7 highly anticipated summer restaurants opening around Atlanta

Rough Draft continues to track the progress of some of this year’s most anticipated restaurants and bars.

We’ve already seen the opening of some great restaurants in 2024, including Mexican restaurant Casa Balam in Decatur from Oaxaca owners, the return of Porter Beer Bar in Little Five Points, and Nadair from chef Kevin Gillespie. It opens May 24 in the former Floataway Café space.

Since the last planned restaurant update in February, Damsel, Painted Pickle and Floridaman have opened, and the openings of Gene’s in East Lake and Pure Quill Superette in Edgewood appear imminent.

Here’s an update on eight more establishments we hope to see open over the next 12 weeks in cities and neighborhoods around Atlanta.

The dumpling factory
Dumplings, Chinese dishes from Northern China Eatery
950 West Marietta Street, Knight Park/Howell Station

Listen up, Northern China Eatery fans. In case you missed it, the owners of popular Chinese restaurant Buford Highway are planning to open this dumpling-focused restaurant at Westside Paper. Taking over the Boxcar Betty space, The Dumpling Factory is expected to open in June, according to owner Fan Zhang. Look for Northern China Eatery’s handmade dumplings and other dishes like fried rice and thick, angel hair rice noodles. The Dumpling Factor will also serve beer, wine and soju. Zhang said he also plans to open a location at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport next year and a location for Northern China Eatery near the Krog District along the Eastside BeltLine by end of 2024.

Pisces
Music, cocktails, Vice Taco in the kitchen by DJ Ree de la Vega
483 Edgewood Avenue, Old Fourth Ward

When The Sound Table closed four years ago after a decade in Edgewood, it left gaping holes in Atlanta’s cocktail, pop-up and music scenes. Two months later, many Atlantans feared The Sound Table space would be lost forever following the construction-related collapse of a wall facing the boulevard. Extensive repairs eventually brought the space back to life, and Edgewood Dynasty opened in 2023.

It never really took off. The space became available again earlier this spring, and Atlanta DJ and party planner Ree de la Vega didn’t hesitate to acquire it for Pisces. She even had the blessing of her longtime friend, DJ and Sound Table partner Karl Injex. Look for an energetic vibe downstairs with cocktails, music from local and national DJs, and dancing. Upstairs, in the restaurant and lounge, a chill atmosphere will prevail. Expect Tijuana-style street tacos from Alejandro Godinez of Vice Taco Truck and DJs spinning vinyl during listening sessions. De la Vega hopes to open Pisces in mid-to-late July.

Block and Drum
Eco-Friendly Restaurant, Distillery, Coffee & Drink District
5105 Peachtree Boulevard, Chamblee

This sprawling, eco-friendly dining and drinking district in downtown Chamblee promises to be a gathering place for the community when fully open. The coffee shop and café portion of Block and Drum opened in March, with converted shipping containers serving as incubator spaces for chefs, a micro-distillery and tasting room, a listening bar and a hydroponic farm open during the summer. Expect Block and Drum to be an all-day dining, drinking and live entertainment district, starting in the morning with coffee and breakfast and ending with dining, cocktails and music at the end of the evening.

Fawn
Wine and amaro bar by chef Terry Koval
119 East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur

Decatur will earn another spot with The Deer and the Dove owner and James Beard award-winning chef Terry Koval later this summer. He and beverage director Matt Watkins plan to open Fawn next to Café Alsace. Billed as a wine and amaro bar, Fawn will focus on wines from many volcanic regions, including the Canary Islands, Crete, Campania in Italy and Verne in France. The Amaro on the menu will be sourced from a variety of countries around the world, served by the glass and flown. Food-wise, expect house-made charcuterie with local cheeses, crudos, fresh bread, caviar and desserts from Koval.

Ryokou
Japanese dishes from the Omakase table
565 Northside Drive, Adair Park

The team behind Omakase Table, which includes talented sushi chef Leonard Yu, will open this Japanese restaurant at the Abrams Luminaires complex in Adair Park this summer. Led by Omakase Table chef Paul Gutting, Ryokou will have just 11 seats and serve a curated menu of Japanese small plates and sushi. Also look for Japanese-inspired cocktails and sake at the bar. We have a story coming soon about Ryokou’s neighbor, Vine Club ATL (a social club and wine bar with memberships open across the street from the Japanese restaurant.)

Butter and Scotch
Afro-Caribbean cuisine
110 Mitchell Street, Downtown Atlanta inside the Origin Hotel

Delays in construction of the new Origin Hotel have continued to delay the opening of chef Malik Rhasaan, owner of Che Butter Jonez, and Detric Fox-Quinlan’s next restaurant. But it appears the hotel and Butter and Scotch are back on track and could open in August. Look for an all-day menu from Rhasaan and Fox-Quinlan, including bodega breakfast sandwiches, oxtail stew and chopped cheese. Fans of Che Butter Jonez’s That Sh!t Slambing lamb burger will find it served at Butter and Scotch, along with some of the southwest Atlanta restaurant’s most popular Afro-Caribbean dishes.

Bryan Furman BBQ
Barbecue plates and sandwiches from pitmaster Bryan Furman
186 Windy Hill Road, Marietta

It’s finally happening, y’all! Pitmaster Bryan Furman will indeed open a new barbecue restaurant. But it won’t be in Riverside as previously planned. Instead, Furman will open his namesake barbecue joint in Marietta. He abandoned plans to open on Bolton Road earlier this year due to “rising construction costs,” according to an article by Mike Jordan of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, forcing him to abandon the site. Taking over the former Herb’s Rib Shack in Windy Hill, Furman will serve his award-winning whole hog barbecue, barbecue hash and desserts like his mother’s apple cake. Unlike his previous Riverside BBQ restaurant, which was gutted by fire in 2019, this iteration will focus on takeout and will not serve alcohol. You can continue to catch Furman’s BBQ around Atlanta until the restaurant opens in August, including weekends at Pure Quill Superette in Edgewood.

The best mothers
Fried chicken and cocktails
406 Church Street, Decatur

It’s been a long road to opening this Decatur fried chicken and cocktail joint across the street from chef Terry Koval’s Deer and the Dove. The delay is attributable to pesky construction issues that have continued to crop up since Ean Bancroft and Ross Winecoff announced Mothers Best last spring. Taking over the former space on Calle Latina, Bancroft and Winecoff will serve buckets of fried chicken, fried chicken sandwiches and fried chicken tenders here. Expect sides of red beans and rice, a brined collard green salad topped with Duke mayonnaise, and a fast-casual version of Robuchon potatoes. A takeout window will distribute fried chicken sandwiches during Golden Hour, as well as cocktails and frozen drinks. If all goes well, we could see Mothers Best debut in late summer.