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7 Atlanta Restaurant Openings to Get Excited About This Fall

From vegan Latin fare and a sprawling restaurant serving Southern favorites and cocktails to a new spot offering Lebanese chargrilled meat and seafood skewers and two beloved restaurants returning to the Atlanta dining scene

Holeman and Finch Public House
Beth McKibben is the editor and staff reporter for Eater Atlanta and has been covering food and cocktails locally and regionally for over 12 years.

Fall is upon Atlanta again with the arrival of September, which also means new restaurant openings are ramping up as 2022 draws to a close.

This year was fraught with frustrating construction and permitting delays and equipment shortages plaguing the restaurant industry, making opening a restaurant in Atlanta an even more difficult process than in previous years. After pushing opening dates out multiple times over the last several months, some long-awaited restaurants are finally reaching the finish line and plan to debut in just a few short weeks.

Eater is actively tracking the progress of the following seven restaurants with anticipated fall debuts, serving everything from vegan Latin fare and Southern snacks and cocktails to Lebanese chargrilled meat and seafood skewers and menu favorites from two beloved restaurants returning to the dining scene.

Westside Motor Lounge

Westside Motor Lounge
Westside Motor Lounge

Location: English Avenue, 725 Echo Street
Who: STRN Hospitality
Projected opening: Early October

Opening on the corner of Northside Drive and Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway, Westside Motor Lounge takes over two former automotive shops, four shipping containers, and a 1982 Mercedes Wagon, transforming the site into three distinct dining, drinking, and entertainment spaces. Expect a sprawling Southern bar and restaurant seating 150 people between the dining room and patio, a cocktail bar and listening lounge called West Bar offering ping pong, foosball, and tabletop shuffleboard, and a beer garden with a shipping container housing the serving station and draft system.

La Semilla

The summer squash empanada from vegan pop-up Happy Seed, which is opening a restaurant next year in Atlanta.
Summer squash empanadas.
Happy Seed

Location: Reynoldstown, 780 Memorial Drive
Who: Sophia Marchese and Reid Trapani
Projected opening: October

After multiple delays over the last year caused owners Sophia Marchese and Reid Trapani (Happy Seed pop-up) to push its debut out, La Semilla finally opens early this fall at the Modera Reynoldstown complex. Expect a menu here centered on vegan Latin dishes and drinks, including crunch wraps made with seitan beef, summer squash empanadas, and king oyster mushroom carnitas enchiladas.

Foundation Social Eatery

Future home to Foundation Social Eatery in Alpharetta Foundation Social Eatery

Location: Alpharetta, 55 Roswell Street
Who: Chef Mel Toledo
Projected opening: October/early November

After closing his Roswell restaurant in 2020, and later announcing its forthcoming relocation, chef Mel Toledo reopens Foundation Social Eatery this fall in downtown Alpharetta. Toledo has big plans for the reimagined Foundation Social Eatery in Alpharetta, including new dishes on the menu and the addition of a market and cafe called Petit FSE selling fresh breads and pastas and serving grab-and-go foods, charcuterie, and coffee.

Holeman and Finch

Roasted rainbow carrots in vegetable jus from Holeman and Finch Public House in ATlanta. Henri Hollis
The H&F double stack cheeseburger and fries from Holeman and Finch Public House in Atlanta. Henri Hollis

Location: Midtown, 1201 Peachtree Street, Building 400
Who: Linton and Gina Hopkins
Projected opening: November

Holeman and Finch Public House finally reopens this fall after relocating just up the road to Colony Square in Midtown. And it returns with an expanded menu, too, which includes familiar favorites like its popular double stack cheeseburger alongside some brand new dishes. The Colony Square restaurant also features a much larger bar, dining room, and patio. While keeping their plans for Holeman and Finch 2.0 pretty hush hush, owners Linton and Gina Hopkins are providing a bit of a menu preview right now on the restaurant’s Instagram.

Zakia Modern Lebanese

Modera Prominence

Location: Buckhead, 3699 Lenox Road
Who: Ryan and Jonathan Akly and chef Ian Winslade
Projected opening: November

Named for the Akly’s grandmother, and with food taking inspiration from the family’s roots in Lebanon, the menu for Zakia includes traditional and original takes on dishes from the country and regions throughout the Middle East. Look for a variety of mezze, along with chargrilled meats and seafood skewers and fresh baked breads on the menu at Zakia.

Larakin

A 3-D rendering of wine and coffee bar Larakin inside in Atlanta, GA. Larakin

Location: Midtown, 208 12th Street
Who: Jordan Chambers
Projected opening: November/December

This petite wine and coffee bar comes from former Steady Hand Pour House coffee shop co-owner Jordan Chambers. For Larakin, Chambers merges his passions for coffee and wine and fulfilling a dream to open a relaxed neighborhood spot where most of the seating is outdoors. Located on the ground floor of a short-term rental hotel on 12th Street near Piedmont Park, expect coffee and espresso drinks and natural wine served by the bottle and glass. A tight menu of breakfast dishes and local baked goods are expected in the morning, followed by tinned fish and cured meats later in the day when Larakin transitions from coffee shop to wine bar.

Humble Pie

A rendering of the bar area of Humble Pie, opening at the Interlock on Howell Mill Road, Atlanta Praxis3
Praxis3

Location: The Interlock, Howell Mill Road
Who: Chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips
Projected opening: December

Despite some setbacks, chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips (Lazy Betty, Juniper Cafe) still hope to open their next restaurant together at the Interlock by the end of this year. The menu for Humble Pie focuses on whole wheat and sourdough wood-fired pizzas and a variety of pot pies and dessert pies. Expect pizzas like broccoli and cheddar and loaded baked potato on the menu paired with cocktails, beer, and natural and biodynamic wines.

Colony Square

1197 Peachtree Street Northeast, , GA 30361 (404) 965-9091 Visit Website

Holeman and Finch Public House

2277 Peachtree Road Northwest, , GA 30309 (404) 948-1175 Visit Website

Juniper Cafe

2260 Marietta Boulevard Northwest, , GA 30318 (470) 427-3057 Visit Website

Lazy Betty

1530 DeKalb Avenue Northeast, , GA 30307 (404) 975-3692 Visit Website

Foundation Social Eatery

55 Roswell Street, , GA 30009 (678) 691-0028 Visit Website

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