🇫🇷 Savannah chef’s Paris debut

A Savannah Chef in Paris + PeachFest + New Restaurants July 17 — For today’s Side Dish, we’re offering two recipes, including one for summery spring rolls using fresh vegetables from the farmers market. And Sarra brings you a sweet story about a chef’s family and their new rescue dog. Read stories on We Love Buford Highway’s FEAST fundraiser and reporting from Sarra and Rough Draft’s Logan C. Ritchie on a recent West Midtown Hospitality Summit and what restaurateurs and residents really think is causing so many closures in the area.   As always, get the latest Atlanta dining news, like details on a breakfast spot closing in Grant Park, along with intel on a handful of restaurant openings, including a Savannah chef’s Parisian debut. Of note, there’s a benefit today to assist Virginia-Highland gelato shop Paolo’s recovery from a recent fire. We also share how to score tickets to the annual PeachFest taking place at the end of July. Plus, other dining news to know.  In case you missed it in your inbox on Tuesday evening, here’s a link to the latest edition of “Family Meal.” It features a recipe for Owens & Hull’s smoked onion jam and stories about how climate change is affecting Southern foodways. Cheers from the Rough Draft dining team!  Beth and  Sarra Eddiver Rodriguez discovered something through Georgia’s Work-Based Learning program that many adults never find: exactly what he wanted to do with his life. While classmates were filling out college applications, he was splicing underground power cables. Learn how WBL connected him with his career at Georgia Power before graduation. SPONSOR MESSAGE Have You Heard? Photo by Pink Lotus  Restaurant Closing Howdy ATL will close in Grant Park across from Zoo Atlanta on August 3, according to owner Boyd Baker, who opened the breakfast and coffee shop known for its biscuits in 2022. Howdy ATL took over the space that was previously home to Grant Park Coffeehouse, which eventually reopened just down the block on Georgia Avenue.  In a reel posted to Instagram, Baker said that the decision to close came down to not making enough money, coupled with increasing competition from similar restaurants and coffee shops moving into the neighborhood.  “Our projections when we moved in were pretty solid. But within a year we had two competitors move three blocks to our south and three blocks to our north,” Baker said. “So we’re all splitting the same neighborhood of Grant Park, which is an amazing neighborhood. Unfortunately, three years later, our growth wasn’t what we needed.” Baker goes on to say that the lease is up on Howdy ATL, and he couldn’t come to terms with the landlord, adding that 20 percent of the income was going toward paying the rent. However, Baker isn’t giving up on Howdy ATL. He’s currently scouting new locations, including in Candler Park and Decatur.   Restaurant Openings The owners behind 26 Thai Kitchen just opened Pink Lotus, which took over the former Donetto Italian restaurant space on Brady Avenue across from Miller Union and Avize. The restaurant drills down on more regional dishes of Thailand, including those served in family homes around the country.  Southern National and Chef Duane Nutter just launched a new pizza takeout and delivery service from the Summerhill restaurant. Called Pizzaboxx ATL, the in-house pizzeria features thin-crust pies with house-made sauces “with a Southern twist.” Order takeout via Toast or delivery via DoorDash. Southern National is also celebrating its second anniversary, July 17-19, with a greatest hits menu. Surprise! Alici Oyster Bar in Midtown now includes a hidden-away cocktail bar. Called Bar Pilar, named for the boat in Hemingway’s novel “The Old Man and the Sea,” expect classic cocktails and a selection of bar snacks.  The Grey chef Mashama Bailey opened her newest restaurant this week…in Paris. L’Arrêt by The Grey, located in the 7th arrondissement, opened on Tuesday. For now, L’Arrêt (The Stop) will serve breakfast and lunch, with brunch launching in early August and dinner beginning in early September. Read more about the Savannah chef’s plans for L’Arrêt here.  Dining Events A benefit in support of Paolo’s Gelato and its recovery from a recent fire takes place today at neighboring Pielands Pizzeria and Farm Burger in Virginia-Highland. Both restaurants plan to donate 10 percent of today’s sales, including takeout orders, to Paolo’s recovery efforts. PeachFest is back on July 27, from 3-7:30 p.m., at Peachtree Center Plaza in downtown Atlanta. Expect restaurants, chefs, and bartenders serving peach dishes and drinks in celebration of Georgia’s state fruit. Proceeds benefit CURE Childhood Cancer and Piggy Bank, a nonprofit that supports small and sustainable farms through disaster relief, business planning, and education. Tickets start at $95 per person.  Indulge in Buckhead Restaurant Week SPONSORED BY LIVABLE BUCKHEAD From July 21-26, explore Buckhead’s vibrant dining scene with curated menus and chef specials. Enjoy upscale meals or casual favorites at nearly 40 top restaurants! Savor tasting flights, shareable platters, and sweet samplers. Discover new flavors and make unforgettable memories. Don’t miss out, reserve your table today!  Head to our website for the full Buckhead Restaurant Week lineup and follow us on social for updates. Top Stories From the Week Photo by Jarrett Stieber Meet Diego, the rescue dog who stole the hearts of the owners of Summerhill restaurant Little Bear  Fernando Stieber wasn’t just a Great Pyrenees. He was one of Atlanta’s favorite dogs and the face of the award-winning Summerhill restaurant Little Bear. Fernando’s nickname, “Little Bear,” inspired the restaurant’s name, and his illustration graces all of its merch. Owners Chef Jarrett Stieber and Hallie Stieber, along with staff and regulars, affectionately refer to Little Bear as “the dog restaurant.”But on Feb. 17, after 10 years and hundreds of photographs with the Stieber family and Little Bear guests, Fernando succumbed to osteosarcoma. The last thing the Stiebers were thinking of was getting another dog. That’s when Diego entered their lives.   Read this sweet story about second chances from Sarra. Photo by Tio Lucho’s Peruvian chef Arnaldo Castillo joins restaurant lineup for Buford Highway fundraising event  We Love Buford Highway is preparing for its third FEAST fundraiser on Fri., Aug. 15, in Chamblee to support food insecurity, youth music, and business programs along Metro Atlanta’s most culturally diverse corridor.Last year’s FEAST attracted 200 attendees, and this year, We Love Buford Highway Executive Director Lily Pabian is aiming for 250. The 2024 event raised $55,000 for Feeding Families, the Buford Highway Business Circle, the Buford Highway Youth Orchestra Project, the Oral History Archive, and others.A notable addition to the lineup at the fundraising event this year is Peruvian chef Arnaldo Castillo, a 2024 James Beard Awards semi-finalist and owner of Tio Lucho’s in Atlanta’s Poncey Highland neighborhood. Read more from Rough Draft reporter Logan C. Ritchie here. Photo by Star Metals Restaurateurs and residents discuss the recent closures on Atlanta’s west side In the first of a series on the west side of Atlanta, Rough Draft is taking a deep dive into how small business owners, residents, and visitors to the area view the boom in development and the issues it has created in a formerly industrial pocket of the city.  Since 2023, amidst a development boom, nearly two dozen restaurants have closed between the Marietta Street Artery and 14th Street along Howell Mill Road on Atlanta’s west side. Many of these restaurants closed within two years of opening, and speculation as to why the area is experiencing such a high number of closures ranges from exorbitant parking fees to traffic congestion.However, a recent gathering of neighborhood stakeholders revealed that the story behind these closures is much more complicated than just steep parking fees and congestion.During a June 28 summit, which included restaurant and business owners and residents, a number of issues were discussed. One restaurateur on the summit’s panel stated that the area had “overdeveloped too quickly.” Residents in attendance voiced concerns that the needs of surrounding neighborhoods are not being met or considered by developers.  Read the full report, part of a series, from Sarra and Logan here.  While his classmates were filling out college applications, Eddiver Rodriguez was learning to splice underground power cables with Georgia Power. He’s an example of how Georgia’s Work-Based Learning program connects students to careers before they graduate. Learn how here. SPONSOR MESSAGE At the Market + Two Recipes IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKETS It’s time for summer veggies and summer dishes! This week, Rough Draft Atlanta and Community Farmers Markets are partnering to bring you two vegetable-forward recipes that are great for summer – spring rolls and a mixed rice dish. Check the recipes out here. Today’s Side Dish was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke. The post 🇫🇷 Savannah chef’s Paris debut appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.