Welcome to DiningOut’s Plate Full of News, your weekly serving of Atlanta’s restaurant, bar, and culinary happenings. From buzzy openings and chef moves to can’t-miss events, menu debuts, and industry news, here’s everything you need to know about the city’s dining scene this week.
The 411
Chef Anish Nair’s Pataaka opened on Saturday, August 22, at the base of Spring Quarter in Midtown, bringing a small-plates take on regional Indian cuisine. Expect shareable dishes like tiger prawn tarts and lamb empanadas alongside heartier plates such as butter chicken and a slow-braised lamb shank, plus a cocktail program from beverage director Prateek Chaudhary built around ingredients like saffron-infused vodka and curry leaf rum.
Two Atlanta-grown Japanese concepts have moved into the Central Food Hall. NoriFish, chef Sean Park’s sushi spot known for Tokyo Toyosu-sourced seafood and made-to-order hand rolls, opened Friday, August 28, alongside Okiboru, the Bib Gourmand-recognized ramen and tsukemen concept Park co-founded with Justin Lim. Both bring drink programs to match with sake, craft cocktails, and Japanese beer.
Spina Pizza opened Thursday, August 27 inside Reynoldstown’s Atlanta Dairies after roughly five years of delays. Chef-owner Anthony Spina Jr., son of O4W Pizza’s founder, keeps the menu tight with just six 12-inch wood-fired pies alongside Italian-American plates like steak pizzaiola and wood-roasted lasagna.
Happenings
Three Taverns Brewing Co.’s Ponce City Market location introduces the Wednesday Session, a weekly live jazz series running Wednesdays from 7 to 10 p.m., pairing cold pints, craft cocktails, and BeltLine views with live music. No RSVP required; the next session lands Wednesday, September 2.
Boone’s kicks off Fall Sessions, a new live music series, on Wednesday, September 2. Every Wednesday from 6 to 8:30 p.m., guests can catch local musicians and DJs on the restaurant’s outdoor patio overlooking Bobby Jones Golf Course. Reservations are available via Resy.
Bobo Izakaya, which opened in Toco Hills in January, is holding its official grand opening on Friday, September 4 with the arrival of its liquor license. Beer, wine, sake, and cocktails now join the yakitori, sushi, and small-plates menu.
Lazy Betty is hosting a one-night collaboration dinner with decorated Canadian chef Ron McKinlay on Thursday, September 10, featuring a six-course menu with optional wine pairings. Reservations are available via OpenTable.
The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival returns to The Home Depot Backyard September 10-13, bringing together more than 200 chefs, sommeliers, and mixologists. Highlights include The Atlanta Standard, hosted by AJC’s Monti Carlo, and Flavors of Atlanta, a global walk-around tasting led by Andrew Zimmern on Saturday, September 12. Tickets are available for purchase online.
Pop-up favorite the Alden teams up with Under Pressure Wine for a limited two-night dinner at Brush Sushi. Sommeliers Juan Fernando Cortés and Adam Berlin picked seven standout wines first, then chef Jared Hucks built a 10-course tasting menu dish-by-dish to match. Seatings run Saturday, September 12 at 6 and 9 p.m., and Sunday, September 13 at 5 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $225 per person, with reservations available via Eventbrite.
On the Menu
HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern debuted a new menu at all six metro locations last week. Standouts include the Bourbon Smokehouse Burger with bourbon barbecue pulled pork and bacon jam, the beer-battered fried pickles with comeback sauce, and a cast-iron-seared lemon caper haddock. The updated bar menu leans into fall with a Cranberry Mojito and an Old Fashioned finished with burnt orange or maple walnut.
Just in time for football season, Painted Park is now serving up the Painted Plateau, a shareable tower of tailgate favorites like wings, tenders, shrimp, fried cod, fries, and fried mushrooms.
Atrium, the American bistro and martini bar at Ponce City Market, has refreshed its menu for lunch, brunch, and dinner. Standouts include a French dip, Maryland crab cakes, and a grilled wedge salad with bacon, tomato, bleu cheese, and buttermilk dressing.
Boba Craze, located in the Veranda at Buckhead Village, is serving up the Guava Sparkler as its September drink of the month starting Tuesday, September 1.
North Italia is running a $40 three-course prix fixe at its Perimeter and Buckhead locations through September 30, available daily starting at 4 p.m. The menu draws from the kitchen’s greatest hits—spicy rigatoni vodka and house bolognese, chicken Parmesan, and roasted salmon—and closes out with the fan-favorite salted caramel budino.
