Bits & Bites

Farm Burger's Berkeley location 

Farm Burger plans to open at least three new locations in the coming months.  New Farm Burger restaurants are planned for San Anselmo in Marin County, about an hour north of San Francisco, Huntsville, Alabama and Nashville, Tennessee.  The San Anselmo location is located on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in a space most recently occupied by Ross Valley Kitchen.  Current projections have the San Anselmo Farm Burger opening by the end of September. Farm Burger plans to open in "The Shops at Merchants Walk," an outdoor shopping center at the corner of Bob Wallace Avenue and Memorial Parkway in Huntsville, Alabama.  In this new Whole Foods Market-anchored center, Farm Burger will join Birmingham-based Maki Fresh and Atlanta-based Spa Sydell.  The Huntsville Farm Burger is expected to open "late" this fall.  In Nashville, Farm Burger has finally found a space that restaurant owner George Frangos said took two years to locate.  Farm Burger Nashville will be located in the new "Hill Center" in the city's Sylvan Heights neighborhood.   This location is furthest out with an expected opening next spring. The Atlanta-based better burger chain started in Decatur in 2010 and now has a total of three outposts in Georgia, one in Asheville, North Carolina and one in Berkeley, California, which opened this past fall.

Denny's plans to open a new restaurant in a retrofitted former Burger King on Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road in Suwanee.  The former Burger King sits adjacent to a former Mrs. Winners that was previously renovated to become a new Cinnabon / Schlotzsky's /Carvel . The 2,824 square foot Burger King built in 1991 has been vacant for a few years.  A Denny's representative claims the new location will open in "60 days."    Denny's previously announced plans to open a new location on Buford Highway in Brookhaven but that location and their Brookhaven plans are reportedly being "re-evaluated"  A new Denny's location did open on Scenic Highway in Snellville last year.  A new Denny's opened in June at 5368 North Henry Boulevard in Stockbridge. The building was most recently a combination Long John Silvers / A&W but had sat vacant for years. 

Following the closures of both Reign and Vanquish in midtown, Alex Gidewon's AG Entertainment seems to have also closed his Velvet Room club on Chamblee Tucker Road.  For those familiar with Atlanta's nightlife scene, an earlier incarnation of the Velvet Room was the same space later renovated and reopened as Reign and Vanquish.

Noble Fin, the new restaurant from popular intown chef Jay Swift of 4th & Swift has finally started construction in Peachtree Corners.  The new restaurant is being built in an outparcel of the recently opened Earth Fare, on land previously home to Dreamland BBQ.  Dreamland burned in early 2013.  A restaurant representative claims that Noble Fin will open in November, but I'd guess the opening occurs closer to Valentine's Day.    

King of Pops will open their first "bricks & mortar" location at Ponce City Market's Central Food Hall later this fall.  

The former home of Keller Williams Peachtree Road offices has been demolished!  The property, at the corner of Colonial Drive and Peachtree Road, has been in flux since the neighborhood voiced their concerns to a Walgreen's being built on the parcel.  Over two years since talks started, Walgreen's has reportedly made enough changes to appease those involved.  The new pharmacy, with office space above, should open next spring.  

Atlanta's third bartaco, at Inman Quarter in Inman Park had its soft opening this past week.  

The Texaco at the corner of Grandview Avenue and Pharr Road has become a Chevron.  

A new Mattress Firm and Starbucks are planned for the 100 block of Walker Parkway in Fayetteville.  

A new 40s era themed establishment called "Whisky Mistress" plans to open by mid September on Maple Drive in Buckhead. The new bar, lounge and restaurant will occupy the former Julio Cesar Salon & Day Spa.  Whisky Mistress is being opened by Billy Allen, owner of Buckhead's Dive Bar and prior owner of Beluga Martini Bar on Piedmont Road.  (Beluga now operates as Rose Bar).  Whisky Mistress will surely try to capture some the business left behind by Establishment's recent relocation to midtown and Mood Lounge's previous closure on East Shadowlawn.  

Diner at Atlantic Station closed prematurely at 4pm yesterday reportedly due to "maintenance issues," promising via their facebook and twitter to "be back open at 8am" (today).  My unsolicited advice to chef / owner Ron Eyester: do us all a favor, save yourself some cash and stress, and don't reopen.