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
Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft permanently closed its doors on Sunday, August 2 after 16 years in Brookwood Place. Chef and founder DeeDee Niyomkul said Tuk Tuk was where she found her own voice as a chef and that closing it wasn’t a decision made lightly. Outstanding gift cards will be honored at sister restaurant Nan Thai Buckhead.
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream celebrated the opening of its new Dunwoody location at Park Place on Thursday, August 13, serving fan favorites alongside inventive flavors like BIGFACE coffee affogato, mango sticky rice, and strawberry matcha latte, plus vegan options including banana bread pudding with fudge swirls.
Siren, Michael Arnette’s new coastal seafood restaurant, opens Tuesday, August 18 next door to Arnette’s Chop Shop in Brookhaven—his fifth concept in the neighborhood, this time inspired by the sea caves of the Italian coast. Co-executive chefs Stephen Herman and Matt Swickerath cook seafood from around the world’s coastlines over a 12-foot wood-burning range, with a raw bar, crudo, and one of the Southeast’s only dry-aged fish programs. The 80-seat dining room is anchored by a golden Tom Dixon fixture and custom siren paintings, and the bubbles-focused bar includes drinks like the limoncello-forward Sorrento Spritz and a Calabrian chili grappa riff called Una Paperina.
Sargent, the second concept from the Lucian Books & Wine team, opens Tuesday, August 18 along the Eastside BeltLine in Old Fourth Ward. Named for painter John Singer Sargent, the American brasserie trades Lucian’s intimate, rotating tasting-style menu for a bigger, more traditional lineup of French-technique classics. Executive chef Jason Paolini’s list includes a caviar sandwich, steak tartare, a club sandwich, pasta carbonara, roasted halibut, and prime rib. The 165-seat space includes an 18-seat bar, retail bookshop, dog-friendly patio, and a wine list built around 12-14 by-the-glass pours, with approximately half the bottles priced under $85.
Happenings
Bar Margot’s monthly Shaken & Stirred mixology series goes spirit-free for its next installment, Tuesday, August 18 at 5:30 p.m. inside the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta lounge. Guests can mix and enjoy two non-alcoholic cocktails, an Elderflower Spritz and Faux-’Spresso ‘Tino, alongside light bites. Tickets are $55 per person, available on Open Table.
12 Cocktail Bar hosts Speakeasy Supper Club on Wednesday, August 19 at 6:30 p.m. atop the Roof at Ponce City Market. The evening opens with a welcome drink at 12 Cocktail Bar before moving downstairs to the Roebuck Room for a family-style dinner. Tickets available here.
Lazy Betty is pulling out all the stops for an exclusive sake-pairing dinner Thursday, August 20 from 5 to 8:30 p.m., celebrating Richard Geoffroy, former Dom Pérignon Chef de Cave and founder of ultra-premium sake project IWA. The evening opens with a glass of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2017 before moving into chef Ron Hsu’s six-course tasting menu with guided sake pairings courtesy of IWA U.S. representative Brenton Blanchard. The cost is $350 per person, including tasting menu, pairings, and service, with reservations available on Open Table.
Sad Boy Burger Shop pops up at Stout Brothes Smyrna on Friday, August 21, and Friday, August 28 from 5 p.m. until sold out. Run by Shain and Katherine Wancio, the pop-up serves a hyper-focused menu of Oklahoma-style onion smashburger, built with a 70/30 beef blend and Vidalia onions smashed thin into the patty.
Bella Cucina hosts a Muracha Matcha Pop-Up on Saturday, August 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in partnership with Atlanta-based matcha brand Muracha. Grab a green drink while you learn more about Muracha’s debut product, Yame No. 89, browse matcha tins and tools, and peruse ensO ink art and contemplation cards from Bella Cucina founder Alisa Barry. The first 30 Muracha purchases get a complimentary card. The event is free and open to the public; RSVP here.
Summer Shade Festival returns to Grant Park on Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23 with a stacked food lineup. New vendors include Argentine Eats, Banh Mi Chi Em, Big Softie, Cultured South, El Ponce, Bangin’ Burgers and Buns, and Topo That Chocolate, joining returning favorites like Gumbowl, Island Noodles, King of Pops, Ms. Pearl’s BBQ & Soul Food, and Repicci’s Italian Ice. Cool down with Sweet Water beer, Climbing Kites THC beverages, or Creature Comforts Sunglow seltzers. The free two-day festival, benefiting Grant Park Conservancy, brings live music, Deep South Wrestling, and 140+ artists and makers.
A Rosé All Day Patio Party is coming to City Winery Atlanta on Saturday, August 22 from 3 to 7 p.m., with $10 rosé cocktails and tap rosé, $60 rosé magnums, and a special food menu. Live entertainment and patio games round out the afternoon. The event is free to attend; RSVPs are recommended here.
An omakase-inspired wine dinner comes to Atlanta Fish Market on Thursday, August 27 at 5:30 p.m., led by Master Sommelier Michael McNeil and executive sushi chef Tyson. The six-course tasting pairs Japanese-inspired dishes—including hamachi, lobster, chawanmushi, and 48-hour braised short rib—with wines selected to match each course. Tickets are $178 per person, with reservations available on OpenTable.
Seasonal cuisine shares the spotlight with wine at City Winery Atlanta’s Chef & Winemaker Dinner: Fruits of Summer on Friday, August 28 from 4 to 11 p.m. This four-course menu includes chilled tomato gazpacho, heirloom cherry tomato ribbon salad, Faroe Island salmon, and roasted peaches with mascarpone, served alongside a guided wine pairing. Tickets are $85 plus tax and gratuity; RSVP and ticket info here.
A hands-on cocktail class lands atop St. Julep Rooftop on Saturday, August 29 at 2 p.m., part of the Buckhead sky bar’s monthly Elevated Spirits series held the last Saturday of each month. Each session spotlights a different spirit and a rotating lineup of seasonal cocktails, led by a seasoned mixologist nine floors above the Kimpton Sylvan Hotel. Tickets are $50 per person, available on Eventbrite.
On the Menu
Steamed coconut buns are now a daily fixture at El Super Pan’s Ponce City Market location, available in two versions: a smoked tofu bun with chipotle soy tofu, cabbage, cilantro, pepitas, and gochujang, or a pork belly bun with crispy pork belly, tamarind sauce, and spicy sambal. Both can be made into a combo with a side.
Kids eat free at Mellow Mushroom every Tuesday through October 27, giving families a standing reason to make weekday pizza night a thing.
Three Atlanta locations of the Salty Donut—Buckhead, Krog District, and West Midtown—get a citrus boost starting Monday, August 17 through Sunday, August 23, with a limited-time Orange Creamsicle Matcha or Latte and an Orange & Passion Fruit Creamsicle Donut, made with fresh-squeezed orange juice from Florida-based Natalie’s juices. The first 15 customers at each shop on August 17 also score a co-branded gift.
