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.

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.

Appetizing Aperture: Smokebelly's Smoked Benny

Faced with the Smokebelly BBQ brunch menu, one can easily be a traitor to the usual morning meal of cereal or a protein bar on the go. Smoked Benny, a.k.a. eggs Benedict, Smokebelly-style, plops two poached farm-fresh eggs over two grilled biscuit halves with bacon and chipotle hollandaise and is served with brunch potatoes or creamy cheese grits ($13). Fashion an accomplice from Tito’s Bloody Mary Bar ($10) during Sunday brunch, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Buy Taste of Atlanta Tickets Now and Save

Tickets for the 15th annual Taste of Atlanta are now on sale. Atlanta’s must-do food festival is already on your calendar for October 21-23 so jump on buying tickets before prices rise August 1. General admission is $20; fork over $65 for tickets to the VIP Grand Tasting Experience with exclusive tasting opportunities. Starting August 1, ticket prices rise to $25 general admission and $75 VIP. Enjoy more, save more by purchasing tickets now for the special Friday night kickoff party featuring drool-worthy bites from The Optimist, Marlow’s
 Tavern and Colletta. Pay $55 for general admission tickets and $70 for VIP access to this event through July 31 or $65/$85 starting August 1. For those new to Atlanta, Taste of Atlanta is an unforgettable food, craft beer, wine and cocktail festival where guests savor tastes and spirits from Atlanta’s hottest restaurants and trendsetting chefs. Admission to the festival nets each guest 10 “Taste Points” to purchase nibbles, bites, sips and samples. Additional “Taste Points” are available for $1 each. Nibble on the list of participating restaurants, including Seed Kitchen & Bar, The Big Ketch and Smokebelly BBQ and start craving! Visit TasteofAtlanta.com and follow updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Delicious Maneuvers Tackle Game Day Appetites February 7

Watching the year’s biggest game, even sideline QBs, linemen and cheerleaders work up stadium-sized appetites. Atlanta restaurants conquer those cravings with food and drink specials, catering packages and pigskin parties that will put points on your scoreboard during the NFL championship on Sunday, February 7.
 
Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland fields an MVP carry-out menu lining up two dozen jumbo chicken wings, confit or smoked in a Big Green Egg, with your choice of sweet chili, spicy BBQ or Atkins Park’s classic wing sauce (ranch, blue cheese and veggies included) for $30. Other winning plays include 12 pulled pork sliders; house-made guacamole, salsa and tortilla chips; and a vegetable crudité platter with ranch dressing, each $25. Call 404-876-7249.
 
FLIP burger boutique has drawn up a special to-go menu so you can order your favorite sliders ($37.50 for 10), including the classic stack, turkey or the rBQ with angus beef, pulled brisket and coleslaw. Don’t forget appetizing starters and sides like baked beans ($25 feeds four to six fans), braised brisket empanadas, FLIP chips and kale slaw ($20 for four to six). Call and order ahead of time to guarantee availability. FLIP will close at 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 7, so pick up orders before 4:30 p.m.
 
HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern posts a slate of “Super Sunday” specials for dine-in, to-go or delivery (viaGrubhub.com). Order 50 chicken wings for $49 and get 25 pretzels and beer cheese dip free. An order of 24 chicken tenders merits 12 free pretzels for $69, and HOBNOB’s party-size chili, which feeds 12 people for $79, also comes with 12 free pretzels. Place to-go orders at least 24 hours in advance, 404-968-2288.

Victory dance? Johnny’s Hideaway will broadcast the game in full house sound. A DJ spins Johnny’s signature mix of classics and contemporary dance hits immediately afterward.

If wings is your thing, Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails has the perfect to-go option to watch the big game at home. They're offering 50 smoked wings and white chocolate chip brownie bites for $50 plus tax. Flavors include traditional medium, espresso rubbed with pomegranate molasses or Kentuckyaki with sesame seeds. Order by February 5 at 5 p.m. Available for pick up on February 7 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. miltonscuisine.com 

Snap up Smokebelly BBQ game-day specials. Hosting at home? Through February 7, order two pounds of pulled pork, a one-quart side, one pint of sauce and a package of slider buns to feed four of your hungriest friends for $40 or field a platter of 25 wings with celery, carrots and sauce for $20 per platter. Smokebelly game viewing opens the door to specials such as 25 wings and a bucket of five beers for $35, $3 draft specials and $5 well drinks. Also through February 7, dine-in customers can register to win a 50” TV courtesy of American Born Moonshine. The winner will be announced during the third quarter of the big game and must be present to score the prize. Call 404-848-9100.
 
STATS offers the ultimate viewing party with more than 70 TVs. Watch with up to five of your friends (six people total) in the main dining area for $250 or enjoy delicious draft beer right at your fingertips at one of the restaurant’s tap tables (seats six to eight) for $500. For a VIP experience, kick back in one of four semi-private suites ($500 for up to 10 people) or super suites ($750 for up to 15). Ticket purchase includes reservation and food and beverage minimum for your desired section. To reserve a spot today, click here or call 404-885-1472.

Flex muscles, FlexMex. Tin Lizzy’s Cantina catering options include the taco bar ($9 per person), the stacked taco bar ($11 per person), chicken tender platters ($4 per person) and Tin Lizzy’s FlexMex salad ($2.50 per person). Order at least 24 hours in advance. Free delivery within a 10-mile radius; $100 minimum order for delivery. Email catering@tinlizzys.com for all catering inquiries.
 
Twin Smokers BBQ has a smokin’ hot package for February 7 that includes a choice of three meats (one pound each), three one-quart sides, cornbread, BBQ sauces and sweet tea or lemonade for $75. Drop-off catering for parties of 25 or more with 48-hour advance notice (delivery fee may apply). Call 404-698-4707. 

Appetizing Aperture: Smokebelly's BBQ Quinoa Bowl

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.

Give Winter the Cold Shoulder, Slurp Soup

When it’s raw outside, nothing thaws hands and mellows the soul like a bowl of steaming hot soup. Join us as we lift lids and peek into stockpots to see what’s simmering at, stewing around metro Atlanta.

Blow off downtown’s wind chill by ducking into JP Atlanta and savoring a bowl of onion soup “1967” served au gratin ($12) -- a starter on the All-Day Dining menu.

Looking for a rosy glow in Midtown? It’s found in Article 14’s lycopene-rich tomato bisque with whipped crème fraîche and basil ($7).

Zucca, may rhyme with Bazooka, but the golden butternut squash soup with winter pesto and mascarpone ($5) at Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market is oh so much more satisfying and good for you.

Brace yourself with homestyle chili dolloped with sour cream and cheddar ($5) at Chick-a-Biddy before total immersion in an adrenaline-pumping movie or shopping at Atlantic Station.

Expect a heated debate over which Vietnamese soup is best when slurping with friends at Le Fat in Midtown. Three top competitors: Le Fat Pho (beef noodle, $12), Pho Ga (chicken noodle, $10) or Bún Bo Hue (spicy beef, $12).

A cup or bowl of tomato bisque ($4.95/$6.95) at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern hits home after a brisk walk or jog around Piedmont Park. Even better, order the grilled cheese and tomato bisque combo ($11.95) sporting a sandwich oozing havarti, Parmesan and fontina cheeses for dunking.

Pining for that something smoky in a bowl, not on a bun? Get stoked for vegetarian smoked tomato bisque at 10th & Piedmont ($4/$6) with buttermilk biscuit croutons, Parmesan cheese and fried basil. A gluten-free option is available.

At Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar in Midtown, enjoy a bowl of butternut squash soup with chicharrones (pork rinds), lemon and cilantro ($6) before sharing a board laden with locally made cheese or charcuterie.

In Virginia-Highland, Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar OKs “playing with your food,” i.e., toying around with the crisp garlic croutons floating atop their creamy tomato basil soup ($3/$5).

Like everything about Aria in Buckhead, creamless celery root soup with Umbrian black truffles and Parmigiano-Reggiano reflects pure elegance in every detail ($12).

True Southerners chowing down at Smokebelly BBQ in Buckhead can’t pass up a meaty bowl of Brunswick stew with house-made crackers for crumbling or dipping ($4.50).

When you’re craving a bit of soothing FlexMex mojo, stop by the closest Tin Lizzy’s Cantina for a cup of chicken tortilla soup, seasoned tomato broth dancing with chicken breast, corn, jack cheese, tortilla strips, avocado and chopped cilantro ($2.69).

Scuba-doobie-do dive into Caribbean lobster bisque at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill in Buckhead or Roswell. Each cup or bowl of this slightly sweet and island-spicy bisque swims with lobster and blue crab in a tomato sea ($4.95/$6.95).

Heady roast chicken and vegetable stew, available at all Bantam + Biddy locations, sustains souls for the long haul with fresh herbs, tender potatoes and a cheery cheddar biscuit topper ($12.50).

Even if “Burrito” is your middle name, tortilla soup calls out at Willy's Mexicana Grill locations. A favorite by the bowl ($4.75) or as an entrée add-on ($2.95).

Sushi may be on your mind at Roswell’s Aqua blue but don’t overlook the miso soup rich with fresh vegetables, tofu and mushrooms for $5. Hearty soup du jour choices alternate between loaded baked potato soup and clam chowder ($5).

Spoon into a cup or bowl of seafood gumbo with white rice ($7/$9) at Ray’s on the River and watch the Chattahoochee carry your cares away.

Across the river in East Cobb, Seed Kitchen & Bar spikes its nourishing roasted butternut squash soup with maple cream and sprinkles on toasted pumpkin seeds for a crunchy contrast ($7.95).  

Resolve to Eat Mindfully for a Healthier New Year

Holiday excesses propel desires for new year successes. Perhaps that involves de-cluttering closets and desktops, hitting the gym, unrolling the yoga mat -- and cleaning up your plate. Atlanta restaurant menus prove mindful eating doesn’t mean monastic. Break from those push-ups and take a look at these healthier choices.

An invigorating stroll through Virginia-Highland leads to a savory square meal at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar. Focus on every tender morsel of the herb-roasted Springer Mountain Farms chicken, dried cranberry and Brussels leaf salad, and creamed corn mashed potatoes ($16).

In Poncey-Highland, Café Highlands does a makeover on that faithful friend, falafel on warm pita. Their recipe uses black-eyed peas instead of garbanzos and adds a fried green tomato, cucumber and za'atar-yogurt dressing. Served with fries; we won’t tell if you sneak a few ($9).
 
Ormsby’s on Atlanta’s Westside plates an heirloom beet salad guaranteed to reboot your resolve to eat more veggies with its vibrant palette of arugula, Brussels sprouts, hearts of palm and tangy citrus vinaigrette ($9).

At FLIP burger boutique in Buckhead and West Midtown (as well as Birmingham and Nashville) simply request lettuce wrapping a favorite burger to “leaf” the bun carbs behind. More power packers: the turkey burger with Monterey Jack cheese, crushed avocado, pomegranate ketchup, tomato and alfalfa sprouts ($8); raw tuna tartare patty with Asian pear, pine nuts, compressed veggies, mango sphere and avocado purée ($14); and the seared chicken-topped, veggie-loaded FLIP salad with pickled cukes, cauliflower and red onion ($10).

Pasta has its place on Italian tables, equally so, the fresh, crisp insalata di bietola at Bellina Alimentari in Midtown’s Ponce City Market. The colorful salad of roasted beets, escarole hearts and ricotta salata is punctuated by red wine vinegar dressing ($8).

Follow a power walk through Piedmont Park with the Mother Nature Salad at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern in Midtown. Grains and veggie gains are yours in this mix of quinoa, cucumber, edamame, avocado, garbanzos, tomatoes, pickled onions, cranberries, candied pecans and HOBNOB basil vinaigrette ($11.50).

Tipping toward tapas in Midtown? 10th & Piedmont’s coconut scallop ceviche kicks blah days to the curb and jazzes taste buds with coconut, cilantro, spicy pepper, avocado and tortilla chips ($7.50).

Pulling up to Guy Wong’s Le Fat in West Midtown for a Vietnamese fix won’t weigh you down. Opt for Goi Cuon/summer rolls ($6), Goi Du Du/papaya salad ($10), Cai Xoan/kale salad with mango chickpea dressing ($7) or Bún/chilled vermicelli bowl with herb salad, cucumber, pickled daikon and carrot, crushed peanut and crispy spring roll and choice of sliced pork, chicken, shrimp or lemongrass beef ($16).

At Midtown’s Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar, choose a healthy Moroccan couscous with Israeli pearls and squash in harissa broth ($14) -- or achieve that goal of trying more locally sourced charcuterie meats and cheeses.

Check off the salad and seafood boxes on the “eat more” list at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill in Buckhead and Roswell. The Mediterranean quinoa bowl with Meyer lemon vinaigrette and the tropical salad with toasted macadamia nuts, tropical fruit salsa and Key lime mango dressing are consummate salad choices, and guests can opt in on healthier blackened or grilled cooking methods for salmon, mahi-mahi, grouper and ahi tuna.

Lighter side tapas at Smokebelly BBQ in Buckhead won’t derail your diet plans. Try piquillo pepper hummus with carrots, celery and house-made crackers ($6.50), gluten-free and vegan jalapeño-cornbread cakes ($7.50) or chilled farro and green bean salad ($4.95). Smokebelly’s “skinny fixin’s” menu has even more options.

In The Shops Buckhead Atlanta, Gypsy Kitchen power plays tapas and snacks to eat solo or share including pickled beets ($6), marinated octopus salad with citrus and fennel ($8), roasted cauliflower and quinoa salad ($6) and grilled Spanish octopus ($15). Neighbor The Southern Gentleman knows there’s no sleeping on the job. Stay alert with lunch choices such as Boston bibb lettuce salad with pickled shrimp ($12) and roasted kabocha squash salad with Georgia pecans and onion vinaigrette ($10).

Jogging by one of the 27 Willy’s Mexicana Grill locations in Atlanta (or Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport)? The Southwest chicken salad recharges the weary with crisp greens, chargrilled chicken, black beans, pico de gallo, corn salsa, Jack cheese, homemade guacamole and tortilla strips ($7.75).

Who’s In? Bert’s Big Adventure Launches Restaurant Week September 14-19

Sante Fe steak tacos, lobster cakes, baby back ribs and fried chicken and waffles pave the way to Walt Disney World for children with chronic or terminal illnesses during the inaugural Bert’s Big Adventure Restaurant Week, Monday, September 14 through Saturday, September 19. Tin Lizzy’s Cantina, The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Smokebelly BBQ and Bantam + Biddy are among the Atlanta eateries contributing 10 percent of sales toward the charity’s annual trip -- an all-expenses-paid, five-day journey to Walt Disney World to add joy and laughter to the lives of these children and their families. Skip a home-cooked meal for a magic teacup ride? Do it. 

Smokebelly and Gypsy Kitchen Feed Crowd at 10th Annual Taste of Buckhead on September 18

‘Tis the season of food festivals, and we’re not complaining. This week’s Taste of Buckhead features more than 50 wine and beer tastings, celebrity chef demonstrations and silent and live auction bidding on trips, gift baskets and restaurant gift certificates. Succulent scents will fill The Buckhead Theater on Roswell Road from 5:30-10 p.m. with Smokebelly’s smoked meat pork sliders and Brunswick stew prepared by chef Sean Munk. Or cool down with a cup of Gypsy Kitchen chef Randy Lewis’ two “cherry” gazpacho. This event benefits the Buckhead Heritage Society and Livable Buckhead. Don’t forget to buy tickets online for $75 a person. 

Appetizing Aperture: Smokebelly Front Lawn

Grab your friends and gather around the tables out on the front lawn at Smokebelly. Order menu mainstays such as Belly Bites of Disco Q fries topped with chopped smoked pork and sweet q sauce or cherry cola ribs; a plate of 21-hour Angus beef brisket, smoked combo plate or BBQ glazed grilled salmon; a grilled smoked sausage or pimento cheese BLT sandwich. Wash it down with a blackberry whiskey smash or watermelon-laced “From the Vine” cocktail off the Swig & Sip menu and enjoy live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Umi, Smokebelly and The Big Ketch are Three Tasty Reasons to Attend The Atlantan’s To Live and Dine Benefitting ACFB on August 4

                                                                                     Credit: Angie Mosier

In an effort to help the Atlanta Community Food Bank, The Atlantan Modern Luxury magazine presents To Live & Dine, a luxury cuisine and cocktails event. Grab your tickets and enjoy samples from Umi, Smokebelly, The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill and other top restaurants in Atlanta on Monday, August from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Mason Murer Fine Art Gallery. Take a sample of Umi’s spicy tuna crispy rice, smoked pork belly coleslaw and homemade biscuit sliders from Smokebelly and a watermelon tuna tartar from The Big Ketch. Must be 21 and over to attend and a ticket is required for entry. Purchase online ($35 including service fee) and bring some non-perishable food donations along with you for the ACFB!

Smokebelly Carpoolers Get a Free Bite during New Weekday Lunch Hours

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.

Appetizing Aperture: Smokebelly Now Open

Smokebelly is now open and pleasing Buckhead smoked meat connoisseurs! Through sheer willpower and determination, we’ve managed to snap a picture of their mouthwatering pulled pork brisket and mac and cheese before devouring every morsel. Double dare you to do likewise! 

Salute Memorial Day with a Memorable Meal Out or Grab Burgers to Grill

 

There’s a lot going on over Memorial Day weekend. Perhaps you’re remembering those who’ve served our nation, enjoying an all-American baseball game or zipping back into town after a mini-vacay to welcome summer fun. Atlanta restaurants are open on Monday, May 26 to help cover meals, and Whole Foods Market stores have a Memorial Day meal bundle for those of you who just want to grill and chill.

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland will be open late on Sunday night, May 25 to welcome the holiday and will follow up on Monday with regular hours beginning at 11:30 a.m.

G’s Midtown will be open as usual for hearty gastro pub favorites, small plates, salads, sandwiches and a well of ice-cold craft beer, wine and cocktails. Monday is trivia night from 8-10 p.m., and bottles of wine are half-price from 5-11 p.m.

HOBNOB in Midtown will be open during regular hours so drop in for lunch or dinner. On Date Night Mondays, a three-course dinner for two is $19.95 (with the purchase of two beverages) and includes a salad, entrée of a Margarita or veggie pizza or a regular or Piedmont burger plus a homemade cobbler of the day.

Hearth Pizza Tavern in Sandy Springs is ready to bake signature, crispy-crusted pizzas. Eat in and enjoy cold brews or cocktails or call for delivery. Remember, on Mondays, mouthwatering mussels and all bottles of wine are half price!

In Midtown, both Bantam + Biddy locations in Ansley Mall and on Crescent Avenue will open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on Monday. Flock-sibling Chick-a-Biddy in Atlantic Station will be open for lunch and dinner.

In downtown Atlanta, Legacy Restaurant Partners Der Biergarten, Glenn’s Kitchen, Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria and Skylounge will all be open for business as usual. Game-X will open early for lunch at noon. All are terrific stopovers following the afternoon Braves vs. Red Sox game.

All 11 Atlanta-area Marlow’s Tavern locations will be open for lunch and dinner on Memorial Day. Stop in for a bite to eat after your weekend celebration!

In Buckhead, newly opened Smokebelly is sending up signals that something special is going in the smoker on Memorial Day. Lunch or dinner anyone?

10^th & Piedmont in Midtown extends its 11 a.m.-4 p.m. weekend brunch through Memorial Day Monday, or stop in later for regular dinner service.

Ted’s Montana Grill opens at 11 a.m. for lunch on Memorial Day and keeps on satisfying guests with powerful salads, sandwiches, burgers, hand-cut steaks and classics such as bison meatloaf or pot roast, cranberry roasted chicken, cedar plank salmon and pecan-crusted trout. Full bar, veggie burgers and a kids menu put Ted’s on everyone’s hero list.

All six Tin Lizzy’s Cantina locations are open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Memorial Day to satisfy afternoon and evening taco and margarita cravings.

On Memorial Day, Ray’s Restaurants will follow normal hours. Ray’s on the River hours are noon-8 p.m. Ray’s in the City and Ray’s at Killer Creek will be open from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Are you on Ray’s Restaurants’ e-newsletter list? Look for their e-blast offering a 20 percent discount on Memorial Day. Must show email (paper or smartphone) to redeem.

RA Sushi Bar Restaurant in Midtown will be open as usual on Memorial Day. It’s an ideal opportunity to order from the Nicky’s Week menu to help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Hit the deck for lunch, dinner or drinks on Monday at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Buckhead’s beachy-est property. Aren’t there waves over that next dune?

Burritos have their place on your Memorial Day menu, thanks to select Willy’s Mexicana Grill locations being open on Monday, May 26. At Willy’s, each hand-rolled burrito is made to order. You decide whether to eat in or pack them up and head out on your next adventure. These Willy’s locations will be closed on Memorial Day: Peachtree Center, BellSouth, Hapeville, AT&T Lindbergh and Georgia State University.

On Atlanta’s Westside, Ormsby’s opens at 5 p.m. on Monday, which allows plenty of time for some cold brews or spirits, pub menu of hefty burgers and sandwiches, and games such as backgammon, bocce, darts, pool and shuffleboard.

On the lookout for a cookout? Over the dates of May 23-26, Whole Foods Market stores are offering a Memorial Day bundle deal: eight dry-aged burgers from Brasstown Beef, eight buns, eight slices of Cabot cheese and two pounds of smoked mozzarella pasta salad – all for just $20! That’s a savings of $15 to spend on something else, say some ice cold craft brews to go with your burgers.

#Foodgram: @SmokebellyBBQ

Smokebelly doors officially open on Thursday, May 22, but Instagram glimpses this joint venture by the creators of Tin Lizzy’s Cantina, The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Pool Hall and The Fur Bus. Take a look at instagram.com/smokebellybbq.

Get Stoked for Barbecue: Smokebelly Opens in Buckhead May 21

When anyone asks Smokebelly executive chef Darrell Rice what he’s been smoking, he lays out a litany: pulled pork, sliced brisket, sliced turkey breast, sausage, baby back ribs and a rotation of specialty cuts like pork belly, leg of lamb, beef cheeks, smoked alligator and other wild game that are all within this dry-rub guru’s spectrum. Tantalizing smells and flavors are generated by low-heat smoking methods when Smokebelly, which is brought to you by the team behind The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails and Tin Lizzy’s Cantina and Trey Humphreys (the Fur Bus, A Social Mess and the Pool Hall), officially opens in Buckhead at 128 East Andrews Drive on Wednesday, May 21. Stalkers of smoky goodness can add fresh fish, vegetarian fare and “skinny fixins” like watermelon smoked feta salad and barbecue lettuce wraps to their repertoire. Smokebelly’s menu lays out upwards of 10 house-made sides plus Southern-rooted snacks, barbecue tapas, appetizers, sandwiches and salads. The bar has 20 craft beers on tap, artisanal liquors and handmade craft cocktails. Smokebelly’s own house band rocks on cue and welcomes other musicians to join in. A vintage feel extends through the dining room, bar and patio where guests can enjoy lunch and dinner daily. Guests also can spread out on “The Lawn,” a 1,500-square-foot patio with faux grass that seats an additional 160. Info: 404-848-9100.