Pasta Making class on Tuesday, Dec. 6 or Dec. 20. Learn how to make delicious fresh pasta in these hands-on cooking classes, taste the freshly made and cooked pasta and take some home. You’ll know how to crank out fresh pasta to give as gifts or cook for friends over the holidays. Each class runs 6:30-8 p.m. $45 per person.

Tis the “saison” to spring an experiential gift on a friend, say, sharing an evening of Orpheus Brewing Tasting on Wednesday, Dec. 7 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Explore some of Atlanta’s top craft beers paired on this guided tasting with seasonal treats from Bellina’s kitchen. $28 per person.

Say “Buon Natale” and “Buon appetito!” at Bellina’s Italian Christmas entertainment class and dinner. Learn how to prepare and host a traditional Italian-style Christmas meal: antipasti board, butternut squash risotto and panettone with custard. Full dinner of dishes prepared together follows 6:30 p.m. class on Tuesday, Dec. 13 (drinks extra). $54 per person.

Pause the visions of holiday sugarplums for a grown-up treat, an introduction to Italy’s amaro (bitters) culture at Amore Amaro on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. Italian nibbles from Bellina’s kitchen accompany selections from Bellina’s amaro bar at this guided tasting led by bar manager and mixologist Corey Phillips. $28 per person.

3 cheese 3 honey 3 wine is a must before assembling cheese boards and baskets for holiday parties and gifting. At 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21, Mary Rigdon, goat’s milk cheese maker from Decimal Place, discusses artisanal cheeses and pairs some of Atlanta’s best with unique natural wines and monofloral honey from Italy. $28 per person.

Entertaining Dilemmas Cured by Bellina Alimentari Charcuterie and Cheese Boards

Fan an expertly curated array of artisanal cured meats and local and imported cheeses across a rustic wooden board and invite guests to partake of "la vita è bontà" (food as a way of life), the mouthwatering mantra of Tal Baum, owner of Bellina Alimentari at Ponce City Market. “The rich play of flavors, textures and colors makes a cheese and charcuterie board ideal for holiday entertaining,” Baum says. Bellina’s well-trained staff can help build a board of dry cured meats like prosciutto and soppressata or artisanal cured meats specially created for Bellina by Atlanta’s own Spotted Trotter. Incorporate soft and hard cheeses such as Sweet Grass Dairy’s Asher Blue (from Thomasville, Georgia), Conley’s Decimal Place crumbly feta or the Parmigiano-Reggiano Baum imports directly from small producers in Italy. Surround the spread with homemade Italian antipasti, freshly baked bread, Italian specialty crackers, house-marinated Mediterranean olives, seasonal pestos, Italian specialty spreads and organic jams and honeys -- all abundant options in Bellina’s Market. Former architect Baum, a stickler for details, has connected with local carpenter Koby Downs to create a line of sustainable wooden boards. Handcrafted bowls and ramekins for dips and antipasti render the smorgasbord complete. 

Get out of Dodge and High Tail It to an Afternoon in the Country with Les Dames d’Escoffier International on Nov. 6

Mountain roads are clogged with folks looking for seasonal color. Psst. On Sunday, Nov. 6, you’ll find more vibrant seasoning, appetizing colors, fall flavors, heaps of entertainment and rake in silent auction luxuries at an Afternoon in the Country spreading over Foxhall Resort & Sporting Club in Douglasville. Fork into foods from some of these locals – Bellina Alimentari, Chicken and the Egg, Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar, Marlow’s Tavern, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails, Ormsby’s, Seed Kitchen & Bar and White Oak Pastures – and taste fine wines and microbrews. The 16^thannual event hosted by Atlanta Les Dames d’Escoffier International overflows from big-top tents onto the resort’s expansive lawns. Buy tickets online, $125 for adults 21 and over; free parking. No children’s activities this year. Dig up details on our blog.

Cook, Taste, Learn at Bellina Alimentari November Culinary Club Classes

Turkey, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie can’t steal all the glory this month. Through November Culinary Club Classes and tastings, Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market reminds us how blessed we are to enjoy global and local foods and wines. Eat, drink, absorb knowledge and be thankful. Click on class name for more information. Prices are per person; sales tax added at checkout.

• Hungering to snap mouthwatering smartphone food photos? Attend Foodie Photography led by Alyssa of ATL Bucket List. Learn how to master angles, lighting, editing and more while nibbling kitchen treats on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 6:30-8 p.m. $28.

• Fresh Pasta Making could have you rethinking the stuffing thing. Hands-on action is followed by tasting and taking home creations. Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6:30-8 p.m. $45.

• I Love Vino because the guided tasting delves into five uniquely Italian native varietals made with zero intervention and class includes appetizing paired bites. Kelly of A Cork in the Road joins in the discussion. Wednesday, Nov. 9, 7-8 p.m. $28.

• No baloney at 3 Meats 3 Wines. Kevin Ouzts of The Spotted Trotter squeals about artisanal charcuterie at this guided tasting of a trio of paired craft cured meats and wines. Monday, Nov. 14, 6:30-7:30 p.m. $28.

• Let it Bee is sweet on the world of honey – production, ecology, flavors and uses. Cindy Hodges from Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association buzzes through a guided tasting of local honeys paired with craft local and Italian cheeses. Tuesday, Nov. 15, 6:30-7:30 p.m. $28.

• Italy’s finest natural wines and local artisanal cheeses pair up for your pleasure at a guided 3 Wine 3 Cheese exploratory evening. Thursday, Nov. 17, 6:30-7:30 p.m. $28.

• Have you stared at the EVOO lineup on grocery shelves and wondered if there is a difference? 3 EVOO 3 Bruschetta enlightens about the nutritional properties, versatility, uses and quality of extra virgin olive oils before class employs different kinds of EVOO in crafting classic Italian bruschetta. Tuesday, Nov. 29, 6:30-7:30 p.m. $28.

• Thanksgiving leftovers get a reprieve when you take home fresh pasta creations from this hands-on Pasta Making class followed by a pasta tasting. Wednesday, Nov. 30, 6:30-8 p.m. $45.

White Oak Pastures and Savory Institute Farm-to-Table Feast and Movies Ignite Passion to “Eat It, Wear It and Regenerate It” at Ponce City Market Nov. 4

Expect more than simply “dinner and a movie” when White Oak Pastures and Savory Institute are in charge of the evening. Find out why what you eat and wear matters while noshing on fall farm-to-table fare and viewing four short films from Savory Institute at this Ponce City Market event on Friday, Nov. 4 from 6-8 p.m. There’s a whole lot of local going on here: White Oak Pastures is providing its grass-fed meats and pastured poultry for the night’s chef-grillmasters Kevin Gillespie of Gunshow, Andreas Müller of Revival, Tal Baum of Bellina Alimentari, Reid Harrison of White Oak Pastures and Jenn Robbins, and brews flow from Second Self Beer Company (which sources from local farmers). Will Harris will share his White Oak Pastures story and approach to regenerative farming, segueing into the viewing of four globe-spanning films produced by an award-winning documentary crew for Savory Institute’s project, “Eat It, Wear It, Regenerate It: Igniting a Consumer Revolution.” Leave sustained by great food and holistic thoughts prompting conscious actions. White Oak Pastures, named a Savory Global Network Hub in 2015, serves as a center for education and support of regenerative land and animal management for farmers and consumers. Buy tickets online, $35 per person includes food and two alcoholic beverages. Delve into more details on our blog.  

Bellina Alimentari Rolls Pasta Class Outdoors to The Shed on the BeltLine October 17

Perhaps you’ve dined on pasta al fresco but have you drummed up your own durum delights in the great outdoors? Leave it to Bellina Alimentari to carpe diem a fall evening by leading a BeltLine Pasta Making class at The Shed at Ponce City Market from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Monday, October 17. Don’t wait for the pasta water to boil; snag complimentary tickets before they run out.

Go from Market to Italian Table to Holiday Entertaining at Bellina Alimentari October Classes

Treat yourself to learning something new at Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market. Midweek classes leave weekends free for gridiron grooving.

• Go from the Market to Italian Table by joining Kenan Hill on a tour of Ponce City Market to source fresh, local ingredients before shopping Bellina for artisanal Italian ingredients. Once the gathering is done, cook a family style fall meal. Tuesday, October 4 from 6:30-8 p.m.; $45 per person.
• Pasta Making is easy once you get the hang of it at this hands-on class followed by a pasta tasting. Wednesdays, October 5 and 12, from 6:30-8 p.m.; $45 per person.
• Introduction to Vermouth encompasses an artisanal vermouth tasting and cocktail pairings featuring Brovo Spirits, Italian bites from the Bellina Alimentari kitchen and a dose of vermouth education from brand ambassador and cocktail specialist Anthony Porquez. Tuesday, October 18 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.; $28 per person.
• You’ll find out why Versatile Vinegar is one of the most useful condiments in your pantry at this tasting of balsamic, wine and grape vinegars. Take recipes for antipasti, dressings, desserts and cocktails. Tuesday, October 25, 6:30-7:30 p.m.; $28 per person.
• Lacto-fermentation is delish in kraut, ketchup, seed crackers, mustards and more. Naturopathic doctor Lupa Irie (Lupa’s Kitchen) will show you how to begin at this Fermentation Celebration demo. Wednesday, October 26 from 6:30-8 p.m.; $28 per person.
• Get Ready for the Holidays and learn how to be the perfect holiday host. At this entertainment prep class, learn how to make a traditional Italian Christmas meal of antipasto, risotto and panettone with custard. Cooking demo followed by full dinner (drinks are not included). Thursday, October 27 from 6:30-8 p.m.; $65 per person.

Field a Hall of Fame-Worthy Football Feast with Atlanta Restaurants on Your Team

Football season is here, and football parties rack up the first down on any game day. Atlanta restaurants are key players, taking the field with everything you need to host the perfect tailgate or home-front pigskin party.

For antipasti and panini platters and primi, secondi and dolci courses, Bellina Alimentari at Ponce City Market will definitely score points with discerning guests. Place orders at least 48 hours in advance; allow 72-hour notice for parties of 30 or more. For information and ordering, call 404-330-9933.
                                                          
Go for the gusto of the gourmet meat and cheese sandwich platter Ray’s in the City builds with domestic house-cut deli meats and artisanal cheeses, house-made pickles, vine-ripened tomatoes, Bibb lettuce and assorted breads. Two side displays (choose from whole fruit, artisan field greens salad, red bliss potato salad, Southern-style macaroni salad and house-made kettle chips) and one dessert display (graham cracker lemon squares, house-baked cookies, a seasonal fruit platter or chocolate fudge brownies) are included. Serves 12 for $80; $6.75 per additional person. To order, call 404-524-9224.
 
Smokebelly BBQ, Atlanta’s top destination for chef-crafted barbecue, offers three mouthwatering catering options complete with barbecue sauce and buns:  “The Baron of BBQ” ($14 per person) with pulled pork and two sides of your choosing; “The Duke of Smoke” ($17 per person) with choice of two meats and three sides; and “The King of ‘Cue” ($19 per person) with choice of three meats and three sides. To place an order, call 404-848-9100.

Yell a cheer and spell out your favorite team with custom letter-shaped doughnuts (select flavors only) from Sublime Doughnuts. Requires 24-hour advance notice; 404-897-1801.

Georgia pigskin calls for Southern-style barbecue from Kevin Gillespie. Terminus City is serving up an unbelievable whole hog barbecue cooked on-site by chef Andreas Müller with four sides, dessert and paper products. Requires a two-week lead time. Visit the Facebook page for more information, and place orders by emailing terminuscity@gunshowatl.com or calling 404-380-1886.

Let Tin Lizzy's Cantina turn your big-game bash into a spicy FlexMex fiesta with the stacked taco bar, which includes two soft flour tortillas per person, choice of grilled chicken, grilled steak or seasoned pork, and lettuce, rice, black beans, pico de gallo, jack cheese, grilled onions and peppers, sauce, guacamole, chips and salsa fresca for $11 per person. You also can’t go wrong with the ever-popular chicken finger platter ($4 per person), cantina salads, margarita mix (sorry, tequila not included) and other fiesta faves. Deliveries require a $100 minimum order; delivery fee applies outside 10-mile radius. Prices exclude taxes and gratuity, and 24-hour notice is appreciated. For more information, email catering@tinlizzyscantina.com or call 404-668-8757.

Sack those stale chips and dull dips and send in crowd-pleasing catering all-stars from Willy's Mexicana Grill: Willy’s build-your-own taco, fajita or nacho bars, cheese dip, guacamole, salsa, chips, burritos and more. Ten-person minimum on catering orders. Read the whole roster of Tex-Mex flavors on the menu at willys.com/catering-menu. Order online or call 404-422-7107.

Master Italian Basics and Classics at Bellina Alimentari during September

“Ciao” time! Bellina Alimentari culinary classes and tastings give boring Tuesday and Wednesday evenings the boot. Learn, eat, sip and shop at the Italian eatery’s Culinary Club in hip Ponce City Market. Reserve a spot before they’re all snapped up. Sales tax added to ticket price during online checkout.
  

• Experience the thrill of the fill by making your own fresh, filled pasta in this hands-on class. Taste class projects and take home your own creation at this 6:30-8 p.m. class on Wednesday, September 7. Tickets are $45 per person.

• Say, “Mama, mia!” to healthy, simple recipes to pack an Italian-inspired lunch box. You’ll move to the head of the class with the kids thanks to this Back-to-School Lunch Box class led by Bellina owner Tal Baum. Each guest takes home the delicious lunch box prepared in the 7-8:30 p.m. class on Tuesday, September 13.Tickets are $32 per person.

• Amaro, Italian for “bitter,” is an herbal liqueur sipped as an after-dinner digestif – or mixed into a cocktail.  Explore Italy’s amaro culture with bar selections and nibbles during an Introduction to Amaro class, 7-8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20. Tickets are $28 per person.

• When it comes to food and libations, “local” is Italy’s middle name. Learn about local craft beer paired with seasonal bites from the Bellina kitchen at a Three Taverns Brewery session, 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27. Tickets are $28 per person.

• Whiskey and Italian charcuterie go hand in hand. Come explore whiskey essentials along with local and Italian charcuterie at 3 Whiskey 3 Meats, 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 28. Tickets are $28 per person.

Relax. It’s Labor Day. Let Atlanta Restaurants Do the Cooking for You

Labor Day arrives Monday, September 5, signaling the unofficial start of fall activities. Might as well squeeze in one last weekend of summer fun! Spend it in the grocery store and kitchen? We think not, because some of our favorite eateries are open over the holiday. Keep these Atlanta restaurants in mind if you’re returning from vacation, beat from a day of outdoor activities or just ready to let someone else labor over the stove.

For high-quality steaks and seafood, head to 101 Steak. Vinings’ newest chophouse is open regular hours all weekend and will be open for dinner on Monday from 4-9:30 p.m., offering mouthwatering dishes like the 32-oz. tomahawk chop, East and West Coast oysters and more than 100 wines by the glass.

Newcomer 5Church carries its weekend brunch service over to Monday for a special holiday treat. Cornmeal waffles, Southern fried steak, duck confit with cabbage pancake and more will be on the menu from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., with dinner service in the evening.

Out late on Sunday? Celebrate into the wee hours at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland or Ormsby’s in West Midtown. Both are staying open until 3 a.m. Monday morning. Atkins Park will cure your hangover with its full brunch menu available on Monday starting at 11:30 a.m.

Ponce City Market favorite Bellina Alimentari continues its monthly Bluesin’ Bellina live music series on Sunday from 4-7 p.m. Enjoy food, libations and great music from the Cody Matlock Band. Regular Monday hours stand.

Bid summer a final farewell with a special edition of Basque in the Sun on Sunday at Gypsy Kitchen. Enjoy paella on the patio, $5 glasses of rosé, $4 tinto de verano and half off select bottles of wine, as well as a live flamenco guitarist from 4-7 p.m. and a DJ starting at 7 p.m. Closed on Monday.

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern is open regular hours all weekend and Monday. Stop by and enjoy the brunch menu and $17 bottomless mimosas. Order half-price wings on Sunday from 5-11 p.m. and return for Monday’s date night special -- dinner for two for $24.95.

Johnny’s Hideaway, Atlanta’s favorite neighborhood nightspot, is open late on Sunday for a pre-Labor Day bash with live music from Cold Draft Beer. Monday regulars, Johnny’s is open for you as usual.

Whether you’re attending the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on Saturday or going sci-fi at Dragon Con, be sure to make Ray’s in the City part of your itinerary – the downtown restaurant is open all weekend. Come Monday for the two-course 1.25-pound whole Maine lobster dinner available all day for $24.95. More? That dinner also is available on Labor Day atRay’s on the River and Ray’s at Killer Creek. If you’re craving Mexican food, visit Ray's Rio Bravo on Monday for half-priced drinks all day.

Smokebelly BBQ turns the corner from summer to fall by honoring barbecue and the start of college football season. Friday through Monday specials include $3 Bud Light drafts, $10 Bud Light pitchers, $15 Bud and Bud Light buckets and $5 Tito’s drinks. The Whispering Gypsies start in with live music at 8 p.m. Friday. Saturday, enjoy gridiron action on 16 TVs, along with enough barbecue to feed every college team in the country. Smoked brisket and an Irish whiskey are just the ticket for catching Sunday’s Texas vs. Notre Dame game. Cap off the weekend on Monday with waffle fries, mac and cheese and pulled pork as FSU faces off against Ole Miss. Beginning September 5, Monday’s mean 25-cent wings starting at 4 p.m.

Additional restaurants open regular hours on Monday, September 5:

• Affairs in Alpharetta
• Marlow’s Tavern (all locations)
• Sublime Doughnuts (both locations)
• The Big Ketch Buckhead and Canton Street (Roswell)
• Tin Lizzy’s Cantina (all locations) 

Say “Salud!” to Picnic-Perfect Cold Salads To Go at Bellina Alimentari

Feeling a little wilted lately? Fresh salads to go are on the ready at Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market. Incredibly cool news for Chastain concert goers and picnickers headed to Piedmont Park or the BeltLine...especially when one considers that HOT Atlanta temps have topped 90 degrees more than 50 days this summer. Build a meal around refreshing salads such as marinated artichokes, tuna pasta salad, chicken salad, local lady pea salad, roasted vegetables (chilled), cippoline onions in agrodolce, marinated peppers and farro salad giardiniera. Remember, the Market at Bellina is well stocked with imported Italian foods, Italian and locally cured charcuterie, cheeses and gracious plenty more to complete your idyllic dining scene. Bellina’s salads also win raves on the potluck and dinner party circuit.

Bellina Alimentari August Class List Dangles Distilling, Sauces, Gelato, Meats and Beer

Bellina Alimentari tolls the August school bell for all those interested in picking up new culinary skills beyond pasta making. All classes take place in the Ponce City Market restaurant and market Culinary Club area. Click on the class links to register.

Distill, your beating heart when experts from locally based Old 4th Distillery clarify the essence of the fine art of distilling. Build a bank of high proof knowledge by learning basic distilling techniques, sipping through a guided tasting and watching Corey Philips demo mixology. Tuesday, August 16 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.; $28.

Add three Italian staple pasta dishes to your repertoire -- cacio e pepe, carbonara and red Sicilian pesto -- by attending Bellina’s Classic Italian Pasta Sauces chef demo/class on Wednesday, August 17 from 6:30-8 p.m.; $38. Spoons-on learning means tasting creations after class.

Study charcuterie and craft beer on a tabletop 3 meats 3 beers culinary tour with Kevin Ouzts from The Spotted Trotter and Rebecca Royster from Orpheus Brewing on Wednesday, August 24 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.; $28.

Lime sherbet is green. Arugula, however, might color green gelato and chocolate brown could be pure frozen chocolate bliss when chef Philip Meeker mans the churn during a Gelato Making Class ($35) on Tuesday, August 30 from 6:30-8 p.m. Make two flavors and take a pint home to share with family and friends.

Appetizing Aperture: That Coconut Cocktail at Bellina Alimentari

Seems every week someone in our office mentions being nuts about “that coconut drink.” And everyone knows exactly what coconut elixir they’re referring to: the Re Del Cocco cocktail ($9) at Bellina Alimentari. Turns out the elixir is a little more complicated and contains ingredients more challenging to pronounce than straight up coconut: Encanto pisco, Don Ciccio & Figli Luna Amara, coconut crème, ginger, lime and mint. Maybe we’ll just stick with “that coconut drink.” And we’re definitely sticking with it.

Pastured Poultry Week Flies the Coop on July 18. Don’t Miss Out

Through July 18, Atlanta restaurants showcase the outstanding and delicious characteristics of pastured poultry during the fifth-annual Pastured Poultry Week. Flock to Aria, Bellina Alimentari, Gunshow, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails and Seed Kitchen & Bar – all are featuring special pastured poultry dishes on their menus. More info on our Atlanta Dish blog.

These Birds are Outstanding in Their Field and Flying to Atlanta Restaurants during Pastured Poultry Week, July 11-18

Imparting superior taste and nutrition, enjoying a humane, less stressful life and leaving a positive environmental footprint are a few of the outstanding characteristics of pastured poultry. Georgia’s fifth-annual Pastured Poultry Week, July 11-18, shines the spotlight on these happy, sustainably raised campers and their poultry prowess. Restaurants across the state are flocking to join in by featuring pastured poultry on their menus. Here in the metro area, wing it to Aria, Bellina Alimentari, Gunshow, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails and Seed Kitchen & Bar to gobble specialty dishes centered on pastured poultry.

Those hungry to learn more can attend the White Oak Pastures Pastured Poultry class at Bellina Alimentari on Monday, July 11. Bellina’s own chef Gizzy Barton will demo how to break down and cook a whole chicken during the 6:30-8 p.m. class. Buy tickets online. As they say, a pastured bird in the hand is, well, going to be delicious. 

Tour Italy, One Bite at a Time, through Bellina Alimentari July Cooking Classes and Tastings

Break out of summer’s pizza at the pool or patio and opt for the air-conditioned comfort of culinary learning experiences at Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market. Browse and click on the following offerings to save your seat. Sales tax added at check out.

How will boxed pasta find its way into the grocery cart after participating in Bellina’s hands-on Pasta Making class? Taste your freshly made pasta and take some home. Offered Thursday, July 7 from 7-8:30 p.m. and Tuesday, July 26 from 6:30-8 p.m. ($45 per class).
 
White Oak Pastures wings up from Bluffton to lead a Pastured Poultry class during Pastured Poultry Week. Discover the delicious health and environmental virtues of these free-to-be birds and watch as chef Gizzy Barton demos how to break down and cook a whole chicken; Monday, July 11, 6:30-8 p.m. ($32).

Mama, Mia! Let’s plan, shop for, prepare and eat An Italian Meal. Source fresh, local ingredients while touring the Ponce City Farmers Market with Kenan Hill, shop for artisanal Italian ingredients at The Market at Bellina, then cook and eat a family style meal. Tuesday, July 12, 6:30-8 p.m. ($45).

Get a charge out of charcuterie when Kevin Ouzts from The Spotted Trotter leads guests through a guided tasting of four cured meats paired with natural Italian wines on Wednesday, July 13, 6:30-7:30 p.m. ($28).

Bond over dough-drenched fingers while cracking eggs, mixing and rolling out pasta and relishing the results with your 8-12 year-old youngster at Kids Kitchen on Tuesday, July 19, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ($45 covers parent and child).

Explore some of Italy’s finest natural wines paired with local, artisanal cheeses on a guided 3 Wine 3 Cheese tasting tour on Wednesday, July 20, 6:30-7:30 p.m. ($28)
 
Summer Sauces really pan out as a way to lightly enliven meals on hot summer nights when Bellina Alimentari chef Gizzy Barton shows students how to make three easy sauces and how to cook the perfect pasta. Sampling the trio of dishes is encouraged at this class on Thursday, July 21, 6:30-7:30 p.m. ($38).

An Introduction to Amaro familiarizes guests with amari, herbal spirits that have been a longtime part of Italian culture. Visiting friends this summer? Italians often present a local amaro as a host gift. Light bites from Bellina’s kitchen accompany spirited tasting on Wednesday, July 27, 7-8:30 p.m. ($28).

Salute Independence Day over the July 4 Holiday Weekend at Atlanta-Area Restaurants

Have your picnic, but eat out, too – and sport that new star-spangled top and sunglasses! Atlanta restaurants are fired up for the holiday weekend and stoked with celebrations, barbecues, bands, spirited beverages and all-American food faves – from our shores and beyond.

Get red, white and bluesin’ at Bellina Alimentari. The Ponce City Market favorite hosts a live music series the first Sunday of each month from 4-7 p.m. and that means loads of food, libations and tunes on July 3.

Oh say, you must see the Fourth of July BBQ blowout occurring when Terminus City takes command of Communion, the beer garden-inspired backyard behind Revival, Kevin Gillespie’s family-style restaurant in Decatur. The all-ages event packs in barbecue, beer, family-friendly entertainment and games (darts, cornhole, horseshoes) plus live music by Dave Lockwood on Monday, July 4 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Purchase food, drinks and play games using tokens, $5 each, with prices ranging from one to four tokens (tax and gratuity included). Gillespie's Terminus City will offer a chopped whole hog barbecue sandwich plate with Brunswick stew, potato salad, coleslaw and fried pie, purchasable for four tokens (tax and gratuity included). Drinks and cold beer hit the spot. Mingle around communal picnic tables and on the front and side porches of Revival (the restaurant itself will be closed). All proceeds from the day benefit Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, which helps post-9/11 veterans.

Gypsy Kitchen, in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta, puts a Spanish spin on the holiday weekend. “Basque in the Sun” begins at 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 3 and features paella on the open-air patio along with drink specials such as $4 tinto de verano, $5 rosé and half-off select bottles of wine. A flamenco guitarist and a DJ set toes tapping.

Newly opened 5Church in Midtown hosts a Whole Hog Roast on July 4. The celebration takes place during the Peachtree Road Race from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Guests will partake in a whole hog roast and beers from SweetWater Brewing Company while enjoying music outside along the sidewalk and on the rooftop patio. 5ChurchAtlanta.com

HOBNOB is open for regular business hours and serving its popular brunch menu Saturday, July 2 through Monday, July 4. Also on Monday, $17 bottomless mimosas and the neighborhood tavern’s Monday Date Night special -- a three-course dinner for two for $22.95. Post Peachtree takers?

A pre-Independence Day bash at Johnny’s Hideawayjumpstarts the revelry on Sunday, July 3. Food and drink specials fuel the celebration, and live music from Band X beginning at 8:30 p.m. and DJ Spin keep the party on pace into the late-night hours. Johnny’s will be open and ready to keep the party going on Monday, July 4.

Hooray for the Red, White and Brew Burger at Marlow’s Tavern, a patriotic palate pleaser offered Saturday, July 2 through Monday, July 4 at all Marlow’s locations. The $12.50 burger tops a perfectly seasoned beef patty with blue cheese, seared red peppers, caramelized onion and crisp romaine on a sesame bun for a flavor explosion.

From 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on July 4, three of Ray’s Restaurantsare offering a sea-to-shining-sea special surf and turf prix fixe menu for lunch and dinner. The two-course meal includes a choice of salad, six-ounce filet mignon, four-ounce lobster tail and Yukon Gold whipped potatoes for $24.95. Available at Ray’s on the River, Ray’s at Killer Creek andRay’s in the City.

The Southern Gentleman is serving its creative take on contemporary Southern cuisine for brunch on Sunday, July 3. For sparkle, add the $5 mimosa special or a $10 seasonal mimosa that includes seasonal fruit, orange juice and Champagne.

Picnic Basket Alert: Bellina Alimentari Salumeria Sells Antipasti, Salads and Local Meats and Cheeses by the Pound

Let Bellina Alimentari pound out your plans for outdoor concert supping, a romantic picnic in the park or an authentic Italian aperitivo on your patio. The salumeria section of The Market in this Ponce City Market Italian mainstay houses a huge selection of local meats and cheeses in addition to a mouthwatering variety of house-made salads and antipasti. Cheese offerings include Pecorino Toscano, Pecorino Romano, Parmesan Reggiano, Fontina, Taleggio, Decimal Place Farm goat feta, Rivertown sheep milk cheese and Garretts Ferry crotin-style cheeses from Many Fold Farm plus Sweet Grass Dairy Asher Blue and Thomasville tomme ($10-$24 per pound). Build a charcuterie platter from Buckhead Beef prosciutto di Parma; Spotted Trotter sweet hot Italian sausage, finocchiona and nduja; rolled pancetta Americana; cured and sliced Blackberry Farms guanciale, bresaola; coppa; pepperoni; and tuna confit ($11-$32 per pound). No Italian spread is complete without antipasti or salads. Pick up house-made bean, farro, peach or quinoa salads, pasta misto insalata or arrange an antipasti of olives, artichokes, giardiniera, agrodolce onions or roasted peppers ($10-$13). Add some fresh bread and you’re all set. Shop Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m.–8 p.m. Call 404-330-9933 for more information.

Bellina Alimentari Welcomes New Executive Chef Gizzy Barton

Atlanta-native Gizzy Barton grew up shopping with her dad at Your DeKalb Farmers Market in Decatur, and now she’s executive chef at Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market (PCM), a few miles away in Midtown. The Italian dining sensation at PCM welcomes Barton to its all-female team, a fierce foursome of females that includes owner Tal Baum, creative director Alice Noel Fabi and general manager Bethany Thompson. The talented chef honed her culinary skills under Atlanta chef Kevin Rathbun in roles as sous chef at Rathbun’s and by helping open Italian-infused KR SteakBar. Backtracking further, Barton gained rich sous and line chef experience at Restaurant Eugene and South City Kitchen and while attending Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Atlanta. The Atlanta native’s philosophy of food as a way of life, seasonal inspiration and bringing in summer produce from local farmers is right on track with the Bellina way. Stop in next time you’re at PCM and try some of Barton’s favorite menu items such as pappardelle with Bolognese and charcuterie and cheese from the Market.

School’s NOT Out for Summer at Bellina Alimentari. June Culinary Club Classes are in Session

Permission granted to put down the textbooks. Bellina Alimentari cooking classes are hands on, interactive and involve tasting instead of testing. View the list of June class offerings online and knead in some new-found knowledge. Click on each class below for more information and registration. Sales tax added at checkout.
 
Negroni Class, 6:30-7:30 p.m. on June 7 ($28)
Introduction to Fermentations, 6-7:30 p.m. on June 8 ($28)
Orpheus Beer Tasting, 6:30-7:30 p.m. on June 21 ($32)