The dishes offered at newly opened Auburn Angel. | Auburn Angel Casa Balam, Auburn Angel, and vegan pizzeria Pizza Verdura Sincera are among the newest Atlanta spots Spring is a busy opening season in Atlanta. Here’s the latest on what’s new. Week of May 1 Rreal Tacos opens seventh location in Buckhead Crowd favorite Rreal Tacos opened another location in Buckhead on May 1, just in time for Cinco de Mayo. They will occupy the former Farm Burger in Tower Place. This will be the restaurant’s seventh location, and are already found in Midtown, West Midtown, Chamblee, Sandy Springs, Cumming a ..read more

The annual Kentucky Derby party at the Southern Gentleman in Buckhead. | The Southern Gentleman Here’s where to wear feathered hats and sip on mint juleps The 150th annual Kentucky Derby is this Saturday, May 4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The official race begins at 6:57 p.m. ET, with coverage and events happening throughout the day. Twenty horses are expected to race this year, with American horses Fierceness and Sierra Leone as crowd favorites. So giddy up, because there are several watch parties and Derby-themed food and cocktails around Atlanta. The Southern Gentleman to ho ..read more

Aziza and Falafel Nation at Westside Provisions District have closed. | Ryan Fleisher Aziza, Pijiu Belly, and Kaleidoscope Bistro and Pub bid farewell It is always difficult to say goodbye to a favorite restaurant, especially one that’s been around for a while. Here’s the latest round of restaurant closures around the city. Kaleidoscope Bistro & Pub Pours Last Round of Drinks April 29 Chef Joey Riley’s Brookhaven bistro and bar, Kaleidoscope, opened 14 years ago in 2010. On April 29, the bar will serve the last of its patrons. KPub, as it was known, has served many a beers on tap with pime ..read more

Atlanta native chef Keith Hyche goes from DJ security to culinary dream The crowd was a blur under the lights, and the clapping and cheering sounded as though it were underwater. His team was holding the plaque. This was it. He had made it. Keith Pattrick Hyche, sous chef at Atlanta’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Atlas, says he vividly remembers being on stage when the restaurant won its first star last year. Getting to this point was no cakewalk, especially for a Black chef in fine dining, Hyche says. His career took years to build, one that started with an ad for a dishwasher job on Craigsl ..read more

Ray’s on the River founder Ray Schoenbaum is retiring after 40 years. | Ray’s on the River The mainstay Atlanta restaurants will be sold to Kennesaw-based TEI Hospitality. One of Atlanta’s iconic restaurants and mainstays, Ray’s on the River, won’t have its founder at the helm anymore. Ray Schoenbaum, founder and owner of Ray’s Restaurants, which includes Ray’s at Killer Creek and Ray’s in the City, is retiring after a 40-year restaurant legacy. The three locations will operate under a new owner, Kennesaw-based TEI Hospitality, beginning in June. The restaurants are not expected to close in th ..read more

Tinned fish spread at Boho115 in Decatur. | Henna Bakshi The best anchovies, sardines, and more around town Tinned fish is not a trend, it’s a way of life. The small cans of seafood parcels are not only delicious, but packed with protein and nutrients. A single tin of tuna can include about 20 grams of protein, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Across restaurants and markets in Atlanta, you’ll find sardines, mackerel, pulpo, and salmon canned with olive oil, tomatoes, or even black squid ink — this one is particular is always a crowd favorite. Here are some of the best places to ..read more

Pickleball courts at the newly opened Painted Pickle. | Heidi Harris The venue hopes to become a new take on a country club Ready to play with your food? Dining and gaming combo restaurants are a growing trend in Atlanta — think Your 3rd Spot, Puttshack, Revery: VR Bar — and now there’s a new player joining the fray. The Painted Pickle, a pickleball restaurant and bar, is now open at Armour Yards. It comes from the same group behind bowling venues the Painted Pin in Buckhead and the Painted Duck in West Midtown. Justin Amick, CEO and President of Painted Hospitality, says this venue is a new t ..read more

Spiller Park Coffee’s Hotel Row location interior | Spiller Park Coffee Spiller Park Coffee’s home run location maintains Hotel Row’s integrity “If I could pick a word to describe what this location feels like to me, it’s just very sweet,” says Dale Donchey, founder of Spiller Park Coffee. It’s opening day at Spiller Park Coffee’s new Mitchell Street outpost, and Donchey radiates earnestness. “It’s like the old days, I’m running drinks,” he says excitedly, a mug in his hand. And it’s a beautiful day for the occasion — the weather is mild and partially sunny, hours away from the eclipse. Inside ..read more

Selection of entrees available from Riki’s Kitchen | Ruki’s Kitchen Expect the stall in late 2024 Ali Lemma’s Ethiopian pop-up Ruki’s Kitchen will get a permanent home at Switchman Hall, the Peoplestown food hall opening in the Terminal South mixed-use development in late 2024, according to a press release. Ruki’s Kitchen will offer four entree plate combinations, with steak, chicken, salmon tibs, and vegetable options. Lemma left the corporate world to found Ruki’s Kitchen in 2021, and started a residency at East Atlanta Village’s Qommunity Food Hall in 2022. In 2023, Ruki’s Kitchen received ..read more

Roasted local mushrooms from Sweetsong Restaurant | Natalie Siegman Atlanta chefs are putting the fun in fungi At the Atlanta Mushroom Festival, chef Carla Fears prepares a meatless steak, demonstrating a dish she cooks at her busy pop-up Gourmet Street Foods. Plating each piece, she says, “cooking with mushrooms is easy. I could do them stuffed, sauteed, pickled, or in confit. But lion’s mane thrown in a pan with some sauce? This feeds everyone.” Servers pass samples around the room. Fears’s lion’s mane steak is juicy and tender and tastes like a high-end filet. Tomatoes, capers, and marjoram ..read more