Mom’s the Word at Atlanta Restaurants on Mother’s Day May 10

She’s your biggest fan. She cheers, she chauffeurs, she chefs. She chooses what she feels is best for you. Now you can choose some of Atlanta’s best brunch and dinner spots to honor her on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 10.
  
Stroll Piedmont Park’s paths and gardens then sit down for Sunday brunch at G’s Midtown or 10th & Piedmont from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The two Midtown eateries serve both hot and cold brunch specialties such as challah bread French toast and chilled house-smoked salmon. Brunch is $34.95 per person. Reservations: 404-602-5510.  

A big heart deserves a big feast, and Aqua blue in Roswell comes through with $15 bottomless mimosas and a brunch buffet from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tempt taste buds with eggs Benedict, blackened fish with lobster sauce, dessert favorites like a chocolate fountain and loads more. $34.95 for adults and $9.95 for children ages 4 to 12. Children under 4 eat free. Rather do dinner? Aqua blue will serve its à la carte menu from 5-9 p.m. Reservations: 770-643-8886.
  
A tad north of Atlanta in historic Crabapple, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails executive chef Derek Dollar presents prix fixe Mother’s Day brunch and dinner menus. Brunch is $32 for adults; $16 for children 12 and under. Featured selections include French toast with fresh berries and smoked bacon or sausage, prosciutto eggs Benedict and blackened salmon. If afternoon activities knock brunch out of the ballpark, reserve a table for dinner -- $38 for adults, $19 for children -- and enjoy shrimp and grits, Southern fried chicken breast or an eight-ounce New York strip. The regular kids menu also will be available. Reservations: 770-817-0161 or OpenTable.

Ray’s on the River in Sandy Springs is offering its award-winning buffet from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. with brunch, lunch or dinner options as the day progresses. $42.95 for adults; $21.95 for children ages 5 to 10. For preferred seating, call 770-955-1187. In Alpharetta, Ray’s at Killer Creek is serving a buffet from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. $34.95 for adults; $17.95 for children ages 5 to 10. For preferred seating, call 770-649-0064. A downtown outing must-do is Ray’s in the City where a Mother’s Day buffet pleases all from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ($34.95 adults; $17.95 children ages 5 to 10), and the regular à la carte menu service kicks in from 5- 9 p.m. For preferred seating, call 404-524-9224.

Mom is special every day. Mother’s Day or any day, these Atlanta-area brunch spots are her cup of tea. 


Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland serves classics like deviled eggs and more stylish options such as chorizo and egg tacos.


It’s mom’s lucky day! Aria, usually closed on Sunday evenings, will be open and serving dinner beginning at 5 p.m. Sophisticated Aria pampers like no other. Make reservations online.


All four Bantam + Biddy locations (Ansley, Crescent, Lenox Square, Avalon) are offering their regular brunch menus, loaded with mom’s favorites (and she might share her chicken and waffles if you’re sweet).

Brunch and dinner are in the cards at The Southern Gentleman, open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Mother’s Day. The day begins with morning and midday fare such as fried soft-shell crab Benedict, a traditional Monte Cristo, Gulf red snapper and cornmeal and ricotta pancakes served 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Dinner selections are available 4 – 7 p.m., including carbonara pasta, duck and dumplings, roasted Carolina mountain trout, pepper-crusted New York strip, and buttermilk-poached Grassroots Farm chicken breast. Shrimp and grits plus starters of jumbo lump crab risotto with country ham, salt and sugar cured green tomatoes and warmed Gulf oysters grace both à la carte menus. Make reservations online.

All moms visiting any Willy's Mexicana Grill location on May 9 or May 10 will receive a coupon for $5 off any order of $15 or more for their next visit.

Welcome weekend leisure time by taking mom to Atlantic Station for Chick-a-Biddy’s brunch of signature chicken and waffles with traditional flavors or twists like red velvet.


In Midtown, HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern serves breakfast pizza, healthy frittatas and fresh farmer's omelets to power up her day.

Marlow’s Tavern is the perfect neighborhood spot for classic American brunch fare with an upscale twist. Find a Marlow’slocation near and dear to Mom’s heart.

Cap Graduation with a Party at FLIP burger boutique and Save 10%

If there’s a Class of 2015 soon-to-be-graduate in the house, it’s a given the week of pomp, circumstance and parties is rounding the corner at a fast clip. Graduate with honors in party hosting by honoring the cap and gown-er at FLIP burger boutique. FLIP’s menu rates a high G.P.A. (Graduate Palate Accolades) with burgers such as the classic beef stack, chorizo-spiced pork, lamb, turkey, fried chicken, blackened shrimp, the Vedge and Fauxlafel or a slider sampler trio. Starters, salads, sides, innovative milkshakes and drinks score high marks with all ages. Contact Stephanie Shaw and ask for the graduation discount of 10 percent off the tab for graduation parties held at a FLIP burger boutique -- inside or out on the patio. Fine print: excludes taxes, not to be combined with any other offers; no cash value, one coupon per table; offer expires Labor Day 2015.

New Menu at Milton’s Grows from Fall Planning for Milton’s Acre Spring Harvest

Chef lingo of “seasonal” and “local” bear a whole new dimension when the executive chef and resident grower collaborate in planning garden plantings. Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails in historic Crabapple is such a place, where executive chef Derek Dollar and Peter Kohm, resident grower for the right-out-back Milton’s Acre, work together with menu and guest pleasure in mind. That’s seed-to-fork dining right down to the roots. Dollar’s new spring menu testifies to garden goodness with dishes such as garden herb flatbread with goat cheese-pesto spread and heirloom tomatoes ($10); baby red romaine salad with celery, carrot curls, toasted sunflower seeds, shaved Parmesan, caper blossoms and lemon-basil vinaigrette ($8); chef’s vegetable plate of garden vegetables and almond quinoa, grilled asparagus, garlic wax beans, pickled beets, summer squash casserole and sunflower pesto ($21); honey-glazed bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with aged white cheddar rice grits, yellow wax beans, cracked mustard-country ham demi and black truffle butter ($28); and crispy striped bass with summer squash casserole, arugula and crispy red onion salad, sunflower romesco and arugula oil ($30). More dishes incorporating Milton’s Acre herbs and gems include shrimp and country ham ceviche ($10), deviled farm eggs ($8) and mussels and Sapelo Island clams ($14). Back in November when we were giving thanks for our Thanksgiving Day feasts, Dollar and Kohm were poring over a pile of 40 seed and plant catalogs, evaluating customer favorites, garden successes and other factors while determining this spring’s planting scheme. For their foresight and our backdoor-close, farm-fresh feast, we truly give thanks. Make reservations online or call 770-817-0161.

Fine Banh Mi -- Tin Drum Saigon Summer Vietnamese Specials Coast in May 4

Think tropical jungle appetites. Think hot, humid summer in the South. Tin Drum Asiacafé is on to something with its Saigon Summer menu specials -- pork banh mi and nom nom pork bowl – both featuring sweet and smoky pork loin. These two limited-time offerings beat a path from the tropics into Tin Drum locations on Monday, May 4. The nom nom pork bowl heaps a union of sweet-smoky pork loin, chili vinaigrette rice noodle, pickled daikon and carrot on a bed of fresh kale, mint and basil then tops all with roasted peanut, fresh jalapeño and cilantro ($8.50). Pork banh mi wraps the pork loin, pickled daikon and carrot, red pepper aioli and cucumber in grilled Asian roti and finishes the whole deal with tangy cilantro ($4.75). On Fresh Fridays, buy a nom nom pork bowl and fountain drink for $7, all day, every Friday. And, what’s fine by us? Adding pork banh mi to any regular-priced entrée for $3 any day, all day.  

Joey Ward of Gunshow Targets Chef Demo at Peachtree Road Farmers Market May 2

Gunshow executive chef Joey Ward mans the 10 a.m. cooking demo at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market on Saturday, May 2. This talented chef views cooking as a form of art inspired and elevated by locally sourced ingredients and framed by his treasured relationships with local farmers. Hate to nag, but remember to bring your own shopping bag to hold all of those fabulously fresh purchases so they’ll make it home unscathed and ready to go into some chef demo recipes from the market website. Market hours are 8:30 a.m.-noon, rain or shine. Photo credit: Andrew Thomas Lee.

Taste of East Cobb - Top Restaurants and Entertainment for the Whole Family May 2

Marlow’s Tavern, Seed Kitchen & Bar and Stem Wine Bar are three restaurants offering samples at the Taste of East Cobb going on Saturday, May 2 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in The Fountains of Olde Towne at 736 Johnson Ferry Road in Marietta. Tastes from East Cobb’s best restaurants take top billing, backed by live music and entertainment; a Kid’s Zone with inflatables, sand and spin art and face painting; a raffle and silent auction and a hotly contested “Best Taste of East Cobb” competition. Free admission; taste tickets cost $1 each, and offerings are priced from one to five tickets. Buy taste tickets at the event, or to save some bucks, buy tickets online and pick them up at the event pre-sale booth.  

May Day Blooms at White Oak Pastures with Seed Workshop, Farm Tour, Dinner + Live Music May 2

For those of you yearning for a veggie garden this summer,White Oak Pastures Seed Starting Workshop sows a fast start to success on Saturday, May 2. Learn tricks of the trade for greenhouse and outdoor gardening and how to optimize conditions to render vigorous transplants and contend with harsh weather. A 10 a.m. farm tour and noon lunch in the Pavilion inspire your inner farmer and verify the full-on flavor of farm-fresh produce. Come dressed to impress the soil and seeds because you’ll get up close and personal with dirt at the 1-4:30 p.m. workshop. (Good excuse to throw some cute gloves in your cart the next time you’re at a big box store or garden center.) $60 per person, includes lunch in the Pavilion. Limited to 15 participants. Reservations required; reserve online or by calling 229-641-2081. Don’t uproot yourself, stay on for a special May Day dinner at the only farm in the United States that pasture raises and hand butchers 10 red meat and poultry species as well as produces pastured eggs and certified organic vegetables.

Also on Saturday, May 2, celebrate May Day White Oak Pastures style down on the farm in Bluffton, Georgia. From 3-4 p.m., meet and greet the farm crew and your fellow May Day merrymakers, eat appetizers and enjoy drinks in the Pavilion. Embark on a two-part farm tour from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Return to the Pavilion to appease farm-fed cravings with a four-course garden- and pasture-to-plate dinner featuring White Oak Pastures raised meats and seasonal vegetables, a cash bar and live music from 6:30-9:30 p.m. No maypole, but feel free to improvise a May Day dance if you’re so inclined. Tour, dinner and music, $75 per person; dinner and music only, $65 per person; tour only, $20 per person. Make reservations online or by calling 229-641-2081.

Bantam + Biddy and Chick-a-Biddy Guests Dabble in the Kentucky Derby May 2

Do you Derby? Bantam + Biddy and Chick-a-Biddy are galloping through some Kentucky Derby fun this week. Until the Saturday, May 2 “Run for the Roses,” receive a ballot for the legendary Churchill Downs race with your entrée purchase at any Bantam + Biddy location or Chick-a-Biddy in Atlantic Station. No wagering, just select the horse you think will win. If your pick is the first to cross the finish line, you’ll receive a $50 gift card to the respective restaurant. Those in the winner’s circle will be notified the week of May 3. Race ballots are available at all Bantam + Biddy locations (Ansley Mall, Crescent Avenue, Lenox Square and Avalon) and at Chick-a-Biddy in Atlantic Station. One entry per person with entrée purchase.

Atlanta Restaurants Chip in with Cinco de Mayo Festivities May 5

Striking on a Tuesday this year, Cinco de Mayo (May 5) could fly under the celebratory radar as a rip, twist and pop holiday (rip open the bag o’ chips, twist open the salsa jar, pop the top on a cerveza). Our amigos at these restaurants envision a “hola!” lot more!

Atkin’s Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland pours on holiday spirit. Chef Andrew Smith throws a Tequila and Tacos fiesta of special dishes and specialty drink pairings. On the menu, pozole rojo chile braised pork and hominy stew ($6) and Single Estate Tequila Ocho Plata margarita ($8); shrimp tostadas ($11) and AP Tequila Mockingbird ($8); chiles rellenos ($12) with Single Estate Tequila Ocho Reposado Paloma ($10); and beef short rib tacos ($14) with Single Estate Tequila Ocho Anejo served neat ($12). After tequila drinks and spices, spoon into a cool and crispy fried ice cream with Tanteo cocoa ($6). Reservations: 404-876-7249.

All Ray’s Restaurants are ladling up bowls of Ray’s Rio Bravo’s classic chili con queso with chips for $4.95. Cold beer and margaritas on the rocks temper the fire.

Embrace the aura of fresh limes, tequila and salt infusing all nine Tin Lizzy’s Cantina locations as the FlexMex cantinas post mucho margarita and beer specials throughout Cinco de Mayo week as well as menus touting more than 25 soft tacos, quesadillas and specialty skillets. From Tuesday, April 28 through Tuesday, May 5, absorb specials such as the 12-ounce Cincorita margarita featuring el Jimador tequila ($6), $3 Grand Marnier floaters and $7 Herradura tequila shots. Corona Light and Pacifico top off at $4.25 for 16-ounce drafts and $7 for 24-ounce drafts. Tin Lizzy’s is collecting monetary donations for Bert’s Big Adventure throughout the week, and on May 5, Tin Lizzy’s will donate $1 to Bert’s Big Adventure for every 24-ounce “Bert’s Big Cincorita” sold ($11). Founded by Q100 “The Bert Show” host Bert Weiss, the non-profit organization provides all-expense-paid trips to Walt Disney World for children with chronic and terminal illnesses and their families. Photo credit: Jeremy Adamo. 

Basque in the Glow of Complimentary Hors d’oeuvre During Gypsy Kitchen Spice Hour

Be a gypsy in your own town. Caravan to Gypsy Kitchen for Spice Hour at the bar and on the patio, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays from 5-7 p.m. Clink glasses and say, “salud!” while relishing complimentary passed hors d’oeuvre reflecting Spanish culinary traditions from Andalusia to Basque, Galicia and Catalonia. Shiny new patio furniture and the Buckhead Atlanta scene show up nicely in impromptu selfie pics. Parking is a pleasure because Gypsy Kitchen guests receive two free hours of parking in the Buckhead Atlanta parking deck -- ask for a voucher at the host stand. Photo credit: Andrew Thomas Lee.

Double up on Reward Points at Ray’s

Ray’s Restaurants is doubling up on reward card points for Dining Club members who dine at Ray’s in the City or Ray’s at Killer Creek restaurants during weekends. Every Saturday and Sunday, Ray’s will dole out two loyalty card points for every dollar spent at these two locations. Convene at Ray’s in the City for drinks, dinner or dessert when enjoying downtown events and attractions, celebrating a special occasion or looking for a place to listen to live music on Saturday evenings. Casual with a natural coastal feel and woodsy view, Ray’s at Killer Creek is Alpharetta’s go-to for Saturday and Sunday night drinks and dinner, Sunday brunch and or a stopover either side of showtime at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park. Purchase a Ray’s Dining Club reward card for $10 at any Ray’s Restaurant or online and start racking up points. Reward card points translate to Ray’s dollars, birthday bonuses, VIP event invitations, special promotional offers and more.

The Southern Gentleman Lassos High West Distillery Whiskey Tasting April 29

Troy Karnes of High West Distillery shares his passion for fine whiskey and the Great American West with guests at The Southern Gentleman on Wednesday, April 29 from 5-7:30 p.m. Come for a night of fine whiskey and vodka tasting -- by flight or specialty cocktail -- and complimentary tastes created by the restaurant’s culinary team. Sip a Scarlet Bell featuring High West Vodka 7000’; The Fairchild with High West Vodka 7000’ Peach, gin, black pepper and Cocchi Americano; Grit & Grace, a mix of High West Double Rye, mint, apricot and lemon; or East of Hudson with High West American Prairie, Carpano Punt e Mes, bitters and smoked cherry (9-$10). Purists, focus on whiskey flights, $12-$22, including High West's Son of Bourye, American Prairie, Double Rye, Campfire and the extremely limited-release Midwinter Night's Dram. Information: 404-939-9845.

22nd Annual Dining Out for Life for Open Hand Resolves What’s for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner April 29

Even for those of you in the proverbial clean plate club, a quarter of your breakfast, lunch and/or dinner goes to help others at Dining Out for Life restaurants on Wednesday, April 29. Aria, Article 14, Bantam + Biddy, Chick-a-Biddy, 10th & Piedmont, G’s Midtown, HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern and Willy’s Mexicana Grill locations in Buckhead, Midtown and Perimeter are a few of the popular destinations joining in Open Hand’s biggest fundraiser of the year. These restaurants and others will donate 25 percent of each tab to Open Hand, which now serves upwards of 5,500 nutritious meals each day and is the largest producer and distributor of home-delivered meals in the United States. Open Hand meals sustain those hindered by chronic, critical or terminal illnesses and disabilities as well as homebound seniors. Can we count you in? Superb! Go ahead and make reservations online before seats are filled.  

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National Picnic Day bursts forth from its basket on Thursday, April 23. Pack a Picnic lunch or supper this week or pin ideas for the patio dining and outdoor concert season. Spring artichoke salad, Vietnamese summer roll salad, chopped salad in a cup, veggie bars, walking tacos and desserts in jars are positively portable. Adults gravitate to caprese or eggplant, prosciutto and pesto pressed sandwiches and vodka lemonade “Capri Suns” sippers. Throw in some winning game ideas while you’re at it. 

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Mom said never run with scissors, but she never mentioned abstaining from running with tweezers. Let your fingers trek across the keyboard to food stylist and travel addict Tami Hardeman’s runwithtweezers Instagram page and extricate some exquisite food frames.

Appetizing Aperture

Ormsby’s executive chef Scotley Innis plants new options for warm weather appetites among adored regulars on the Westside restaurant’s menu. Baked shrimp and crab dip with pita and tortillas, pictured, is irresistible ($9). Newly seen entrées include mushroom ragout pasta, Baja fish tacos, shrimp Pernod, a lamb gyro burger, and seafood and beer paella. Innis wedges heirloom caprese on nine-grain bread and chicken salad on the same between the much-devoured Bruno burger, Uncle Fred’s ultimate BLT, the Richard club and other sandwiches. Cobbler gobblers, there’s a peachy one with your name on it for dessert.  

Smokebelly BBQ Stokes Week with Half-Off Wings, Half-Off Wine and Live Music

Sit in traffic. OR, sit on the patio at Smokebelly BBQ in Buckhead taking advantage of weekly specials. No brainer. Smokebelly BBQ, all the way. Mondays, wings are half price all day. Opt for cherry cola, Buffalo, mild or hot wings all prepped with the house rub, slowly smoked, flash fried to order and joined by celery, carrots, and blue cheese or ranch dressings. Wednesday’s “Wine & Swine” uncorks select bottles of wine at half price, a prime opportunity to try different wines with executive chef Nagib Sued’s smoked meats and Southern chow. Thursday and Friday ease into the weekend with live music to back drinks and hefty snacks or dinner. Then it’s the weekend. Only two more days until weeknight specials come ‘round again. 

Pass the Plate -- Article 14 Serves Sunday Supper for $18

Sundays are supposed to be restful, yet more daylight hours seem to invite more activities and when suppertime sneaks up, that cherished meal once again eludes us. No more.Article 14 takes a stand on the issue by honoring this Southern mealtime tradition. Every Sunday from 5-9 p.m. the Midtown restaurant serves Sunday Supper for $18 per person (excludes tax, gratuity and beverage). Guests can choose a starter, entrée and dessert from the week’s menu selections. Throw the family in the car. Call friends. Gather. Converse. Laugh. Eat. Push away from the table at meal’s end sated and ready to take on the week. Save seats by calling 404-443-8432 or reserve online. 

Take Virtual Tours of Ray’s Restaurants on New Website

Ray’s Restaurants shows off a new, dynamic website this spring. The new site earned website designer DynamiXWebby Award honoree status in the food and drink category. The new website opens virtual doors, inviting guests in for quick “tours” of all three Ray’s locations -- Ray’s in the City,Ray’s on the River and Ray’s at Killer Creek. Open a window on your PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone and walk in. Too tantalizing? Close the window, power up the car and experience Ray’s in real time.  

Flood Atlanta Waterworks Park with Love and Money at “Friendraiser” on April 28

April showers drench our brains with thoughts of water that drift toward a couple of revered Westside watering holes --Ormsby’s and the landmark Atlanta Waterworks. Friends of Atlanta Waterworks want to restore the park surrounding the Waterworks, and they’re hoping for a supportive outpouring of funds at the second-annual Atlanta Waterworks Park “Friendraiser” on Tuesday, April 28 from 6-8 p.m. at Monday Night Brewing. Ormsby’s and other Westside restaurants are floating food tastings for the event, and Monday Night Brewing comes through with beer for guests to imbibe while park advocates and city officials give updates on park progress. Ticket options are: $45 for an AWW Benefactor ticket that includes admission, food, limited-edition souvenir pint glass, six Monday Night Brewing tasting tickets and a $20 donation to Park Pride; $25 for an AWW Thirsty Friend ticket (does not include donation); and $15 for an AWW Non-Drinker ticket (admission and food only). Buy tickets online; small service fee will be added. 

Pulling for Andreas Muller of Revival at Smoke & Glory Smoked Pork Showdown, High Noon on April 26

Routing around with the celebrity chef behind “Pure Pork Awesomeness” only amplifies the talents of someone who’s a boss hog around hog meat. Chef Andreas Muller, the executive chef for Kevin Gillespie’s upcoming Decatur restaurant, Revival, is one such gent. At high noon on Sunday, April 26, Muller and chefs from other Atlanta restaurants face off in the Smoke & Glory Smoked Pork Showdown at Steinbeck’s Ale House in Decatur. Judges and guests alike will sample and rate the bounty. The over-21 crowd also enjoys two adult beverages per ticket. Live music and activities entertain all ages, and a raffle breeds suspense and prizes. $40 per adult; $10 children ages 5-12; free for children under 5 years. Buy tickets here (plus small service fee). Proceeds benefit The Giving Kitchen and its mission to assist those in Atlanta’s restaurant community facing unanticipated hardships.

Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails Stokes a Farmyard Chowdown April 26

Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails can add “Sea to Fork” to their “Seed to Fork” tagline on Sunday, April 26. From 5-8 p.m., executive chef Derek Dollar plans a Farmyard Chowdown combining his own rendition of a Low Country boil with garden-fresh picks from Milton’s Acre and Southern delights such as pickle fried chicken. City folk, come casual and ready to lick your fingers as you plow into Dollar’s spread and enjoy live music and lawn games. $35 per person (excluding tax, gratuity and alcoholic beverages); buy tickets online. For information, call 770-817-0161.

Do Good at Chick-a-Biddy: Be The Match Walk Run on April 25 and Walk Now for Autism Speaks April 26

If you’re looking for a philanthropic way to motivate everyone, rise and start moving to Chick-a-Biddy in Atlantic Station this weekend. The restaurant famed for its farm-fresh, all-natural poultry and regional fare is sponsoring theBe The Match Walk Run on Saturday, April 25 and the 1.5-mile Walk Now for Autism Speaks on Sunday, April 26.

On Saturday, the event village for the Be The Match Walk Run opens at 7 a.m. with feet hitting the street beginning at 8 a.m. for the Tot Trot, 5K and 1K. Register, volunteer or donate online. Chick-a-Biddy also is offering Be The Match pin-up cards for $1 each. Cards go up on the “wall of hope,” inspiring others to throw in a dollar or two for their own cards. On Sunday, opening ceremonies rev up striders at 9:15 a.m. before they set off on the Walk Now for Autism Speaks stroll around Atlantic Station at 9:30 a.m. There’s no cost to register; raising $150 or more in donations earns a T-shirt.

Nest at Chick-a-Biddy after each event for cheddar, bacon, cinnamon roll and red velvet waffles, Big Ol’ Biddies breakfasts and Little Biddies favorites. Healthy smoothies, fresh fruit juices and stronger libations nourish thirsts. Opens at 10:30 a.m. weekends for brunch. 

Leave Your Horsepower Home and Ride a Chartered Bus to the White Oak Pastures Farm Tour April 25

Tour White Oak Pastures and enjoy lunch, drinks and dinner on the farm on Saturday, April 25 -- without saddling up your own Mustang, Charger or Bronco. White Oak Pastures is organizing a daylong farm tour field trip from Decatur to the Bluffton, Georgia farm and back, including chartered bus transportation. The White Oak Pastures Special departs from The Friends School in Decatur at 8 a.m. and rolls through farm gates in time for a leg stretch and lunch in the Pavilion. Next up, the tour thoroughly explores the farm from the red meat and poultry abattoirs through the farm grounds and on to the organic vegetable garden. Sit a spell at the Pavilion and hash over the day while enjoying wine, beer and farm-to-table-on-the-farm fine dining. Afterward, your steed awaits to return to the big city. Onboard, there’s time enough to add photo fodder to Facebook or catch some ZZZs before arriving back in Decatur around 9 p.m. $125 per person; limited to 55 guests. Reserve your seat online or call 229-641-2081.

Pick Up Ray’s Restaurants Cards for Administrative Professionals Day April 22

Administrative professionals keep those large and small details in check. Picking up the lunch check on Administrative Professionals Day, Wednesday, April 22, is an appreciative way to say “Thanks for all you do.” Even more meaningful, write a note of gratitude and slip in a gift cardor gift certificate for Ray’s Restaurants. Pick up gift cards right away by purchasing them at Ray’s in the City in downtown Atlanta, Ray’s on the River in Sandy Springs orRay’s at Killer Creek in Alpharetta. Gift certificates, only available online, will be emailed to the recipient. Either option allows the holder to dine at any of Ray’s three locations where specialties include succulent prime meats, market-fresh seafood, signature salads, shareable appetizers and favorite cocktails, wines and beer. A leisurely and luscious Sunday brunch at Ray’s on the River or Ray’s at Killer Creek satisfies the goodness gap between (thank goodness it’s) Friday and (oh my goodness it’s) Monday.

Marlow’s Tavern Vinings Turns 10, Throws Birthday Bash April 22

Marlow’s Tavern in Vinings celebrates a decade well done and cheers for the years to come with a big birthday bash on Wednesday, April 22. Toast the occasion with complimentary Marlow’s punch all day long and stay on for the real party from 5-11 p.m. Snag some swag when Marlow’s gives away T-shirts, door prizes and raffle goodies throughout the evening. Sample complimentary appetizers from 6-7 p.m. and segue to complimentary draft beer from 7-8 p.m. while supplies last. Hold on, the icing is coming at 9 p.m.: the cake cutting carves out a slice and a glass of bubbly for every guest, and Marlow’s will announce which lucky guest will take home “Marlow’s Tavern for a Year,” translating to $30 in Marlow’s Tavern fare per week for a year. (Need not be present to win.) Completing the party scene are fun-loving guests like you, party poppers, decorations and live music by Brad Jackson from 5-8 p.m. and Michael Magno from 8-11 p.m. 

Well, Lime Me! Time to Buy Tickets to the Atlanta Margarita Festival at Atlantic Station

Churning up generous amounts of that concoction that helps you hold on, the Atlanta Margarita Festival shakes up Atlantic Station Friday and Saturday, June 19-20. Tickets are now available online, and it’s well worth your salt to think forward and buy yours now because ticket quantities are limited. On opening night, the Tequila “101” seminar and tasting is capped at 300 guests, and the Taste of Tequila showcase accommodates an additional 700 guests. On Saturday afternoon, local and regional bands and margaritas provide auditory and liquid refreshment for adults 21 and over, and the Margarita Grand Championship crowns the best margaritas in town. Need a triple sec to think about it? Blend up the classic margarita recipe in the “Fun Facts” section of the event website, but don’t wait until your ice cubes melt to act. Ticket prices go up June 1.

FLIP burger boutique Poncey-Highland Sizzles with School Night Out for Montessori In Town April 21

For a juicy lesson in having fun with your food, eat your evening burger at the FLIP burger boutique Poncey-Highlandlocation on Tuesday, April 21. From 5-9 p.m., the burger boutique known for its creative ways with burgers and shakes will donate 10 percent of sales to Montessori In Town school. Guests must mention Montessori In Town when paying for their meals for the school to receive a cut of the tab. Study up on the menu with highlights like the Earth & Turf, shrimp “Po-Boyger,” the Vedge and the Fauxlafel, plenty of salads and unique milkshakes. Tip: there’s self-parking in front of the restaurant and on side streets for the family “bus.”

What’s New on Pinterest

Produce counters stacked with ruby-filled cartons shout strawberry season is here. Can’t get enough of those Sweet Sweet Strawberries! Wake up with a healthy strawberry coconut breakfast pie then lunch on strawberry salads and salsas. Strawberry basil lemonade cocktails, strawberries in frozen yogurt balls, ice pops and strawberry sorbet are berry cool on a hot afternoon. Buy a couple flats and try your hand at grilled strawberry hand pies or some gorgeous pies and cakes. Do it from scratchers, we picked “caring for strawberry plants” just for you.

#Foodgram

New takes on Southern classics continue to rise in favor faster than grandma’s biscuits in a hot oven. The Kitchen Dudes at @gunshowatl are driving forces in this #defendsouthernfood movement, ready and eager to satiate Southern appetites. Bless their strawberry pie, bacon-wrapped torchon of Easter bunny and “Pure Pork Awesomeness”-filled hearts. 

Appetizing Aperture

Hellacious thunderstorms have been known to muscle their way across Atlanta in spring and summer months. They’re nothing like the Texas Thunderstorm taking Article 14 by storm. Bourbon lovers are hailing the Midtown restaurant’s bourbon-rich twist on a Dark and Stormy that swirls Balcones Rumble Cask Reserve with ginger beer and maple syrup and adds a sunny lemon wedge. Big kick? You know it. Texas-sized. 

Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market Hosts Flux Projects’ VIP Event for Nick Cave April 23

While Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market is not open to the public yet, the all-in-one Italian eatery, market, wine bar and culinary club extends warm Tuscan hospitality to artist Nick Cave and Flux Projects for a special VIP patron party on Thursday, April 23 at 7 p.m. The celebration and dress rehearsal preps guests for Cave’s upcoming “Up Right Atlanta” performance series April 24-26. Hors d’oeuvre, cocktails and a performance preview are in the cards for 100 lucky event ticket holders. Don’t wait for your olives to cure and pasta pot to boil. Grab tickets now and experience the authenticity of Bellina Alimentari.

Johnny’s Hideaway Dances Through 36 Years with Anniversary Party April 23

Johnny’s Hideaway, Atlanta’s original grown-up party place is 36 years young this month. Owner Chris Dauria is celebrating the dance club’s anniversary with a big bash on Thursday, April 23. The anniversary party opens with a complimentary buffet and open bar from 7:30-8:30 p.m., then DJs keep the dance floor swinging until the wee hours. Who’s going to show? Heck, fun-seekers of all ages congregate here, and 20- and 30-somethings who weren’t even born when Johnny’s opened its doors now throng the place for late-night footwork and revelry. Surely you fit somewhere in that mix. No need to RSVP, just show up with a fun-loving attitude and dancing shoes. 

Eat More, Pay Less during Buckhead Restaurant Week, April 18-26

Buckhead Restaurant Week, April 18-26, stretches a seven-day week to nine days, giving Atlanta diners a couple of extra days to savor lunch or dinner at a wealth of top-notch restaurants for bargain prices of $15, $25 or $35 per person. Tax, gratuity and beverages are not included in these prices.

Pick a date and make reservations for an elegant dinner atAria where Buckhead Restaurant Week diners are privy to a special three-course dinner menu for $35 per person. The regular à la carte menu also will be available, and wine pairings are always an excellent add on.

Do lunch or dinner at Bantam + Biddy in Lenox Square and chow down on Southern favorites for $15. Choose pimento cheese and veggies, chopped pastured chicken liver and toast or Jb Farm deviled eggs with bourbon-smoked paprika as a first course; a quarter chicken with two sides, White Oak Pastures grass-fed beef meatloaf with two sides or pork schnitzel with one side as a main; and close with your choice of desserts.

Catch a $15, $25 or $35 lunch menu at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill and dine in or out on the covered deck. All three menus start with appetizer choices of a full order of hushpuppies, sweet ‘n spicy calamari or crab and shrimp dip and end with your choice of dessert. For the second course, the $15 menu offers a choice of fish “in” chips, TBK steak burger, or sweet ‘n spicy or Buffalo shrimp po’boy with one side; the $25 menu includes two sides with either crabcakes, shrimp skewers or fresh salmon; the $35 menu shows off fresh grouper, sea scallops or fresh fish of the day with two side stars.

A $25 lunch and dinner menu at Buckhead’s Smokebelly BBQis your cue for ‘cue. Start with Smokebelly’s classic cherry cola wings then segue to the “Delta Double,” a duo of your choice of pulled pork, chopped brisket and/or smoked turkey with two sides. The featured dessert of the day pleases sweet spots.

Shaun Doty, executive chef and co-owner of Bantam + Biddyand Chick-a-Biddy, alights at the Morningside Farmers Marketon the morning of Saturday, April 18 to lead the day’s chef demo. Doty draws upon seasonal, local produce and regional, free-range poultry for his restaurant menus. That said, this gent knows his way around the weekly organic market like a fox in a henhouse, scooping up farm-fresh produce to create dishes that taste of springtime. The “Shop with a Chef” demo starts at 9 a.m. Peek at “This Week’s Market” after 5 p.m. Thursday to see what market members anticipate offering on Saturday. Rise with the rooster and arrive when the market opens at 7:30 a.m. for the best selection!

The Southern Gentleman and Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails Jump to the Atlanta Steeplechase Chairman’s Tent

Doll up those bonnets and don those derbies, the 50th running of the Atlanta Steeplechase is galloping into Kingston Downs on Saturday, April 18. This horsey harbinger of spring is an Atlanta tradition -- and a 50th anniversary calls for an all-out Southern celebration. Two of metro Atlanta’s most Southern restaurants -- The Southern Gentleman and Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails -- are champing at the bit to oblige. These Southern Proper Hospitality restaurants are tethering up under the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine Chairman’s Tent to serve guests an elegant, contemporary Southern feast amid decor reflecting the two restaurants’ town and country personalities. The Southern Gentleman is a Southern-inspired gastropub in the Buckhead Atlanta development. Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails nestles in a restored 150-year-old farmhouse in historic Crabapple. Both restaurants draw on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, and Milton’s grows much of its produce on site in Milton’s Acre. Chairman’s Tent patrons will sip premium bubbly and indulge in a sumptuous spread as the day’s excitement unfolds within view. Go online to pony up for a seat or to reserve a table for 10.

Pouring Yourself into the SweetWater 420 Fest? Der Biergarten is Only a Hefeweizen Away

SweetWater 420 Fest 2015 fills Centennial Olympic Park with beer and wine, 45 bands, an artist market, comedy acts and sustainability facts over the dates of Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19. To attend, buy a swanky wristband here. On Saturday morning, there will be a major beer run as SweetWater 420 Fest 5K entrants dash out of Centennial Olympic Park at 8:30 a.m. and receive a ticket for a free brew (ages 21 and over) when crossing the finish line. A block away on Marietta Street, the patio at Der Biergarten is a convenient and congenial place to meet before or after the fest or escape for a fest break. Share hearty German fare and explore the beer menu featuring more than a dozen German beers for drafting into half-liter and liter steins, and domestic and imported bottled beers. Lots of tables and comfy chairs here. Good to know Der Biergarten is open until midnight on Saturdays for those not quite ready to call it a night when the fest wraps up at 11 p.m.

Dine Out at Der Biergarten and Twin Smokers BBQ during Atlanta Humane Society Tables for Tails Fundraiser

Be a German shepherd’s shepherd or a do-gooder who’s right up an alley cat’s alley. On Thursday, April 16, guests lapping lagers and biting into juicy brats at Der Biergarten or woofing down tender Texas and Southern-style wood-smoked meats at Twin Smokers BBQ will be assisting the Atlanta Humane Society through the nonprofit’s Tables for Tailsannual dining out fundraiser. Both eateries will donate a portion of the day’s food and drink sales to the Atlanta Humane Society. Bark out the word to your pack of friends and meet at Twin Smokers BBQ for lunch or dinner or gather at Atlanta’s authentic German beer garden for purr-fect pilsners and dinner. Short leash on time this Thursday?Donate online anytime.

Eventide Brewing and Chip Jones Rock Atkins Park Virginia-Highland April 16

For a quick after-tax day getaway, scoot over to Virginia-Highland where Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar will feature the craft beers of Eventide Brewing and live music on Thursday, April 16. Simply put, Eventide is a new brewery in Grant Park founded on the principle that great beer doesn’t have to be complicated. In other words, it shouldn’t take longer to explain than imbibe. The brewery is in the process of building a tasting room, and Atkins Park is one of the select places to enjoy its beers -- especially during the tavern’s April Locals-Only Tap Takeover featuring Georgia craft brews on draft. Chip Jones, another local favorite, headlines that night with rock and acoustic favorites from 7:30-10:30 p.m. 

Too Taxed to Cook? Ray’s Restaurants and RA Sushi Itemize Tax Day Specials

April 15 can be emotionally taxing. There’s the relief of pressing send on the tax software or dropping the packet in the mail, elation over an anticipated refund or frustration at owing more. However the 1040 form rolls, Ray’s Restaurantsand RA Sushi Bar Restaurant advise a tax day detox plan: come in on Wednesday, April 15 to celebrate or commiserate over delicious food and tall glasses rich with liquid assets. All three Ray’s Restaurants will hand out lottery tickets to guests while supplies last (one ticket per guest over age 18).Ray’s in the City, Ray’s on the River and Ray’s at Killer Creekall offer plenty of libations and stress-soothing specialties.Happy hour menu prices flow all day on drink specials, select rolls and appetizers at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant in Midtown. Go ahead, sake it to ‘em with a strawberry coconut saketini ($7) and a Viva Las Vegas roll or RA’ckin shrimp ($8). More RA tips: Blushing Geishas are $6 all day in April, and taxpayers sliding in under the midnight deadline will find RA Sushi open until 1 a.m. 

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Raise a toast to National Grilled Cheese Month and Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day on April 12. All in favor say “Grilled Cheese, Please!” The white bread and American cheese classic is a kid magnet. Sandwich sophisticates may favor bacon and brie, avocado and goat cheese, lasagna grilled cheese, pesto caprese, blueberry breakfast grilled cheese or rendezvousing with “31 grilled cheeses better than a boyfriend.” Novices, a grilled cheese instructional video butters you up for the cheesy challenge, should you accept it.