Saturday, June 25, 2022

[EXCLUSIVE] Alpharetta to Get New Steak Restaurant, Breakfast Spot Too

A new steakhouse is coming to Alpharetta!  Connors Steak & Seafood, a Tennessee-based concept with five locations currently open, will make its Georgia debut with a new restaurant along Windward Parkway not far from Costco.  The steakhouse, which will be joined by a new outpost of First Watch, will replace former locations of Romano's Macaroni Grill and Chili's Bar & Grill which closed in 2020 and 2021, respectively.  

Typical Connors interior 

Based in Knoxville, Connors was started by brothers and restaurant industry veterans Mike and Bo Connor in 2004. The restaurant has grown slowly to include additional locations in Huntsville, Alabama, Fort Myers and Sarasota, Florida and Franklin, Tennessee, not far from Nashville.  

In addition to Connors, the brothers operate sibling concept The Chop House, which includes nine restaurants spread across three states.  Established in 1992, The Chop House has a Georgia location in Augusta, Tennessee locations in Hendersonville, Kingsport, Knoxville (2), Kodak, Murfreesboro, and Sevierville, as well as a single Ohio unit in Dayton.  A second Georgia location of The Chop House is currently under construction at  2055 Oconee Connector in Athens and is slated to open later this summer.  

Both Mike and Bo worked at various other chain restaurants:  Steak & Ale, Bennigan's, Chili's and Grady's, among others,  before branching out and establishing their own group, Connor Concepts.  Connors is positioned as a more upscale offering as compared to The Chop House, with per person check averages of $35 at the former and $23 at the latter.  

First Watch (NASDAQ: FWRG) in May opened a new location in Dunwoody and recently started site work on a new freestanding location it will open along Johnson Ferry Road in East Cobb.  Another new First Watch is slated to open July 11 at Hugh Howell Marketplace, the new Publix-anchored shopping center along Hugh Howell Road in Tucker.  The breakfast and lunch eatery operates about a dozen locations in the greater metro Atlanta area including an existing Alpharetta restaurant at 3450 Old Milton Parkway, about three miles from the upcoming outpost.  

Sources close to the Windward Parkway project tell ToNeTo Atlanta that First Watch will make use of the existing former Chili's but it's unclear if Connors will do the same with the former Macaroni Grill.  According to the Connors website, their typical restaurants are about 7,000 to 8,000 square feet, whereas the former Macaroni Grill is only about 6,400 square feet.  Calls placed to Connors Concepts seeking clarification of plans for the Alpharetta restaurant were not immediately returned.  

ToNeTo Atlanta reported in May that a former KFC around the corner from the aforementioned new restaurants, will be converted into a new Jim 'N Nick's Community Bar-B-Q.  

Are you pleased to hear of the new dining options destined for Alpharetta?  What other restaurants would you like to see open in Alpharetta?  What regional chain would you like to see expand to metro Atlanta?

Please share your thoughts below.  

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excited for these new additions! Not a restaurant, but would love to see a Trader Joe’s come to Alpharetta!

Anonymous said...

Yes! Over by the antique market would be perfect!

Anonymous said...

Not gonna lie, I miss Macaroni Grill. We need a new place with a good bar scene.

Anonymous said...

Loved macaroni grills spicy meatballs!

Anonymous said...

Loved the spicy meatballs at macaroni grill!

Anonymous said...

Yes Trader joe near us would be amazing!!

Anonymous said...

We ate at the steakhouse in Florida. It was subpar.

Anonymous said...

This was the last place my family was ever seen. The photos I received from there were from an impersonator.

Anonymous said...

I want Roasters to come back to Alpharetta/ Milton area, it was the best for a good variety of dishes.

Anonymous said...

Definitely a Trader Joe's near or on Windward would be greaaat!!!

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