Basque Sundays at Gypsy Kitchen Pours Half-Off Bottled Wine, $6 Rosé, Menu Features

Experience Spain in the heart of Buckhead at Gypsy Kitchen Basque Sundays. Sit back and enjoy live flamenco guitar music while sipping $6 glasses of rosé and half-priced bottles of wine. Savor menu items such as seared tuna tataki with Moroccan spices and warm gigante beans, queso frito with Basque cider apple purée and arugula, or charred vegetable paella “fried rice” with spring onions, zucchini, eggplant, red peppers and sofrito. The journey to Spain begins with drink specials at 5 p.m. and continues with flamenco music from 6:30-9:30 p.m. every Sunday.

Reserve Seats? Neat! Southern Proper Hospitality Restaurants Join OpenTable

To quote the late Tom Petty, “The waiting is the hardest part.” So don’t. Now you can use OpenTable to reserve seats at your favorite Southern Proper Hospitality restaurants including The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Smokebelly BBQ, Gypsy Kitchen, The Southern Gentleman, Beni’s Cubano, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails and Tin Lizzy’s Cantina. Guests can quickly and easily reserve a table online and avoid using precious time waiting for seats during peak business hours. Whether you’re looking ahead or time-strapped and checking last minute for seats, making online reservations eases any hesitations about heading out, wait-time unknown.  And, the process couldn’t be easier. Just visit the restaurant’s website and click on “reservations” to check your preferred date and time. The convenient, stress-free process is the most direct route to skipping the wait and sitting right down to dining and drinks at your favorite Southern Proper Hospitality restaurant. Yes, now time is on your side…but that’s another song for another day.

Caravan to Gypsy Hour at Gypsy Kitchen for Wine and Tapas Specials

We’re predicting good fortune for fun seekers traveling through Buckhead weekdays from 4:30-6 p.m. Adopt the carefree Spanish gypsy mindset and prioritize unwinding with friends, wine and tapas while rush hour traffic subsides. Gypsy Kitchen in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta hosts Gypsy Hour every Monday through Friday, offering a rotating selection of premium wine vintages, unique varietals and a sparkling option at $5 a glass and a sampling of small plates priced at $4-$5 each. Enjoy Gypsy Hour specials in the bar, patio and patio lounge area. Street, deck and valet parking available.

Gypsy Kitchen is Buzzin’ about Kissing Bee’s Knees and Saving Bees with Special Cocktail through Oct. 1

Here’s one for the “honey do” list. Alight at Gypsy Kitchen this week, buzz through the cocktail list and land on the Bee’s Knees ($11) as your libation of choice. Through Oct. 1, every Bee’s Knees purchase at Gypsy Kitchen in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta fortifies efforts to raise awareness and fund Save the Bees. Small bees. Big impact. Without bees to pollinate plants, we’d be out of luck for our coffee, avocado and potato frites fixes -- as well as many of the other fruits, veggies and nuts we enjoy on a daily basis. Ouch. That stings. Help cure the situation one sip at a time by ordering Gypsy Kitchen’s “Bee’s Knees” classic Prohibition-era cocktail combining gin, lemon and honey. Worker bees, if your queen becomes enamored with this citrusy-sweet sipper, learn how to craft your own here.

Dine with Gratitude and Help The Giving Kitchen Aid Hospitality Workers in Need, Aug. 20-23

Dine out and show your support for The Giving Kitchen and the hospitality workers who provide the amazing meals, drinks and food services we enjoy in Atlanta. All you have to do is dine at participating restaurants over the Dining with Gratitude dates of Aug. 20-23. Each restaurant will donate 10 percent of sales to The Giving Kitchen to further the nonprofit’s ability to aid Atlanta-area restaurant and hospitality workers facing crisis situations. Can’t decide where to eat out? Fine options include Marlow’s Tavern locations in Vinings, Midtown, Emory, Northlake, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven and Dunwoody; The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill in Buckhead and on Canton Street; Gypsy Kitchen; Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails; Smokebelly BBQ; The Southern Gentleman and Tin Lizzy’s Cantina. Eat and give thanks for the hands that prepare, serve and clean up our abundance of ATL dining options.

#Foodgram: ATL Bucket List

Fill the must-do food trough with suggestions from the ATL Bucket List, a jackpot of eatables, do-ables and explorations around Atlanta. Perfect timing, finding this local road trip list right after the swift I-85 bridge repair. Our knees are shaky with excitement over discovering where to find fried chicken and red velvet waffles on a stick topped with Fruity Pebbles.

Playtime! Passion for Paws Hosts Pet Soirée Fundraiser at The Southern Gentleman and Gypsy Kitchen June 7

“Paws” for a night out on the patios of The Southern Gentleman and Gypsy Kitchen on Wednesday, June 7. Passion for Paws is hosting an animal rescue fundraiser from 6-10 p.m. at the sibling restaurants in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. Unleash a midweek pick-me-up of a complimentary drink, light bites, live music and silent auction bidding. Stay for dinner and enjoy 10 percent off your dinner tab that night at either restaurant. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Valet and self-parking available. That’s parking, not barking…no dogs or cats, please. Non-profit Passion for Paws, Atlanta helps raise money for non-profit, no-kill shelters to rescue and medically treat animals. Funds raised at this event will specifically benefit PAWS Atlanta and Good Mews. 

2017 Taste of the Nation Showcases Celebrity Chefs and Atlanta Faves April 20

Atlanta’s annual Taste of the Nation is always one of the city’s most highly anticipated culinary events. This year promises an even greater abundance of chefs, restaurants, surprises and an intimate VIP Dinner Experience at the Thursday, April 20 extravaganza filling downtown Atlanta’s Southern Exchange at 200 Peachtree. TV personality and restaurateur Cat Cora, who opened Cat Cora’s Kitchen at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in partnership with Hojeij Branded Foods, will serve as the event’s honorary chef. Aria chef Gerry Klaskala, Umi chef Fuyuhiko Ito and Gunshow chef Kevin Gillespie take their talents to the tables for the ultra-exclusive VIP Dinner Experience featuring a multi-course dinner prepared tableside by the chefs and fine wine pairings. Guests opting for the 7-10 p.m. Grand Tasting experience will sample signature fare and spirits from more than 50 of Atlanta’s premier restaurants -- including Cat Cora’s Kitchen, Chicken and the Egg, 5Church, Gypsy Kitchen, Marlow’s Tavern, Seed Kitchen & Bar and Umi -- along with the excitement of auctions, wine tastings and live entertainment. “Cat Cora’s California Trip” is sure to stir a feeding frenzy of hot bidding in the live auction. Taste of the Nation events are held in more than 30 cities across the nation. Proceeds support Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign to end childhood hunger in the U.S.A. Buy Grand Tasting experience tickets here, $250 per person.
 

Dine at Any Southern Proper Restaurant to Feed “No Kid Hungry” on April 11

Give in to your desire to dine at a Southern Proper Hospitality restaurant on Tuesday, April 11 and know some of the moolah is going to provide nutritious food for American children. Earmarked as a give-back day, 10 percent of sales at all Southern Proper restaurants will go to No Kid Hungry. Do double duty – lunch and dinner – feasting on fresh seafood at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill in Buckhead and Roswell, modern twists on Southern classics at The Southern Gentleman in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta and mouthwatering smoked meats at Smokebelly BBQ in the heart of Buckhead. Jumping on the give-back meal train come dinner time, Gypsy Kitchen in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta offers a tantalizing menu of cuisine inspired by the regions of sunny Spain while Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails in historic Crabapple focuses on regional fare and seasonal harvests. All offer handcrafted cocktails, craft brews and wines to enhance lunch and dinner selections. 

No Foolin’ -- Matthew Ridgway of Gypsy Kitchen and The Southern Gentleman Leads Piedmont Park Green Market Chef Demo April 1

Take eating healthily seriously and shop local farmers markets, like the Piedmont Park Green Market. Free chef demos are an added bonus as Atlanta chefs happily dole out delicious, fresh ideas using the market’s seasonal offerings. See what chef Matthew Ridgway of Gypsy Kitchen and The Southern Gentleman has in mind this Saturday, April 1 at 10 a.m. in the Visitor Center. Shop the Green Market Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Matthew Ridgway Plans Steamy Visit to Guest Chef at Little Trouble Monday Bunday Feb. 27

“Bun’s” the word for Matthew Ridgway, executive chef at Gypsy Kitchen and The Southern Gentleman restaurants in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. On Monday, Feb. 27, Ridgway takes a one-night hiatus from his sunny Spain and Southern kitchens to create a signature steamed bun for Westside restaurant-lounge Little Trouble’s weekly “Bunday.” Little Trouble happily provides the delicious steamed buns to cushion the guest chef’s creation. Ridgway’s stunning buns, along with drink specials, will be offered alongside the regular menu from 5 p.m. until “late.”

Tip Back a Tito’s Mule and Southern Proper Donates to No Kid Hungry

Meet some really smart mules, Tito’s Mules. They’re at all Southern Proper Hospitality restaurants. Why so smart? Each Tito’s Mule cocktail ($10) sold packs a double, no, triple punch by quenching thirsts with a blend of Tito’s vodka, fresh squeezed lime and ginger beer AND by sending two donations to No Kid Hungry. Both Southern Proper and Tito’s will donate $1 to No Kid Hungry for each Tito’s Mule purchased at Gypsy Kitchen, The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails, The Southern Gentleman and Smokebelly BBQ. Harness the power of this intelligent, do-good cocktail choice. Introduce a couple of friends to Tito’s Mules and toast your multi-tasking skills. Enjoying more Tito’s Mules adds up to more money for No Kid Hungry. Promotion runs through March 31.

Southern Proper Hospitality Food Drive Weighs in with 765 Meals for ACFB

Atlantans came through in a big can-do way, contributing more than 917 pounds of canned goods during a holiday food drive sponsored by Southern Proper Hospitality for the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB). In dining terms, that adds up to 765 meals! Contributors received a $15 off restaurant coupon when turning in five of the needed non-perishable items at Gypsy Kitchen, The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails, The Southern Gentleman and Smokebelly BBQ. Food drive or not, the ACFB always welcomes donations at acfb.org.

Basque Sundays at Gypsy Kitchen Shine Light on Half-Off Bottled Wine, $6 Cocktails, Menu Specials

Sunny Spain shines brightly into the evening hours, even considering the earlier sunsets, at Gypsy Kitchen Basque Sundays. Guests are all aglow, radiant from cardio toe tapping to flamenco guitar music chased by $6 cocktail quenchers and sharing bottles of wine from the expansive half-priced selection. A rotating selection of yummy pinchos and montaditos from executive chef and chief culinary travel director Matthew Ridgway enlighten each week’s Basque Sunday menu. Samba in for drink specials starting at 5 p.m.; flamenco music kicks in something fierce from 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Run with the Bulls to Gypsy Kitchen Second Anniversary Celebration October 9

Diners savoring Gypsy Kitchen’s second anniversary celebration on Sunday, October 9, will unpack a sumptuous evening that could end with winning a VIP viewing package for the 2017 Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain! Celebration guests will feel like they’re caravanning through the lush Spanish countryside, dining on executive chef Matthew Ridgway’s rendition of paella on the patio ($10) backed by Basque guitar music. Complimentary gin and tonics await from 4-5 p.m., courtesy of sponsor Tanqueray. Keep on toasting to drink specials such as half-price select bottles of wine, $4 tintos de verano and $6 Tanqueray and tonics. One lucky diner and guest attending the event will receive the VIP viewing treatment during the 2017 Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Start by completing the entry form or submitting a business card that night for the 8:30 p.m. drawing. Must be present to win, so stick around for more tintos de verano or visit the photo booth to capture picture-perfect memories with a complimentary photo. 

The Wait is Over -- Harvest for a Cure Tickets Now on Sale for October 20 Extravaganza

Tickets are now available for Harvest for a Cure, a one-of-a-kind evening on Thursday, October 20 uniting 18 of Atlanta’s most talented chefs and pastry chefs with 18 savvy sommeliers and mixologists to pair culinary creations with wines from the personal cellars of top local wine collectors. Guests will sample an extravaganza of fine food and vintage wines surrounded by stunning contemporary art in the galleries of Mason Fine Art at this third annual fundraiser for the Georgia Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. You know the evening will be delish and well curated with these stars onboard -- chef Gerry Klaskala, pastry chef Kathryn King and sommelier Andrés Loaiza of Aria; chef Billy Cole and mixologist Mercedes O’Brien of Gunshow; chef Matthew Ridgway of Gypsy Kitchen; and Derek Dollar of Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails. In order to reach its $500,000 goal in fundraising, Harvest for a Cure will feature an extravagant raffle and employ a new digital MS Wine Event app where guests can access event details and raffle item information. “The great thing about Harvest for a Cure is that it’s an event that people living with MS can actually enjoy,” says John Carlos, president and chief operating officer of National Distributing Company and longtime supporter of the National MS Society. To be a part of it all, buy tickets online today. 

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) 

Appetizing Aperture: Gypsy Kitchen's KYX Cocktail

Get your kicks on Route 66, but for KYX, pull up to the bar at Gypsy Kitchen in Buckhead. Wanting to create a distinctly Spanish cocktail to complement Gypsy Kitchen fare, Garn McCown marries Kentucky bourbon (KY) with East India Lustau sherry from the Jerez (also known as Xerez) region of Spain (X) for KYX ($12).  The family tree becomes even more interesting with a hand-blended mix of quince, lemon, sugar and a touch of black walnut bitters punctuated by a flamed lemon peel for a hint of smokiness.

Buy Tickets for Fifth Annual Eats & Beats on August 11

Unlimited food from top Atlanta restaurants, open bars, live entertainment by Yacht Rock Review, a wow-some wall of wine and unique silent auction items. All this good stuff and chef bands, too, when the fifth annual Eats & Beats shakes The Buckhead Theatre on Thursday, August 11 from 7-10 p.m. Gypsy Kitchen, Smokebelly BBQ, The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill and The Southern Gentleman are a smattering of the more than 25 restaurants participating in this benefit for Children of Conservation and The Giving Kitchen. General admission is $85 per person and includes restaurant tastings, open bar and entertainment. VIP admission, $175 per person, allows for 6:30 p.m. entry, private VIP suite access with wine tastings, premium bar, additional restaurant offerings with wine pairings for each dish and access to the private balcony viewing the theatre. Buy tickets online.

Appetizing Aperture: Gypsy Kitchen's Chicken Under a Brick

Springer Mountain Chicken Under a Brick ($22) is a smash hit on the new menu at Gypsy Kitchen in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. The dish is flat out delish with sherry vadouvan sauce, heirloom tomatoes, Moroccan couscous and fresh figs. Good thing this entrée is meant to share, otherwise, there would be some unhappy campers at the table.