Try the Hot Toddy at King + Duke

A hot shot of spirits, a spoon of sweetness and a squirt of lemon. The hot toddy is traditionally credited to the Scots, who have a bit of experience warming up cold nights. King + Duke heats up their own version of the hot toddy then adds that something extra...a seat by patio fire pits. Tradition perfected.

Warm Up this Weekend with Fireplaces and Fire Pits at Atlanta Restaurants

Usually when we talk about Atlanta's fired-up cuisine scene, we're referring to open-hearth cooking, coal-fired pizza ovens and smoking-hot Big Green Eggs. The advent of colder weather draws us closer to another kind of flame, that radiating from interior dining room fireplaces and heat-packing fire pits on restaurant patios and rooftops. Dine out and get it to glow.

At Buckhead's Seven Lamps, a courtyard fire pit warms hands as they tip a glass of Low Winter Sun or another handcrafted cocktail dispersing liquid sunshine. At nearby King + Duke, newly installed fire pits entice guests outside for a hot toddy or fiery spirits at the winter bar. 

Midtowners can heat up as they eat up at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern. Outdoor dining is a go for breakfast, lunch or dinner as the fire pit evicts cold while welcoming friends to gather.

Sunsets come early in winter months, providing more time to soak in the twinkling cityscape from a rooftop perch at STATS located in downtown Atlanta's Luckie Marietta District. Cozy up near the blazing fire pit and stoke winter cravings with a hearty salad, sandwich, salmon or steak or a powerful libation from the fully stocked bar. Those fired up about a wedding, corporate party or private event will light into Ventanas where 360-degree views of the city below and stars above ignite a huge wow factor for guests seated fireside on the rooftop patio.

Traditionalists will love the two large fireplaces at Old Vinings Inn: one casts a welcoming warmth into the lobby as the other invites guests to settle into the Bear Room for comfort food or a feel-good cup of hot caramel apple cider. A towering stacked-stone fireplace anchors the patio at The Mill Kitchen & Bar in Roswell. Craft cocktails, warm desserts and regionally inspired favorites lift winter's gray cloud. In historic Crabapple, Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails' indoor fireplace casts a cheerful glow over the dining room.

Savor the contrast of windows on winter and dining by a crackling fire at Ray's on the Creek. The Alpharetta restaurant keeps Big Green Egg ribs and pulled pork on the menu as well as offering Ray's Restaurants' seafood favorites year round.

Buckhead Welcomes Ford Fry's St. Cecilia on January 13

Fun fact: the name of Ford Fry's latest restaurant, St. Cecilia, not only pays tribute to the patron saint of music, it also represents Fry’s love of music and the sirens of Greek mythology whose songs coaxed mariners to shore. Luckily for us, he's not making us sing for our supper when the new restaurant opens this Monday, January 13. Located at the junction of Peachtree and Lenox roads, the newest addition to The Pinnacle Building boasts a menu that travels the European coastline, exploring delicate pasta, roasted fish and fresh crudo served in the historic seaside towns and villages. Executive chef Brian Horn plans fresh, handmade pasta and wood-roasted fish; goes coastal with seafood dishes of bucatini with Jonah crab, Serrano chili and garlicky crumbs or fluke crudo with blood orange, pink grapefruit, Castelvetrano olive and EVOO; then travels inland for the likes of veal rib chop with , mushroom pancetta and Madeira. Interior-wise, elements such as reclaimed light wood, Romanesque-tiled columns and vintage accents create a timeless design and modern day atmosphere. Kitchen sightseeing reveals hot and cold from the wood-burning mini hearth to an icy trough filled with fish and shellfish. Pastry chef Chrysta Poulos directs dessert creation, and consultant Lara Creasy crafts a beverage program emphasizing wine and lighter-bodied cocktails. St. Cecilia serves dinner nightly and weekday lunch. Valet parking is available. Reservations: 404-554-9995.

#Foodgram of the Week: @gasmallbizfest

Cultivate. Discover. Shop. Grow. Do it small and do it all with the inspiration tacked onto Georgia Small Business Fest (@gasmallbizfest). It's not all about shopping, but it is about spending time and energy in a positive fashion.

Any Taco Artists Out There?

The Tin Lizzy's people want to know your best taco idea and they'll make it worth your while to hand it over. Flex your Mex-ination and unleash your inner bean by jotting down your ideal taco components and submitting them in the fifth annual taco contest now underway at all Tin Lizzy's Cantina locations. With six metro-Atlanta cantinas (and another on the 2014 calendar for Kennesaw), Tin Lizzy's credits fans with providing some of its most tantalizing taco combinations. Restaurant compadres are even stocking cantinas with contest notepads to encourage the flow of creative energy from pen to pad to pan. Here's how the taco timeline unfolds: finalists' tacos will be included on the menu in March; top seller wins $500, their taco on the menu and 10 VIP passes to the restaurant's Cinco de Mayo party; second place wins a $250 Tin Lizzy's gift card while third place will receive a $150 gift card. We crunch the details here.

The Weather Outside is Frightful, but Free Games at Game-X are So Delightful

 

Outside, the thermometer plunges. Inside Game-X, the action is hotter than ever as Atlantans work hard at simulation play during free game play week, going on through Friday, January 10. From SnoCross to Deadstorm Pirates to Superbikes, there's a simulation game for everyone to master. Score the details on our blog then head downtown to Game-X in the Luckie Marietta District. Opens daily at 11 a.m. for lunch hour play time!