What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? Celebrate All Around Town

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. 

Check Our List Twice -- Once for Christmas, Once for New Year’s Cheer at Atlanta Restaurants

Cue the lights, Christmas music and fireworks. With Christmas and New Year’s Eve approaching at a rapid rate, Atlanta-area restaurants are preparing to bring the holiday cheer with specials and events galore to celebrate the arrival of Saint Nick and 2015. Reservations will fill up fast, so be sure to call the numbers below for more information and to reserve your spot.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day:

• 10th & Piedmont (404-602-5510) will be open on Christmas Eve, and sister restaurant G’s Midtown (404-872-8012) spreads the Christmas Day love with its popular bar menu available from 6 p.m. – midnight on December 25; communitashospitality.com

• Indulge in everyone’s Yuletide favorites at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland for Christmas Day dinner beginning at 6 p.m. Pricing is $28 for adults, $18 for young adults and $10 for children under 10, and tax and gratuity are not included. Menu highlights include a Big Green Egg smoked turkey breast with caramelized apple and sage stuffing, and classics such as green bean casserole, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry Gran Marnier compote and sweet potato biscuits. Finish it off with a sweet slice of pumpkin cheesecake or Southern pecan pie. Wine pairings are also available to put the cherry on top of the perfect holiday meal. Prefer to bring Christmas dinner home? The carry-out option is $175 for a dinner serving six-eight people and includes an oven-ready turkey, gravy and delicious dressing, potato and casserole sides. There is also a turkey-only option for $70. The 12-pound turkey comes roasted, smoked or fried and is in the pan ready to re-heat. Orders must be placed by December 21 and picked up by December 24 at 6 p.m. 404-876-7249; atkinspark.com

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day:

• Both 10th & Piedmont (404-602-5510) and G’s Midtown (404-872-8012) will celebrate New Year’s Eve from 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. Guests can choose from the regular selection or a special menu for $45 per person. Highlights include smoked salmon mousse cups, mini crab cake bites, scallops and caviar, lobster tails, roasted lamb loin, Napa Valley cheesecake and carrot cake. The first course includes a glass of Champagne. Munch on brunch at both restaurants on New Year's Day from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.; communitashospitality.com

• Buckhead restaurant Aria is celebrating New Year’s Eve with a $95 per person four-course meal. The second, third and fourth courses give diners the choice of meal option. 404-233-7673; aria-atl.com

• Once Christmas 2014 is in the books, head to Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland on New Year's Eve for several treats, such as shredded confit duck leg ($12), pan-roasted halibut ($24) or smoked prime rib ($26). On New Year's Day, a $12 brunch featuring roasted pork loin with hoppin' John, braised local greens and cornbread will be served starting at 11 a.m. 404-876-7249; atkinspark.com

• Join Bantam + Biddy for New Year’s Day fun. For just $25 on January 1, the restaurant is serving up honey-glazed ham, stewed black-eyed peas, braised collard greens, cornbread and country gravy, and sweet potato pie or carrot cake. Breakfast, including $4 Bloody Marys and mimosas, is served until 3 p.m., but this featured menu is only available while supplies last. All locations are participating; bantamandbiddy.com

• Chick-a-Biddy will begin the first day of 2015 serving brunch. From 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on January 1, guests can enjoy classic brunch items such as fried chicken and waffles with honey butter and maple syrup, almond pancakes with ginger apples and maple syrup, and The Southern, including three JB Farm eggs, grits and black pepper bacon, pimento cheese and toast. 404-588-1888; chickabiddyatl.com

• Keven Gillespie is ready to launch 2015 with a New Year's Eve seven-course tasting menu at Gunshow. The price is $125 per person seven beverage pairings available for an additional $65. 404-380-1886; gunshowatl.com

• Gypsy Kitchen celebrates its first New Year’s Eve with a featured dinner menu for $75 per person. Highlights include NYE Spanish toast, chicken croquetas and a shrimp duo of garlic shrimp and crispy Kataifi-wrapped shrimp. For the entrée, guests will choose among Rioja-braised short ribs, a Catalan-style seafood stew or veggie paella fried rice. 404-939-9840; gypsykitchenatl.com

• HOBNOB is open for dinner New Year's Eve and is offering a special menu in addition to its regular fare. A late-night party kicks off at 10:30 p.m. and includes all-you-can-eat pizzas, beer and Champagne. Tickets are $25 in advance here; $35 tickets at the door. James Patrick Morgan will play the tunes until 12:30 a.m. Festivities include a balloon drop, party favors and a Champagne toast. HOBNOB will also serve New Year’s Day brunch. 404-968-2288; communitashospitality.com

• Toast the New Year from the top of the Hilton Atlanta at Nikolai’s Roof. For $110 per person, diners enjoy an elegant menu including roasted diver scallop, rye crusted halibut and seared beef tenderloin, with the option to include a four- or five-glass wine pairing for additional purchase. 404-221-6362; nikolaisroof.com

• The Pig and the Pearl is offering both their regular menu and a special menu for a New Year’s Eve celebration to remember. For $50 a person, indulge in four courses and bubbly with dessert. Menu items include oysters, smoked prawn and octopus, coffee-rubbed lamb ribs and flourless tuxedo chocolate cake. 404-541-0930; thepigandthepearl.com

• Ring in the New Year with Ray’s. All Ray’s Restaurants locations will be open on New Year’s Eve from 5 p.m.-11 p.m. serving a prix fixe dinner menu. The bars stay open until 1 a.m. Festivities at Ray’s on the River take place in the Grand Pavilion from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Riverside New Year’s Eve Celebration. For $135 per person (plus tax and gratuity), attendees will enjoy a premium open bar, live music and dancing, an all-you-can-eat buffet with live action stations, a balloon drop and Champagne toast at midnight. Parties of 10 or more purchasing tickets by December 15 receive 10% off. 770-955-1187; raysrestaurants.com

• The Shed celebrates New Year’s Eve with a four-course prix fixe meal with bubbly and a toast at midnight. Menu items include tuna tartare, pumpkin ravioli, hot smoked salmon, saffron risotto and vanilla crème brulee. 404-835-4363; theshedatglenwood.com

• The Southern Gentleman offers a $75 five-course menu for New Year’s Eve dinner. Guests will nosh on favorites including pimento cheese gougeres, she-crab bisque and filet mignon. 404-939-9845; thesoutherngentlemanatl.com

• At Trader Vic’s, New Year's Eve dinner is accompanied by live music from Bogey and the Viceroy Quartet from 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. The special menu, available for $60 per person, starts with Thai pepper shrimp, followed by Trader’s crumbled goat cheese salad and smoked Maple Leaf duck breast or Asian stir fry beef. The grand finale is coconut and cardamom pudding. 404-221-6339; tradervicsatl.com

What's New on Pinterest: Toast to the New Year

We're ready to pop the cork on the new year and are on the lookout for some colorful new ideas to help celebrate. Raise a glass to all the ideas on our "Toast to the New Year" Pinterest board, then shake up your glasses with candy cane cocktails, gingersnap martinis, caramel apple hot toddy or a champagne-inclusive cocktail sure to tickle the fancy of champagners everywhere. 2014, here we come!

Where to Celebrate What's Out (2013) and in (2014) on New Year's Eve and Day

 

Adios, twenty-thirteen! 2014 is nipping at your heels. Join in the chase and welcome the new year over dinner, brunch and bubbly at these Atlanta restaurants.

10^th & Piedmont serves its regular menu on New Year's Eve, abundant with sharables for before-party dining. The Midtown restaurant will serve a New Year's Day brunch buffet for $19 per person. Info: 404-602-5510.

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland is hosting a New Year's Day brunch beginning at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1. Reservations are recommended: 404-876-7249.

Aqua blue in Roswell is offering a three-course menu for $49 per person including Maine lobster bisque, five-spice New York strip and crispy shrimp, classic crème brûlée, plus much more. The restaurant is also serving an à la carte menu. Ring in the new year with a champagne toast and party favors. Reservations: 770-643-8886.

Aria in Buckhead is celebrating New Year's Eve with a $90 per person four-course meal. Diners have options for their second, third and fourth courses. Reservations: 404-233-7673.

G's in Midtown is serving a New Year's Day brunch buffet for $19 per person. Info: 404-872-8012.

Gunshow celebrates New Year's Eve with a special ticketed dinner event. On Tuesday, December 31, the restaurant pulls out all the stops with eight dishes, two sweets and wine and champagne pairings with an option of beer available. Seating reservations can be made for 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8:45 or 9:15 p.m. The dinner is $200 per person (including tax and gratuity), and tickets must be purchased by Saturday, December 28 by phone or in person at the restaurant. Tickets are non-refundable; however, if guests need to cancel, tickets are accorded gift card status for a future visit. Reservations: 404-380-1886.

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern in Midtown is celebrating New Year's Eve with all-you-can-eat pizza and all-you-can-drink beer and champagne for $25 per person. Info: 404-968-2288.

JCT. Kitchen & Bar rings in the holidays in West Midtown with a four-course menu offering multiple options per course; supplemental items also are available for an additional fee. $65 per person. Reservations and info: 404-355-2252.

Buckhead's King + Duke hosts a four-course prix fixe New Year's Eve dinner on Tuesday, December 31. Three to four selections per course are offered, and a wine pairing with each dish is an option. At midnight, toast to 2014 with a complimentary glass of champagne. Dinner is $70 per person. Reservations and info: 404-477-3500.

  

The Mill Kitchen & Bar in Roswell hosts a New Year's Eve bash beginning at 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31, complete with live music, a champagne toast and a midnight balloon drop that encompasses Mill dollars, discounts and freebies. Info: 770-817-9345.

In historic Crabapple, Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails rings in a stylin' new year beginning with a special prix fixe menu from 5-10 p.m. for $65 per person. Live music starts at 8 p.m. and plays until the party stops. Toast midnight with a complimentary glass of champagne and party favors. To reserve a table, call 770-817-0161. For parties of eight or more, email Heather@miltonscuisine.com or call 678-431-8753.

On New Year's Eve, Decatur's No. 246 hosts a four-course dinner that lets guests choose from multiple rustic Italian dishes. $60 per person with 20 percent gratuity for parties of six or more and a $10 corkage fee per bottle. Reservations and info: 678-399-8246.

The Optimist hosts a four-course dinner on New Year's Eve that gives guests multiple options per course. Supplemental items are available for an additional fee. $65 per person. Reservations and info: 404-477-6260.

RA Sushi Bar Restaurant celebrates a RAckin' New Year's Eve party on Tuesday, December 31 from 7 p.m. to close. Look forward to a DJ spinning party-worthy beats plus food and drink specials such as bonfire shrimp, the crunchy shrimp tempura roll, Tootsy Maki and edamame dip joined by Kirin/Kirin Light bombers, hot sake and more. Info: 404-267-0114.

Ray's Restaurants offers diners three warm holiday gathering spots. Ray's on the Creek's dining room is open from 5-11 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31 for New Year's Eve, and the bar will remain open until 1 a.m. On Wednesday, January 1, the restaurant is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Reservations: 770-649-0064. Ray's on the River's dining room is open from 5-11 p.m. for New Year's Eve, and the bar will remain open until 1 a.m. on New Year's morning. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Wednesday, January 1. Reservations and info: 770-955-1187. Ray's in the City is celebrating New Year's Eve from 4-11 p.m. on December 31. Reservations and info: 404-524-9224.

Sweet Dee's Bakeshop in Tucker helps hosts uphold their resolution to serve delectable desserts over the holidays. New Year's Eve orders must be picked up before or on Tuesday, December 31. For orders and special holiday hours, call 770-696-4461.

Pop the Cork on New Year's Plans and More in this Week's Dish

Leave the cooking and party planning to Atlanta restaurants this New Year's Eve and Day. Check out the offerings from some of the top dining spots in the city, plus plenty more to celebrate in this week's Dish!

Pop the Cork on New Year's Eve Revelry and New Year's Day Dining to Usher in 2013

  

  

  

Atlantans looking for a reason to celebrate Mondays have a big one: New Year's Eve falls on a Monday this year. Our city's restaurants are ready with parties and dinners both elegant and casual. If a resolution is to try out more restaurants, go ahead and start on New Year's Day with some of these suggestions.

Welcome the New Year with the new kid in Midtown, 10^th & Piedmont, which is already quite at home on the corner that formerly housed Outwrite bookstore. Food and drink specials, the regular menu and a DJ are part of the plan. Reservations accepted for parties of eight or more. Rent out a booth in the "celebration lounge." Call 404-602-5510 for details and minimums.

Aqua blue in Roswell is hosting a festive Blue Year's Eve celebration. A special three-course prix fixe menu is available for $49 per person in addition to the full à la carte menu. Enjoy menu items like the Maine lobster bisque, five-spice New York strip and crispy shrimp and house-made warm chocolate cake. DJ starts up at 9 p.m. followed by a champagne toast and party favors at midnight. Reservations: 770-643-8886. 

In the heart of Midtown, Ecco rings in the new year with special menu items on Monday, December 31. The special additions include beet velouté with pears, nasturtium, bay scallop crudo and smoked paprika ($13); baked farm egg with charred duck liver, preserved lemon, lavender cream and celery leaves ($10); roasted quail with chestnut risotto and black currant gastrique ($18); wood-grilled rib-eye with smoked cauliflower, crisp chanterelle mushrooms and béarnaise ($58); steelhead trout with scarlet queen turnips, roe, saffron and arugula ($29), and milk chocolate torte with spiced pineapple and pine nut tuile ($9). The regular menu is available in addition to these one-night-only dishes. For reservations, call 404-347-9555.

Ring in the New Year over a weekend-long celebration at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. From 4 p.m. on Friday, December 28 until Tuesday, January 1, indulge in festive holiday cocktails or featured bubbly and then dine from the New Year's menu or famous à la carte menu. The special New Year's menu starts with poached gulf shrimp over Southern-style goat cheese grits, included with entrée price. Entrées include Delmonico steak with blue crab and Gruyère glassage for $74.95, filet mignon and lobster brioche bread pudding for $69.95 and lobster tail with mac and cheese for $79. Chocolate budino finishes the meal for $9.95. Tax and gratuity not included. Reservations: 770-698-8112. 

JCT. Kitchen & Bar is serving a Southern dinner this New Year's Eve on Monday, December 31. For $65 per person, the restaurant is offering a taste plus a three-course meal. Diners begin the meal with the featured taste of aged goat cheese with country ham and garlic herb toast. Other sample items from the menu include smoked baby beets with watermelon radish, Asher Blue, tiny croutons and green goddess; hickory smoked beef short ribs and seared sea scallops with root vegetable Gouda gratin and braising reduction; and "nearly" flourless chocolate cake with milk chocolate ganache and white chocolate sorbet. There is a corkage fee of $10 per bottle. For reservations or more information, call 404-355-2252.

The second annual New Year's Eve party at Kaleidoscope Bistro & Pub happens Monday, December 31, beginning with dinner service from 5 p.m. on and an optional three-course meal for $20.12. Food and drink specials roll all evening, and DJ B-Dub starts spinning tunes at 10 p.m. Champagne is available for a midnight toast, and the bar is open until 2 a.m. No cover charge.

Atlantans can bite into the New Year with Little Cake Bakery's strawberry and champagne cupcakes. These sweet confections pair perfectly with a glass of bubbly. For more information or to place orders, call 404-841-8856.

Visit your neighborhood Marlow's Tavern this New Year's Eve for a chef-driven, prix fixe menu for $37 per person. Start with Maine lobster and shrimp chowder or the winter tavern salad. The main plate is a grilled veal chop with Canadian milk-fed veal, harvest vegetable and lump crab hash, dried cranberry, beurre blanc, asparagus and cranberry veal demi. Chocolate crème brûlée fulfills the sweet tooth. More information and locations are on the website. The newest Marlow's Tavern in Emory Point will be open on New Year's Eve.

Add an Italian twist to New Year's Eve at Decatur's No. 246. Their four-course menu is $55 per person and features local cauliflower panna cotta with frothy sea urchin sweet butter, Osetra caviar, soft herbs and brioche; Nantucket Bay scallop carpaccio with Meyer lemon; local crispy parsnips with Tennessee black truffles; butter-poached Maine lobster with young fennel, blood orange, tarragon, olives and arugula; and brie and white chocolate cheesecake with roasted pears and walnut nougatine. Closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year's Day. Reservations: 678-399-8246.

In West Midtown, The Optimist will ring in 2013 with a four-course prix fixe menu on New Year's Eve for $65 per person. Menu items include shrimp pop tarts; baked Virginia oysters with spinach, bacon, preserved lemon and parmesan cheese; grouper with white wine-steamed clams, lump crab meat, leeks, baby bok choy and lemon; and banana custard pocket pie with pralines, pralines and cream ice cream and salted pecans. Reservations: 404-477-6260.

Midtown's RA Sushi Bar Restaurant throws a RAckin' New Year's Eve party from 7 p.m. to close. Evening-long food specials include Firework shrimp, "RA"solution roll, Stroke of Midnight maki and Edamame Eve dip. Party drinks include half-price sake and specialty cocktails. Note: RA Sushi is open on Christmas Eve from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and closed on Christmas Day. More information: call 404-267-0114.

Ray's Restaurants offers diners a warm place to gather this holiday season. Ray's on the Creek in Alpharetta is open from 5-11 p.m. on New Year's Eve, and the bar will remain open until 1 a.m.; New Year's Day hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Reservations: 770-649-0064. Ray's on the River is throwing a New Year's Eve party from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. in the Grand Pavilion. Guests can partake of the premium open bar, heavy hors d'oeuvre, oyster shucking station, six-piece live band with dancing plus a midnight balloon drop and champagne toast. $125 per person plus tax and gratuity. Reservations: 770-955-1187 or email ali@raysrestaurants.com; credit card number required to hold reservations. The restaurant itself is open from 5-11 p.m. on New Year's Eve, and the bar will remain open until 1 a.m. They also will be open New Year's Day from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Ray's in the City is open New Year's Eve from 4-11 p.m. and New Year's Day from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Reservations: 404-524-9224.

On Monday, December 31, South City Kitchen Midtown and South City Kitchen Vinings  are celebrating New Year's Eve with a special three-course prix fixe menu at $42 per person. Both locations are offering options such as house-made pimento cheese with toasted corn crackers, butter pickles and celery hearts, pan-seared duck breast with butternut puree, mustard greens and sweet garlic jus, and Velvet Elvis Cake, banana-chocolate mayonnaise cake with peanut butter icing. For more information or to make reservations, call 404-873-7358 for the Midtown location and 770-435-0700 for the Vinings location.

Woodfire Grill is offering several five-course menu options on New Year's Eve. The chef's tasting menu and pescatarian option are priced at $115 per person and the vegetarian menu is $100. Wine pairings are also available for $12 per glass or $20 per glass for premium wines. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 404-347-9055. 

Celebrate New Year's Day with Bantam + Biddy's special menu or order from the regular menu. On Tuesday, January 1, the restaurant offers a traditional Southern special of corned Brasstown ham and ham gravy, stewed organic black-eyed peas, braised collard greens, Buckeye Creek grits and sweet potato pie, all for $20. Bottomless Bloody Marys and mimosas are offered all day for $10. Call 404-907-3469 for more information.

Rise Up with "Next Food Network Star" Finalist Justin Balmes at the Falcons Game on New Year's Day

We know you've got New Year's Eve plans, but what about New Year's Day? Start 2012 with a winning combination: Falcons football and "Next Food Network Star" finalist, Chef Justin Balmes. 

Watch the playoff-bound Atlanta Falcons take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1 p.m. in the Georgia Dome on Sunday. At halftime, skip the usual concession fare and visit Balmes at the local chef stand at 2View Restaurant in the east end zone on the executive concourse (near the suites). He'll be serving up a lamb burger on potato bun with grilled onions, arugla, Manchego and lemon herb and black olive aioli and pulled pork with white cheddar mac and cheese and collard greens with Weiss Tasso ham.

The best part is you can grab a bite and chat up Balmes without missing a second of the action, thanks to the big screens nearby. So rise up and chow down!

I'll Have Black-Eyed Peas For New Year's, Please

It's a given that black-eyed peas will be somewhere on the Southern New Year's Day table. Legend has it that the Southern tradition has ties to the Civil War, when General William Tecumseh Sherman's Union troops carried off or destroyed all food, crops and livestock along their path, leaving only lowly, dried "field peas" behind because they were considered to be animal fodder. Guess they didn't count on Southern ingenuity, and luckily, folks found and cooked the dried peas to survive. The dried peas came to symbolize prosperity because they grew in size when cooked. Owner/Executive Chef Ford Fry of JCT. Kitchen & Bar loves everything about Southern regional food and takes the black-eyed pea tradition to a much tastier level. His recipe for deep-fried black-eyed peas with candied, crispy lemon makes a delish snack for the midnight hour on New Year's Eve.

Deep-Fried Black-Eyed Peas with Candied, Crispy Lemon

Serves 24 small portions

Ingredients

1 lb. dried black-eyed peas
1 stalk celery (cut in half)
1 carrot (peeled and cut in half)
½ yellow onion (peeled)
1 bay leaf

4 lemons
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. Italian parsley (finely chopped)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste


Method

Peas:

Soak the peas overnight in water. Strain the peas, place in appropriate-sized pot and cover with water by two inches. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and bay leaf. Simmer slowly until just cooked. Strain and chill. Discard the carrot, celery, onion and bay leaf.

Lemon:

With a peeler or small knife, peel off the yellow portion of the peel. Trim away any of the white. Slice into thin strips. Using a small pot, place in the water, sugar, salt and lemon strips. Simmer slowly for five minutes. Strain and chill.

Fry:

Set up your fryer at 350 degrees. If using a pot, fill half way with canola oil (or pork fat if you like). Place a candy thermometer into it to monitor the temperature. Start by frying the peas as is for one to two minutes or until crispy then place in a mixing bowl and season to taste with kosher salt. For the lemon, toss the strips in the flour and dust off excess flour. Fry lemon for 20-30 seconds. Add to the bowl of crispy peas with the parsley and toss. Fill small cups for individual servings and stick a tiny spoon into the peas.

Setting Delicious Goals for 2011

We don't know who said it, but we do know that too often it's true:  a New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.  That's why we're impressed with the thoughtful and attainable resolutions set by some of our favorite Atlanta chefs and foodies.  Here's to your success!

• Gena Knox, author of "Southern My Way," has an organizational goal that may even be on your list (it's on ours)!  "One major resolution is to get organized at work and home.  Cleaning out my emails, closets and getting my kitchen organized will reduce my stress tremendously!  I also want to try a new recipe (that is not mine) twice a week -- exploring new flavors and cuisines I don't normally prepare at home."
• Claude Guillaume, general manager of Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse in Phipps Plaza, pledges "to run a half marathon by March 31, 2011."
• Kevin Gillespie, executive chef/partner of Woodfire Grill and "Top Chef" fame, has plans "to finally open Terminus City, my barbecue restaurant."  We're tying on our bibs and licking our fingers in anticipation!
• Gerry Klaskala, Aria owner and executive chef, aims to get fit.  "I need to get back down to six-pack abs."
• Jenny Levison of Souper Jenny keeps a finger in every pot and refuses to be tied to one resolution, vowing "to stretch as far outside the box as possible!"

Next Up: New Year’s Eve

With Christmas just a few days away, it’s easy to forget about making your New Year’s plans. Well, you’re in luck this year. We’re providing you with a convenient list of New Year’s Eve options that everyone will love! From seven courses of Northern Italian cuisine to a savory Southern dinner, we’ve got the scoop on how to celebrate in style.

• Aqua blue in Roswell is offering a special three-course menu for $49 per person and $69 with wine parings that's available at three seatings: 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. DJ starts up at 9 p.m. Guests will enjoy a complimentary champagne toast and party favors at midnight, and the restaurant will offer a complimentary breakfast buffet at 12:30 a.m. The regular menu also is an option. For reservations, call 770-643-8886.

• Chef specials, a DJ and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight make for a fun New Year's Eve at Atkins Park in Virginia Highland. Dinner reservations are recommended. Come in for New Year's Day brunch and fill up on a little "hair of the dog" along with Hoppin' John, collard greens and all of those traditional good luck dishes!

• Ease into an elegant 2011 over a festive four-course dinner for $85 per person at Aria. Add wine pairings at an additional cost. Call 404-233-7673 for reservations.

• Chef Bennett Hollberg at Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse is creating an incredible seven-course menu (amuse bouche + six courses) on New Year's Eve for a savory $95 per person or $125 with wine pairings. For reservations, call 404-844-4810.

• A rootin'-tootin' good time is in store for all as the doors swing open to a DJ and a complimentary midnight champagne toast at Deadwood Saloon. There's no cover for this party that cranks up at 10 p.m.

• New Year's spreads over three days at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. From Thursday, December 30 through Saturday, January 1, guests can choose from three memorable menu selections of filet mignon and crab-stuffed shrimp, North Atlantic lobster tail or New York strip and giant shrimp ($59.95 - $79.95; excluding wine, tax and gratuity). For bubbly, order the legendary Veuve Clicquot Champagne by the glass ($25). Call 770-698-8112 for reservations.

• JCT. Kitchen & Bar will be serving a $60 four-course menu (a "taste" + three courses). For reservations, call 404-355-2252.

• Felice Anno Nuovo! La Tavola Trattoria is offering a truly authentic three-course Italian prix fixe dinner with lots of course options for only $49 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Call 404-873-5430.

• There are now seven Marlow's Tavern locations where you can ring in 2011! All seven are offering a $35 (plus tax and gratuity) three-course prix fixe menu that includes some savory dishes from the featured "Lobsters & Libations" menu.

• All three locations of Ray's Restaurants (Ray's in the City, Ray's at Killer Creek and Ray's on the River) will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on New Year's Eve (with the bar open until 1 a.m.). Appetizers, shareable sides and special prix fixe menus ($55-$85 per person) are the talk of the day. For earlier risers, Ray's at Killer Creek is doing a New Year's Day brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Make reservations online or by calling the restaurants.

• Times Square has nothing on Southern New Year's traditions -- especially the culinary ones. Dine on three Southern courses for $39.95 at South City Kitchen Midtown and Vinings. Both locations will be open from 5 to 11 p.m. For reservations, call the specific restaurant: South City Kitchen Midtown, 404-873-7358; South City Kitchen Vinings, 770-435-0700.

• Spice Market, located inside the W Atlanta Midtown, is offering two seatings and two different prix fixe menus on New Year's Eve. At 6 p.m., guests can enjoy a four-course menu for $48 per person and wine pairings for an additional $22. The second seating is from 8:30 to 11 p.m. and features a five-course set menu with a glass of champagne for $65 per person; add wine pairings for an additional $33. Tax and gratuity are not included in either menu price. For reservations, call 404-724-2550.

• In addition to the regular prix fixe menu, Woodfire Grill is creating five-course vegetarian and pescatarian menus on New Year's Eve. The regular and pescatarian menus are priced at $100, and the vegetarian menu is priced at $85. Add wine pairings for an additional $50. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 404-347-9055

Don't Forget to Vote!

As you celebrate the end of the year with reflections of 2009 and champagne toasts towards 2010 be sure to take a moment to reflect on the Best of Atlanta - your fave restaurants, boutiques and salons. Then hop on over to Jezebel's online ballot and share your reflections with the rest of Atlanta!

Now is the time as tomorrow starts a whole NEW list of faves for 2010!

Happy New Year!

What To Do After New Year's Eve

Okay, you've finally made your plans for New Year's Eve. But wait! What about the next day? You know - when your head aches a little but you need sustenance before the games begin. Might we suggest Ray’s on the River? They are opening at 10 a.m. on New Year’s Day to serve a special brunch loaded with Ray’s traditional Sunday brunch items. Think omelet station where you tell the chef what you like best. A carving station. Fish and breakfast meats. Waffles, traditional breakfast items and an immense variety of desserts. And if you need a little hair of the dog, they will be happy to oblige. Served til 3 for you late sleepers.