ATLANTA’S MOST ANTICIPATED RESTAURANT OPENINGS, SPRING 2024
The first quarter of 2024 was a bit of a lull for restaurant openings — fortunately, that pace is finally picking up again. The winter season brought some notable introductions, like the Centurion Lounge at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Ela on North Highland Avenue. And, of course, Atlanta got yet another food hall through Politan Row at Ashford Lane’s debut.
Now, we’re tracking five highly anticipated spring openings around the city. Here’s what to know.
J’ouvert Caribbean Kitchen & Bar (now open)
Location: 558 Main St NE, Atlanta
Who: Tasha Cyril
Projected opening: March 20
It’s been a while since upper Atlanta had a formidable new brunch spot, but J’ouvert Caribbean Kitchen & Bar, Tasha Cyril’s latest restaurant (Belle & Lily’s), quells that absence. Named for the St. Lucian Carnival festival, J’ouvert focuses on Caribbean-inspired brunch dishes made by Rory Grange. Standouts include the pina coladas, jalapeno-and-cheddar cornbread with whipped goat cheese and red pepper jam, buttery pancakes served with passionfruit puree, and 24-hour-marinated jerk wings with pineapple sauce.
Pendolino (now open)
Location: 4600 Roswell Rd suite b150, Atlanta
Who: Kevin Maxey
Projected opening: March 18
Kevin Maxey, formerly of Ford Fry Restaurants and Superica, will open Italian spot Pendolino in Chastain Park on Monday, March 18. Pendolino is the first restaurant from Maxey’s new hospitality group KRM Hospitality. The maxim is simple food, with a menu that incorporates Italian and Southern cuisine. Expect seasonal salads and vegetables, pastas, pizza, and meat and seafood prepared in a wood-fired oven, as well as cocktails and wines from independent vineyards.
Damsel (now open)
Location: 1235 Chattahoochee Avenue, Suite 110, Atlanta
Who: Dave Green, Julian Parker
Projected opening: Late March
Part restaurant, part cabaret, and all Art Deco, Damsel will open at The Works on Chattahoochee Avenue in Underwood Hills late March. Cabaret tickets include a prix fixe dinner. The two-story restaurant, encompassing 10,000 square feet and three separate menus, will also feature a private lounge and rooftop patio, featuring items on food carts and breakfast starting at midnight.
Miss Conduck
Miss Conduck, a Caribbean spot from mother-daughter duo Emily James and LaToya Franklyn, will open at the former Noni’s space in April. Despite the shift in cuisine, the space will remain “a place where people can come and have a good time,” Franklyn says, referring to the restaurant’s separate spaces for private bookings and activities like karaoke, games, and speed dating. Expect Caribbean-themed cocktails, weekend brunch, and staples like oxtails, roti, curry, and Rasta pasta.
Location: 357 Edgewood Avenue, Atlanta
Who: Emily James and LaToya Franklyn
Projected opening: April
Gene’s
Location: 2371 Hosea L. Williams Dr SE Building 1, Atlanta
Who: Avery Cottrell
Projected opening: April
Avery Cottrell’s pop-up Gene’s, which started in January 2020, will assume the former Salaryman space adjacent to Poor Hendrix in East Lake. Expect a kooky and cozy vibe in the vein of bars in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast, like the Flora-Bama Lounge. Food will include hits like the Viet-Cajun fried dinosaur beef ribs with nuoc cham and herb salad, marinated crab claws with pickled chiles and herbs, and smoked fish dip. For libations, developed by Miles Macquarrie of Kimball House, think frozen drinks like Bushwackers, Jell-O shots, and cocktails.
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