Atlantan Justin Staples worked for Bacardi and consulted for other spirit companies and vineyards. He admired the way Napa Valley vineyards invite visitors into their space and walk them through the wine-making process from grape to drink. In contrast, he noticed that distilleries used most of their space for production, saving only about 15 percent for tasting and sales. He’s set to offer a different take on a distillery with the opening of Block & Drum in Chamblee in the fall.

Atlanta’s first legal distillery since 1906, Old Fourth launched in 2014 distilling vodka, gin, and bourbon. Despite winning numerous awards, it shuttered its Edgewood Avenue distillery and tasting room in December 2022. Next year, a new bar and eatery will open under the name—this time in Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Old Fourth Distillery + Kitchen will launch in Terminal E in spring 2025, featuring cocktails, local beer on tap, and small plates that reflect the seasonality of the South.

Che Butter Jonez—the Queens-inspired restaurant based on the food truck of the same name—is moving its flagship location from Southwest Atlanta to Brookhaven. With a much bigger space—capacity is 81 instead of 15—the restaurant will be open six days a week, in contrast to its current three. It will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as Sunday brunch.

Located in the Citizen building near Kevin Gillespie’s now-defunct Cold Beer, Emerald City is modeled after old-school delis and pharmacy counters where the staff dons white coats and paper hats. The menu of both BeltLine and EAV locations is similar, but with all bagel-making taking place in East Atlanta, the BeltLine outpost was able to expand its coffee program and add an Automat for faster service.

Gene’s is an eclectic restaurant opening July 23 in the former Salaryman space in East Lake. Previously a pop-up at spots like Kimball House, Talat Market, Bogg’s Social & Supply, and Poor Hendrix, Gene’s serves smoked barbecue with Vietnamese and Cajun flavors. Gene’s is designed as a mix of highbrow and lowbrow, reflected in the food, drinks, and decor.

With a name that means “a little bit of Italy,” Pochino promises Old World flavors with imported, high-quality ingredients. Customers can choose their pasta (penne, spaghetti, tagliatelle, gnocchi, and maccheroni) and sauce (options include pomodoro, cacio e pepe, pesto, and Bolognese), a salad (house or caprese), and/or a pinsa (eight varieties are available).

As the civil rights movement unfolded in Atlanta, leaders and organizers came to the table, quite literally, in a coterie of Black-owned restaurants.

The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is returning to Historic Fourth Ward Park from September 12 through 15. This year, the theme is “Big Top Bazaar.” Expect an extra day of foodie fun (previous festivals were only three days long), now with a carnival twist.

South Carolina pitmaster John Lewis is bringing his Central Texas-style barbecue to Ansley Mall next year with a location just off the Atlanta BeltLine. The 11,000-square foot restaurant will take over the spaces formerly home to Laundry Lounge and the Hideaway, behind Publix and Cook’s Warehouse. Lewis and team will build out the area to feature six, 1,000-gallon barbecue pits, where they will smoke meat over indirect heat.

Evergreen’s Butcher + Baker's success coincides with a resurgence of the butchery industry throughout the nation. American butcher shops are no longer in decline, with research data showing growth in revenue and in the number of employees and businesses since 2019. Many are finding success offering meat with a side, via a connected restaurant, a retail market, or, as in Evergreen’s case, a bakery.

Anne Onyeneho launched the first permanent brick-and-mortar PlantBaed location in Vinings, sandwiched between Arden’s Garden and TheraSolv Botanicals & Co. There, she sells loaded walnut meat nachos (ground down and spiced to feel and taste like ground beef), Bolognese over kamut noodles, and an "MLT" made with mushroom “bacon.”