Guy Fieri spotlights Atlanta restaurants
Remember when we told you in March that Guy Fieri was in town filming an episode of his series “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”? Well, it turns out part of his Southern road trip to Atlanta will air on Friday at 9 p.m. on Food Network, and one of the featured restaurants will be Atlanta-based Yumbii. The mayor of Flavortown slipped into Atlanta in March and was spotted in Summerhill, downtown Decatur, and Olive and Pine in Avondale Estates, with sources indicating he may have popped in to visit How Crispy Express and The Deer and The Dove. Those episodes air later this month.
“Bar Rescue” in Kirkwood
It appears Jon Taffer has been in Kirkwood this week helping out neighborhood pizzeria and bar Urban Pie for his Paramount Television show “Bar Rescue“. Like Gordon Ramsay does in “Kitchen Nightmares,” Taffer delivers some tough love while he assists struggling bars by examining what’s gone wrong, from staffing and service to cocktails and business practices. The makeover, which includes upgrades and a mini reno, takes place in just five days. Urban Pie’s reveal will apparently happen on Friday night. No word on the TV air date.
Restaurant closure
The restaurant closures continue along the Howell Mill Road corridor. Bartaco closed on Monday after 11 years on Marietta Street, becoming the latest restaurant to call it quits in Northwest Atlanta. West Egg Cafe, Snooze an A.M. Eatery, Humble Pie, L.O.A. Social Club, Superica, Wagamama, Slim + Husky, Culinary Dropout, Le Fat, and Postino Wine Bar all closed over the last several months. And, sources say that yet another nearby restaurant may close soon. Speculation on the reason for so many restaurant shuttering in the area ranges from high parking fees to high rents, but traffic and lack of proper infrastructure may also factor into the rash of closures. Stay tuned for more.
Restaurant openings
A permit has been filed to transform the former Hodgepodge Coffeehouse space on Moreland into a new coffee shop. Raani Coffee, owned by Praveena Sundarraj, will include a kitchen and coffee roastery on site. Rough Draft reporter Logan C. Ritchie reached out for more details from Sundarraj, who told her that Raani Coffee will open this fall and include a roastery and a tasting room and serve pastries. Read more from What Now Atlanta‘s initial reporting.
Chef Tamara Hewitt will open Peckish on May 17 in the former Fishmonger space at Pullman Yards in Kirkwood. The brunch restaurant residency will be open only on the weekends, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., serving dishes like shrimp and grits, smoked jerk wings, peaches and cream-stuffed waffles, and a high tea tower filled with honey chicken biscuits, oxtail empanadas, lox sandwiches, and fruit tarts.
A second location of Azotea Cantina opened at Southern Post in Roswell, home to restaurants like Grana and Bey Mediterranean. The restaurant serves food and drinks inspired by the restaurants and bars found in Mexico City. Azotea Cantina also includes a location at Atlantic Station.
Rain date
This weekend’s rainy forecast caused the organizers of the annual Turkish Food Festival in Alpharetta to push the date to next weekend, May 17 and May 18.
Awards
The James Beard Foundation announced the finalists for its broadcast media and journalism awards this week. Athens-based publication “The Bitter Southerner” nabbed three nominations, including for Food Coverage in a General Interest Publication, the MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing category for Caroline Hatchett’s story “Clam South,” and Profile Writing for Christina Cooke’s story “Black Earth.”
Of the 12 restaurant semifinalists from Atlanta and Georgia, Aria is the lone representative this year, a finalist for Outstanding Hospitality. In March, Aria chef Gerry Klaskala announced his retirement from the restaurant industry. This includes stepping down as owner and head chef of Aria, the Buckhead restaurant he opened in 2000 inside a converted house on East Paces Ferry Road.
The awards ceremonies take place in Chicago, with the media awards on June 14 and the chef and restaurant awards on June 16.
