Atlanta-Area Restaurants Cater To Your Holiday Needs

For more information:

 Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

ATLANTA-AREA RESTAURANTS CATER TO YOUR HOLIDAY NEEDS

Feast Without the Fuss

ATLANTA (Nov. 30, 2015) – As in-laws come into town and holiday shopping season swings into full force, cooking a big turkey or a holiday ham with all the fixings might sound like an insurmountable task. Save yourself the headache of planning large meals for the family and place an order or book a private party with one of these restaurants instead.

Chef Shaun Doty caters farm-to-plate entrées and sides at Bantam + Biddy (Avalon, Lenox Square, Crescent Ave., Ansley Mall). Fried chicken warms up hearts and conversations along with macaroni and cheese and vegetables like Brussels sprouts and collard greens, all conveniently picked up or delivered to you. To place an order, email wecater@bantamandbiddy.com or call 404-725-5059. Sister restaurant Chick-a-Biddy offers a similar selection at Atlantic Station.

Bellina Alimentari at Ponce City Market caters parties that Italian dreams are made of, from an antipasti bar and panini platter to primi, secondi and dolci courses. Orders must be placed 48 hours in advance; allow a week for parties of 30 or more. Private event space is also available at Bellina and includes family-style meals, cocktail events and guided tastings of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and wine. For more information and reservations, email events@bellina-alimentari.com or call 404-330-9933.

Whether it's at your home or one of the restaurant's locations around town, FLIP burger boutique can plan a remarkable event for your holiday season with sliders, burgers, chips, vegetables and more. The team is ready to cater anything from a holiday party to holiday cheer around the office. For information, email stephanie.shaw@flipburgerboutique.com or call 901-355-9323.

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern in Midtown provides small bites like soft pretzels and warm dip to wings and more substantial meals to share. Your place or theirs, HOBNOB will make your party a success with a full catering menu. Call 404-968-2288 for more information.

This year, do Christmas to-go with Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails’ bundle package. Comes with your choice of an Applewood-smoked turkey with Madiera gravy or go with the classic and do a spiral ham with bourbon-orange glaze. Both come with one side and feeds 6-8. $85 each plus tax. Additional sides available upon request for $20 a quart.  Order yours at www.miltonscuisine.com by December 18. Available for pick up on December 23 and 24. You can find a photo here.

For those who can't get enough of Kevin Gillespie's barbecue, Terminus City provides a Southern-style feast of smoked wonderment. With whole-hog barbecue, country-fried steak, and homemade sides like fried okra, Brunswick stew and creamed corn, these meals will make your holiday hosting skills a family favorite for years to come. Visit the Facebook page for more information, and place orders by emailing terminuscity@gunshowatl.com or calling 404-380-1886.

Check out Tin Lizzy's Cantina for a spicier holiday fiesta with a variety of fajita fixings, grilled chicken, pulled pork, cantina salads and margarita mix (sorry, tequila not included). Deliveries require a $100 minimum order; $25 delivery fee within 10 miles. Prices exclude taxes and gratuity, and 24-hour notice is appreciated. Book your $500 or more holiday party now and receive a $100 Tin Lizzy's gift card to use for future purchases. For more information, email cculbreth@tinlizzyscantina.com or call 404-668-8757. You can find a photo here.

Consider Twin Smokers BBQ for meats like brisket, pork ribs and pulled meat by the pound or half pound with a variety of sides like "Burnt Ends" chili and potato salad. Several pricing options are offered, and drop-off catering is available with 48-hours notice for parties of 25 or more. View the menu at twinsmokersbbq.com/catering, and call 404-698-4707 for more information.

Willy's Mexicana Grill provides cheese dip, guacamole, salsa, chips, burritos and crowd-pleasing catering options like build-your-own taco, fajita or nacho bars. Ten-person minimum on catering orders. For a full list of Tex-Mex flavors, view the menu at willys.com/catering-menu. Order online or call 404-422-7107.

###

Legacy Ventures Dazzles Diners with Delicious Deals

For more information:

Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

Legacy Ventures Dazzles Diners with Delicious Deals

Article 14 Buy-Outs and Double Value Gift Cards are Just a Few of the Seasonal Specials Available to Kick off the Holiday Season

ATLANTA (Nov.  24, 2015) – Legacy Ventures doesn’t take the holiday season lightly. The owner of Article 14, Der Biergarten, Game-X, Glenn’s Kitchen, SkyLounge at the Glenn Hotel, Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria, STATS, Twin Smokers BBQ, City View Room and Ventanas wants to make it easy for guests to celebrate through a host of appetizing offers.

Serious revelers will relish the opportunity to have the dining room at Article 14 to themselves while saving 25% off the restaurant’s traditional buyout prices through Dec. 31. The reservations require a $5,000 minimum and include a sumptuous chef-designed menu for 30 or more guests. For more information about this special and available dates, contact Bethany Thompson at bthompson@lvmgt.com.

Shoppers who prefer tasteful, frenzy-free Black Friday shopping will be excited to discover that for every $50 gift card they purchase at Legacy Venture restaurants (excluding Glenn's Kitchen and Game-X) from Friday, Nov. 27 through Monday, Nov. 30, they’ll receive one $50 gift card free.  At Game-X, that same $50 earns buyers a $50 game card (only available for in-store purchase).

During the Black Friday sale, diners at Legacy Ventures restaurants who purchase a gift card and enroll in the company's Rewards Program will also receive 100 bonus points. Cardholders earn a point for every dollar spent. Those points add up as diners accumulate $30 in restaurant cash for every 250 points earned in addition to other frequent diner benefits. (Glenn’s Kitchen and Game-X are not part of the Rewards Program.)

“While the holidays are always an exciting time of year, they can also be stressful in terms of trying to find just the right gift for co-workers, friends and family,” says Brian Bullock, managing partner of Legacy Ventures. “Our holiday mission is incredibly straightforward.  We want to make it easy for shoppers to buy gifts of good taste and make sure they have fun doing it.”

Guests who book their holiday party with Legacy Ventures now through Monday, Nov. 30 will receive a bevy of bonuses such as complimentary champagne toasts, parking passes, upgraded bar packages, gift cards and even facility rental discounts.

The menu of holiday party specials includes:

GAME-X 

• 25 additional play chips for each guest 

• 10 complimentary self-parking passes or five valet passes

• $50 LRP gift card ($3,500 food and beverage minimum) 

RESTAURANT ROW

(STATS, Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria, Twin Smokers BBQ, Der Biergarten)

• Complimentary upgraded bar package

• Waived rental fee 

• $100 LRP gift card ($3,500 food and beverage minimum) 

VENTANAS

• Complimentary holiday Champagne toast per guest 

• 25% off facility rental (Sunday - Thursday) 

• 10 complimentary self-parking passes or five valet passes

GLENN'S KITCHEN / SKYLOUNGE

• Complimentary holiday Champagne toast per guest 

• 10 complimentary valet passes

CITY VIEW ROOM

• 5% discount on your organized food and beverage event

• Discounted facility rental 

• 10 complimentary self-parking passes or five valet passes

• $50 LRP gift card ($3,500 food and beverage minimum) 

To book your holiday party today contact Brad Boatner at bboatner@lvmgt.com. For more information, visit lvmgt.com.

###

Atlanta Chef Kevin Gillespie Creates 12 Days of Beardsmas to Make Gift-Giving as Easy as Firing up Your Laptop

For more information:

Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

ATLANTA CHEF KEVIN GILLESPIE CREATES 12 DAYS OF BEARDSMAS TO MAKE GIFT-GIVING AS EASY AS FIRING UP YOUR LAPTOP

Limited quantities and value pricing on 12 packages allow food fans to buy private cooking lessons, a pig roast or dinner with Kevin, plus personalized books and more!

ATLANTA (Nov. 24, 2015) - This holiday season, forget about waiting in that long line at the mall to talk to the guy with the white whiskers. Beginning Friday, Nov. 27, Atlanta chef Kevin Gillespie’s own Red Beard Restaurants is offering one-stop shopping for 12 of the most unique gifts and one-of-a-kind experiences for every food lover on your gift list.

“Every year around the holidays, I get bombarded with emails from folks who have dined with us, all requesting gift options revolving around our restaurants,” explains Gillespie. “This year, instead of answering each email one by one, we decided to offer some cool gift ideas for people who love cooking and food as much as I do!”

Hence, the guy who has encountered diners showing up to his restaurants with doppelgänger Yukon Cornelius “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” dolls this time of year, has come up with the aptly named 12 Days of Beardsmas. Throughout the campaign, Chef Kevin will star in a new 15-second Beardsmas video daily beginning Nov. 30, featuring the deal of the day which is also posted on Gunshow's and Revival’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts. Starting Black Friday, online shoppers can log onto redbeardmerch.com and snap up cool, limited edition gifts including:

—    Gunshow Guest Chef for a Day: Spend the day with Kevin and crew in your very own Gunshow apron, creating a dish to be served that night alongside the Glenwood Park restaurant’s critically acclaimed dim sum style dishes. You decide what you want to make, Kevin teaches you how, then watch as it becomes a selection on that night’s menu! Then, sit down to dinner with five of your favorite friends and take home a photo with the kitchen staff and personalized copies of Chef Kevin’s cookbooks, “Pure Pork Awesomeness” and “Fire In My Belly.” (Quantity: 2. Value: $10,000, Sale Price: $7,500)

—    Terminus City BBQ Pig Roast: Kevin and crew show up and spend the day cooking a whole pig for you and 99 of your closest friends with all the trimmings, dessert and a cold keg of Chef Kevin’s favorite brew (Quantity: Limited, Restrictions: party must be within a three-hour drive of Atlanta. Value: $7,500, Holiday Gift Price: $6,000)

—    Cooking Class at Home with Kevin: It’s just you two, Chef Kevin and crew, and three other couples learning how to make a four-course meal with Kevin. Then you sit down together and chat while you have dinner, family style. The host gets an apron, a Red Beard Restaurants bag and a photo op for the whole group with the chef and his crew. Each couple gets personalized cookbooks signed by Kevin. (Quantity: 3, Restrictions: Location must be within a two-hour drive of Atlanta. Value: $7,500, Holiday Gift Price: $5,000)

—    Advance Season Tickets for 2016 Hired Guns Dinners: Be the first to grab up a pair of tickets for all six of the special guest chef dinners Chef Kevin is planning to host at Gunshow throughout 2016. Advance tickets include signed menus from each dinner and a photo op with Kevin and the crew; gratuity and alcohol not included. (Quantity: 20 pairs of season tickets, Value: $1000, Holiday Gift Price: $900)

—    Kevin Gillespie Is Your Personal Chef: You decide the theme and the date and Chef Kevin and team will fly anywhere (but you’re responsible for the airfare) and cook for you and 11 guests, complete with beverage pairings, personalized cookbooks for each couple and a group photo op. One is already sold! (Quantity: 2, Value: $15,000, Holiday Gift Price: $9,999)

—    Mixologist Class at Gunshow: Spend the afternoon learning cocktail secrets from award-winning Gunshow mixologist Mercedes O'Brien, complete with 4 drinks from the shaker, nibbles from the kitchen, plus a Gunshow shaker pint, Red Beard Restaurants bag and a set of recipe cards to take home. (Quantity: 90, Value: $120, Holiday Gift Price: $49)

—    Personalized Cookbooks from Kevin: For a limited time, Chef Kevin will personalize a set of his “Pure Pork Awesomeness” and “Fire In My Belly” cookbooks and throw in his “Pure Pork Awesomeness” Lost Chapter plus a copy of “Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey,” Kevin’s favorite book from chef and Hired Guns guest John Currence of Mississippi’s City Grocery.  All this inside a Red Beard Restaurants canvas tote bag. (Value: $120, Holiday Gift Price: $99)

During 12 Days of Beardsmas, Gunshow and Revival fans can also pick up great savings on bundles featuring Red Beard’s Delight Coffee and a set of Gunshow coffee mugs, a buy three, get one free T-shirt bundle of Revival, Gunshow, Pure Pork Awesomeness and Terminus City BBQ Ts, Chef Kevin’s own Gunpowder Finishing Salt, cutting boards, aprons, camo Gunshow koozies and more!

For details, go to redbeardrestaurants.com or redbeardmerch.com.

About Red Beard Restaurants

Red Beard Restaurants is the parent company that oversees Atlanta chef, restaurateur, speaker and cookbook author Kevin Gillespie’s food and beverage ventures, including his restaurants Gunshow and Revival, his BBQ pop-up Terminus City and all of his merchandise. The management company allows Gillespie to set comprehensive standards to ensure smart expansion, offer more internal growth opportunities for his team members and provide consulting services to other food and beverage start-ups. With the 2015 establishment of Red Beard Restaurants, Gillespie is able to continue his day-to-day interactions with diners while also pursuing his creative visions and impacting the culinary landscape of the South. The company’s offices are located in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, call 404-380-1886 or visit redbeardrestaurants.com.

###

Southern Chefs and Mixologists Reveal the Hot Trends for 2016

For more information:

Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

SOUTHERN CHEFS AND MIXOLOGISTS REVEAL THE HOT TRENDS FOR 2016

Predictions include carbon footprint-conscious ingredients, quirky proteins, an oyster explosion and the return of the Tiki bar

ATLANTA (Nov. 16, 2015) - With 2016 upon us, food aficionados are already salivating over what trends are on the horizon for diners in the new year. We asked some of the South’s best chefs and mixologists to peer into their sauté pans and mixing tins to predict the next dining and cocktail trends. Will kale finally be obliterated from all menus? Will microscopic $35 entrees become passé? Read on!

Taste buds will be tantalized with a few new and different ingredients in 2016, predicts Southern Gentleman and Gypsy Kitchen chef Matthew Ridgway. “I’m going to be using more Middle Eastern spices - black garlic, black lime, black cardamom, white cardamom, Aleppo pepper and wolf berries - for spice-forward cooking.”

Moxie Kitchen + Cocktails chef Tom Gray in Jacksonville, Florida, says to expect a few new and interesting proteins and grains to land on plates as well. “Alternative forms of protein such as chicken livers, pig ears and flank steak, along with alternative grains with an emphasis on whole and ancient varieties, will be popping up on menus,” he predicts.

Atlanta’s Ray’s Restaurants consultant Chad Crete thinks kale will need to start sharing the spotlight in 2016 as diners continue healthier eating habits. “Vegetables will become highlights on all menus,” says Crete. “It won't be just sides and that one lonely vegetarian option; they’re going to be everywhere. Customers will continue to put a big emphasis on knowing where their food comes from as well, seeking local produce, sustainable fish and free-range hormone- and antibiotic-free meats.”

Moxie’s Gray also sees a focus on sourcing in the new year.  “More guests are excited to learn where ingredients come from, how they are handled and what the backstory is on dishes,” Gray explains. “More urban farming businesses like GYO Greens will flourish; small companies that are producing great intown products with a very small carbon footprint.”

Doug Turbush of Seed Kitchen & Bar, Stem Wine Bar and Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar sees a deliciously briny future for oyster lovers. “Oysters will explode,” Turbush says. “The renaissance and rituals of oyster eating will thrive with increasing interest in oyster terroir, growing methods and the nuances that produce oyster varieties.”

And Turbush predicts we can forget all that cloying cocktail sauce and horseradish. “My hope is naked oysters goes along with this trend so the distinct flavors from each region can be appreciated,” he says.

One trend Bantam + Biddy and Chick-a-Biddy chef Lance Gummere hopes to see fade from menus is pricy plates of artfully arranged food with microscopic portions. “Hopefully we’ll see more customer outrage regarding the absurdity of $35 plates consisting of two small bites of food and a few dots of pureed vegetable garnished with a micro green,” Gummere says. “If you’re like me, you like to share your food when you go out to dinner. But in order to share it, you’re got to be able to identify it on your plate! We need to start feeding folks again.”

Along those same lines, Ridgway sees our love affair with Southern cooking continuing to deepen in the new year. “Everyone needed homier items to wrap their arms around over the past few years,” he says. “But now I believe we’ll see a move to dishes that rely on Southern pathways and local farmers to achieve more refined dishes using specific heirloom varieties of produce, beans and grains.”

Bellina Alimentari creative director Alice Fabi sees sustainability as a critical priority in 2016. “We’re learning more and more about how to use and preserve what our land has to offer in creative ways that follow an ethical, natural and sustainable philosophy,” says Fabi. “There will be a widespread need to go to the essence of food and find prime ingredients.”

Chef, restaurant owner, speaker and cookbook author Kevin Gillespie of Red Beard Restaurants sees an uptick in consumer demand for faster, healthier options in 2016. “It’s going to be a re-do of fast food with a healthy focus,” he explains. “I’m not talking about salad bars but healthful, lighter cuisine at fast food speed.”

That coincides with what Crete of Ray's Restaurants is seeing. “Fast casual will continue to be a growing segment in our industry,” Crete explains. “Millennials 18-35 will soon become the biggest demographic in our country. They want chef-driven and local ingredients delivered quickly and at a price point that will allow for increased visits.”

There’s good news for cocktail connoisseurs in 2016 as bartenders borrow more flavor profiles from the kitchen, according to Johnny’s Hideaway bartender Shawn McCoy in Atlanta. “More and more, bartenders will be utilizing what’s available in their kitchens - freshly squeezed juices, herbs, spices and ingredients like chipotle and balsamic vinegar - to bring out the flavors of the cocktail.”

McCoy also wants better ice options for mixologists. “Right now there are the standard ice machines and hand-carved ice programs. There needs to be something in the middle for high-volume bars so they can provide quality ice for drinks.”

According to Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails and The Big Ketch Roswell chef Derek Dollar, food sensitivities are now part of the future, and we need to plan accordingly. “The gluten-free craze will continue to increase,” he says.

Finally, all this forward thinking is fine, but Gillespie would like to see one retro bar trend boomerang back around in 2016. “I’d love to see a renaissance of the Tiki craze,” says Gillespie. “We need more bars like Trader Vic’s!”

###

Marlow’s Tavern Brings Warmth to Winter Months with Updated Menu

For more information:

Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

MARLOW’S TAVERN BRINGS WARMTH TO WINTER MONTHS WITH UPDATED MENU

As Temperatures Drop, New Dishes Are on the Rise at Atlanta’s Favorite Tavern

ATLANTA (Nov. 16, 2015) – Known for bringing affordable luxury to its Atlanta-area communities, Marlow’s Tavern is releasing a new winter menu of chef-driven tavern fare beginning Tuesday, Nov. 17 to complement the colder months.

“We are always focused on offering value to our guests, and one of the ways we are creating a unique yet accessible dining experience is by bringing worldly influences to our menu,” said John C. Metz, executive chef and co-founder of Marlow’s Tavern. “Our new winter offerings are globally inspired and give guests the chance to experience a wide range of flavors without leaving their neighborhood.”

New items include the following:

• Fresh burrata with roasted tomato and eggplant caponata served alongside toasty ciabatta and topped with parsley olive oil

• Grilled Golden Legacy Farms wild turkey meatloaf with seared tomato bacon jam, sweet thyme, shaved Brussels sprouts, creamer potatoes, onion confit, Asiago cheese and parsley oil

• Marlow’s Melt with American cheese, caramelized onions and MT special sauce on buttery toasted rye

• Pumpkin seed-crusted pan-seared barramundi served with roast golden quinoa, butternut squash, tiny green beans, sage cider cream and spiced seeds

•  “Cuban-style” slow-roasted pressed pork sandwich with local heritage Berkshire pork loin, chimichurri, red onion, cheddar and chipotle barbecue sauce on a pressed Cuban roll 

In addition to showcasing these heartier options to bring comfort during the colder months, Atlanta’s favorite neighborhood tavern is also redesigning some of its classic dishes with different seasonal accompaniments to inject more robust flavors into lighter selections. As a result, Marlow’s grilled Atlantic salmon will soon be served with seared Burbank potato, sweet corn, tiny asparagus, crispy bacon and scallion succotash, roast tomato beurre blanc and a crispy potato stick. The restaurant’s Tavern salad will highlight the bounty of fall and winter with field greens, roasted Bartlett pear, butternut squash, quinoa, Asiago cheese, and spiced pumpkin and toasted sunflower seeds with sweet herb dressing.

“We have reworked several of our items to add complexity and richness for a truly satisfying meal during the winter months,” says Metz. “These are dishes that have become longtime favorites among our patrons and will always be recognizable, but we also enjoy introducing new flavor profiles.”

Guests looking for a soul-satisfying and sweet finish to their meal will want to try the restaurant’s new Bartlett pear torte combining roasted caramelized pear with spiced cake, Bailey’s anglaise and mint syrup.

For more information on the new winter menu and Marlow’s Tavern, visit marlowstavern.com. 

About Marlow’s Tavern

Marlow’s Tavern was established in November of 2004 with the opening of its first location in Alpharetta, Georgia, and has continued to grow over the years, adding several Atlanta-area restaurants and four locations in Orlando and Tampa, Florida. In 2013, Nation’s Restaurant News named Marlow’s Tavern one of its “NRN 50 Breakout Brands” for the year. The neighborhood restaurant concept is open for lunch and dinner daily, offering guests classic American tavern fare with an upscale twist. For more information and location addresses, visit marlowstavern.com.   

###

  

Atlanta Restaurants Serve Up Stress-Free Thanksgiving Feasts

For more information:

Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

ATLANTA RESTAURANTS SERVE UP STRESS-FREE THANKSGIVING FEASTS
Bountiful Buffets and Tasty Takeout Highlight Turkey Day Offerings

ATLANTA (Nov. 5, 2015) – With Thanksgiving right around the corner, Atlantans with hectic schedules are more thankful than ever for restaurants looking to take the stress out of holiday dining. Whether you’re in the mood for an all-you-can-eat buffet or tasty takeout, some of the city’s best spots have got you covered. All you need is your appetite!

BOUNTIFUL BUFFETS AND FAMILY FEASTS

Kick off the celebration early and give thanks at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland where they’re throwing a Thanksgiving Eve party with New Belgium Brewing Company on Wednesday, November 25. Make your way back on Thanksgiving Day for dinner service beginning at 4 p.m. featuring Big Green Egg smoked turkey and all the fixin’s. Priced at $28 for adults, $18 for young adults and $10 for children 10 and under. Reservations are recommended for dinner. Call 404-876-7249.

10th & Piedmont once again hosts its traditional Thanksgiving Day buffet from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guests are invited to enjoy a carving station with roasted garlic prime rib and slow-baked brown butter turkey breast. A hot station will serve up roasted butternut squash bisque, Creole shrimp and stone-ground yellow grits, traditional turkey cornbread dressing, triple-cheese mac and cheese, candied sweet potatoes and more. Don’t forget to save room for such tempting dessert options as pumpkin pie, Southern pecan pie, chocolate ganache cake and chantilly bread pudding. Price is $34.95 per person. 404-602-5510; 10thp.com.

Ray’s Restaurants is serving delicious buffets featuring Thanksgiving staples and signature Ray’s favorites. Dine at Ray’s on the River from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. for $45.95 per adult and $22.95 per child (ages 5-10). The spread at Ray’s at Killer Creek is also available from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and is priced at $37.95 per adult and $18.95 per child. Ray’s in the City closes an hour earlier, with its buffet running from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., also priced at $37.95 per adult and $18.95 per child. For full menus, visit raysrestaurants.com.

Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar will be featuring a family-style lunch and dinner menu on Thanksgiving Day. For $65 per person, guests can enjoy a traditional turkey dinner or baked Chilean sea bass, along with such selections as roasted butternut squash soup, country-smoked ham, roasted root vegetables, sweet potato roulade and local apple fritters. Lunch service is from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with dinner from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 404-745-5000; saltwoodatlanta.com.

TURKEY TO-GO

Let Bantam + Biddy do all the cooking this year with a to-go Thanksgiving feast that easily feeds 10-12 hungry and grateful guests. This amazing spread features a 12- to 15-pound roasted Amish turkey, classic mashed potatoes, braised collard greens, sage and wild rice stuffing, homemade giblet gravy, a quart of spicy cranberry sauce, cornbread and North Georgia apple pie ready to heat and serve. The cost is $200, and orders must be placed by 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21. Pick-up is from 1-3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at the Crescent Avenue location only. Place your order by calling 404-725-5059 or emailing wecater@bantamandbiddy.com.  bantamandbiddy.com.

Make Wednesday night prep even easier or say, "arrivederci!" to tired turkey leftovers. Please the family with grab-and-go Italian fare from newly opened Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market (PCM). Bellina's Market in the PCM Food Hall has take-home, family-style portions of lasagna and other Italian favorites to heat, eat and satiate your crowd pre- and post-Thanksgiving feast.

Take home a 12- to 14-pound apple-brined and smoked Thanksgiving turkey from Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails with Madeira gravy and sage-corn spoonbread and comfortably feed 6-8 guests for only $75. Sides including mashed potatoes, green beans, spinach and mac and cheese are also available for $30 per quart. All orders must be placed online by Friday, Nov. 20, and may be picked up Nov. 24 and 25. 770-817-0161; miltonscuisine.com.

If you’re feeling traditional and looking to cook a Thanksgiving turkey yourself this year, White Oak Pastures offers high-quality American Standard Bronze birds that are Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane and a Step 5+ (highest possible rating) by the Global Animal Partnership. Raised completely unconfined on White Oak’s farm, they come to the table free of antibiotics, hormones and other additives—and completely delicious. Pricing is $75 for small (8-12 pounds), $100 for medium-sized birds (12.1-16 pounds) and $125 for large (16.1 pounds and heavier). They can be ordered via White Oak Pastures’ online store. All turkeys will be shipped the week before Thanksgiving (Monday, Nov. 16 – Friday, Nov. 20) to ensure timely delivery. 229-641-2081; whiteoakpastures.com.

POST-TURKEY TANGO

Whether you’re looking to unwind after a busy day with family or dance off some of your caloric intake, Johnny’s Hideaway will be open on Thanksgiving Day at 7 p.m. Reservations are accepted until 8:30 p.m. 404-233-8026; johnnyshideaway.com.

###

Marlow’s Tavern and Sterling Spoon’s 17th Annual Golf Classic Puts Special Olympics Georgia in the Winners Circle

For more information:

 Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

Melissa Libby & Associates

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

MARLOW’S TAVERN AND STERLING SPOON’S 17^TH ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC

PUTS SPECIAL OLYMPICS GEORGIA IN THE WINNERS CIRCLE

Longtime Partnership Has Raised Well Over $600,000, Including $100,000 this Year

from Tournament and Restaurant Openings

ATLANTA (Nov. 10, 2015) – Marlow's Tavern, Aqua blue and Sterling Spoon Culinary Management have done it again! The restaurants and hospitality management company hosted their 17th Annual Golf Classic in September to drive up much-needed funds for Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA), as well as hosting two Marlow's Tavern grand opening parties in Woodstock and Roswell that benefited the charity. The combined amount raised from all three events this fall was $100,000, putting the partnership's grand total well over $600,000 since inception.    

"A big part of being a neighborhood restaurant company is connecting with the people and causes in our communities," said John C. Metz, executive chef and co-founder of Marlow’s Tavern, Aqua blue and Sterling Spoon Culinary Management. "Seeing how we have made a difference for the Special Olympics athletes here in Georgia has been very rewarding for our team, and we are grateful to our sponsors and guests who continue supporting this great cause year after year with us." 

Steve Martin is one of those supporters.  The manager of ArtLite signed on as a golfer for the inaugural outing and has been an ardent participant since, most recently as the event chair.  “I always thought Special Olympics was a great cause, but I had no idea just how great until I chaired this golf tournament and met some of the athletes from the Georgia chapter,” he says. “It’s so uplifting to watch their faces filled with joy out there on the course. As long as I can hold a club, I plan to be a part of this amazing golf outing.”

Special Olympics Georgia provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in 25 Olympic-type sports for 26,702 children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendships with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. The goal is to help bring people with intellectual disabilities into the larger society under conditions whereby they are accepted, respected, and given the chance to become useful and productive citizens. For more information, visit SpecialOlympicsGA.org.

For more information about Marlow’s Tavern and the SOGA partnership, visit marlowstavern.com/community.

About Marlow’s Tavern

Marlow’s Tavern was established in November of 2004 with the opening of its first location in Alpharetta, Ga., and has continued to grow over the years, adding several Atlanta-area restaurants and three locations in Orlando, Fla. In 2013, Nation’s Restaurant News named Marlow’s Tavern one of its “NRN 50 Breakout Brands” for the year. The neighborhood restaurant concept is open for lunch and dinner daily, offering guests classic American tavern fare with an upscale twist. For more information and location addresses, visit marlowstavern.com.   

About Sterling Spoon Culinary Management

Sterling Spoon Culinary Management combines talented chefs, dedicated employees and outstanding culinary and financial management to provide corporate café and on-site contract management clients extraordinary food and hospitality with an innovative retail restaurant approach. Founded by culinary-trained chefs, Sterling Spoon focuses on fresh, delicious offerings with a contemporary twist. The company’s goal is two-fold: to exceed clients’ objectives at all times and to offer clients a high-quality, affordable breakfast and lunch experience to their employees and visitors daily at their place of business. For more information, visit sterlingspoon.com.

###

Gypsy Kitchen Adds New Items to Spice Trade-Influenced Menu

EXECUTIVE CHEF MATTHEW RIDGWAY'S IMAGINATION SPARKS NEW MENU ADDITIONS TO SPICE TRADE-INFLUENCED SPANISH CUISINE AT GYPSY KITCHEN
The Shops Buckhead Atlanta Restaurant to Offer Flavorful New Dishes and Culinary Adventures

ATLANTA (Nov. 5, 2015) – Tradition doesn’t have to be static. At least, that’s Matthew Ridgway’s philosophy. The executive chef of Gypsy Kitchen is putting his philosophy into practice with the introduction of new menu items at the Buckhead restaurant known for offering diners a rich taste of Spain’s diverse culinary repertoire.

“When I came on board in late spring, my first priority was to establish a strong team foundation. All the while, we were experimenting with new recipe ideas," says Ridgway. "While the recipes are new, my focus is the same as it has been at every kitchen I've led - to create clean, simple dishes that are interesting without being too far-fetched. Our chickpea pancakes, for example, combine little more than chickpea flour, eggs and oil, but they are delicious.”

Ridgway is eager to see the look on diners’ faces when they bite into his lamb tartare with radish and walnut raita. “I’ve been making some version of lamb tartare for 20 years with different flavor pairings," he notes. "This slightly sweet rendition is simply prepared and has a much smoother flavor than beef tartare. The quality of the lamb and olive oil are critical to making this dish work.”

New items on the Gypsy Kitchen menu include the following:

Pinchos Calientes y Frios…..Hot and Cold Snacks

·         Marinated octopus salad

·         Littleneck clams pipérade

·         Foie gras escabèche

·         Uni-stuffed eggs with colatura

Tapas.…..the Gypsy Kitchen Way

·         Hot mussels with red lentils, chorizo, torn basil and coconut milk

·         Roasted cauliflower and quinoa salad

·         Pennsylvania duck al pastor with crushed white beans and tamarind ketjap manis

·         Tuna tartare stuffed piquillo peppers

Raciónes….Entrées

·         Georges Bank cod with green onion pil-pil, glazed eggplant and black garlic migas

·         Braised Berkwood Farms pork jowl with romesco and roasted heirloom apples

·         Grilled yellowfin tuna fideo with toasted vermicelli short noodles and lemon confit

In addition to the new menu items, Ridgway will be featuring a few out-of-the-ordinary culinary adventures to be known as the "Gypsy Kitchen Experiences."  The three-course meals, which must be ordered one week in advance, are served family-style for six to eight diners and will be available early 2016.  Guests will choose from lobster and seafood paella, whole suckling pig or a Moroccan lamb shoulder tagine as their entrée, and the other two courses will consist of seasonal appetizers and salads.

"One of the things I love about the South is the diversity of produce grown here and the longer growing season," Ridgway enthuses. "With pumpkin season upon us, I know we’ll be serving a Spanish-style roasted pumpkin salad. As soon as I hear Gold Rush apples are available, which have a rich, musty flavor unlike any other variety, you can bet they’ll be making their menu debut.”

To learn more about Gypsy Kitchen, visit the restaurant’s website, Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram. Gypsy Kitchen is open for dinner daily and is located at 3035 Peachtree Road NE in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta development. Reservations can be made online or by calling 404-939-9840. Valet parking is available.

About Southern Proper Hospitality

Southern Proper Hospitality is an entrepreneurial organization that values innovation, creativity and attention to detail. The mission of the team of industry leading professionals is to help shape the cultural fabric of Atlanta. Southern Proper provides a “short term escape” for diners by creating unique and distinct dining experiences that appeal to customers’ sense of adventure. Each restaurant offers a high energy, fun and entertaining atmosphere coupled with genuinely hospitable service and exceptional, high quality food.

###

Atlanta Restaurants Give Thanks to Veterans and Active Military this Veterans Day

For more information:

Emily Connolly or Morgan Dyches

404-816-3068

emilyc@melissalibbypr.com

morgan@melissalibbypr.com

ATLANTA RESTAURANTS GIVE THANKS TO VETERANS 

AND ACTIVE MILITARY THIS VETERANS DAY

Veterans Day is November 11 and Atlanta restaurants are dishing out specials and promos to honor and thank those who have served or are currently serving our country.

Der Biergarten is offering 50% off the tab on November 7 and November 11 to all active and retired military with presentation of military ID.

Veterans and their guest will receive 20% off the check at HOBNOB during lunch or dinner on November 11.

Dance the night away at Johnny’s Hideaway, where active and retired military will receive $11 off their bar tab. No minimum spend required. Cheers!

Ray’s Restaurants is offering a 20% discount for all veterans and active duty military, plus one guest.

Head to Decatur where Revival will offer 25% off the bill for all current and former service members.

Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar will be offering 25% off for active military and veterans plus one guest on Veterans Day. Must show military ID or proof of service to redeem.

Active and retired military can snag a complimentary appetizer at Smokebelly BBQ and The Big Ketch. Valid with purchase of an entrée and presentation of military ID.

Grab some FlexMex food at Tin Lizzy’s Cantina, where all veterans will receive 50% off their food on Veterans Day.

White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, GA is offering a 15% discount for purchases made by veterans and active military.

Veterans and active military can get 50% off their meal with their family at Willy’s Mexicana Grill. Must show military ID to redeem. You can find a flyer here.