NEW YEAR, NEW EATS

Check out newly opened restaurants and those coming soon

By Collin Kelley

If one of your new year’s resolutions is to try some of Intown’s new restaurants, we have some suggestions for you. There’s a slate of new eateries that have recently opened or are on the way, so be sure to clip and save this feature or bookmark the online version at AtlantaINtownPaper.com.

Open Now

Café Highlands

Chef Stephen McGuffin has transformed the former Café 640 space on the ground floor of the Highland Inn into Café Highlands. The menu at the PonceyHighland eatery features “progressive American cuisine with the atmosphere of a neighborhood bar and grill.” For more visit, cafehighlands.com.

Eight Sushi Lounge sandwich shop, El Super Pan, created by Chef Hector Santiago. Just down the hall, King of Pops & Good Grub is serving up a selection of beer, wine, sandwiches and popsicle-flavored cocktails. And there’s also Bellina Alimentari, a 4,000-squarefoot space inspired by the cafes and small shops of Northern Italy. Housemade pastas and sauces, chicken dishes, seasonal vegetables and an antipasti bar are all on the menu. For something quick, check out the bar seating or the market to take home items. Also recently opened: seafood haven W.H. Stiles Fish Camp, Mexican street food-inspired Minero and Chinese fare from Jia. Find out more at poncecitymarket.com.

Located at 930 Howell Mill Road in West Midtown, Executive Chef Handy Ho and family take a contemporary approach on traditional Japanese dishes for a unique and authentic experience. There’s also a full bar program and their own special Japanese-brewed sake coming in February. For more information, visit eightsushiatl. com.

CACAO Atlanta

The luxury chocolatier has officially opened its flagship store at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. The store features limited-release collections of hand-crafted chocolates as well as collaborations with artists. Prices range from $5 to $500 and there’s even a private tasting room. For more information, visit cacaoatlanta.com.

Five Guys

If you’re craving a Five Guys burger and fries while returning holiday gifts you didn’t want, the chain has opened its sixth location inside Lenox Square in Buckhead. The new location is also offering Five Guys Milkshakes, featuring 10 different mix-ins to the vanilla shake base including bacon, chocolate, Oreos, banana, coffee and salted caramel.

inside Inman Park’s Krog Street Market, is scheduled to open early this year. Richards’ Southern Fried will offer three flavor options: Classic, Hot and Richards’ HOT. Keeping with Richards’ passion for all things Southern, the menu will offer chicken sandwiches and plates along with sides like hand-cut potato wedges, stewed okra and tomatoes, broccoli rice and cheese casserole and more. For updates, visit facebook.com/RichardsSouthernFried.

BeetleCat

Chef Ford Fry’s new seafood restaurant is coming soon to Inman Quarter (the N. Highland side) with a “shore-style, casual cocktail lounge with a coastal 70s and 80s vibe.” Watch for the opening date at beetlecatatl.com.

Twisted Kitchen

The Marietta fast casual restaurant will open a second location in Midtown early this year at the new University House, 900 Spring St. Twisted Kitchen features a menu largely centered on “twisted” pastas, wraps and salads. Find out more at twistedkitchen.net.

5Church

Bread & Butter y

The owners of Cakes & Ale in Decatur have opened this new shop at Inman Quarter (the Elizabeth Street side) in Inman Park. The European-style café will offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch, as well as a pastry counter that transforms into a cocktail and wine bar in the evening. Visit bread-and-butterfly.com for more details.

Nature’s Garden Express

NGE has opened a 410-square-foot market stall and 200-square-foot Juice Bar offering organic, locally grown produce and cold pressed juices at Krog Street Market in Inman Park. You’ll also find kitchen staples including grass-fed dairy and eggs, vegan cashew cheeses, Lummi Island

Wild seafood and whole grain breads. The store will offer a variety of artisanal food products including nut butters, raw local honey, Preserving Place specialty jams, gourmet pasta and sauces, Simply Seoul kimchi, Zocalo salsas and tamales, Simply Fresh ToGo meals, olive oils, gluten-free pizza crusts, kombucha on tap and more. For more, visit naturesgardenexpress.com.

Brash Co ee

Brash Coffee has opened inside two shipping containers at Westside Provisions, 1168 Howell Mill Road, offering up specialty coffee from El Salvador. Visit brashcoffee.com for more information.

Ponce City Market Central Food Hall

The Central Food Hall at Ponce City Market in the Old Fourth Ward continues to grow with the opening of a Latin

Rreal Tacos

Located on 6th Street between Peachtree and Juniper, chef and owner Adrian Villarreal brings his Mexican heritage to the kitchen for a menu of traditional favorites you won’t find at your typical Mexican restaurant. Forget the usual chips and try the cripy avocado or pork trompo empanadas, customizable tacos with beef barbacoa or whole grilled fish, a beer or something from the bar.

O-Ku Atlanta

Open for dinner in Midtown’s Westside Ironworks building, this restaurant offers a contemporary take on traditional Japanese with a variety of sushi rolls and signature Japanese dishes. Visit okusushiatl.com.

Chick- l-A West Midtown

Sometimes only a chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A will do, and now West Midtowners can get their fix at the new standalone restaurant at the intersection of Northside Drive and 14th Street. A meeting room with a community table will be available for bookings by local businesses and for free for students. And there’s free Wi-Fi.

Charlotte-based 5Church plans to open a Midtown location early this year, offering up modern American fare.

il Giallo Osteria & Bar

Go just outside the loop to Sandy Springs where Chef Jamie Adams, formerly with Veni Vidi Vici, is hand-making pasta in the kitchen for tagliatelle, agnolotti, linguine and more. 5920 Roswell Road, #118. Visit ilgialloatl.com for more information.

Coming Soon

Richards’ Southern Fried

This quick service fried chicken concept from Chef Todd Richards, located

Ladybird

Grove & Mess Hall Expansion

Old Fourth Ward eatery Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall will soon bring the “grove” part of its name to life along the Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside Trail. Ladybird, located at mile marker 9.25 on the Eastside Trail or 648 John Wesley Dobbs Ave., will expand to include a more than 4,000-square-foot outdoor “grove” with a bar. Landscape work will begin this month and the grove will open in late January. Keeping with restaurant owner Michael Lennox’s vision, the new dining area will take cues from national parks, camping and westward travels. Plans for the Grove include flanking its four corners with large teepees, each with seating for four to six people. There will also be patio furniture arranged in clusters with Adirondack chairs and retro metal gliders, as well as a number of communal, beer garden tables. The outdoor bar will be housed in a vintage camper van, while strings of lights will illuminate two ping-pong tables for nighttime games. There will also be regular live music performances on the weekends.