American Cut, Smokebelly BBQ and The Southern Gentleman Burgermaster Their Way into Atlanta Magazine’s Best Burger Battle October 15

Infiniti and Atlanta magazine join forces to back their first Best Burger Battle, a showdown of almost two dozen of the best local burger joints, bourbon, blues and brews in the ATL. American Cut, Smokebelly BBQ and The Southern Gentleman are practicing their patties and flips for the action heating up The Shops Buckhead Atlanta on Saturday, October 15 from 1-5 p.m. Tickets are $50 each, inclusive of unlimited tastes, beer and bourbon. Cast votes for the People’s Choice Best Burger and see if the Atlanta magazine judges panel chooses the same as Best Burger Battle 2016 victor. Buy tickets online for this epic burger-rama. Open to ages 21 and over.

Ever Been to a 150th Anniversary Bash? Carpe Diem: White Oak Pastures 150th Anniversary Celebration is October 15

After 150 years of family farming, there’s no way to keep the anniversary party cooped up. On Saturday, October 15,White Oak Pastures is taking its 150^th Anniversary Celebration off the farm and into Bluffton to coincide with the grand opening of the White Oak Pastures General Store at 101 Church Street. When you’re hungry, buy lunch, supper or chef Reid’s surprise 150^th anniversary burger at the White Oak Pastures food truck and chase it down with wine or beer from the cash bar. Cap the day dancing to live music by the Bo Henry Band, an Albany, Georgia favorite. And that Southern Foodways Symposium we mentioned? Well, you can’t be in Oxford, Mississippi and Bluffton, Georgia at the same time, but you can watch the symposium on live stream in Bluffton. Free admission to all of these events. Farm cabins are available for overnight lodging or guests can opt to sleep under the stars and camp in a nearby field. More details on our blog, plus information on Sunday’s farm brunchin the White Oak Pastures Pavilion.

Biscuits vs. Cornbread -- Hot Debate Item at Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium October 13-16

What are the odds the Lincoln-Douglas Biscuit-Cornbread Debate at the Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium (SFA) will have pollsters tallying and he-said, she-said sound “bites” flying across the airwaves? Could happen when Alabama biscuit roller Jennifer V. Cole and chef Kevin Gillespie, a Georgia skillet licker, exchange heated perspectives in the grand tradition of SFA debates over Pie vs. Cake and Traditional vs. Competition Barbecue. Batters up and butter pats at the ready for the debate at the SFA in Oxford, Mississippi, 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 15. Surely those biscuits are flaky and tender, but Gunshow/Revival Gillespie’s cornbread is backed by grandma.

#Foodgram: One More Dish

There’s always room for One More Dish on the table…especially when there’s more than one chef in the kitchen. Follow the foodies as they traipse their taste buds and cameras through the kitchens and eateries of NYC and beyond.

Gobbler and Cobbler on Menu for Ray’s at Killer Creek Big Green Egg Cooking Demo and Tasting October 15

Tailgaters and tea-timers will gobble recipes demoed at the Ray’s at Killer Creek Big Green Egg cooking class and tasting on Saturday, October 15 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Chef Mike Fuller’s BGE tasting menu touches down on smoked turkey and cucumber tea sandwiches with toasted pecan dijonnaise; five-spice duck salad with Georgia Gala apples, Marcona almonds, sweet peppers and ginger vinaigrette; Berkshire pork rack, smoky collards and baked mac and cheese; and cranberry cobbler with cinnamon whipped cream and Coca-Cola jam. $45 per person (excluding tax and gratuity) for cooking demo, tasting menu, coffee, iced tea or soda, and a choice of bloody mary, mimosa or 16-ounce draught beer. Reservations held with a credit card are required; call 770-649-0064.

Let’s Hear It for the Grills – and Grilling Tips from Atlanta Chefs

We grilled Atlanta chefs about a topic near and dear to their flame-kissed hearts and very pertinent to a succulent gridiron season. Fire up the charcoal, but stop playing with your patties, advises Ray’s at Killer Creek executive chef Mike Fuller. Translation, for a juicy, tender burger, patty super-fresh ground beef until it just holds together.

Garrett Teckmyer, executive chef of Buckhead’s The Big Ketch, relies on planning and prep, soaking wood chips overnight then mixing them into the hot coals to add a nice smoky flavor to burgers. Teckmyer encourages branching out and grilling something different. He suggests wrapping crab legs in a wet paper towel, enfolding them in an aluminum foil packet and tossing the packet on the grill for five minutes. 

Aria’s executive chef/owner Gerry Klaskala divulges that his Big Green Egg is his secret weapon. He rebels against lighter fluid, suggesting food tastes better when grillers use a chimney fire starter.

Gypsy Kitchen executive chef Matthew Ridgway advises using wood-based charcoal, pointing out that even though it’s pricier, less charcoal is needed.

Naturally, celebrity chef/owner of Gunshow and Revival and “Pure Pork Awesomeness” cookbook author Kevin Gillespie’s favorite thing to grill is pig. He even has a simplified Korean barbecue recipe in the book for the ever versatile meat, using thinly sliced pork shoulder and “whatever condiments you have.”

When it comes to ingredients, our chefs agree: buy the best you can find. As a huge Penn State and NASCAR infield tailgater, Marlow’s Tavern executive chef/co-founder John Metz always urges using quality steak, ribs or brisket, and he implores grillers not to compromise. Fuller prefers turning to a trusted butcher for hand-cut steaks that are at least an inch thick and choosing a rib-eye or a New York strip that has a 1/4-inch fat cap, which will melt and baste the steak as it cooks. Ridgway advises letting your grilled masterpiece rest for 10 minutes and pouring those delicious salty, meaty juices into your baked potatoes.

Appetizing Aperture: Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar

High proof that bourbon has a spirited life outside the glass – the bourbon-cured salmon starter at Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar served with benne cracker, jalapeño, apple and radish ($12).

Leaf through the New Community Farmers Markets Fall Cookbook for Recipes from Aria, Gunshow, Gypsy Kitchen, Revival, Sublime and Others

Atlanta chefs astutely follow the seasons when creating dishes for their locally sourced menus. Rake in some of their best fall harvest recipes from the pages of the newly released Community Farmers Market Fall Cookbook. Chef Kathryn King of Aria shares her recipe for orecchiette pasta and butternut squash with balsamic, fig and caramelized onion banner butter. Chef Kevin Gillespie, of Gunshow and Revival, clocks in with a well-grounded root vegetable soup, and Revival’s Andreas Müller tosses in his kale salad with boiled dressing. Add Gypsy Kitchen chef Matthew Ridgway’s green tomato chutney to your harvest table and save room for sweet potato pie from chef Kamal Grant of Sublime Doughnuts. Purchase the seasonal cookbooks, $12 each, at Community Farmers Market information booths, Cover Books and Preserving Place.

Run with the Bulls to Gypsy Kitchen Second Anniversary Celebration October 9

Diners savoring Gypsy Kitchen’s second anniversary celebration on Sunday, October 9, will unpack a sumptuous evening that could end with winning a VIP viewing package for the 2017 Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain! Celebration guests will feel like they’re caravanning through the lush Spanish countryside, dining on executive chef Matthew Ridgway’s rendition of paella on the patio ($10) backed by Basque guitar music. Complimentary gin and tonics await from 4-5 p.m., courtesy of sponsor Tanqueray. Keep on toasting to drink specials such as half-price select bottles of wine, $4 tintos de verano and $6 Tanqueray and tonics. One lucky diner and guest attending the event will receive the VIP viewing treatment during the 2017 Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Start by completing the entry form or submitting a business card that night for the 8:30 p.m. drawing. Must be present to win, so stick around for more tintos de verano or visit the photo booth to capture picture-perfect memories with a complimentary photo. 

Club delle Orecchiette Shares Italian Culinary Traditions Via Pasta Classes and Pop-Up Dinners at Storico Fresco October 6-12

No one cooks like an Italian nonna, who learned from the best, her nonna. Club delle Orecchiette and Storico Fresco Alimentari e Ristorante are devoted to carrying the nonnas’ Italian culinary traditions forward, preparing Italian dishes as they’ve been prepared for generations and passing along the skills and recipes so they’ll not be lost.

Established in 1998 in the town of Altamura in southern Italy, the Orecchiette Club promotes Apulian orecchiette art; valuing indigenous raw ingredients, such as durum wheat, and the use of these ingredients in homemade pasta, bread and traditional bakery products. Club delle Orecchiette will share this luscious legacy through upcoming classes and dinners at Storico Fresco, Buckhead’s all-in-one Italian grocery store and restaurant, during the week of October 6-11. Learn how to make two different types of pasta -- orecchiette and capunti -- in the Club delle Orecchiette Pasta Class offered on Thursday, October 6 at 6 or 8 p.m. and Tuesday, October 11 at 6 or 8 p.m. Each hour-and-a-half class includes wine, small finger foods and instruction, and students take home their handcrafted pasta. Tap this link and select a date to book seats at an Orecchiette Club pasta class; $80 per person plus $4.99 service fee. Experience an authentic Italian five-course meal created by “the nonnas” at Club delle Orecchiette pop-up dinners on Saturday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, October 12 at 7:30 p.m. Dinners celebrate the food of Puglia and wine pairings accompany each course. Select a date and buy tickets online, $150 per person plus $8.84 service fee. Leave class or dinner fully content, pasta in hand or nonna-prepared dinner and wine in belly, and happy knowing a portion of ticket proceeds goes to Club delle Orecchiette and its quest to educate the public about these culinary riches and the culture of healthy and natural food.

Buy Taste of Atlanta Tickets Before Friday or Fork Out More – Price Increases October 7

Let’s talk epicurean economics. Prices for the various Taste of Atlanta admission tickets rise on Friday, October 7. Buy now and have more moolah left over to load extra Taste Points onto your RFID wristband and to enjoy even more of the Southeast’s best foods and spirited bevvies. Plus, your wristband(s) will be delivered in the mail in time for easy, breezy festival entrance. Follow this link to savings: Freshtix.com/TasteofAtlanta. Currently, single-day general admission tickets for October 21, 22 or 23 are $25 each and the VIP Grand Tasting Experience is $75. Tickets to the all-inclusive Friday night kickoff party are $65 general admission and $80 VIP.

What's New on Pinterest: Let's Taco 'Bout It

Let's Taco 'Bout It – if you can fold a tortilla around it, you can make a taco out of it. No wonder, in our DIY nation, October 4 wraps up recognition as National Taco Day. Our board sizzles with easy-to-grasp recipes including grilled filet mignon street tacos, caramelized pork tacos with pineapple salsa, fish tacos with Sriracha aїoli slaw and Buffalo chicken tacos. Please the crowd by setting out a slow cooker full of tender Mexican barbacoa short ribs or chili-lime shredded beef or by pulling out a pan of crispy, easy oven-baked spicy chicken tacos. Does taco dip count? If so, dive in!

Taste of Atlanta Tuesday Dinner Series Beats it to Tom Tom Tonight, October 4

Tonight, chef Tom Catherall and his Virginia-Highland restaurant Tom Tom play host to a five-course tasting menu paired with wine and cocktails as part of the Tuesday Dinner series paving the way to Taste of Atlanta. Over the weekend of October 21-23, the can’t miss food and wine fest will populate the streets of Midtown with chefs doling out samples, mixologists pouring sips and foodies reveling in all of the delicious fun. The Tuesday Dinner at Tom Tom gives a gourmet glimpse of tastes to come. Catherall’s menu features Trailer Park taco with house margarita or craft beer; scallop with field peas served with Sancerre; shrimp and grits paired with chardonnay; Springer Mountain Farms fried chicken with pinot noir; and a dessert medley and Champagne pairing. Buy tickets online for the 7 p.m. event; $85 per person (plus $5.24 service fee; includes tax and tip). After tonight, only one dinner remains in this series, sponsored by Springer Mountain Farms, and takes place October 18 at White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails. 

Proof the Stars have Aligned: Tin Lizzy’s $2 Tacos on Tuesday and National Taco Day Coincide on October 4

We’re seeing double, eyeing two terrific reasons to pop into your favorite Tin Lizzy’s Cantina today. October 4 (that would be today) is National Taco Day, and there’s no better way to celebrate than over baskets of $2 Tacos on Tuesdays after 2 p.m. at all Tin Lizzy’s locations. Mouthwatering $2 selections include grilled chicken, chicken con queso, fried chicken, Buffalo chicken, chicken club or fried fish. Propose toasts to tacos with pitchers of Blue Moon beer for only $14 each. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.

What’s New on Pinterest: Apples for Every Appetite

Pick a bushel of Apples for Every Appetite recipes for National Apple Month. Honor October’s fruit by making mini caramel apples, bourbon apple butter, apple crisp, butternut squash apple soup, salad with walnuts and cranberries, apple fries and fried pies. Make your own apple cider vinegar then put it to work in apple cider chicken with caramelized apples. Summer’s coppery Moscow Mule cups are equally adept at holding apple cider mules for fall.

#Foodgram: Coffee Cups of the World

Careful, this art is highly caffeinated. On a trip? Snap a shot of your own sipper and submit it to Coffee Cups of the World. Prevent fuzzy photos by shooting first, then sipping the strong stuff…or order decaf.

Appetizing Aperture: Smokebelly BBQ's Wings

Smokebelly BBQ’s smoked chicken wings seasoned with house rub, slowly smoked and flash fried put points on your noshing and viewing scoreboard. Comes with celery, carrots and a side of blue cheese or ranch dressing ($10.75). Add $1 if you’re an all flats or drums wing dinger – and a few bucks for a cold brew or two.

Go from Market to Italian Table to Holiday Entertaining at Bellina Alimentari October Classes

Treat yourself to learning something new at Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market. Midweek classes leave weekends free for gridiron grooving.

• Go from the Market to Italian Table by joining Kenan Hill on a tour of Ponce City Market to source fresh, local ingredients before shopping Bellina for artisanal Italian ingredients. Once the gathering is done, cook a family style fall meal. Tuesday, October 4 from 6:30-8 p.m.; $45 per person.
• Pasta Making is easy once you get the hang of it at this hands-on class followed by a pasta tasting. Wednesdays, October 5 and 12, from 6:30-8 p.m.; $45 per person.
• Introduction to Vermouth encompasses an artisanal vermouth tasting and cocktail pairings featuring Brovo Spirits, Italian bites from the Bellina Alimentari kitchen and a dose of vermouth education from brand ambassador and cocktail specialist Anthony Porquez. Tuesday, October 18 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.; $28 per person.
• You’ll find out why Versatile Vinegar is one of the most useful condiments in your pantry at this tasting of balsamic, wine and grape vinegars. Take recipes for antipasti, dressings, desserts and cocktails. Tuesday, October 25, 6:30-7:30 p.m.; $28 per person.
• Lacto-fermentation is delish in kraut, ketchup, seed crackers, mustards and more. Naturopathic doctor Lupa Irie (Lupa’s Kitchen) will show you how to begin at this Fermentation Celebration demo. Wednesday, October 26 from 6:30-8 p.m.; $28 per person.
• Get Ready for the Holidays and learn how to be the perfect holiday host. At this entertainment prep class, learn how to make a traditional Italian Christmas meal of antipasto, risotto and panettone with custard. Cooking demo followed by full dinner (drinks are not included). Thursday, October 27 from 6:30-8 p.m.; $65 per person.

101 Steak Opens Doors to Weekend Brunch

Rise ‘n shine, but not too early, for weekend brunch now offered at 101 Steak from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Executive chef Joe Ahn, an astute judge of appetites, bridges a.m. and p.m. desires with a menu that’s sure to please everyone at the table. Starters like house-made ricotta doughnuts with pear compote and lemon curd and specialties such as bananas Foster buttermilk pancakes are sweet eye-openers. Hungry after a late night out or morning workout? Order the wagyu pastrami hash with sweet peppers and onions, sunny side up eggs, potatoes and grainy mustard sauce; “Steve’s” Hangover Home Fries piled high with sausage, jalapeños, bacon, pimento cheese, red onions, tomatoes, avocado and sour cream; or the “Park Avenue Breakfast” featuring an eight-ounce filet served with a lobster and crab omelet topped with caviar crème fraîche and a side of home fries. If the brunch edict requires Benedicts, go for crab cake Benedict or steak Benedict. Kids like brunch, too, and the 101 kid’s brunch menu features favorites like the kid’s wagyu cheeseburger; buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup; “Lil’ Ga Morning” with scrambled egg, bacon and toast; and a chicken biscuit with fries or fruit. Over 21s can indulge in brunch cocktails like The Trashley, Old Pavilion Cooler, Pimm’s 101 Cup, spiced apple martini or 101 Fizz; the Libation Station where guests can add bubbly, vodka, tequila or gin to house-made purées, syrups or bloody mary mix; or choose nose-tickling sparkling wines and Champagne. Do brunch this weekend; call 770-805-8855 for reservations.

Ray’s at Killer Creek Releases October Live Music Calendar

You could hum a few bars or settle in at one bar, the one at Ray’s at Killer Creek in Alpharetta, where there is always live music on Thursday nights from 6-9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday nights from 7-10 p.m. Next month, Ray’s at Killer Creek presents:

• Brandon Crocker on October 1, 7, 14, 22 and 28
• Lauren Jordan on October 6 and 20
• David Pretlow on October 8, 21 and 27
• Marty Manous on October 13 and 15
• Lee Gamble on October 29

Come early for a good seat and a bite before the music begins.

Gunshow Locks 2016 “Hired Guns” Season with Visiting Chef Vivian Howard October 23-24

The Gunshow 2016 “Hired Guns” season of high-profile visiting chefs concludes with a visit from East Coast native and chef Vivian Howard on Sunday, October 23 and Monday, October 24. Restaurateur, chef, cookbook author and speaker Kevin Gillespie will join Howard in the kitchen, along with executive chef Joey Ward and Gunshow’s “kitchen dudes.” In 2005, Howard and her now-husband Ben Knight opened Chef & the Farmer in Kinston, North Carolina, to thrill guests with creative, thoughtful cooking grounded in local ingredients and traditions. Across the street, Boiler Room, her most recent restaurant, features oysters, burgers, beer and everything in between. Howard has been consecutively named a James Beard Best Chef: Southeast semifinalist from 2011 to 2016. Among her numerous roles, she’s also television producer and host of “A Chef’s Life” on PBS, which has won a Daytime Emmy, Peabody Award and garnered Howard the 2016 James Beard Award for Outstanding Personality/Host, and her first cookbook, “Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South,” is due out in October. Buy tickets through Xorbia, $95 per person (not including drinks, tax and gratuity). For more information, visit gunshowatl.com or call 404-380-1886.

White Oak Pastures Plows through 150 Years with Anniversary Celebration and General Store Opening October 15

The Harris family has been down on the farm in Bluffton, Georgia for a century and a half. It’s time to party! White Oak Pastures is going large with a 150^th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, October 15. The free admission event starts with the 9 a.m. grand opening and 11:30 a.m. ribbon cutting for the White Oak Pastures General Store at 101 Church Street, Bluffton. Lunch, supper and chef Reid’s surprise 150^th anniversary signature burger will be available for purchase at the White Oak Pastures food truck. A cash bar will have plenty of wine and beer thirst quenchers. Cut the rug in downtown Bluffton dancing to the Bo Henry Band from Albany, Georgia, performing at the store from 6:30-10 p.m. As an added bonus, White Oak Pastures is excited to show exclusive, live streaming of the Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at 111 Broad Street (Methodist church). On Sunday, October 16, head to the farm’s Pavilion for brunch, served from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Buy brunch tickets online, $10 per person. 

Taco Me Out to the Ballgames -- Cheeky Chastain Now Open for Lunch and Sports Viewing

Good news for gringos who have been running long to Cheeky's OTP locations in Suwanee, Forsyth or the Forum in Peachtree Corners. Cheeky Chastain in Sandy Springs is now open for lunch, offering a stadium-sized menu of favorites from both sides of the border, pour-your-own brews, margaritas, cocktails and all the sports network connections needed to watch and cheer every game. Branch off from the usual fare and tackle appetizers such as alambres -- marinated beef tenderloin topped with shredded cheese and bacon and served with tortillas ($10); scratch-made verde pork tamales ($9); and agave chile lime wings ($8-$15). Handhelds include the Cheeky burger ($11), Cuban ($10) and Cheeky wrap with grilled chicken or steak ($9-$10). For a crisp fall lunch, fork into chile lime shrimp salad ($11), tipico salad with grilled chicken ($10), Cajun-seared ahi tuna salad ($12) or the house salad ($4) topped with grilled chicken, shrimp or steak (+$4-$5) and house-made dressings like avocado cream, chipotle cream or agave balsamic. More? Flip to the taqueria side of the menu to find house and top-shelf tacos sold individually or in trios ($3.50-$4.75 each; $12-$15 trio), served as you like it with soft flour, soft corn or crisp corn tortillas or a lettuce cup. The taqueria now opens at 11 a.m. daily and remains open until 12 a.m. daily. 

Oktoberfest Fun Brewing at Communion

When you’re munchin’ in the ATL area instead of München for Oktoberfest, oompah over to Communion, the outdoor beer garden at Kevin Gillespie’s Decatur restaurant Revival. Communion is well stocked for Oktoberfest “bier” imbibers, offering seasonal brews like Wild Heaven Craft Beers’ Autumn Defense and Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest, European-style draft and bottled beers, Old World-style wine, punches and batch-made cocktails. Hit the bright red food truck for some of the German-inspired snacks on chef Andreas Müeller’s menu then settle in at communal picnic tables or exercise your playful side over horseshoes, darts, Giant Jenga and cornhole. Euros? Dollars? Nein. Pay for drinks and snacks with tokens, $5 each, including tax and gratuity. Inside Revival, the buzz is about Southern fare, family recipes and the cornbread, recipient of Creative Loafing’s Best of Atlanta 2016 “Best Cornbread” designation. Outside, take a walk on the Oktoberfest side. Communion opens at 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday evenings, weather permitting. Check the day’s status here. 

Lots to Savor with Taste of Atlanta: Creative Loafing Best of Atlanta Award, Tuesday Dinner Series and Tickets Sales

Creative Loafing’s Best of Atlanta 2016 list is out, and Taste of Atlanta takes home the title of “Best Food Festival or Event” – for the sixth year in a row. The Southeastern extravaganza floods Midtown with samplings of fine wines, cocktails, beers and specialties from restaurants in and beyond the metro Atlanta region as well as chef demos, exclusive dinners and tasting events. Carve out time to eat, drink and be merry in Midtown over the dates of Friday, October 21 through Sunday, October 23. Buy tickets here.

The Tuesday Dinner series, sponsored by Springer Mountain Farms, whets appetites for the tremendously delectable Taste of Atlanta weekend through special five-course tasting menus paired with wine and cocktails at top restaurants around town. Chef Tom Catherall of Tom Tom in Virginia-Highland will host the next week’s dinner on October 4. Catherall’s menu takes off with Trailer Park taco with house margarita or craft beer; scallop with field peas served with Sancerre; shrimp and grits paired with chardonnay; Springer Mountain Farms fried chicken with pinot noir; and a dessert medley and Champagne pairing. Tickets available online. Series dinners begin at 7 p.m. and cost $85 per person (plus $5.24 service fee) and include tax and tip. The final dinner in the series will be at White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails on October 18.
 
Taste of Atlanta thinks of everything, including keeping hands free to hold those tastings and tilt those glasses. The cashless festival uses wristbands with RFID tap-and-go technology for easy and fast festival entry and purchasing power. Each wristband “ticket” includes 10 Taste Points; load more Taste Points online pre-fest or at stations throughout the festival. Can’t load a wristband if you don’t buy one, and wristbands sell out in advance. Save money (to spend on more Taste Points) by purchasing yours before prices increase on October 7. See options, choose and buy tickets here.

Chop, Chop! Terminus City Pops Up with ‘Cue at Peachtree Road Farmers Market September 28 and Freedom Farmers Market October 1

How about some squeal with that squash or a pound or two of ‘cue to accompany the cukes? “Sow” be it, thanks to Terminus City pop-ups at two local farmers markets this week. Bag a pound or two of Terminus City chopped pork barbecue ($16/pound) or grab a meaty barbecue sandwich ($6) to stave off hunger pangs while shopping for freshly harvested veggies and fruits at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market on Wednesday, September 28 (4:30-8 p.m.) and at the Freedom Farmers Market on Saturday, October 1 (9 a.m.-1 p.m.). Chef Kevin Gillespie’s barbecue is pure pork awesomeness at its tastiest!

American Cut and The Regent Cocktail Club Take Steak and Cocktails to New Levels at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta, Open September 30

American Cut, a modern American steak restaurant, and The Regent Cocktail Club, companion rooftop terrace bar, open Friday, September 30 at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. American Cut features signature interpretations on fine-dining classics under the direction of local Atlanta chef John Adamson. The unique, multi-level dining experience includes a first-level lounge and bar with its own special menu and daily drink specials. On the second level, guests can enjoy an Atlanta-inspired menu in the main dining room’s upscale setting. Two private dining rooms are tucked away on this level. The Regent Cocktail Club, spanning an indoor/outdoor terrace and bar on the third level, caters to connoisseurs of the cocktail culture with a rotating selection of craft cocktails and an eclectic mix of live music. Sister restaurant American Cut Tribeca in New York City was ranked #1 in the Fox News roundup of “Top 5 Steakhouses in America” in 2015. The Atlanta restaurant menu defines its own style through bold flavors and American classics such as the house favorite chili lobster, the 40-ounce Tomahawk chop and a mix of theatrical and interactive tableside preparations ranging from the plank-smoked old fashioned to the OG 1924 Caesar salad. The LDV Hospitality restaurant, created in partnership with Marc Forgione, will serve dinner nightly. The Regent Cocktail Club opens the doors to the cocktail crowd at 5 p.m. each night, closing at 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Appetizing Aperture: Secreto Kitchen & Bar

What if you dove into coastal shrimp and grits at Secreto Kitchen & Bar in Alpharetta and emerged to find yourself on Southern shores, blissfully watching the gentle roll of waves at sunset? Could happen when savoring Secreto’s dreamy dish of plump succulent shrimp, creamy Logan Turnpike havarti cheese grits, roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions and yes, there’s smoked bacon to make it truly Southern ($22 dinner entrée). Rush hour? What’s rush hour? 

Napa Your Way into Autumn via Ray’s at Killer Creek Stag’s Leap Wine Dinner September 28

The seasons are a changing, and Ray’s at Killer Creek executive chef Mike Fuller takes full advantage of early fall flavors when designing a special Stag’s Leap Wine Cellar Dinner for the evening of September 28. Holly J. Beach of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is guest speaker for the informative 6:30 p.m. event. Harvest riches direct the five-course menu with pairings from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars: Georges Bank sea scallop tartare with Belgian endive, satsuma orange, watermelon radish and lemongrass ginger vinaigrette paired with AVETA sauvignon blanc, Napa Valley; butternut squash fondue with Ellijay apples, local honey and almond biscotti served with KARIA chardonnay, Napa Valley; quail schnitzel with dark cherry gastrique and brown butter noodles accompanied by Hands of Time red blend, Napa Valley; charcoal-grilled, coffee-rubbed venison chop with black currants, toasted Georgia pecans and sweet potatoes joined by FAY cabernet sauvignon, Napa Valley-Stag’s Leap District; and blueberry sweet biscuit with Coca-Cola jam and zabayon paired with CASK 23 cabernet sauvignon, Napa Valley-Stag’s Leap District. $120 per guest (plus tax and gratuity). Space is limited. To secure a reservation with credit card, call 770-649-0094.