Popcorn and soda a weak Jedi knight does make. How can The Force be with you when hunger pangs of the dark side strike during a key maneuver? Before zooming off to conquer galaxies far, far away, park the space racer at one of these Atlanta restaurants conveniently located near metro theaters when “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” opens Friday, December 18. Farm-fresh chicken and sides at Chick-a-Biddy in Atlantic Station will sustain Padawans of all ages (kids menu, too) before strapping into Regal Atlantic Station’s stadium seats for an IMAX 3D or big-screen showing. Bantam + Biddy in Lenox Square Mall is a short transport across Peachtree Road from Phipps Plaza AMC screens and an ideal place to alight for a pre-matinee breakfast or a meal on either side of an afternoon or evening showing. At Alpharetta’s Avalon, Bantam + Biddy and Marlow’s Tavern rule the galaxy offering hearty, not heavy fare, beer, wine and spirits, just steps away from Regal Avalon. Park once for dinner and the movie if the destination is Merchant’s Walk Stadium Cinemas in East Cobb -- Marlow’s Tavern and Seed Kitchen & Bar are both located in the same shopping center. For Mall of Georgia Star Wars fans, taco the force with FlexMex and margaritas at Tin Lizzy’s Cantina or with all-American favorites at Marlow’s Tavern. A good meal and a movie? A Jedi craves these things.
“The Breakfast Club” turned 30 this year. School years haven’t gone by so fast for the characters repped by Molly, Ally, Judd, Emilio and Anthony. The perpetual high schoolers are still spending Saturday mornings in study hall, peeling back their stereotypes to reveal similarities and differences. Saturdays in June, you’ll find them doing so at MAX’s Wine Dive’s congenial brunch. The Midtown restaurant salutes a catchy theme each month, and “The Breakfast Club” pulls in a hall pass for June. Shermer High detention hall was never like this -- mimosas at $3 a glass, Bellinis at $5 a glass and Chef Patric Bell-Good’s brunch menu -- and the campy, coming-of-age movie circulating on screens from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. MAX’s advice: come Saturday, don’t you forget about me.
Does anyone ever say, “Sure wish there were more hours to enjoy Monday?” Precisely. Monday tends to drag on the heels of its boisterous weekend siblings. Max’s Wine Dive, the Midtown restaurant and wine bar that pairs casual foods and fine wines, is out to drag the mundane weekday down a different path by teaming up with Atlanta’s best drag queens for “Monday’s a Drag” viewing parties featuring a classic drag movie or TV show each Monday from 6-10 p.m. Campy food and drink specials, such as $8 mixed berry sangria, $5 hibiscus Bellinis or $5 glasses of wine, will vary weekly and always raise spirits. Chef Patric Bell baked pink champagne cupcakes for the first “Monday’s a Drag” party -- who knows what delicacies he’ll “drag” out next. During the 6-10 p.m. timeframe, 10 percent of all food and drink sales will go to Lost-n-Found Youth, Atlanta’s only nonprofit organization dedicated to taking homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth off the streets and placing them into more permanent housing. Lost-n-Found Youth advocates and serves youth from 13-25 years of age. Stay tuned for what’s on the screen and more on Facebook or at #MondaysADrag. Save a seat on Max’s reservation page or by calling 404-249-0445.
