Fire & Flavor's John Wayne Spice Rubs are a Summer Grilling Essential

  

Fire up the grill and pull out the t-bone steaks! Fire & Flavor is your summer grilling headquarters. You'll love the new John Wayne Stock & Supply spice rubs offered through a collaboration of Fire & Flavor and John Wayne Enterprises. Think about what you're throwing on the grill and choose accordingly for heat, smokiness or exotic nuances with spice rubs for  beef (espresso, cocoa and chilies); pork (paprika, garlic and guajillo chili); chicken (cumin, curry and chilies); or Bar-B-Q (ancho chile, garlic and oregano). Rubs retail for $5.99-$6.99 per 2.3-oz. jar and are available online and at select retailers. Summer just got hotter! 

What's New on Pinterest: All-American Appetizers

Trips to the lake, picnics in the park and hot nights by the grill all cause cravings for one thing: good 'ole American grub. Our All-American Appetizers board on Pinterest is complete with U.S.A style snacks and apps to keep everyone satisfied during the summer festivities. Kick back with a bowl of sweet Vidalia onion dip and lift your glass to the red, white and - did someone say sliders?

The Best Fourth of July Celebrations are in Atlanta

Travel plans won’t be necessary this Independence Day because patriotic parties are taking over ATL. Spirited cocktails, festive foods and rooftop celebrations will make this Fourth of July unforgettable!

Atlanta has everything patrons need to pregame the holiday. At Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia Highland, a live band and bubbling brews will keep everyone entertained the night before the Fourth. Come back the next day for the restaurant’s Sixth Annual Go Whole Hog or Go Home Fourth of July Party, where $15 feeds guests a meat-and-three meal for lunch or dinner. Stick around for Backyard Beer Olympics beginning at 3 p.m. Watch the action or sign up with a partner for some friendly competition that could win the team $500. Woodfire Grill is also starting the party on July 3 with a “BBQ & Beer” party to benefit the “Save the Hooch” campaign. Gobble down on a barbecue feast full of Southern classics like skillet cornbread and peach cobbler for $38.

Speaking of peaches, the Fourth of July is the perfect day to bite into a juicy, organic peach from Watsonia Farms. Add it to homemade cobbler or top with ice-cream for a tasty dessert after grilling up free-range beef and poultry from White Oak Pastures. What’s more American than that? Well, John Wayne charcoals and rubs from Fire & Flavor! The all-natural, gluten-free line adds authentic flavor to any meat.

Looking to spend the holiday dining on good-ole-American grub? Plenty of Atlanta restaurants are serving dishes to keep guests full during the festivities. No. 246 in Decatur is serving an all-day lunch menu with cocktail specials guests can enjoy while playing backyard ping-pong. For the early risers, say “good morning” to America and the Peachtree Road Race runners at Olmsted. They’ll be open at 7 a.m. and are serving up an a la carte menu along with endless mimosas and bloody marys for $14.

If plans are already set in stone, Marlow's Tavern, Gunshow and Bantam + Biddy will make satisfying those food cravings easy. Pick up a family food pack from Bantam+Biddy with options like pork loin or rotisserie chicken. It's served with salad, jalepeno cheddar bread, three sides and sweet tea. This take-out-only package feeds 3 to 5 people and is just $42. Gunshow is also putting together packages for patriotic folks on the go, with Southern classics like pulled pork, coleslaw, Brunswick stew and fresh baked cookies. Order in advance and pick ‘em up on July 4 for $50, it feeds four! If the gang will be out of town for the Fourth, stop by Marlow’s Tavern later in the month. They're celebrating more than a day of America with a “Red, White and Brew” menu from June 18 through July 29. Is the term “grill master” a common phrase in your household? If so, be sure to enter the Fourth Annual Marlow’s Grilling Recipe Contest for a chance to win awesome prizes.

It'll be nothing short of a party when the sun goes down at Ventanas, SkyLounge and Game-X. Ventanas is teaming up with Q100 for a night of music, food and dazzling drinks. A $26 ticket will grant access, food and a $10 play card to use at Game-X. Play away and snack on finger foods at Game-X before heading downtown to enjoy the fireworks from the heights of the Skyview Atlanta Ferris Wheel. If you love the view from up top, then check out the party at SkyLounge in the Glenn Hotel. The rooftop is the ideal spot to watch the fireworks from Centennial Olympic Park!

Flock to Atlantic Station this July for the opening of Chick-a-Biddy

Get ready, poultry peoples, because it’s almost time to fly over to Atlantic Station for the grand opening Chick-a-Biddy. The spot that was formerly The Grape will be serving farm-fresh dishes that will have guests clucking. Owners Shaun Doty and Lance Gummere have revamped the space and are introducing a menu that will satisfy all food lovers, including vegetarians and gluten-free guests. Crafty cocktails, juices and smoothies will have the whole flock feeling refreshed!

Price of tickets for Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival increase on Monday, July 1

Cocktail cravers, food lovers and fun chasers, beware! The Westside of Atlanta will be under a delectable attack on July 21 from 1-5 p.m. The fifth annual Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival, held at JCT. Kitchen & Bar, features prominent chefs, mixologists and farmers who are uniting in a culinary front to create fresh, innovative dishes. Right now, tickets can be purchased online for $55. But hurry, because after Monday, July 1 tickets increase to $70. To make things juicier, this day of live music and tomato-inspired dishes will benefit Georgia Organics. So foodies: wake up, smell the tomatoes and get tickets while they last!

Big Green Egg-citement smokes up Cook's Warehouse on June 29

The Big Green Egg has been grilling, smoking and baking crowd-pleasing dishes for over 30 years.The Cook's Warehouse in East Cobb is showing off the wonders of this green machine throughout the day on June 29 and is inviting BGE masters and admirers to join the fun. Demonstrations and special appearances, like Jessie Lysiak of "MasterChef", will go on from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. with meats provided by Brasstown Beef, Thompson Farms and Springer Mountain Farms. Plus, love for the BGE will be egg-pressed in the form of prizes and giveaways - what could be better! 

Blues & BBQ on the menu at Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails on June 30

 

Chef Derek Dollar is bringing some soul to Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails in historic Crabapple. From 5-9 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, Chef Derek is sharing his homemade barbecue specialties while the Full House Band ends the weekend on the right note. Heads will nod and toes will tap while you dig in to classic BBQ dishes including pulled pork, smoked hens and ribs. Pimiento cheese mac and coleslaw just might make a special guest appearance. No cover charge; just cost for food and drinks. 

Fire Up the Fourth at the ATL's Hottest Restaurants Plus More in this Week's Dish

Atlanta restaurants and bars are ensuring that the sky won’t be the only thing lighting up this Fourth of July. Drink specials and festive foods are on the agenda at the most fiery spots in the city. Plus they've got views, tunes and celebrations that won’t disappoint. Pair up with patriotic pals and check out the spots that are red, white and brewing it up in this week’s Dish! 

Ray's on the Creek Offering $19.95 Lobster Dinner

 

You don't have to travel to New England to enjoy a classic lobster dinner. Ray's on the Creek in Alpharetta is bringing the deliciousness to you. This summer promotion lands lobster, red potatoes and green beans with a well of drawn butter on the side for $19.95. Wipe your chin and fingers. Ray's has plenty of napkins to go around. Make reservations online or by calling 770-649-0064.

The Optimist Named One of the World's Best New Restaurants

  

Photo Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee

Chef Ford Fry's award-winning restaurant, The Optimist, has reeled in yet another accolade. It has landed onto Condé Nast Traveler's list of Hot Tables of 2013: The 70 Best New Restaurants in the World representing the American South region. Up against some tough competition, The Optimist has come out on top. Conde Nast's editors turned to their most-trusted food critics, bloggers and writers for recommendations of their favorite new restaurants in foodie destinations worldwide. In his nomination, John Kessler, The Atlanta Journal Constitution's dining columnist described The Optimist as a "nouveau seafood restaurant" with "sustainable fish smartly and simply prepared." If you haven’t dined at The Optimist, you’ll want to add it to the top of your summer to-do list! The Optimist is an authentic coastal seafood experience with sustainable ingredients and a well-stocked oyster bar, so it’s no surprise that it’s a foodie favorite!