This week in the local dining scene, nearly 60 Georgia restaurants were recognized for their wine programs, a restaurant group began rebuilding after a catastrophic fire and a handful of restaurants announced deals for National Chicken Wing Day.
New hotel, restaurant now open in South Downtown
A new boutique hotel and restaurant have opened in Atlanta’s South Downtown neighborhood, adding to the area’s momentum as it undergoes major redevelopment.
The 122-room Origin Hotel Atlanta, a Wyndham Hotel, opened Monday in a 74-year-old brick building on Mitchell Street, the main artery of the South Downtown development.
The hotel’s restaurant, Social Capitol American Bistro, opened as well, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner just off the lobby. The restaurant includes a full bar and a casual menu of Southern food, with items like pulled pork sliders, fried pickles and a pickled peach flatbread.
Social Capitol American Bistro. 110 Mitchell St. SW, Atlanta. 470-964-3320, socialcapitolatl.com
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
National Chicken Wing Day Deals
Several Atlanta-area restaurants are offering deals and specials for National Chicken Wing Day this week.
Wylie & Rum, the Caribbean restaurant in Reynoldstown, will have a wing flight special, giving customers the chance to order a dozen wings and try up to four different flavors for $18.95. The restaurant’s wing-focused takeout concept, Atlanta Wing Co., is offering a buy one, get one half-off deal to anyone who orders 10, 20 or more wings.
Ponko Chicken, the local fried chicken chain, is offering 10 wings for $10 on Tuesday — a 25% discount.
Taco Mac locations are offering half-price 6- and 10-piece orders of wings, available both in person and online with code WINGIT2025.
Despite closing more Georgia locations this week, Hooters will offer buy one, get one free wing deals, but only for dine-in customers. Another large chain, Twin Peaks, will offer diners 12 wings for the price of six with the purchase of a beverage.
Wylie & Rum Island Grill. 45 Moreland Ave. SE, Atlanta. 404-941-7877, wylieandrum.com
Ponko Chicken. Multiple locations, ponkochicken.com
Taco Mac. Multiple locations, tacomac.com
Hooters. Multiple locations, hooters.com
Twin Peaks. Two locations: 3365 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta. 404-961-8946; 2475 George Busbee Parkway NW, Kennesaw. 678-348-1605. twinpeaksrestaurant.com
Dozens of Georgia restaurants win Wine Spectator awards
Nearly 60 restaurants across the state won awards from Wine Spectator this week. The bulk of them earned the magazine’s Award of Excellence, given to restaurants with wine lists that offer at least 90 selections and are judged to have “an assortment of quality producers.”
Eighteen restaurants, most in the Atlanta area, won the Best of Award of Excellence, the next step up on Wine Spectator’s awards ladder. Those restaurants typically offer 350 or more selections and could be considered destinations for wine lovers, according to the magazine. Local winners include restaurants like Atlas, Bones, Canoe, Lazy Betty and White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails.
While Wine Spectator doles out thousands of those awards, fewer than 100 restaurants in the world have earned the magazine’s Grand Award. One of those newly added to the Grand Award list is just a couple of hours up I-85: Soby’s in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. Soby’s, which serves elevated Southern cuisine, was one of three new restaurants given the Grand Award designation this year. According to the magazine, the Soby’s wine cellar has more than 3,000 selections.
No Georgia restaurant has earned Wine Spectator’s Grand Award.
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Other items of interest
After a fire in downtown Madison damaged several restaurants owned by MAD Hospitality, the company has already begun to move forward. The Sinclair suffered only smoke damage and reopened Tuesday, a restaurant representative said. Betty Gene’s will reopen as a pop-up at the Buggy Works event space nearby, while Community Roots Market is on track to reopen this summer.
Sammy’s, the new sandwich and coffee shop in Atlanta’s Adair Park neighborhood, is extending its hours to remain open on Friday evenings until 8 p.m. The restaurant will serve “Samburgers” and alcohol in the evening, including cocktails, beer and wine.
565 Northside Drive SW, Atlanta. sammysatl.com
Gluten Free Atlanta Festival is planned for Sept. 28 at Monday Night Brewing’s West Midtown location. The event is dedicated to gluten-free packaged products, baked goods and other food and drink. Admission is free, but registration is encouraged.
670 Trabert Ave. NW, Atlanta. eventbrite.com
Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com
Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com
Restaurant openings
Berens Frozen Custard will open in downtown Lawrenceville Saturday with a ribbon-cutting at noon, owner Mark Berens told the AJC.
156 Crogan St., Lawrenceville. berenscustard.com
Dutch Bros. Coffee, an Oregon-based drive-thru coffee chain, opened in Johns Creek on Friday, according to Tomorrow’s News Today.
9630 Medlock Bridge Road, Johns Creek. 877-899-2767, dutchbros.com
La Bodega, a market and pupuseria from the team behind Buenos Dias Pupusas, opened July 22, according to an announcement on Instagram.
1975 Sylvan Road SW, Atlanta. 404-809-4158, labodegaatl.com
Las Brasas reopened in Decatur on July 18 after a renovation, as first reported by Decaturish.
614 Church St., Decatur. 678-705-2084, lasbrasasdecatur.com
The Harvey, a sports bar from the team behind Southbound, opened early this month in Chamblee, as first reported by Tomorrow’s News Today.
5480 Peachtree Road, Chamblee. 470-359-3414, chambleeharvey.com
Trellis, a new tasting room at North Georgia’s Doghobble Wine Farm, is now open, owner Sam Zamarripa told the AJC. Food options include a pizza truck Fridays – Mondays and empanadas from Atlanta’s Belen de la Cruz.
10 Roy Grindle Road, Dahlonega. doghobblevineyard.com
New restaurant announcements
Jinya Ramen Bar will open in Roswell on Aug. 4, according to a news release.
1013 Alpharetta St., Roswell. 678-585-6812, jinyaramenbar.com
Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar, a chain with nearly 20 restaurants on the East Coast and in the Midwest, will open in downtown Alpharetta on July 28, What Now Atlanta reported. The chain has another location in Cumming, not far from Lake Lanier.
9 South Main St., Alpharetta. theshuckinshack.com
Restaurant closings
Local chain Souper Jenny will soon close its Brookhaven location, with plans to relocate to a new space in Chamblee later this year, the restaurant announced on social media. The location at the corner of Peachtree and Kendrick roads will remain open through next week before shutting down.
Mascogo Tacos in Decatur will not reopen after shutting down earlier this month, owner Craig Headspeth announced on Instagram. “There are just too many factors, and unfortunately, it’s out of my hands at this point,” Headspeth said. He started a GoFundMe page to raise money to help his staff cover their lost wages due to the unexpected closure.
Lazy Dog in Peachtree Corners closed Friday, Channel 2 Action News reported. The California-based, nationwide chain still has locations open in Alpharetta and Dunwoody.
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