News

Numerous Atlanta restaurants are preparing to convert their operations into full holiday-themed attractions this month, leaning into recent trends surrounding immersive themed experiences. For the first time this year, Marlow’s Tavern will become Santa’s Speakeasy, a limited-time holiday pop-up at its East Cobb and Woodstock locations. The event will see the locations … [Read more...] about Atlanta Area Restaurants and Venues Launch Holiday Pop-ups Starting this Month

Ascent Hospitality Management, parent company of family dining brands Huddle House and Perkins American Food Co., announced the appointment of Paul Damico as its Chief Executive Officer. Based in Atlanta, Ascent was founded to acquire and invigorate storied brands to drive long-term growth. With nearly 600 locations across the U.S. and Canada, Huddle House and Perkins each … [Read more...] about Paul Damico Named CEO of Ascent Hospitality

Gather’d Market, which calls itself the “dinner store for modern life” opened in October on Buckhead’s Roswell Road. The market aims to reimagine mealtime with fresh small-batch sauces, fully cooked proteins and finished sides that mix and match into 75+ dinner variations, giving families an easier way to eat well. Founded by Emory MBA grad and mother of three, Antoinette … [Read more...] about Gather’d Market Opens in Buckhead with Easy to Prep Dinner Concept

The Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA) announced the finalists for the 2025 Georgia Restaurant Association Crystal of Excellence (GRACE) Awards. Now in its 17th year, the GRACE Awards celebrate outstanding achievement and hospitality excellence across Georgia’s restaurant and foodservice industry. 2025 GRACE AWARDS FINALISTS + HONOREES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT HONOREE Philip … [Read more...] about Georgia Restaurant Association Announces Finalists for the 2025 GRACE Awards

Mary Mac’s Tea Room is celebrating its 80th Anniversary on Monday, Oct. 20. Since opening in 1945 on Ponce de Leon Avenue, Mary Mac’s Tea Room has grown from a single dining room with seating for 75 to six dining rooms and a full-service bar spread across 13,000 square feet. Though the restaurant has evolved over the decades, its kitchen still carries on the same traditions … [Read more...] about Mary Mac’s Celebrates 80 Years on Ponce

The Georgia Restaurant Association will honor Philip J. Hickey Jr., a trailblazing leader and innovator in the American restaurant industry, with the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Association’s highest honor. With a career spanning more than five decades, Hickey has left his mark on the hospitality landscape through entrepreneurial ventures, transformative leadership and … [Read more...] about Philip J. Hickey Jr. to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award from GRA

Smorgasburg, launched in Brooklyn in 2011 and now America’s top weekly open-air food festival, will expand to the South with the launch of Smorgasburg Atlanta this fall. Located in South Downtown at 140 Forsyth Street SW, a 10-minute walk from Mercedes-Benz Stadium and sandwiched between Garnett and Five Points MARTA stations, the food festival will be open every Saturday from … [Read more...] about Smorgasburg Seeks Vendors for New Weekly Food Festival Launching in October

There is a fine line between efficiently cutting cost and sacrificing quality for revenue. In a landscape with increasing cost of goods, tariffs and taxes, it takes a focused effort not to cross this imaginary line. Let’s begin with a couple of real-life stories. A restaurant owner was concerned that he was having an inventory problem. When I examined his financial reports … [Read more...] about Clever Menu Engineering and Inventory Control Can Help Combat Higher Costs