“Rize” and Shine for Sunday Brunch at Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads Poncey-Highland

A wake-up call of scratch-made biscuits, breads and artisan pizza dough, the sound of cracking eggs and the tantalizing aroma of sizzling fennel sausage draws sleepyheads out of bed and over to Sunday brunch at Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads in Poncey-Highland. Ease into the day sipping French press coffee, mimosas ($5 glass/$20 carafe) or handcrafted white or red sangria ($7 glass/$35 carafe). More challenging decisions involve choosing a frittata ($10) encompassing roasted vegetables or Peppadew and sausage rounded out with dressed greens and a biscuit; poached egg-topped breakfast pizzas ($10) topped with bacon, egg and cheese or carne brasata; or fried egg/kale/arugula plumped breakfast sandwiches ($6) like The Ponce, which adds fennel sausage, roasted red peppers and Asiago, or The Highland sporting roasted tomato, house-made maple bacon and onion jam. Indulge biscuit cravings with a small or large order of hot, fresh-baked biscuits served with fig butter and maple bacon jam ($3/$7). Brunch hours span 11 a.m.-2 p.m. so relax, you can still sleep in, work out, worship or tackle whatever awaits before or after “Rize”-ing. Plus, you can settle the tab from your phone using the Rize app and park for free in the 675 N. Highland parking garage.

Poncey-Highand Gives Rise to Newly Opened Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads

Thin crust cravers can get their lunch or dinner fix at Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads, now open at 675 N. Highland, a mixed-use development in Poncey-Highland. Global and American fare revolves around handcrafted salads and pastas with bold flavors along with gelato and carefully crafted beverages. Small plates ($7) and salads ($11 full/$7 half) include charred cauliflower, charbroiled wings, spice road chicken salad and superfood salad. Signature pizza options ($13.50) include the Waverly with prosciutto, Gorgonzola, fig jam and more and Asian BBQ chicken with charred red onion, green chili sauce, sesame seed, scallion and lime zest. Specialty pizza selections ($12) include the ATL BLT with Beeler’s bacon, baby spinach, fire roasted tomato, charred red onion, shredded mozzarella and Grana Padano and the Delphi topped with roasted artichoke, Kalamata olives, fire roasted tomato, charred red onion, shredded mozzarella, feta, roasted garlic purée and baby kale. Classic choices ($9.50) might be the Margherita or the Bianca. Guests are invited to build their own pizza ($12.50) using four toppings from an extensive list.

Non-traditional pasta ($10) dishes and flatbreads ($8) also are offered, such as fennel sausage and kale orecchiette, pork meatball pesto orecchiette, chicken and pear flatbread and prosciutto and pomegranate flatbread. The 10-and-under set may want to order a cheese or pepperoni pizza, pasta or a hummus and veggie combo with a kid’s beverage and kid’s scoop of Rize’s premium gelato, all for $7.50. Soups ($4.50) and sandwiches ($8) and pick two combos ($10) of flatbread or sandwich and soup or salad grace the lunch menu. A bold beverage selection features wine by the glass ($7), craft beer ($6) and Marbella red and Andalucia white sangrias ($7 glass/$35 carafe) as well as non-alcoholic beverages such as fresh brewed iced tea, fresh lemonade and craft sodas. Rize serves lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday, and the outdoor patio is BeltLine-close. For more information, visit www.rizeartisanpizza.com or follow the restaurant onFacebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Gypsy Kitchen Offers Round of Sangria on the House to Groups through June 30

Gypsy Kitchen pours on a sangria special made for summer socializing. Monday through Thursdays, The Shops Buckhead Atlanta restaurant is offering the first round of red or white sangria free for groups of 15-30 people with the purchase of food. Plan an office happy hour, ladies night out, dinner event or be creative and host a summer solstice social on the patio to take advantage of this very sangria-ble opportunity through June 30. Secure seating or space with a credit card, but no deposit is needed. Questions? Call 404-964-9243.

Basque in the Sun, Sangria in Hand, Every Sunday at Gypsy Kitchen

In Spain, no one says, “Paddle faster, I hear flamenco guitar music.” The mesmerizing notes of the flamenco guitarist invite listeners to hang out and appreciate the moment and the music. To, as they say at Gypsy Kitchen, Basque in the Sun. Totally doable. Come “Basque in the Sun” every Sunday between 5-8 p.m. on Gypsy Kitchen’s new, open-air patio overlooking Buckhead Atlanta. Sip a few glasses of tinto de verano, the “red wine of summer” spritzer adored by locals in Spain’s Southern regions and along the Costa del Sol, only $4 each. Tip back heady, fruity sangria at $5 a glass. Select dishes are half off; go ahead and order several plates for the table to share -- it’s the Iberian way. And, there really is a flamenco guitarist strumming away in the background. Olé! 

Appetizing Aperture: National Sangria Day at Uncle Julio's

Thursday, December 20 is National Sangria Day - cool stuff at Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food. Take it straight up in homemade sangria-on-the-rocks or stir your straw around in The Swirl, Uncle Julio's signature drink that layers homemade frozen sangria and frozen margarita. Ho, ho, ho, it's quite a festive swirl of deep red and pale green in a frosty mug. 

Appetizing Aperture: Summer Lovin' Steak & Sangria at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

  

Summer is not quite outta here, but the Summer Lovin' Steak & Sangria special at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar sails off into the sunset on Sunday, August 26. 

Until then, embrace three courses for $39.95 per person: a composed tomato and mozzarella salad, prime New York strip with crispy Gorgonzola, grilled asparagus, pickled fennel and baby golden beets, and lemon-poppy seed butter cookies with vanilla ice cream and warm apple-ginger sauce. 

Sailors Sunset sangria cruises in as a smooth pairing at $7.95, blending Sailor Jerry spiced rum, Red Diamond Merlot and peach schnapps with fresh peaches, oranges and lemons. Prices exclude tax and gratuity. 

The 3 S's at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: Summer, Steak & Sangria

The only thing better than a grilled steak paired with a refreshing pitcher of sangria on a summer night is a grilled steak paired with a refreshing pitcher of sangria on a summer night that you don’t have to prepare yourself. Allow Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Summer Lovin' Steak & Sangria prix fixe dinners to do the work for you with the prime New York Strip steak and optional sangria pairings offered every night. The menu and sangria blend changes every two weeks, so you’ll never fall into a rut. Each three-course menu is packed with seasonal flavors that offer a global taste. The current menu, for example, is offered through July 15 and includes a fresh summer green salad with sliced strawberries, Danish blue cheese crumbles and candied walnuts with a red wine vinaigrette, a prime New York Strip with Jamaican jerk rub, chimichurri sauce, roasted pineapple salsa and farm-fresh corn salad; and chilled white chocolate almond soufflé with blueberry sauce and house-made caramel for $39.95 per person. Add a hand-crafted sangria pairing for $7.95, such as the current Silver Sun Sangria featuring Red Diamond Merlot infused with fresh seasonal fruit and topped with Milagro Silver Tequila, a touch of Crème de Cassis, muddled blackberries and fresh lemon juice. Menu and drink prices do not include tax or gratuity.

Those leaning toward ordering a bottle of fine wine will want to try Fleming's new Icon Wine. Fleming's Wine Maeven, Maeve Pesquera, has chosen JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery's signature Isosceles 2009 and is making it available at an exceptional $75 per bottle for a limited time. The world-class Bordeaux blend from Paso Robles, Calif. was recently ranked sixth in Wine Spectator's "Top Ten Most Exciting Wines." When it's gone, it's gone. Don’t miss out!

Hump Day Hook-Up at Uncle Julio's in Sandy Springs

It's only lunchtime, but you're probably already thinking about happy hour and a place where you can wind down after work hours. Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food in Sandy Springs has you covered. Every Wednesday, all day and into the night, guests can take advantage of the "2, 4, 6 Hump Day Hook-Up." This deal features Corona and Corona Light for $2 a bottle; frozen margaritas (including The Swirl and frozen sangria as well as traditional and strawberry margaritas) for only $4 each; and specialty Patrón drinks (Patrón Silver margarita on the rocks, Patrón cosmo-ritas and Patrón skinny margaritas) for $6 apiece.

If you're gathering a group of friends, you can head to either Atlanta-area location of Uncle Julio's (Buckhead and Sandy Springs) for pitchers of house margaritas and sangria for only $25 on Wednesdays. Pair these deals with Uncle Julio's Mexican munchies and you've got a muy bueno meeting place for hump day happiness.

Eclipse di Luna Celebrates Administrative Professionals Day

Put down the files and have some fun! Administrative professionals can take a lunch break on Wednesday, April 22 and head over to Eclipse di Luna in Buckhead or Dunwoody for two free tapas. Hold off on taking that last phone call before lunch—the special is available only until 2 p.m.! Take a breather and kick back on the patio…perhaps honor the day with a margarita or glass of sangria.

Sweet Springtime Sangria

Spring is on its way! Soon the trees will be green, temperatures will be rising and the sun will be shining. What better way to enjoy this beautiful season, than with some sweet sangria?! The folks at Eclipse di Luna have perfected this cool concoction and I am here to spill the beans! Here is the recipe, perfect for springtime parties (makes 5 gallons):

2 gallons cheap red wine
1 gallon white wine
1 liter Triple Sec
1 liter Spanish brandy
1 liter 7-Up
1/2 liter pineapple juice
1/2 liter cranberry juice
1 liter simple syrup
Add chopped fresh fruit (lemons, limes, strawberries, pineapples, oranges, etc.)

If you don't feel like whipping it up yourself, you can visit the restaurant to get a glass or take advantage of their special on Sundays: $10 bottomless sangria.

Eclipse di Luna in Buckhead is located at 764 Miami Circle; 404-846-0449.