Der Biergarten CHOA Toy Drive Twist -- Give a Toy, Get a Pretzel Through December 19

Skip fancy paper and bow tying, simply bring a new, unopened, unwrapped toy to Der Biergarten through Saturday, December 19 and receive a free pretzel for your good works. The authentic German restaurant’s giant, warm Riesenbretzels deliver the carbs a body craves this time of year. That said, selecting and giving a toy to delight a child stuck in the hospital over the holidays -- even cheery Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta -- carries a greater feel-good factor. If your body thirsts for more holiday spirits, a lager, marzen, dunkelweiss or glüwein amid Der Biergarten’s fa-la-la-la-lovely decked halls will do the trick. 

Win a $100 Gift Card at Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria during National Pizza Month

Move over pumpkins and share the glory, October is National Pizza Month. Stop by Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria in downtown Atlanta’s Luckie Marietta District for a true coal oven experience. Through the end of the month, cozy up to your pie and smile for a saucy selfie then post your pic on Facebook or Instagram with hashtag #MaxsPizzaPie for a chance to win a $100 Max’s gift card. Build your own New York-style pizza or choose a popular pie from the menu. 

Oktoberfest Oompahs into Der Biergarten September 19

Oktoberfest is a misnomer; the fun begins in September! Der Biergarten, Atlanta’s authentic German beer garden located in the Luckie Marietta District, follows Munich’s lead and starts the six-week party Saturday, September 19. Beer specials, keg tappings, bands, contests and a pig roast fill the Oktoberfest calendar through October 31. Der Biergarten conducts the traditional tapping of the keg at 6 p.m. this Saturday, September 19 and pours $9 liters of Warsteiner Oktoberfest through September 25. The band Kurtzbuam opens the evening from 6-9 p.m. DJ Johnny follows from 9 p.m. until midnight, throwing in a stein-holding contest among the tunes and handing out prizes like Oktoberfest T-shirts, beer steins and gift cards. Keep one eye on Atlanta Dish for weekly details and one eye on your closet...we know there’s a pair of lederhosen in there somewhere. 

Der Biergarten Preps for Oktoberfest with Beer and Schnitzel Specials

Interesting tidbit. Schnitzel å la Holstein, the schnitzel of the month at Der Biergarten, has nothing to do with Holstein cows. Lore has it a Berlin restaurant dreamt up this version of schnitzel, combining appetizer and main course on one plate to appease time-strapped German diplomat Friedrich von Holstein. The lightly breaded pork is served with a fried egg and anchovies and topped with a caper cream sauce ($23). Spaten Marzen, a year-round Oktoberfest beer, pulls rank as August beer of the month for $9/liter at the authentic German beer garden in downtown’s Luckie Marietta district. 

No Ice Bucket, Plenty of Cold Beer at STATS ALS Fundraiser Night July 23

The Ice Bucket Challenge has run its course, but you can have a splash or two of your favorite beverages and raise money for the Atlanta ALS Association at STATS on Thursday, July 23. Join Cook’s Crew, a non-profit group honoring Alphonso "Prune" Cook, who lost his battle with ALS, for drinks, appetizers or dinner at the Luckie Marietta District restaurant and sports bar between 6-9 p.m. when 10 percent of sales goes to ALS research.

Header on Over to STATS and Der Biergarten for FIFA Women’s World Cup Soccer Semifinals and Finals Viewing through July 5

Cheer on Team USA as they play Germany in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Semifinals June 30! STATS and Der Biergarten in the Luckie Marietta District offer specials to keep you fueled up and ready to cheer on the home team. Liters of Kӧnig Ludwig Hefeweizen are $9 at Der Biergarten, while STATS has an All American Combo for $15: personal premium jumbo wings appetizer with a choice of sauce (Buffalo, BBQ, Kung Fu) and choice of dressing with celery, plus a Messi Double Stack Burger with American cheese, lettuce, onion, pickle and, of course, Budweiser. Be sure to catch the rest of the Women’s World Cup action at STATS and Der Biergarten through July 5. Details about specials aren’t in a playbook, but you will find them on our blog. 

Follow FIFA Women’s World Cup Action at Der Biergarten and STATS through July 5

Follow FIFA Women’s World Cup action like the Germans do -- congregating around outdoor screens in plazas or beer gardens. Der Biergarten, a block off Centennial Park in Atlanta’s Luckie Marietta District, broadcasts FIFA action through July 5 on multiple flat screens strategically placed throughout its indoor/outdoor beer garden. When the action becomes heated, cool off with Konig Ludwig Hefeweizen, specially priced at $9 a liter. Those following every kick, dive and goal will work up an appetite that only Zigeuner schnitzel, the schnitzel of the month, will defray. The lightly breaded pork is served with a red sauce made with mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers. With views, food and beer, flag Der Biergarten as your Atlanta FIFA fortification station.

Seventy high definition viewing screens capture every play and replay at nearby STATS. Buckets loaded with five Budweiser longneck bottled beers are $14 -- great teammates for a field of American food favorites. 

Twin Smokers BBQ Monthly Meat & Greet Welcomes Brasstown Beef and Gum Creek Farms on June 4

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. 

Twin Smokers BBQ Opens in Downtown Atlanta on December 27

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.

Luckie Marietta District Easter Egg Hunt at SweetWater 420 Fest

Not only is the lineup at SweetWater 420 Fest an egg-cellent attraction, but the Luckie Marietta District has planned a family-friendly Easter egg hunt to ensure no one misses out on Easter festivities. The hunt will take place at noon on Sunday, April 20 in the Chipotle KidZone, and it is only open to festival ticketholders ($10 per day, $18 for the weekend). In addition, golden eggs for adults will be hidden throughout Centennial Olympic Park and include prizes for SkyView Atlanta, concert tickets, SweetWater merchandise and restaurant gift certificates. Happy hunting! 

Warm Up this Weekend with Fireplaces and Fire Pits at Atlanta Restaurants

Usually when we talk about Atlanta's fired-up cuisine scene, we're referring to open-hearth cooking, coal-fired pizza ovens and smoking-hot Big Green Eggs. The advent of colder weather draws us closer to another kind of flame, that radiating from interior dining room fireplaces and heat-packing fire pits on restaurant patios and rooftops. Dine out and get it to glow.

At Buckhead's Seven Lamps, a courtyard fire pit warms hands as they tip a glass of Low Winter Sun or another handcrafted cocktail dispersing liquid sunshine. At nearby King + Duke, newly installed fire pits entice guests outside for a hot toddy or fiery spirits at the winter bar. 

Midtowners can heat up as they eat up at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern. Outdoor dining is a go for breakfast, lunch or dinner as the fire pit evicts cold while welcoming friends to gather.

Sunsets come early in winter months, providing more time to soak in the twinkling cityscape from a rooftop perch at STATS located in downtown Atlanta's Luckie Marietta District. Cozy up near the blazing fire pit and stoke winter cravings with a hearty salad, sandwich, salmon or steak or a powerful libation from the fully stocked bar. Those fired up about a wedding, corporate party or private event will light into Ventanas where 360-degree views of the city below and stars above ignite a huge wow factor for guests seated fireside on the rooftop patio.

Traditionalists will love the two large fireplaces at Old Vinings Inn: one casts a welcoming warmth into the lobby as the other invites guests to settle into the Bear Room for comfort food or a feel-good cup of hot caramel apple cider. A towering stacked-stone fireplace anchors the patio at The Mill Kitchen & Bar in Roswell. Craft cocktails, warm desserts and regionally inspired favorites lift winter's gray cloud. In historic Crabapple, Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails' indoor fireplace casts a cheerful glow over the dining room.

Savor the contrast of windows on winter and dining by a crackling fire at Ray's on the Creek. The Alpharetta restaurant keeps Big Green Egg ribs and pulled pork on the menu as well as offering Ray's Restaurants' seafood favorites year round.

Game-X Gets 2014 off to a Fun Start with Free Game Play Week

We hope you've added "have more fun" to your list of new year resolutions because Game-X is kicking off 2014 with free game play week. All day long starting Monday, January 6 through Friday, January 10, you can play any simulation game for free at Downtown Atlanta’s good-time headquarters in the Luckie Marietta District. Take turns on Dead Heat Racing, SnoCross, Operation G.H.O.S.T., Deadstorm Pirates, QuadAir Hockey, Terminator, The Fast and the Furious: Superbikes and Fright Fear Land among others. Hours are Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Downtown Eateries Put the Icing on Ice Skating Fun at Centennial Olympic Park

Ice skating at Centennial Olympic Park's Ice Rink in downtown's Luckie Marietta District is already a beloved holiday tradition, but the adventure just isn't complete for us without a way to refuel all those calories we will burn gliding around the ice. Luckily, some of the city's best restaurants or nearby and ready to be pre- and post-skating destinations. For hearty German fare and beers, slide into Der Biergarten. Just getting warmed up? Keep the momentum going with games, beverages and American fast-casual fare at Game-X. Hot pizzas warm cold hands and fill hungry tummies at Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria while sporty STATS satisfies with classic American favorites and thirst-quenching brews. Date night deserves a visit to the Glenn Hotel where Glenn's Kitchen exudes sophisticated ambiance and drinks flow at SkyLounge, its rooftop hangout. Add south of the border Latin and Mexican flavors to your polar experience with a visit to Alma Cocina for roasted chicken mole Oaxaca, pork pibil tamale, beef brisket enchiladas and many other savory dishes, including bowls of hot tortilla soup. Or, go coastal at Ray's in the City where a wide variety of seafood selections dock alongside a classic cheddar cheeseburger, hand-cut steaks and other landlubber temptations. Can't fit them all in? These restaurants will welcome you even after the ice rink closes for the season on January 20.

#Foodgram of the Week: @gamexatl

 

You can only watch so many football, hockey and basketball games before you want to get up and compete yourself. Lucky for you, Instagram's @gamexatl provides the latest temptations to get you making moves to the complex. With no "bye" weeks, our picture-perfect plays happen every day of the week. Plus, we have a great eats too. Have your couch beat that. 

Set Your Sights on Big Buck World Championship Qualifiers at Game-X Through October 13

Leave that ugly orange vest at home and stalk some prey in style during the Big Buck World Championship qualifiers at Game-X. Running through October 13, digital hunters will be able to show off their sharpshooting skills without ever leaving behind the comforts of air conditioning and a stocked bar. Sip on The Outdoorsman, a bourbon cocktail from the trophy beverage menu, to steady your nerves while you plan the perfect shot. And just try finding entrées ($9-$11) like the BBQ bacon stack, double stack, Buffalo wrap or Cuban out in the wilderness. The deer may be virtual, but with an invite to November's worldwide finals in Chicago on the line, the competition is sure to get very real. 

Fetch a Great Deal at Der Biergarten's Barks & Beers on September 7

 

Throw on your pup's spiffiest bandanna and get ready to fetch great deals at Barks & Beers going on at Der Biergarten this Saturday, September 7 from 4-9 p.m. Water and treats please the dogs. Their chaperones may prefer the $5 Bitburger pilsner benefiting the Atlanta Humane Society, which will have dogs and puppies available for adoption at the event. Beer pong, shuffleboard and foosball will keep humans busy. Live music kicks in at 6 p.m.

Dance the Night Away at Der Biergarten's Schlager Party August 17

Get your groove on at this year's fifth annual Schlager Party. Back in the '60s and '70s, German schlager was pretty poppy music, a bit akin to our own country music. You know the type, employing a catchy melody, sentimental lyrics and easy to sing along with (with a few beers under your belt). "Schlager" can also refer to a hit song. Guaranteed the DJ will play everyone's favorite schlager at Atlanta's Schlager Party, co-hosted by Der Biergarten and the German Chamber of Commerce, on Saturday, August 17 from 7 p.m.-midnight. The more beer specials guests relish -- such as $9 liters of Krombacher pilsner and Weihenstephan hefe -- the better the schlager is bound to be. Throw on the lederhosen and dirndls because Der Biergarten is bestowing prizes for best costume, including tickets to their German Beerfest, t-shirts and gift cards. Take us home, schlager roads to Der Biergarten in downtown Atlanta's Luckie Marietta District. Oh ja!

Celebrate the Glenn Hotel's 90th Anniversary with August Specials

 

There are some milestone occasions that you go all out for, and the Glenn Hotel in Downtown Atlanta's Luckie Marietta District is doing just that for its 90^th anniversary. To celebrate, the Glenn has planned a month full of specials and surprises, from mini-cupcakes at check-in and a signature birthday cocktail to a getaway deal. For $90, book the Glenn's 90^th Anniversary Package through August 30 and enjoy an overnight stay in a historic guestroom and special welcome package. While you're there, don't forget to visit the SkyLounge rooftop bar and check out the city views with a handcrafted cocktail and Glenn's Kitchen for some seasonal, American South comfort food.

Ferris Wheel Riding Makes You Hungry

 

Photo Credit: The Partnership/SkyView Atlanta

Wheeeee! The big wheel is turning in the Luckie Marietta District and you're gonna work up an appetite after the ride. While you're up there, scan the horizon for some spots to grab a bite. Might we suggest Der Biergarten for an authentic German dining experience, Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria with its coal-fired pizzas and Italian specialties, STATS for sports viewing and Game-X for an eat-and-play combo? If you're up for a short walk, head to nearby Fifth Group Restaurant Alma Cocina, or for hand-cut steaks, seafood and sushi, Ray's in the City serves it all in a casual, yet elegant setting. Or stay the weekend at the Glenn Hotel and go to them all. Be sure to check out their American comfort-food restaurant Glenn's Kitchen and more sky views at SkyLounge upstairs. Clearly you're going to need to come ride that Ferris wheel more than once!

Pizza Perfection - Made by You!

 

Ah, pizza. Who doesn't love a good pie? But to make your own from scratch - well, that's scary.  Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria, baking with the only genuine coal-fired pizza oven in Georgia, wants to calm your fears by way of two-hour interactive pizza making classes led by pizza masters. Learn the secrets of mixing, stretching and tossing the perfect crust, selecting ingredients so as not to cause a tragic mozzarella slide off, and baking the whole masterpiece to optimum crispness. Get fired up learning about the legendary coal-burning process used up in NYC. Upcoming class dates are May 6, 13 and 20, and June 3, 10, 17 and 24. Classes sell out quickly, so don't wait for your dough to rise before reserving your place! To sign up, call 404-974-2941. Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria is located in the heart of the Luckie Marietta District Street in Downtown Atlanta. You can do it!