Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Kevin Gillespie’s Revival Kicks Off 2017 with Brunch Debut

For more information:
Morgan Lanier or Emily Connolly
Melissa Libby & Associates
404-816-3068

KEVIN GILLESPIE’S REVIVAL KICKS OFF 2017 WITH BRUNCH DEBUT
Based on tasty feedback from Decatur diners, downhome Sunday menu features favorites
from executive chef Andreas Müller

ATLANTA (Dec. 28, 2016) – Revival chef/owner Kevin Gillespie and executive chef Andreas Müller have a delicious new beginning in store for diners in 2017. Starting Jan. 8, Sunday brunch will be added to the popular Decatur dining destination’s menu.

“As a kid, I always looked forward to family breakfasts on the weekend,” says Gillespie. “It was a chance to slow down, make family favorites that we were too busy to cook on weekdays and enjoy each other’s company. We want to replicate that experience for our Sunday guests.”

Revival’s brunch menu is still in the testing phase but cherished Gillespie family recipes and favorites from Müller like the Closed-on-Sunday chicken sandwich and griddled meatloaf sandwich with aged cheddar on a caramelized onion roll have landed a spot the menu. Other Southern classics you might find include scrambled egg and crêpe casserole with truffle mornay; smoked ham and onion breakfast strata; breakfast plate with two eggs, grits, sausage, bacon and biscuits; and catfish bites over grits with gravy.  

Over the past year, Müller has been “road-testing” recipes with brunch guests up the street at Eddie’s Attic. “As we’re developing our menu, Eddie’s Attic essentially served as a test kitchen for us where we were able to enjoy a dialogue with diners and roll out various dishes,” says Müller. “The feedback allows us to hit the ground with an entire brunch menu of home runs.”

Starting Jan. 8, Revival brunch is available on Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The restaurant also serves dinner Wednesday through Sunday beginning at 5 p.m. Revival is located at 129 Church Street in Decatur. Reservations are accepted but not required and can be made online or by calling 470-225-6770. Additional information can be found at revivaldecatur.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, Revival, Communion, his BBQ pop-up Terminus City,  Gamechanger, opening in 2017 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, 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, visit redbeardrestaurants.com.

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Friday, December 16, 2016

Start the New Year Off Right at Atlanta’s Top Restaurants

For more information:
Emily Connolly or Morgan Lanier
Melissa Libby & Associates
404-816-3068
emilyc@melissalibbypr.com
morgan@melissalibbypr.com


START THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT AT ATLANTA’S TOP RESTAURANTS
Tasty Ways to Ring in 2017 Throughout the City

ATLANTA (Dec. 16, 2016) – In the mad rush to put up decorations and finish holiday shopping, it’s all too easy to wake up on Dec. 31 without any plans for one of the biggest nights of the year. Well, don’t worry – the following Atlanta restaurants and nightspots are offering up New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day specials and events worth celebrating, with some of the best food and drinks in the city. Spaces are limited, so be sure to make your reservations now!

INTOWN/MIDTOWN/VIRGINIA-HIGHLAND

5Church Atlanta has a three-course dinner on New Year’s Eve with a half bottle of Champagne for two or a full bottle for four. Seatings are from 5 to 5:45 p.m. ($75), 6 to 6:45 p.m. ($80) and 7 to 7:45 p.m. ($90). Reservations after 8 p.m. include post-dinner dancing and cost $120, with a $50 upgrade after dinner for an open bar. A festive party featuring open bar and buffet, a DJ on two floors, a live countdown to the ball drop and a Champagne midnight toast starts at 10 p.m. General admission is $80. Tickets to the party can be purchased here. 404-400-3669; 5churchatlanta.com. Beat the impending hangover with brunch on New Year’s Day. 5Church opens at 9 a.m. and will be serving their regular brunch menu.

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar is hosting a New Year’s Eve party with an à la carte dinner menu featuring such items as shredded confit duck leg, crispy rock shrimp spring rolls, pan-roasted halibut and smoked prime rib, as well as Jägermeister drink specials and live music by DJ Lion beginning at 10 p.m. On New Year’s Day, enjoy the full brunch menu along with a special dish of roasted pork loin, hoppin’ John rice, braised greens and cornbread ($14). 404-876-7249; atkinspark.com.
The Federal, the new neighborhood restaurant from Shaun Doty and Lance Gummere, is open for business as usual on both days, offering food specials on Dec. 31 and its signature weekend brunch on Jan. 1, with such Southern staples as chicken and waffles and brisket skillet hash. 404-343-3857; thefederalatl.com.

Gunshow is open for extended hours on New Year’s Eve, seating every half-hour beginning at 5:30 p.m. through 10 p.m. The restaurant is offering its singular dining experience, with chefs rotating selections tableside, and guests can also enjoy premium wines and cocktails. 404-380-1886; gunshowatl.com.

Searching for the perfect low-key New Year’s Eve experience? Neighborhood pub Hand in Hand will be featuring its regular food and drink menus with no cover and is also open on New Year’s Day with Sunday specials. 404-872-1001; thehandinhand.com.

Ring in New Year’s with a never-ending pizza party at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern. The ever-popular Midtown hangout is open normal hours on New Year’s Eve, offering its regular menu until 10 p.m., when guests can enjoy all-you-can-eat pizza and endless beer and Champagne, plus live music, a balloon drop, Champagne toast and party favors. Tickets are $49 per person in advance and $55 at the door. HOBNOB is also open regular hours on Jan. 1.  404-968-2288; hobnobatlanta.com.

BUCKHEAD

American Cut is serving its menu of signature steakhouse favorites like filet mignon, New York strip, porterhouse and the Tomahawk Chop on Dec. 31 from 5:30 to 10 p.m. with $15 glasses of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut available throughout the evening. Guests dining 8:30 p.m. and later receive entry to the restaurant’s separate rooftop bar, The Regent Cocktail Club, which is open to the public from 5 to 9 p.m. serving top-flight cocktails in an elegant setting, then hosting only American Cut patrons and celebrating midnight. Space is limited! 770-415 9766; americancutsteakhouse.com.

Celebrate the arrival of 2017 in the newly redesigned dining room of Aria. Enjoy a four-course meal creatively prepared by chef Gerry Klaskala and pastry chef Kathryn King on Dec. 31 from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. $95 per person. Find the perfect wine pairings for your meal with the help of general manager and wine director Andrés Loaiza. Reservations by phone only. 404-233-7673; aria-atl.com.

Dolce Italian welcomes guests with $15 glasses of Perrier-Jouet and two New Year’s Eve seatings. The first is from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring Dolce’s à la carte menu, while the second adds a four-course prix fixe menu option ($125 per person) with a prosecco toast at midnight. There will also be a DJ from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. 678-686-2267; dolceitalianrestaurant.com.

Gypsy Kitchen and The Southern Gentleman are offering à la carte menus with lavish chef specials perfect for ringing in the new year. Both will feature music (a DJ at Gypsy Kitchen and band at The Southern Gentleman), as well as party favors, a balloon drop and a complimentary Champagne toast at midnight. The Southern Gentleman is also open for brunch on New Year’s Day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with $5 mimosas and live music. Gypsy Kitchen: 404-939-9840; gk-atl.com. The Southern Gentleman: 404-939-9845; thesoutherngentlemanatl.com

There’s nothing quite like counting down to 2017 at Johnny’s Hideaway. $40 per person includes your reserved seat for the evening and party favors at midnight. Reserve by phone. 404-233-8026; johnnyshideaway.com.

New Year’s Eve at Storico Fresco Alimentari e Ristorante brings a five-course meal of Old World Italian favorites for $80 per person, plus tax, gratuity and alcohol. There’s also a children’s menu available for $30 per child. Reservations by phone or OpenTable . 404-500-2181; storicofresco.com.

MARIETTA

Chicken and the Egg is serving a New Year’s menu with options including hangar steak, a filet with fried Maine lobster tail or snow crab legs, grouper, shrimp and grits and the restaurant’s famous buttermilk fried chicken. The menu is available 5 to 10 p.m. Dec. 30 and 31. The restaurant is also open for brunch on Jan. 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 678-388-8813; chickandtheegg.com.

Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar has a New Year’s Eve $75 prix fixe menu with such offerings as Atlantic grouper, jumbo lump crabcakes, butter-poached Maine lobster and wood-grilled Bay of Fundy salmon, with wine pairings available for an additional $25. 770-635-7641; driftoysterbar.com.

Located next to each other in Marietta’s Merchant’s Walk retail center, Seed Kitchen & Bar and Stem Wine Bar are featuring a $75 four-course prix fixe menu on Dec. 31 with such selections as sweet potato ravioli, Boston blue cod, Maple Leaf Farms duck breast and grilled center-cut filet mignon. Wine pairings are available for an additional $25. 678-214-6888; eatatseed.com; stemwinebar.com.

DECATUR

Kevin Gillespie’s Revival has both family-style and a la carte menus of such traditional Southern favorites as black-eyed peas, cornbread, pork, roasted prime beef and fried chicken. Dinner reservations for New Year’s Eve are available from 5 to 10 p.m. Alongside the restaurant’s regular cocktail, wine and beer lists, guests can also enjoy Prosecco for celebratory toasts. 470-225-6770; revivaldecatur.com.

OTP/MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails is serving a $65 prix fixe menu on Dec. 31 to ring in the new year. 770-817-0161; miltonscuisine.com.

Don your best duds and dresses for a New Year’s Eve Great Gatsby Gala at Ray’s on the River. Held in the Grand Pavilion, this one-of-a-kind event features an open bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, live music from Jennifer Hanson’s 5-piece live band, a Champagne toast and a midnight balloon drop. The party runs from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Price is $130 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required. 770-955-1187; raysrestaurants.com/raysontheriver.

Ray’s on the River, Ray's at Killer Creek and Ray's in the City are each serving a $70 three-course prix fixe menu on New Year’s Eve. Selections are subject to change but are expected to include such offerings as artisan field greens, a broiled seafood platter, filet mignon, pan-seared Chilean sea bass and rib-eye. Ray’s in the City is also offering its full dinner menu in addition to the prix fixe menu;
Ray’s on the River and Ray’s at Killer Creek are serving limited dinner menus. On New Year’s Day, all three restaurants have a brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($39.95 at Ray’s in the City and Ray’s at Killer Creek; $45.95 at Ray’s on the River) and an à la carte dinner menu from 5 to 9 p.m. raysrestaurants.com.



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Friday, December 9, 2016

Gunshow’s “Hired Guns” Returns Jan. 29 with All-New Lineup of Superstar Chefs


For more information:
 Emily Connolly or Morgan Lanier
Melissa Libby & Associates
404-816-3068


GUNSHOW’S “HIRED GUNS” RETURNS JAN. 29 WITH ALL-NEW LINEUP OF SUPERSTAR CHEFS  
Six Can’t-Miss Sunday Dinners Scheduled for 2017; Gift Them All for Beardsmas at RedBeardMerch.com

ATLANTA (Dec. 9, 2016) – It’s every Atlanta foodie’s dream – the chance to enjoy signature dishes from renowned chefs and restaurants from all over the country without even leaving the city. Back by popular demand for a fourth year, the “Hired Guns” series at Gunshow is planning to outdo itself in 2017 with a lineup of acclaimed chefs who are taking their city’s culinary scene by storm for six Sunday dinners. Season tickets make the perfect gift and are the only way to guarantee a seat at the table as the series is expected to sell out quickly. They are available now for the entire series for $1,000 per couple at RedBeardMerch. The package includes souvenir tickets, signed menus and a photo opportunity. Drinks and gratuity are additional.

Chefs Kevin Gillespie and Joey Ward of Gunshow have gone international for the series debut on Sunday, Jan. 29, inviting Hakim Rahal and Pablo Rojas of Provisions in Montreal. Rahal and Rojas have garnered attention from critics and diners alike for their five-course family-style menu created around the ingredients of the day from local purveyors. If tickets are still available after season passes are purchased, they will be $95 per person and go on sale Dec. 29, 2016 via Xorbia.

“Joey and I feel like kids in a candy store when we get to host creative chefs like Hakim and Pablo in our kitchen and cook alongside them,” says Gillespie. “Each one has a distinctive background and history with food that has shaped who they are today and how they choose to prepare and serve their dishes. These dinners make for an awesome telling of their story.” 

Future dates and chefs for the “Hired Guns” series are as follows. If tickets are available, they will go on sale one month prior to the dinner.


“We keep the seating limited to 100 guests for these dinners so it can be an intimate experience, like a really great dinner party where the host has time to mingle with all of the guests and everyone feels the energy of the evening,” says Ward. “Our guest chefs always blow us away with their signature dishes, and it’s a lot of fun for me, Kevin and the Gunshow team to pair them with some of our favorites as well.” 


“Hired Guns” began in 2013 as a way to lure some of the country’s most talked about chefs to Gunshow for a showcase of their flavors and personalities alongside the restaurant’s featured items. Past chefs have included Top Chef alums Bryan Voltaggio and Brooke Williamson as well as James Beard award-winning chefs Chris Shepherd of Underbelly in Houston, Tandy Wilson of City House in Nashville and Vivian Howard of “A Chef’s Life.”

Gunshow is located at 924 Garrett Street. The restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. Reservations are encouraged but not required. Guests may park in the Glenwood Park parking lot and on the street. For more information, visit gunshowatl.com or call 404-380-1886.

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, Revival, Communion, his BBQ pop-up Terminus City,  Gamechanger, opening in 2017 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, 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, visit redbeardrestaurants.com


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Thursday, December 8, 2016

Atlanta Chefs and Mixologists Predict 2017’s Top Culinary and Cocktail Trends

For more information:
Emily Connolly or Morgan Lanier
Melissa Libby & Associates
404-816-3068


Atlanta Chefs and Mixologists Predict 2017’s TOP CULINARY
AND COCKTAIL TRENDS
More Veggies, Less Meat, Smartphone Ordering and Tastier Takeout on the Menu
in the Coming Year

ATLANTA (Dec. 8, 2016) - As 2016 draws to a close, it’s time once again to break out the culinary crystal ball and ask some of the Atlanta area’s best chefs, mixologists and restaurateurs what big trends are in store for 2017. Get ready for more locally sourced vegetables, more (and better) meal delivery options and cocktails on tap. Oh, and did we mention lasagna cupcakes? Read on!

Red Beard Restaurants chef/owner Kevin Gillespie sees chefs zeroing in on the thing they do exceptionally well. “We’ll continue to see more specialization with restaurants that serve one thing or have a very limited menu. I also believe the time of the big restaurant will draw to a close, and we will see restaurants scale down in size,” he says.

Executive chef Matthew Ridgway of Gypsy Kitchen agrees, predicting smaller restaurants “focused on a simpler ‘bistronomy’ style of cooking that puts the emphasis on the food and flavor.”
Like many in the industry, Doug Turbush (Seed Kitchen & Bar, Stem Wine Bar, Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar) is keeping an eye on skyrocketing meat prices and sees chefs turning to alternative cuts, along with “the creative use of vegetables.”
Southern Fried Hospitality’s Marc Taft is also looking at alternatives to protein, “maybe mixing mushrooms with beef for burgers” and also predicts “vegetables will take center stage.”

Dolce Italian chef Paolo Dorigato sees a sprouting love affair with fresh vegetables and less reliance on meat as a fresh opportunity for creativity. “It will be a priority for the chef to create something good and accessible at reasonable prices. Menus will have more seasonal vegetables and fewer proteins,” he predicts.

Naturally, with a renewed emphasis on locally sourced vegetables, the bond between farmers, chefs and diners will grow even closer. According to Ormsby’s chef Nick Anderson, “Farmers markets are going to blow up, becoming more popular than they already are. More farmers are going to be coming to the markets to supply demand.”

Bellina Alimentari creative director Alice Fabi agrees. “The relationship between the chef and the farmer is becoming crucial, giving both parties the possibility to work more creatively and efficiently together. Chefs are becoming storytellers, going to the source of ingredients and interpreting what is in season directly from farm to table.” 

Revival chef Andreas Müller even sees restaurants sourcing products from their own farms. “This is happening right now on a small scale. I also see a bigger partnership between restaurants and farmers. For example, a smaller local farm growing greens and vegetables for one restaurant only,” he says.

With takeout windows and home delivery becoming more of a weeknight option for time-starved hungry diners, Gypsy Kitchen’s Ridgway predicts more chefs will turn their attention to this growing consumer need “but using really good ingredients alongside an increasing mix of ethnic ingredients.” 

As food delivery grows, Southern Fried Hospitality’s Taft says chefs “need to create food that travels well and be able to capture the art of presentation in the foods that are delivered.”

Jamie Lynch of 5Church thinks chef-inspired meal kits are going to take off. “People can put together some of their favorite chef’s dishes at home. There are a couple of kits I’d like to grab for myself, just to see how they do it!”

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern director of operations Mark Nelson foresees growth in walk up ordering and delivery as well as a return to more casual restaurant environments and a more technologically wired customer. He says, “Smartphone technology will allow guests to order another drink or place their own food order.”
Johnny’s Hideaway owner Chris Dauria also predicts an uptick in mobile device ordering “but not at the Hideaway!”
Ormsby’s Anderson sees some ethnic role reversals on the menu for 2017. “Asian restaurants are going to start doing American takeovers, like Korean barbecue doing Southern barbecue ribs. With all these American restaurants serving pop-up ramen, I just see a resurgence.” 
American Cut executive chef John Adamson is excited about “an emergence of ultra-regionalized ethnic food.”
On the cocktail front, Marlow’s Tavern’s Rick Blumberg sees more wine and cocktails on tap in our imbibing futures, plus cocktails enhanced with fortified wine. “I think we will continue to see more sherry, Madeira and port cocktails,” he adds.
Ben Yabrow of Himitsu says guests are moving toward more refreshing drinks rather than the boozy and stirred variety. He says, “I've also noticed more people putting their faith in the bartender's judgment. It's exciting.” 
Sublime Doughnuts founder Kamal Grant predicts our palates will get spicier, and our hunger for savory/sweet combinations will grow in 2017. “Spicy foods will continue to trend, thanks to the popularity of Sriracha. Americans’ tolerance for heat has increased, and they want more. The sweet and savory combo is another trend I see continuing. Things that are traditionally sweet but made in a savory style or vice versa. For example, a doughnut filled with salad, vegetables or meats or lasagna cupcakes.”
As you attempt to digest the idea of a lasagna cupcake, here’s a parting wish from Ormsbys' Anderson: “I believe 2017 is going to be so much better than 2016. I mean, just get lost already, 2016!”


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Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Ho, Ho, Holiday Happenings at These Atlanta Restaurants

For more information:
Emily Connolly or Morgan Lanier
Melissa Libby & Associates
404-816-3068


HO, HO, HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS AT THESE ATLANTA RESTAURANTS
Food and Drink Specials Abound for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Holiday cheer has spread through the Atlanta air, giving residents a reason to celebrate. Skip the stress of planning your holiday meal this year. Here are some of Atlanta’s best restaurants and nightspots that will be open Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and have you covered with holly jolly specials, events and takeout options:

Enjoy an elegant Christmas Eve dinner at Aria in Buckhead before heading out to a candlelight service or to view Christmas lights. Gerry Klaskala’s acclaimed restaurant opens at 5 p.m. Dec. 24.

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland stays open late Christmas Eve night for those waiting up for Santa (or frustrated by DIY assembly directions). Coals glowing in the Big Green Egg will rival the lights on your big green tree when the neighborhood gathering spot opens at 4 p.m. on Christmas Day. The special prix fix dinner menu stars BGE smoked turkey breast with caramelized apple and sage stuffing and cider gravy; bourbon glazed ham and roasted root vegetables; a crispy onion and roasted mushroom-decked green bean casserole; roasted garlic mashed potatoes; cranberry Grand Marnier compote; sweet potato biscuits; and sugarplum choices of peppermint cheesecake or Southern pecan pie for dessert. Reservations recommended, call 404-876-7249. Priced at $28 for adults, $18 for young adults and $10 for the under 10 set.

Down the street in Poncey-Highland, Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads will be open Christmas Eve and serving from its regular menu of artisan pizzas, healthy salads and global American fare from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

5Church Atlanta in Midtown will be open Christmas Eve and serving from their regular menu. Closing time will be determined by the amount of merriment filling its dining room and bar.

Your Christmas cheer headquarters is Ormsby’s. The Westside restaurant will be open on Christmas Eve and serving as usual, although closing time is flexible. Ormsby’s will be closed on Christmas Day. 

Opt for brunch in Midtown before you finish your last minute holiday shopping. The Federal will be open for brunch only on Christmas Eve from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

After a Christmas Eve stroll in Piedmont Park or taking in Garden Lights Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, stop by HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern in Midtown and warm up with favorite dishes and drinks from the regular menu. Park the sleigh at HOBNOB on Christmas Day to celebrate the holiday from 3-9 p.m.

Order your Christmas meal to-go! Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails has Applewood-smoked turkeys with Madeira gravy and spiral hams with bourbon-orange glaze available for purchase for $85 each plus tax. Both options comes with one side and feeds 6-8 people. Additional sides are available upon request for $18 a quart. Order by Dec. 19 and pick up Dec. 23 and Dec. 24. Place your order here or call 770-817-0161. Visit Milton’s on Christmas Eve for holiday specials in addition to their regular menu.

Marc Taft’s Chicken and the Egg is clucking up a special Christmas Eve menu available Dec. 23 from 5-10 p.m. and Christmas Eve from 5-9 p.m. Before supper, grab pork croquettes or creamy mushroom bisque before you dive into salt and herb-crusted prime rib (while it lasts!) or C+E famous buttermilk fried chicken. Pro tip: bring Santa your leftover spiced apple cake and you’re sure to be on his good list!

Relax after all of that last minute holiday shopping and enjoy Christmas Eve dinner with friends and family at Gypsy Kitchen at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. Gypsy Kitchen will serve dinner from 5-9 pm and the bar will remain open until 10 pm. The menu features executive chef Matthew Ridgway’s signature Spanish cuisine that includes a variety of shareable snacks (pinchos), small plates (tapas), entrées (raciónes) and larger sharing plates (platos largos) for communal-style meals. Make reservations online or by calling (404) 939-9840. 

Across the Chattahoochee River in East Cobb, sister restaurants Seed Kitchen & Bar and Stem Wine Bar on Johnson Ferry Road and Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar at The Avenue Marietta will all be open as usual and offering their regular menus on Christmas Eve. 

During Christmas Week Dec. 18-24, enjoy a special three-course holiday dinner at Aqua blue.  The $39 per person prix fixe menu includes seafood gumbo or house salad; grilled ahi tuna with scallops and shrimp or grilled New York strip with coconut shrimp; and warm chocolate cake or New York-style chocolate cheesecake. Call 770-643-8886 for reservations.

Secreto Southern Kitchen & Bar in Alpharetta will be open and featuring a prix fix menu on Dec. 24. The staff is taking Christmas Day off and hopes you’ll be enjoying the day with friends and family as well.

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Dynamic Development for Downtown Roswell Begins in 2017 with Groundbreaking for Canton Place

For more information:
 Emily Connolly or Morgan Lanier
Melissa Libby & Associates
404-816-3068


DYNAMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR DOWNTOWN ROSWELL BEGINS IN 2017
WITH GROUNDBREAKING FOR CANTON PLACE
Boutique Hotel, Restaurant, Spa, Garden and Underground Parking
in the Heart of Historic Downtown Roswell

ROSWELL, GA. (Dec. 7, 2016) - After nearly four years in development, Roswell Inc., the Roswell Downtown Development Authority, Canton Place Development and Wells Fargo, in partnership with legendary Atlanta developer and Canton Place chairman Claude A. Petty, Jr. are pleased to announce a 2017 groundbreaking for an exciting new chapter for Historic Downtown Roswell, called Canton Place.

Designed as an enhancement to the thriving Downtown, plans for the site include a 110 to 120- room boutique hotel, 8,000 square foot special event space, chef-driven restaurant with rooftop dining, a luxury spa, an expansive park-like garden and an underground parking facility. Hotel Equities, an Atlanta-based company revered for its excellence in hospitality, will oversee the hotel’s operations.

“This represents a major game changer for Downtown Roswell,” says Roswell Inc. executive director Steve Stroud. “I’m most proud that this entire project was initiated by the passion of Roswell residents – people who live and work here who want to create a catalyst for continuing positive change for our next generation.”
                      
“As a Roswell native, it is exciting to come up with a long-term solution to serve the needs of our vibrant Downtown,” says Canton Place Development’s Kevin Bryant. “We’re proud of our community, and we want the folks who are here for a wedding or on business to have a world-class reason to stay overnight and explore everything Downtown Roswell has to offer.”

Canton Place will be built at 37 Magnolia Street where Wells Fargo is currently located. The innovative plans will not interrupt business for local Wells Fargo customers. The new Wells Fargo facility will be constructed in phase one of the plan. “We’re always looking for ways to grow and better serve our community,” says Wells Fargo’s Scott Asher. “Canton Place is a great example of what a community can accomplish when we work together.”

 “This is a vibrant, viable and sustainable blueprint for the next 40 years,” says Roswell Downtown Development Authority’s Monica Hagewood. It’s great to work with a local team that is as committed as we are to our continued growth and success. It’s an exciting time to live in Roswell.”

With its new dedicated underground parking area, a long-term solution to Historic Downtown Roswell’s parking challenges was hardwired into Canton Place’s development DNA from the first blueprint.

Canton Place chairman Claude Petty’s iconic career has included development of Piedmont Center, Atlanta Merchandise Mart, and later serving as a partner at PC Associates. “I’ve spent most of my career in community enhancement,” says Petty. “Canton Place was designed to serve as a new Downtown destination – a beautiful, comfortable, walkable place for us, the people of Roswell, and our guests to be.”

In the coming weeks, the team will make major announcements regarding architects, retail partners, boutique hotel brand, details about the chef-driven restaurant with rooftop dining, garden inspired by the vision for the Roswell City Green, and the free-standing adjacent spa that will pamper brides-to-be and local residents alike.

About Roswell Inc.
Roswell Inc. promotes economic development and a strong business community through a public-private partnership with the City of Roswell, Georgia. To learn more about Roswell Inc, visit www.RoswellInc.org.

About the Roswell Downtown Development Authority
Since its founding in 2012, the Roswell Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has served as a catalyst to facilitate innovative and sustainable growth of Roswell’s core economic district. www.roswelldda.com

About Canton Place Development, LLC
Canton Place Development is comprised of individuals who came together to erect an exciting community based development in the heart of Historic Roswell, GA.  The founders, Claude Petty, Kevin Bryant, and Abby Port are dedicated to enhancing the City of Roswell and giving its citizens some much needed amenities including a boutique hotel, community garden, and parking solutions. Mr. Petty is the Chairman of the company and has resided in Roswell for over 12 years. Mr. Bryant, the CEO, is also a long time resident who has lived in Roswell for 52 years. Together their passion for Roswell has ignited their imaginations and set this project in motion.  For more information visit www.CantonPlaceDevelopment.com

About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,600 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 269,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 27 on Fortune’s 2016 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

Wells Fargo serves approximately three million small business owners across the United States and loans more money to America’s small businesses than any other bank (2002-2015 CRA government data). To help more small businesses achieve financial success, in 2014 Wells Fargo introduced Wells Fargo Works for Small Business® – a broad initiative to deliver resources, guidance and services for business owners.

About Hotel Equities
Hotel Equities (HE) is an Atlanta-based full-scale hotel ownership, management and development firm operating more than 100 hotels throughout North America.  Frederick W. Cerrone, CHA, serves as Chairman and CEO; Brad Rahinsky serves as President and COO.   For more information, visit www.hotelequities.com


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