Fall is all about cleats, eats and pigskin-aligned libations. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to snag stadium seats. If not, no loss. It’s hard to beat the winning lineup of big screens, big plates and big pitchers that Atlanta restaurants pour on for the 50-yard-line season. Right between the goal posts, every time.
Football fans are fired up for the Game Day Eats menu, served all day Sunday during football season at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar – Virginia-Highland. Cayenne pepper-basted and fried Atkins hot chicken legs over fries ($9) are a hot item, along with smoked pulled pork mac ‘n cheese ($10) and a loaded quesadilla packing in potatoes, pepper jack and cheddar cheeses, bacon and sour cream ($9). The Dirty Bird sandwich flies high with Atlanta Falcons watchers, sporting chicken tenders, house coleslaw, pickles and spicy remoulade on a hoagie ($12) while the Brat Burger commands house-seasoned and ground pork, caramelized onion, cheddar cheese, sauerkraut and stout mustard ($12). Both are served with a choice of hand-cut fries, fried pickles, sweet potato fries, Tater Tots or a field green salad. Miller Lite beer slakes thirsts at $14 a pitcher. Jump on Atkins Park’s season-long NFL Pick ‘Em Challenge. Each week, pick your winners, earn points and vie to win a weekly prize of a $20 Atkins Park gift card and monthly prizes for those holding the most points. Submit picks every Thursday by kick-off time. Free to play; ask servers or bartenders for more details. College football followers, on Saturdays Atkins Park sets up cornhole boards in the parking lot for game-day fun.
Punt packaged cookies and add class to your tailgate or viewing festivities with collegiate-logo cookies from Henri’s Bakery & Café in Buckhead. Orders require 48-hour notice. Be sure to stop by the bakery’s new location at 56 East Andrews Drive, NW; open Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
View games on the TVs at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern in Brookhaven. During regular season games, Brookhaven restaurant guests wearing their Atlanta Falcons, UGA Bulldogs or Atlanta United FC spirit gear score a free shot after their respective team wins a game.
Smokebelly BBQ yells “Game On!” and pours game-day drink specials every Saturday, Sunday and Monday during gridiron season. Tackle $5 Tito’s cocktails, $10 pitchers of Bud Light and $3 Bud Light drafts while absorbing action on 16 television screens. Linebacker hungry? Fill up on 50 cent wings every Monday during football season. Smokebelly BBQ plays home base for Atlanta-based FSU fans this year.
Taco Mac runs in with NFL and college football editions of Wings are for Winners. Every time a home team wins, guests in the restaurant win a coupon redeemable for six free wings, valid on a return visit the following Monday through Friday. When redeeming, guests must purchase a beverage with their order (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). Dine-in only, one-time use only, one coupon per person per visit. Not valid with any other offers, coupons or discounts. Georgia home teams: Atlanta Falcons, UGA, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State (Kennesaw location only) and Georgia State (Metropolis and Lindbergh locations only). North Carolina home teams: Carolina Panthers, UNC, Duke, NC State and Wake Forest. Tennessee home teams: Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt. Taco Mac locations also are offering a Beer of the Month and Brats pairing during football season to give wings a little competition. Purchase mini brats as an entrée with a side for $8.99. Throw in the featured beer of the month for $12.99 and receive Brewniversity credit.
The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill offers a Tackles and Touchdowns menu that’s available daily during football season. Score tasty favorites like fried oyster sac’em sliders, gridiron grouper bites and more. Don’t forget to wash them down with $3 PBR drafts. Available at both locations.
Kicking off with the Atlanta Falcons versus the New Orleans Saints away game on September 26, 101 Steak will rent out The Board Room for “Monday Night Football” viewing. Timeout to review this perfect play for the “Monday Night” fan base in your office or circle of friends: score a private room, comfortably seating eight to nine guests for big-screen TV viewing; opt to huddle for cocktails and appetizers around 7:30-7:45 p.m. for 8:30 p.m. games; and partake in customizable or themed menu. Kind of like having your own private box at the game…in Vinings. Minimum $500 food and beverage required. Call (770) 805-8855 for more information or to reserve The Board Room.
Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland interrupts couch-bound college gridiron and NFL viewing schedules with an important announcement: all the games are on, cocktails are cold and may yield prizes, and draft beers are a bargain. For the record, all NFL games are viewing options thanks to DirecTV Sunday Ticket connections. SweetWater 420 and IPA are Atkins Park official house draft picks, filling pints for only $3 each every day of the week. Those with a team at their table may want to order pitchers of Bud Light, priced at $12 every day. Enter the weekly pick ‘em for a chance to win $50 house cash by completing the in-house pick ‘em sheets and submitting them before kickoff time of the Thursday night game. Saturdays, guests who purchase a game day cocktail from the special college game day drink menu will be entered into a raffle to win an “Ultimate Tailgate Package” valued at $500. Cheer like you mean it while sipping a Georgia Salty Dawg, Roll Tide, Tech Buzz, Hotty Toddy or Tiger Fizz ($6-$7 each). When the drawing is held the night of the National Championship (January 9, 2017), one lucky fan will score two tailgating chairs, a cornhole set and a Yeti Hopper. During Monday night football, the restaurant will offer cans of Monday Night Brewing beer for $5 and throw in a keeper of an Atkins Park/Monday Night Brewing koozie. No time to run home for a bite between office and game? Order winning football fare from Monday’s football menu.
Football season is here, and football parties rack up the first down on any game day. Atlanta restaurants are key players, taking the field with everything you need to host the perfect tailgate or home-front pigskin party.
For antipasti and panini platters and primi, secondi and dolci courses, Bellina Alimentari at Ponce City Market will definitely score points with discerning guests. Place orders at least 48 hours in advance; allow 72-hour notice for parties of 30 or more. For information and ordering, call 404-330-9933.
Go for the gusto of the gourmet meat and cheese sandwich platter Ray’s in the City builds with domestic house-cut deli meats and artisanal cheeses, house-made pickles, vine-ripened tomatoes, Bibb lettuce and assorted breads. Two side displays (choose from whole fruit, artisan field greens salad, red bliss potato salad, Southern-style macaroni salad and house-made kettle chips) and one dessert display (graham cracker lemon squares, house-baked cookies, a seasonal fruit platter or chocolate fudge brownies) are included. Serves 12 for $80; $6.75 per additional person. To order, call 404-524-9224.
Smokebelly BBQ, Atlanta’s top destination for chef-crafted barbecue, offers three mouthwatering catering options complete with barbecue sauce and buns: “The Baron of BBQ” ($14 per person) with pulled pork and two sides of your choosing; “The Duke of Smoke” ($17 per person) with choice of two meats and three sides; and “The King of ‘Cue” ($19 per person) with choice of three meats and three sides. To place an order, call 404-848-9100.
Yell a cheer and spell out your favorite team with custom letter-shaped doughnuts (select flavors only) from Sublime Doughnuts. Requires 24-hour advance notice; 404-897-1801.
Georgia pigskin calls for Southern-style barbecue from Kevin Gillespie. Terminus City is serving up an unbelievable whole hog barbecue cooked on-site by chef Andreas Müller with four sides, dessert and paper products. Requires a two-week lead time. Visit the Facebook page for more information, and place orders by emailing terminuscity@gunshowatl.com or calling 404-380-1886.
Let Tin Lizzy's Cantina turn your big-game bash into a spicy FlexMex fiesta with the stacked taco bar, which includes two soft flour tortillas per person, choice of grilled chicken, grilled steak or seasoned pork, and lettuce, rice, black beans, pico de gallo, jack cheese, grilled onions and peppers, sauce, guacamole, chips and salsa fresca for $11 per person. You also can’t go wrong with the ever-popular chicken finger platter ($4 per person), cantina salads, margarita mix (sorry, tequila not included) and other fiesta faves. Deliveries require a $100 minimum order; delivery fee applies outside 10-mile radius. Prices exclude taxes and gratuity, and 24-hour notice is appreciated. For more information, email catering@tinlizzyscantina.com or call 404-668-8757.
Sack those stale chips and dull dips and send in crowd-pleasing catering all-stars from Willy's Mexicana Grill: Willy’s build-your-own taco, fajita or nacho bars, cheese dip, guacamole, salsa, chips, burritos and more. Ten-person minimum on catering orders. Read the whole roster of Tex-Mex flavors on the menu at willys.com/catering-menu. Order online or call 404-422-7107.
