A local distillery won multiple gold medals at an international spirits competition, two fast-casual chains announced major investments in the metro area, another Georgia brewery shut down and more happenings around the Atlanta food and beverage scene.
NFA Burger will open Thursday in Alpharetta
A second, full-service location of NFA Burger will open Thursday in Alpharetta’s popular Avalon development.
NFA Burger gained viral fame after opening its first counter-service restaurant in a Dunwoody gas station in 2019, racking up plaudits for founder Billy Kramer’s simple but obsessively constructed double cheeseburger. Kramer also brought his formula to Truist Park for the beginning of the Atlanta Braves’ season, but pulled out of the ballpark’s Outfield Market food hall after a couple of weeks.
In April, Kramer told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that managing the Outfield Market stall and simultaneously working to open the full-service location had become untenable. Kramer said the timeline had been unexpectedly advanced for the soon-to-open Avalon NFA Burger and he pulled out of Truist Park because he was able to arrange for Grindhouse Killer Burgers to take over his stall.
The new NFA Burger in Avalon is a departure from the original bare-bones, 100-square-foot space inside the Chevron gas station. Orders will still be placed at a counter, but there will be indoor and outdoor seating, a bar, TVs and an exterior window for takeout orders.
“Opening at Avalon marks a really exciting next step for NFA,” Kramer said in a prepared statement. “(It’s) been a wild and rewarding ride seeing this vision become a reality. We’re thrilled to be in Alpharetta, and I can’t wait to bring our food to the community.”
Credit: Kelly Audette
Credit: Kelly Audette
Two fast-casual chains invest in metro area
In separate announcements this week, Shake Shack shared that it would open a second U.S. support center at The Battery Atlanta while the sandwich chain Potbelly said it had plans to bring 15 shops to metro Atlanta.
Shake Shack’s new office at The Battery will function as a secondary headquarters behind the brand’s original office in New York, where the chain was founded. Shake Shack also has an international support center in Hong Kong, according to its news release. The three offices support more than 300 company-owned U.S. locations and more than 250 licensed Shake Shacks across 20 countries, the announcement said.
“By expanding our Support Center footprint to Atlanta, we’ll have the tools needed to fuel our next stage of growth, with spaces dedicated to enhancing how our teams connect, train and innovate.” Shake Shack CEO Rob Lynch said in a prepared statement. “The Battery Atlanta stood out as a vibrant, community-driven location that reflects our brand values and offers access to Atlanta’s incredible talent.”
Potbelly is a Nasdaq-listed restaurant chain focused on sub sandwiches and milkshakes with nearly 450 locations across the country, according to Scrapehero.com. The sandwich shop began in Chicago in 1977, but it wasn’t until Potbelly was purchased in 1996 that it became a franchise business and growth exploded, according to the company’s website.
A local franchisee group will begin opening Potbelly locations in northeast Atlanta, Cumming, Duluth and Marietta, bringing 15 locations to the area over the course of eight years.
In a news release, Potbelly said the company is looking to continue its expansion in Georgia, offering franchising opportunities in Columbus, Macon, Savannah and elsewhere in metro Atlanta.
Other items of interest
Credit: Bob Townsend
Credit: Bob Townsend
The Plaza Restaurant and Oyster Bar in Thomasville, Georgia’s oldest restaurant at nearly 110 years old, has been offered for sale for $4 million. The restaurant, which was featured in the AJC last year, is available to purchase as part of a real estate package that includes the land and an adjacent shopping center. The Plaza is a sprawling, high-volume restaurant that had gross sales of more than $2.3 million in 2024, according to the listing posted by its brokerage, the Schumacher Group.
217 Broad St., Thomasville. 229-226-5153, thomasvilleplaza.com.
Credit: Atlanta Creative Media
Credit: Atlanta Creative Media
Peckish, a brunch pop-up from chef Tamara Hewitt, will open for a weekend residency at Pullman Yards beginning May 17. The brunch menu, which includes some of Hewitt’s trademark hyperrealistic baked goods, will feature sophisticated presentations of Caribbean flavors. Pastries like the baby bananas, potted plant and coffee cup, along with the ackee and saltfish fishbone brunch item, stand out for their realistic looks. Reservations for Peckish can be made at Resy.
225 Rogers St. NE, Atlanta. 404-228-2026, brickandmortaratl.com/the-residency.
The Distillery of Modern Art won two awards at the recent San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Chamblee-based distillery won a double gold medal for its Nouveau gin and a gold medal for its Peach vodka, according to a news release.
2197 Irvindale Way, Chamblee. 404-482-2663, distilleryofmodernart.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Restaurant openings
Belen Bistro + Market Argentina has opened on Decatur Square. The restaurant, from the team behind Belen de la Cruz, features empanadas, provoleta, chorizo and steaks, as well as a selection of Argentinean wine.
115 Sycamore St., Decatur. 470-990-7052, belenbistro.com.
The Fabled, a lounge serving lunch, dinner and drinks, has opened at the recently renovated Grand Hyatt Buckhead hotel, according to a news release. The menu is focused on small plates and locally sourced ingredients, with items like Kurobuta pork belly with hot honey glaze and wild mushroom soup with roasted Ellijay mushrooms and black truffle.
3300 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta. 404-237-1234, hyatt.com.
Aerial Kitchen and Bar, the seasonal rooftop restaurant at the Epicurean Atlanta hotel in Midtown, opened for the summer last weekend, representatives for the hotel announced. The Latin-themed restaurant will be open on the weekends in May then switch to a daily schedule in June.
1117 West Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 470-283-2599, epicureanhotelatlanta.com.
Fire Maker Grill, a restaurant at the Fire Maker taproom in West Midtown, opened Tuesday, according to the beverage maker’s social media.
975 Chattahoochee Ave. NW, Atlanta. 678-705-8777, firemakerbeer.com.
Azotea Cantina, the Mexican restaurant at Atlantic Station, has opened a second location at the new Southern Post development in Roswell, a restaurant representative announced.
1025 Alpharetta St., Roswell. 404-902-6010, azoteacantina.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
This week’s restaurant review
Yuji Modern Japanese, a new restaurant on the Atlanta Beltline created by Alex Kinjo, stands out because its good looks are more than skin-deep.
Restaurant announcements
What Now Atlanta reported several new restaurants planned for the metro area this week, including a second location of D’Juan’s Bistro, a coffee shop called Raani Coffee in the former Hodgepodge space, a Mexican restaurant in Winder called Tacos N Social de Jalisco and an Indian restaurant called Malabar Kitchen in Lawrenceville.
Restaurant closings
Jekyll Brewing announced that it would cease all operations Sunday, AccessWDUN reported this week. The Georgia brewery has multiple locations around the state, with its original taproom in Alpharetta.
Char Korean Bar & Grill will close after nine years in Inman Park, Rough Draft Atlanta reported.
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