Atlantans may be sad to say goodbye to longtime French favorite Joel Restaurant, but we’re glad to welcome the five-star elegant-casual Joel Brasserie, just in in time for summer. Executive Chef Cyrille Holota has transformed one of Atlanta’s only five-star restaurants into a more approachable, farm-to-table, French-fusion eatery.
With simple, hearty food in a chic but relaxed setting, Joel Brasserie takes a home-cooked approach to fancy French food made with fresh, local ingredients. Holota often buys produce, meats and vegetables from the best local farmers, and he also frequents local farmers’ markets, including the Morningside Farmers’ Market (held each Saturday from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. at 1393 N. Highland Ave. in Morningside. Visit www.morningsidemarket.com).
Die-hard fans of the original Joel need not worry. Several menu items, such as the traditional gazpacho and certain burgers, salads and salmon dishes, will remain on the menu, only to be supplemented by new items prepared with a contemporary style and rustic flavors. Call 404-223-3500 or visit www.joelbrasserie.com.
A new place for pizza in Woodstock: Vingenzo’s, a neighborhood Italian bistro recently opened in Olde Towne Woodstock. Outside of the rush of city life, this authentic market and eatery offers fresh Neapolitan fare made with recipes passed down for generations.
Pizzas and pastas are menu highlights, along with some antipasti, a mozzarella bar, wine, beer, cappuccino and gelato. Just like in Naples, Italy, the pizza at Vingenzo’s is cooked in a 900-degree wood-burning, bell-shaped, brick oven. Each pizza is made with San Marzano tomatoes and hand-crafted mozzarella. The hand-rolled dough is made with only flour, yeast, salt and water—as dictated by the Pizza Poliza, an elite organization in Italy that ensures the authenticity of Neapolitan pizza. Gluten-free pizzas and pastas are also available.
Vingenzo’s is located at 105 East Main St. in Woodstock. Call-ahead seating and reservations are accepted. Call 770-924-9133 or visit www.vingenzos.com.
Irish pub set to debut in July: Can't make it to Ireland this summer? Just be patient, because Ri Ra Irish Pub will soon be bringing a little bit of Ireland to you. The pub, set to open in July in Midtown, has been constructed using materials, including a 19th-century bar and wood paneling that is more than 100 years old, that were salvaged and restored in Ireland.
The pub's menu will spotlight Irish cuisine and include items such as fish and chips, a barbecue Guinness burger and a signature Rueben sandwich made with either corned beef or turkey.
Ra Ri Pub will be located at the intersection of 12th Street and Crescent Avenue. The restaurant will be open daily for lunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will serve dinner Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 4 to 11 p.m. The bar will stay open until 11 p.m. on Sunday, until midnight on Monday through Wednesday, until 1 a.m. on Thursday and until 2:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Brunch will be offered from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Call 404-477-1700 or visit www.rira.com.
