Labors of Love -- These Restaurants Are Open on Labor Day

 White Oak Pastures - Photo by Angie Mosier

Not the grilling type? Look no further than these Atlanta restaurants for your holiday weekend.

Alon's Bakery and Market has almost everything you'll need for that Labor Day cookout -- bread, cheese, chips, snacks, desserts, wine, beer, sides and more. Plan to shop before 4 p.m. (They'll close then so their employees can have a little R&R of their own.) 

For burgers, pick up some White Oak Pastures grass-fed and sustainably raised beef or chicken to throw on the grill! Locally, it's available at Whole Foods Markets and area Publix stores. 

Both Atkins Park Tavern locations (Virginia Highland and Smyrna) will be open, with big screens tackling college football games at the Smyrna location. In Midtown, head for Ecco or RA Sushi Bar Restaurant. 

In Virginia Highland, hit The Original El Taco for chips, guac, Tex-Mex and plenty of cold cervezas and margaritas, or settle in at La Tavola Trattoria for dinner centered on regional Italian fare. On the northern Perimeter, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar will serve from the "5 For $6 'Til 7" menu from lunch through dinner hours. 

Around town, both locations of Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food (Buckhead and Sandy Springs) and all Marlow's Tavern locations will be ready for you and your friends, as well as Ray's in the City and Ray's on the River. Please note that Ray's at Killer Creek will close on Sunday, September 2 for renovations and will reopen soon to welcome back guests.

Appetizing Aperture - Celebrate National Chicken Month at South City Kitchen

Photo by Lisa Hymel

What's it like to celebrate National Chicken Month in the state that produces the most chickens in the U.S.? It's super barbequed, zinging with wickedly hot wings and glowing with golden juicy-crunchy goodness, as evidenced by our finger-lickin' photo of the Southern-fried chicken served at South City Kitchen Midtown andSouth City Kitchen Vinings. 

It's Follow Friday; Meet our Tweep of the Week @dgritzer

 

He loves the audible and edible and goes with his gut instincts on "yeas" and "ehhs." Daniel Gritzer is food editor at Food & Wine magazine. While his job involves lots of food, wine and words (example, his blog at http://www.danielgritzer.com), he's happy to tweet (@dgritzer) his opinions in 140 characters or less for word dieters. 

Stay Up Late on Sundays at Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna and Come Early for Oyster Specials

      

When Sunday night rolls around, sometimes it's difficult to accept the fact that the weekend is coming to a close. For those of you not ready to succumb to the work week blues, Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna stays open late on Sundays with live music from 9:30 p.m. until 4 a.m., $3 well drinks and $2 and $3 shot specials. Also on Sundays and Wednesdays, the restaurant is serving up New Orleans charred oysters and oysters on the half shell starting at 5 p.m. Make sure to come early as these are available on a first-come, first-serve basis!

RA Sushi Chef Heads Down the Block to Piedmont Park Green Market Demo on September 1

A RA Sushi Bar Restaurant chef has ideas for that fresh produce filling your shopping bag at this Saturday's Piedmont Park Green Market. The chef demo falls in the 10 - 11 a.m. hour, which is frontloaded with shopping time. Look and learn before you head out or home to lunch. You did buy ingredients for lunch, didn't you? If not, RA Sushi is only a few blocks away on Peachtree Street and opens for lunch at 11 a.m.

What's New on Pinterest: Gearing up to Grill

Another all-American grilling holiday is upon us, and we're preparing to "meat and greet" and even veg-out a bit on our Big Green Eggs, classic Webers and gas Char-Broils. Our

Pinterest ideas are hotter than ever.

Take the labor out of Labor Day at ATL restaurants - and lots more - in this week's Dish

With Labor Day right around the corner, we've got you covered for good eats and cool events in this week's Dish. If you're not already receiving the Dish, be sure to sign up on our Facebook page or right here on our blog.

Alon's Bakery and Market Earns an A+ in our Books for Their Back to School Basket Sweepstakes

As a kid who used to begrudgingly order cafeteria lunch at school (saran wrap pizza, anyone? Mmm…), I always longed for a lunchbox. If I’d known the yummy treasures available from Alon’s Bakery and Market to dazzle lunchboxes, I would have been even more jealous back in the day!  

If your kids are tired of the same old PBJ and chips, now you can help transform that lunch box from blah to favorite subject status with a little extracurricular help from Alon's Bakery and Market, too!

Enter their Back to School Basket Sweepstakes on Facebook, and you might win a delicious basket of items for your favorite student. Items include Alon's jam, fresh Alon's bread, peanut butter, plain or chocolate Horizon milk, your choice of cookies or brownies, a side of fruit, an Alon's chocolate bar and Alon's hot chocolate and coffee. (Moms and dads need a caffeinated treat to help with those early school mornings, too!)

Click here to enter. Entries must be received before September 5, and a basket winner will be chosen at random. Only one entry per person; winner will be notified via email. Good luck and good lunch!

Raise a Glass of Riesling on JCT's Rooftop

With Labor Day right around the corner, the sun is almost setting on summertime. Luckily, it's still hot enough in Atlanta to cool down with some crisp Riesling and toast the end of the summer months on JCT. Bar's rooftop patio on Thursday, August 30. The bar is hosting an End of Summer Riesling party at 5 p.m. featuring a Riesling tasting and Southern snacks like spicy corn dogs, $1 oysters and pimento cheese toast. Riesling punch (for $6) will also be served, while games and live music will add to the festive atmosphere. For $15, guests can sample seven different Rieslings. A cornhole tournament will start at 7 p.m. (register between 6 and 6:30 p.m.) with a $50 bar tab for the winning team. At 9 p.m., guests can take a swing at a piñata packed with candy and prizes. Now that is something you won't want to miss, so practice your swing.