Hate to have the jolly old elf skip a house due to slack snacks like carrot sticks and celery (okay, the reindeer love those) so we’ve scouted out Santa's Favorite Snacks. Turns out he’s partial to Chex Mix Christmas Crack, white chocolate cranberry fudge and peppermint pretzels (smudges blend in with the suit); candy cane Kisses cookies and strawberry Christmas tree Oreos. Maybe he knows if you’ve been bad or good by whether you’re leaving mini Santa hat cheesecakes or Santa legs “Oops” cupcakes. Grinch hot chocolate (naughty or nice) is a nice touch for anyone waiting up. What about the elves? Leave a jar of Santa’s Cookies mix for their post-holiday party.
Gunshow is loading an all-new lineup of superstar chefs over six can’t-miss Sunday dinners in the upcoming year. The 2017 “Hired Guns” series is sure to trigger excitement among Atlanta foodies who will be able to savor signature dishes created by renowned chefs from all over North America without even venturing outside I-285. Chefs Kevin Gillespie and Joey Ward are going international for the opener on Sunday, Jan. 29, inviting Hakim Rahal and Pablo Rojas of Provisions in Montreal. Season tickets make the perfect gift and are the only way to guarantee a seat at the intimate dinners as the series is expected to sell out quickly. Buy the entire series now for $1,000 per couple on the Red Beard Restaurants merchandise site. The package includes souvenir tickets, signed menus and a photo opportunity. Drinks and gratuity are additional. If tickets are still available after season passes are purchased, they will be priced at $95 per person and go on sale Dec. 29, 2016 via Xorbia.
Other 2017 “Hired Guns” dates and chefs include: March 12 – Jennifer Carroll of Requin in Washington, D.C.; May 7 – Grae Nonas of Tullibee in Minneapolis; Aug. 6 – Justin Devillier ofLa Petite Grocery in New Orleans; Sept. 10 – Jamie Bissonnette of Toro and Coppa in Boston; and Nov. 5 – TBA. As with the Jan. 29 event, any available tickets may be purchased through Xorbia one month prior to the dinner.
Those who missed out on the December Bourbon Tasting at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern have another shot at the guided sippings. The Midtown restaurant and bar has another Bourbon Tasting event on the calendar for Wednesday, Jan. 11 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Enjoy 10-15 bourbon tastings, complimentary appetizers and learn about the smooth spirits and food pairings from the experts. Swag giveaways crank up the spirit. Buy tickets online, $39 per person (tax and gratuity not included).
Historic Downtown Roswell adds another feather to its hospitality cap with the groundbreaking of Canton Place at 37 Magnolia Street in 2017. Featuring a boutique hotel, special event space, restaurant with rooftop dining, spa, garden and underground parking, the heart of Roswell development is a venture of Roswell Inc., the Roswell Downtown Development Authority, Canton Place Development and Wells Fargo in partnership with legendary Atlanta developer and Canton Place chairman Claude A. Petty, Jr. “As a Roswell native, it is exciting to come up with a long-term solution to serve the needs of our vibrant downtown,” says Canton Place Development’s Kevin Bryant. “We’re proud of our community, and we want the folks who are here for a wedding or on business to have a world-class reason to stay overnight and explore everything downtown Roswell has to offer.” We’re looking forward to watching Canton Place take shape from the ground up in the coming year.
Choosing a dine-out spot in the ATL can be daunting due to the sheer number of restaurants. Of course we hope you find The Atlanta Dish a useful resource! ”Culinary Atlanta,” the new release from food writer Malika Bowling serves a curated buffet of Atlanta restaurants and breweries, including many of those featured in The Dish. Bowling conveniently divides her palatable paperback into 13 chapters covering geographic areas such as Decatur, Sandy Springs/Dunwoody and Buford Highway. Other chapters explore local chains, “Not Starbucks” java joints, iconic landmarks, plus food specialty markets, fests and tours/chefs. Bowling invites readers to partake: “anyone who signs up for my email list (there's a pop up on my site), gets the first chapter of the book on Buckhead for free.”
When you’re hungry, local eateries make ordering and delivering easy. Not such a breeze for many Georgians. We can all help out by donating desperately needed food items to the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB). “Can do” at Southern Proper Hospitality restaurants. Receive a $15 off restaurant coupon when turning in five of these items at Gypsy Kitchen, The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails, The Southern Gentleman and Smokebelly BBQ now through Jan. 3. Non-perishable necessities include canned fruit, vegetables, tuna, chicken and salmon; dried beans and peas; whole-grain pasta, flour and cereal; brown rice, barley and quinoa; olive and canola oil; peanut butter and shelf-stable milks. Paper products, diapers and toiletries also are appreciated. No-nos include glass containers, baby food, condiments, dressings and pet foods. Not a shopper? Donate dollars at acfb.org.
Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads is ready for diners chomping to expediently place mobile and online orders for the restaurant’s fresh and delicious lunch and dinner options. Ordering is a cinch through the website’s Mobi2Go feature. Select items and quantities from the menu, choose the date and time of pick up at the Poncey-Highland eatery and pay online. Customize orders with a few quick taps or clicks. Love artisanal pizza but prefer gluten-free crusts? Want to swap chicken for shrimp in the seared shrimp pasta? Skip nuts/bacon/cheese/spinach from a favorite dish? Half a salad instead of a full portion? Tap, click, done. Voila! Your meal is ready for pick up when specified and as specified. Sweet. Now let’s eat.
You’re craving an A-Town Cream, Ying Yang twist, chocolate banana fritter or a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, but life won’t let you dash over to Sublime Doughnuts to fetch the sweet treats? Cheer up, fritter-loving Fran and sugary Sam .Postmates, the on-demand delivery service, now ferries doughnuts from a Sublime store to you until 4 a.m. A few taps on the smartphone or keyboard link you to six ($13) or 12 ($25) assorted doughnuts within minutes. Delivery charge applies.
Amid all of the holiday season rush and crush, it’s easy to lose sight of what comes next. Like New Year’s Eve. Fear not. Atlanta restaurants have big plans and welcome you to join them in ringing in 2017.
Intown/Midtown/Virginia-Highland
5Church Atlanta has a three-course dinner on New Year’s Eve with a half bottle of Champagne for two or a full bottle for four. Seatings are from 5-5:45 p.m. ($75), 6-6:45 p.m. ($80) and 7-7:45 p.m. ($90). Reservations after 8 p.m. include post-dinner dancing and cost $120, with a $50 upgrade after dinner for an open bar. A festive party starts at 10 p.m. and features open bar and buffet, a DJ on two floors, a live countdown to the ball drop and a Champagne midnight toast. General admission is $80. Tickets to the party can be purchased here. Make dinner reservations online or by calling 404-400-3669. Beat the impending hangover with brunch on New Year’s Day. 5Church opens at 9 a.m. and will be serving their regular brunch menu.
Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar is hosting a New Year’s Eve party with an à la carte dinner menu featuring such items as shredded confit duck leg, crispy rock shrimp spring rolls, pan-roasted halibut and smoked prime rib, as well as Jägermeister drink specials and live music by DJ Lion beginning at 10 p.m. On New Year’s Day, enjoy the full brunch menu along with a special dish of roasted pork loin, hoppin’ John rice, braised greens and cornbread ($14). Call 404-876-7249 for reservations.
The Federal, the new neighborhood restaurant from Shaun Doty and Lance Gummere, is open for business as usual on both days, offering food specials on Dec. 31 and its signature weekend brunch on Jan. 1, with such Southern staples as chicken and waffles and brisket skillet hash. Reservations: 404-343-3857.
Gunshow is open for extended hours on New Year’s Eve, seating every half-hour beginning at 5:30 p.m. through 10 p.m. The Glenwood Park restaurant offers its singular dining experience, with chefs rotating selections tableside, and guests also can enjoy premium wines and cocktails. Make reservations online or at 404-380-1886.
Hand in Hand is the perfect spot for a low-key New Year’s Eve experience. The neighborhood pub will be featuring its regular food and drink menus with no cover and also is open on New Year’s Day with Sunday specials.
Ring in New Year’s with a never-ending pizza party at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern. The ever-popular Midtown hangout is open normal hours on New Year’s Eve, offering its regular menu until 10 p.m., when guests can enjoy all-you-can-eat pizza and endless beer and Champagne, plus live music, a balloon drop, Champagne toast and party favors. Tickets are $49 per person in advance and $55 at the door. HOBNOB is also open regular hours on Jan. 1. Call 404-968-2288 for reservations.
Buckhead
American Cut is serving its menu of signature steakhouse favorites like filet mignon, New York strip, porterhouse and the Tomahawk Chop on Dec. 31 from 5:30-10 p.m. with $15 glasses of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut available throughout the evening. Guests dining 8:30 p.m. and later receive entry to the restaurant’s separate rooftop bar, The Regent Cocktail Club, which is open to the public from 5-9 p.m. serving top-flight cocktails in an elegant setting, then hosting only American Cut patrons and celebrating midnight. Space is limited! Call 770-415-9766 for reservations.
Celebrate the arrival of 2017 in the newly redesigned dining room of Aria. Enjoy a four-course meal creatively prepared by chef Gerry Klaskala and pastry chef Kathryn King on Dec. 31 from 5:30-10 p.m. $95 per person. Find the perfect wine pairings for your meal with the help of general manager and wine director Andrés Loaiza. Reservations by phone only at 404-233-7673.
Dolce Italian welcomes guests with $15 glasses of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut. New Year's Eve reservations are available from 5:30-10 p.m. and diners can order items from Dolce’s à la carte menu or order a special four-course prix fixe menu; includes a glass of prosecco and dessert ($125 per person). There will also be a DJ starting at 10:30 p.m. with a complimentary Champagne toast at midnight. Reservations: 678-686-2267.
Gypsy Kitchen and The Southern Gentleman are offering limited à la carte menus with special chef features. Music at both – a DJ at Gypsy Kitchen and a live band at The Southern Gentleman -- as well as party favors, a balloon drop and a complimentary Champagne toast at midnight. The Southern Gentleman also is open for brunch on Jan. 1 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. with $5 mimosas and live music. Gypsy Kitchen: 404-939-9840; The Southern Gentleman: 404-939-9845.
There’s nothing quite like dancing away the New Year’s count down at Johnny’s Hideaway. $40 per person includes your reserved seat for the evening and party favors at midnight. Reserve by phone at 404-233-8026.
New Year’s Eve at Storico Fresco Alimentari e Ristorantebrings a five-course meal of Old World Italian favorites for $80 per person, plus tax, gratuity and alcohol. There’s also a children’s menu available for $30 per child. Reservations can be made by phone at 404-500-2181 or on OpenTable.
Marietta
Chicken and the Egg is serving a New Year’s menu with options including hangar steak, a filet with fried Maine lobster tail or snow crab legs, grouper, shrimp and grits and the restaurant’s famous buttermilk fried chicken. The menu is available 5-10 p.m. Dec. 30 and 31. Start the new year with brunch on Jan. 1 from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Reservations: 678-388-8813.
Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar has a New Year’s Eve $75 prix fixe menu with such offerings as Atlantic grouper, jumbo lump crabcakes, butter-poached Maine lobster and wood-grilled Bay of Fundy salmon, with wine pairings available for an additional $25. Regular menu not available. Call 770-635-7641 for reservations.
Seed Kitchen & Bar and Stem Wine Bar, located next to each other in Marietta’s Merchant’s Walk retail center, are featuring a $75 four-course prix fixe menu on Dec. 31 with such selections as sweet potato ravioli, Boston blue cod, Maple Leaf Farms duck breast and grilled center-cut filet mignon. Wine pairings are available for an additional $25. For reservations, call 678-214-6888.
Decatur
Kevin Gillespie’s Revival has both family style and à la carte menus of traditional Southern favorites such as black-eyed peas, cornbread, pork, roasted prime beef and fried chicken. Dinner reservations for New Year’s Eve are available from 5-10 p.m. In addition to the restaurant’s regular cocktail, wine and beer lists, guests also can enjoy prosecco for celebratory toasts. Make reservations by calling 470-225-6770.
OTP/Multiple Locations
Celebrate 2017 early at Atlanta's favorite neighborhood tavern. Marlow's Tavern is dishing out a prix fixe menu on Friday, Dec. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 31 for $39 per person or $59 per person with pairings. First tastes include your choice of Maine Lobster & Shrimp Chowder or MT Winter Salad. Main plate options include Marlow's Surf & Turf or Crab Stuffed Trout and end the night with The Perfect Sweet Plate or Holiday Spiced Martini.
Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails is serving a $65 prix fixe menu on Dec. 31 to ring in the new year. Call 770-817-0161 for reservations.
Don your best duds and flapper dresses for a New Year’s Eve Great Gatsby Gala at Ray’s on the River. Rollicking in the Grand Pavilion from 9:30 p.m.-1 a.m., this one-of-a-kind event features an open bar, heavy hors d’oeuvre, dancing to live music from Jennifer Hanson’s five-piece live band, a Champagne toast and a midnight balloon drop. $130 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations required: 770-955-1187.
Ray’s on the River, Ray's at Killer Creek and Ray's in the Cityare each serving a $70 three-course prix fixe menu on New Year’s Eve. Selections are subject to change but are expected to include such offerings as artisan field greens, a broiled seafood platter, filet mignon, pan-seared Chilean sea bass, rib-eye and Ray’s signature praline basket dessert. Each restaurant also is serving a limited dinner menu. Live music is in the lounge at each restaurant. On New Year’s Day, all three restaurants have a brunch buffet from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. ($39.95 at Ray’s in the City and Ray’s at Killer Creek; $45.95 at Ray’s on the River) and an à la carte dinner menu from 5-9 p.m.
Who says everything has to go under the tree? Honor Christmas Eve and Christmas Day sharing food and fellowship with friends and loved ones at Atlanta restaurants. Head to Atlanta Food News to find the perfect fit for your holiday meal.
Plan your party menu around Holiday Happy Hour bites and prevent awkward plate-utensil-cocktail-oops juggling moments for guests. Skip the whole knife/fork/spoon thing with these right-sized morsels. Spear savory filet mignon bites, wield skewered shrimp, nibble away on lollipop-style baked brie pastry or lift pimento cheese and bacon balls on pretzel sticks. Santa hat cheesecake bites and chicken and waffle sliders are off the grid in cuteness. Eggnog ditches the mug in mini cheesecakes in gingerbread cookie crusts, leaving the other hand free to hold a ginger snap cocktail, “Coquito” (coconut eggnog), spiced cranberry rum old-fashioned, “Jingle Juice,” Christmas sangria or white Christmas margarita punch.
