Mom Told Us To Remind You (Umm, Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 13)

Those who hesitate, wait -- in line with the whole family in tow on Mother’s Day. Not cool. Check the link to our list of mom-umental dining spots and make your reservations to make her big day a special one!

It's Follow Friday; Meet Our Tweep of the Week @justaddbourbon

How Southern can you get? This Tweeter out of Louisville, KY. (you knew it) taps that “Bourbon is more than a drink, it’s a lifestyle.” Should know, he’s sipped the Urban Bourbon Trail. Pull up a julep cup or shot glass and follow him on Twitter (@justaddbourbon). There’s a full bottle’s worth on his Bourbon Country website.

Camp Bacon is Coming Soon - Sign Up For A Sizzling Week To Benefit The Southern Foodways Alliance

I'm not sure it gets much better than this. Almost a week away from work surrounded by bacon makers and bacon lovers and, well, bacon!! Join summer's pig-loving pilgrimage to Zingerman's Camp Bacon, May 31 - June 3 in Ann Arbor, Mich. for this delicious and educational experience. Campers will hear stories from a third-generation bacon maker and a South Carolinian who's a sustainable Southern hog farmer, view the inaugural Cinetopia Film Festival in the historic Michigan Theater, and partake in cooking, eating and finger licking. The main event fundraiser benefits Southern Foodways Alliance. Yes, even in Michigan, they love Southern food. Avoid the stampede and register now online.

Things are Heating Up at Alon's in Dunwoody

The A/C and patio fans work just fine. Alon's Bakery and Marketin Dunwoody's Park Place is a hot spot for food, beverages and, with the addition of their wood-burning pizza oven, yummy wood-fired pizzas. Eleven topping combinations are on the menu ranging from classic Margherita or 4 cheese to hot Italian tuna with roasted peppers or tallegio with fresh mozzarella, fig balsamic, truffled honey and Marcona almonds. More pizza ideas? Among them, crushed tomato, eggplant, olives and fresh mozzarella; assorted mushrooms with thyme, garlic, a white sauce, Gruyere cheese and fresh mozzarella; basil pesto with grilled chicken and pine nuts; and pizza with spicy merguez sausage or bresaola (cured beef). Priced from $10 - $19 per pizza. Eat on the patio or get it to go, and pick up some cool drinks, prepared appetizers, salads or desserts while you're there. This year, Alon's is celebrating its 20^th anniversary so look for anniversary specials throughout the year. 

Our Appetizing Aperture: Sparks Fly With The Firecracker Shrimp at Marlow's Tavern

It's National Shrimp Day! The crispy Firecracker Shrimp at Marlow’s Tavern is hot stuff for any day that needs some fireworks. More sparks fly with a dip into partnering cracklin’ spicy sauce and sweet chili sauce. 

Join Alpine Bakery and Smashburger at Taste of Alpharetta on May 10

 

Up for sampling dishes from 50 different Alpharetta restaurants? Come out to Taste of Alpharetta from 5 - 10 p.m. in historic downtown Alpharetta on Thursday, May 10 and try all the different bites being offered. Just make sure to save room for a couple of our favorites, Alpine Bakery and Trattoria and Smashburger before filling up on all the other  appetizers, entrées and desserts that will be featured at the 22nd annual event. Food tickets are $.50 each, and restaurants will charge $1 - $3 per sample. It's sure to be a fabulous evening of sidewalk grazing, enjoying retro-themed bands and radio stations, watching chefs compete and playing in the Fun Zones at the event's new location across from Alpharetta City Hall at 2 South Main Street.

A Woodfire Grill Wine Tasting That You Simply Can't "Ig-Noir"

Searching for some wine wisdom? Woodfire Grill has you covered with the restaurant's third Thursday wine tastings. In case you haven't already guessed, Pinot Noir is the star at next week's May 17 wine tasting, which will take place in Woodfire Grill's main dining room during regular dinner service. Wine Director/Owner Nicolas Quinones and Sommelier J. Cate Hatch will guide guests through a tasting of American Pinot Noir wines, which have grown in quality and quantity in western wine country over the last 40 years. The cost of this wine tasting is $15 per person, and guests must mention the wine tasting when making dinner reservations by calling 404-347-9055. The wine tasting is limited to 30 guests, so don't "ig-noir" the ticking clock! And while we're on the topic of wine wisdom, it must be noted that Patrick Guilfoil, a server at Woodfire Grill, has just earned the top score on his certified sommelier exam administered by the Court of Master Sommeliers in early April. His high score nabbed him a $500 scholarship for the Advanced Sommelier exam. Guilfoil joins the team of three other certified sommeliers at Woodfire Grill: Quinones, Hatch and General Manager Rick Blumberg.

Check restaurants off your “chew list” at Atlanta Food & Wine Festival - And More - In This Week's Dish

Atlanta Food and Wine Festival finally arrives this week! Check out more details on this fabulous event - along with the week's best culinary news - in the Dish! If you're not receiving the Dish every Tuesday morning in your inbox, you can sign up either here on our blog or on our Facebook page.

Why Choose When You Can Have it All At The AF&WF

When it comes to dining options, Atlanta residents and visitors are in a delicious predicament.  Living in a city with so many first-rate restaurants, one can hardly keep up with sampling them all. This weekend’s Atlanta Food & Wine Festival allows you to have your cake and eat it too. Many of Atlanta’s best restaurants including Alma Cocina, Aqua blue, Aria, Chicken and the Egg, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, No. 246, South City Kitchen Midtown, South City Kitchen Vinings and Woodfire Grill will be flooding the Midtown street scene. Although your senses will be inundated with luscious smells and mouthwatering tastes, be sure to keep your eyes open for tastings from American Spirit Whiskey and Vidalia Onions. The festival also gives guests a chance to stay on top of food news with a tasting preview of Shaun Doty’s Bantam & Biddy - opening late summer in Ansley Mall. Saturday night’s Whiskey @ Whiskey Park whiskey tasting is one of the numerous niche events to consider. At 7:30 p.m., Chef Shean Suter of Spice Market in the W Atlanta-Midtown, along with other chefs and mixologists, will add whiskey’s lively touch to their recipes and cocktails. Tickets are $75 and cover cocktails and small bites. To get  the most out this experience, be sure to use the AF&WF planning tools to organize your strategy for getting there, eats, education and entertainment. The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival benefits the Atlanta History Center, James Beard Foundation, Les Dames d’Escoffier, Oxford American and Wholesome Wave of Georgia.