Category: Restaurants

Chef Bella Jones is inspired about telling African-American history through food and the area’s Southern cuisine. The chef and food curator is poised to open a new Atlanta restaurant, Liz and Leon’s, in fall 2023.

When the doors open, the eatery hopes to become on of Atlanta’s best black-owned restaurants.

Chef Bella Jones Set To Open Liz & Leon’s In Downtown Atlanta

Jones, whose writings frequently matches the ancestral roots of today’s American palate to African ingredients, says her history in the kitchen is a birthright of sorts.

“I always knew that I wanted to be a Chef!” Jones wrote recently on Instagram. “I was 9 years old when Grandma let me help in the kitchen! I was so happy doing the little things grandma let me do, like pick the greens, mix the cake ingredients to her lemon cake with chocolate icing! I was overjoyed when I graduated to helping with seasoning the chicken! My heart sung when my mother taught me how to make my families Sweet Potato Recipe! I didn’t know it then, but everything my Grandmother taught me had generations of my grandmothers spirits wrapped in every recipe!”

Liz and Leon’s will be located along Hotel Row, a string of commercial buildings that served as the city’s original business district framed by developed by famed architects Samuel Inman and Walker P. Inman.

The structures’ history will only enhance the charm that Liz & Leon’s will bring to downtown. As for Jones, a natural born storyteller, we can look forward to her seasoned tails of family and food and most of all, how tastefully delicious it all is.

“From My Grandmothers Venus & Eliza on the Plantation to my kitchen today, food is what kept my family together,” Jones writes. “It’s how they survived the trials & tribulations of enslavement, what kept them when they left the horrid conditions of Mississippi & migrated to Chicago’s South Side, as they fought for their rights to better education, the right to vote & everything else we take for granted today! I don’t remember a moment in my life with my family that didn’t involve food & so this was ALWAYS MY DESTINY!”

Final Word

If you like barbecue, see our list of the Best Atlanta BBQ Restaurants. As for eateries below I-20, these Southside Atlanta restaurants have developed quite a following.

The craze hasn’t escaped metro Atlanta’s  food and drink scene, which has seen a bar explosion in recent years.

Got an event or know of something opening in and around Atlanta? Holla: CJ@AtlantaFi.com. See what’s poppin’ in the ATL! Subscribe to our  news alerts here, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

if you’ve ever been to Lazy Betty, you know that the neighborhood that surrounds it is as charming as the restaurant. Now it’s time for a change of scenery for the restaurant, which opened in Atlanta’s Candler Park neighborhood in 2019.

Lazy Betty owners Aaron Phillips and Ronald Hsu have decided to move the eatery into the space formerly occupied by Empire State South, which closed in March.

Lazy Betty Moving To Midtown

You can expect the same menu items and all the other stuff you love about Lazy Betty, according to a press release announcing the news. What will be new will be the bar menu along with some a la carte menu items.

“Empire State South saw some of the city’s best chefs pass through its kitchen, and we’re honored to carry the torch for such a great culinary space,” Hsu said in a written statement. “While our location will change, our ethos will continue to be the same. We’re excited to invite the community to come together, eat well and live unhurried in the heart of the city.”

The addition to Lazy Betty will give you one more thing to do in Midtown Atlanta.

Where Will Lazy Betty Be Located In Midtown Atlanta?

Lazy Betty is set to open at the location once known as Empire State South. The address is 999 Peachtree St NE Suite #140, Atlanta, GA 30309. Here’s a map to help you find it.

Final Word

While the news release didn’t give a specific time when Lazy Betty will open in Midtown, you can expect construction to take several months. In the meantime, we’ll continue to support Midtown Atlanta’s best restaurants.

A new Latin restaurant is set to open in Midtown Atlanta on June 15, 2023, AtlantaFi.com has learned. Alta Toro comes to us from K5 Hospitality Group, the same company behind 5Church and Virtue Rooftop.

Here’s everything we know about Alta Toro, including what type of food to expect and where it’s located.

Alta Toro Opening This Month In Midtown Atlanta

On its social media, Alta Toro posted that it is ready to serve Atlanta residents with some authentic Latin food.

“We are SOOO excited to announce the opening of Alta Toro. Located at 33 Peachtree Place NE in Midtown, Alta Toro will transport you to the heart of Latin America with its modern cuisine, exciting art, and live music.

The name Alta Toro, which means “high bull” in Spanish, and the moniker is a nod to traditional Spanish-style bullfighting. “And just like the strong and powerful bull in the ring, we’re ready to dominate the Atlanta dining scene. Get ready to experience the explosion of modern Latin American flavors,” the restaurant said in the post.

The Alta Toro menu will specialize in “modern Latin fare,” according to its website. We can’t wait to try it.

Where Is Alta Toro Located?

Alta Toro is located at 33 Peachtree Place Atlanta, GA 30309. Here’s a map to help you find it.

The eatery’s deco features eye-popping fine art from Latin America and local Atlanta artists, illustrating the culture and flavors of the region.

Final Bite

Johnny’s Chicken & Waffles, the uber-successful restaurant started by singer Ne-Yo and his wife, celebrity chef Crystal Smith, is expanding in Atlanta.

The eatery’s original outpost in College Park has been a hit among the city’s restaurant row on Main Street. Now it’s Midtown Atlanta’s turn to get a taste of Johnny’s Chicken & Waffles.

Johnny’s Chicken & Waffles Coming To Midtown Atlanta

Opening this summer in the space formerly occupied by The Federal restaurant, Johnny’s Chicken & Waffles is hoping for the same acclaim they’ve enjoyed as one of College Park’s best restaurants.

“The response to Johnny’s so far has been fantastic,” Ne-Yo said. “And that’s because it combines two things all Atlantans love—delicious chicken and waffles and our unsurpassed homegrown music scene.”

The restaurant is currently hiring all positions and has set a June date for its grand opening. 

Where Is Johnny’s Chicken & Waffles In Midtown Atlanta Located?

The Johnny’s Chicken & Waffles in Midtown is located at 1050 Crescent Ave., Atlanta, Ga. 

“We look forward to being a part of the community and hope to be Midtown’s  favorite new dining destination for a long, long time,” Ne-Yo said in a statement.

Where can you find chicken and waffles in Atlanta?

Chicken and waffles has been a relatively recent addition to many a menu in Atlanta. Some of the biggest restaurants, especially those that endeavor in the Southern culinary traditions, serve chicken and waffles.

Read about the best places to find chicken and waffles in Atlanta

A new Atlanta restaurant called Carmel is set to open in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood. A coastal-inspired restaurant is owned by Oliva Hospitality Group (Aziza and Bellina Alimentari among others).

The concept will draw heavily on the coastal vibes of cities and environments near large bodies of water. That’s what Carmel and its food will feel and taste like.

“Our take on coastal cuisine is less about a specific suite of recipes or from a particular region,” Oliva Hospitality Group Founder and Owner Tal Baum says in a written statement.

When Is Carmel Opening In Buckhead?

Carmel is opening Tuesday, May 16, 2023 in Buckhead Village. The hours of the restaurant will be:

• Monday – Thursday 11am – 11pm
• Friday – Saturday 11am – Close
• Sunday 11am-9pm

In charge of designing the restaurant will be Smith Hanes Studio, which will draw from coastal influences throughout the Mediterranean and California. Think open-air establishments that carry the breeze and aroma of the kitchen at the same time.

Where Is Carmel Located?

Carmel is located at 3009 Bolling Way NE, Suite G130, Atlanta, GA 30305. Here is a map to help you find it.

Final Bite

Depending on how it goes, we may have to add Carmel to the best restaurants in Buckhead.

Only in Atlanta can the casual observer find specialty food shops, off-the-beaten-path restaurants, farmers’ markets and farm stands all at an affordable price point.

But Atlanta also has trendy restaurants, pop-ups and time-tested landmarks that continue to draw big crowds.

Metro Atlanta’s food and drink scene continues to grow with no stops on the horizon. Ready to try something new?

Here Are The Best New Restaurants In Atlanta