Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Bits & Bites

Mason Tavern is now open on Clairmont Road near its intersection with North Decatur Road. As previously reported, Mason's occupies a space that has been the revolving door of the Emory area for the past decade.  Mason Tavern was developed in partnership with Atlanta-based Concentrics Restaurants and is helmed by Executive Chef and Georgia native, Jason Hall.   The center is also home to mainstays Bhojanic, Mint 2 and the recently renamed "Villagio Gastro Italian."  

Pita Pit plans to open August 17th at Plaza Midtown on West Peachtree Street. This will mark the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho-based chain's return to Atlanta.  The chain previously had a location in Decatur on West Ponce de Leon Avenue.  The Decatur location, which closed in 2013, is now home to Souper Jenny.  Try as they might, Pita Pit (to me) is the Subway of Mediterranean food.  With a satellite location of Buckhead's Cafe Agora nearby on Peachtree Place, Pita Pit is in for a tough battle.  

A new Dunkin' Donuts is planned for the corner of Jimmy Carter Boulevard and North Norcross-Tucker Road.  The donut shop will be about 2,400 square feet and will open in place of the former car wash at the neighboring Valero gas station.  

Villa Savannah plans to open in Westside Ironworks on Howell Mill Road.  The 2,700 square foot retailer space joins previously announced restaurant tenants Tom + Chee, Barcelona Wine Bar and O-Ku.  

Baskin-Robbins is opening a new location in Roswell.  The ice-cream shop will occupy a roughly 1,400 square foot space in Roswell Marketplace where Sprouts Farmers Market opened earlier this month.  The ice cream shop is located in a corner space on the Alpharetta Highway side of the center, opposite Tin Drum Asiacafe.  

Tom, Dick & Hank's second location, 294 Ponce de Leon Avenue, will soon reopen as "9th Avenue Street Food."  T,D&H on Ralph David Abernathy will remain open for now. The T,D &H opened on Ponce this past September and closed not long ago.  The new owners are seemingly first-time restaurateurs and have set up a "gofundme" page to "equip our kitchen and get some operating capital together."  As of Tuesday night, the trio of owners Angelique, Christine and Jasmine, had raised $300 out of a goal of $5,000.  

A new restaurant called "On The Rox Tavern" plans to open in a couple weeks on Old Alabama Road in the former DaVinci's Pizzeria space.  (DaVinci's locations remain open in Smyrna, Midtown and Decatur.)  On The Rox promotes itself as "your favorite tavern." According to their website,  "Get ready to experience great food, superior service and a fun atmosphere. We’ll have a cozy bar area as well as a separate game room with pool tables, shuffle board, video machines (including poker) and more.  We’ll be your new ‘go to’ place for live music too."

The former home of Bombay Spices & Royal Indian Cuisine on Abbotts Bridge Road in Duluth will soon reopen as Gokul Sweets.  Gokul specializes in Indian desserts and vegetarian dishes, almost the Sweet Hut for the Indian community.  The new location, in The Oaks shopping center, will be the third for the growing business. Currently there are Gokul Sweets, both in Decatur, one in Patel Plaza on Church Street, the other on DeKalb Industrial Way.   According to an associate at the Patel Plaza location, the Duluth location should open "within two months."  

Floor & Decor will celebrate the grand opening of their new location on Buford Drive on Thursday, the 13th.  The new store occupies the former BrandsMart USA space.  The Buford location is the seventh location in metro Atlanta for the Atlanta-based chain.  The company also operates over forty locations in fifteen other states.  

Queen of Cream plans to open their new gourmet ice cream parlor this Thursday August 13th on Highland Avenue in Old Fourth Ward.   

According to Elton Alexander with "Because We Care Henry County-Atlanta South"  Houston, Texas-based Pappas Restaurants plans to open their fourth Atlanta area location of Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Morrow. The new restaurant will be built adjacent to Thunder Tower West Harley-Davidson, at 1420 Southlake Parkway, near Southlake Mall.  According to Alexander, a Land Disturbance Permit has been issued for the parcel and construction should begin soon. I've heard of these plans for over a year and while Pappas has owned the property for years, their headquarters would not confirm their intentions to me.  

My Parents Basement plans to open today in Avondale Estates.  The comic book store/bar/restaurant occupies the former James Joyce Irish Pub on North Avondale Road.  

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Metro Atlanta, GA: Home to the world's most ridiculous and uninformed "aspiring" restaurateurs.

Jill said...

DaVinci's in Roswell lasted for all of 30 seconds in that location, as did the Chinese place before that and whatever was before the Chinese place. Terrible visibility. I never even had a chance to eat there!

Rex said...

Jill, DaVinci's lasted a year despite horrible service. The Chinese place before that lasted about four years and simply moved down the street. It is very visible from the street. However, the last decent restaurant there was Chicago's a dozen years ago.

Rick Wolters said...

Red Lobster would be a good addition to Gateway Center

Rick Wolters

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