Food & Drink in Redan

Fall has arrived and if you haven’t made it out to the Atlanta Beltline yet this year, now is the perfect time to explore and enjoy some of the city’s best food and drink along the way. The Beltline is a 33 mile ring around the city that connects neighborhoods with multi-use trails along with planned transit. The network is still under construction, however there are many paths that have been completed and there are many establishments for eating and imbibing along the two mile long Eastside Trail which connects the Virginia Highland, Midtown, Poncey-Highland, Old Fourth Ward and Inman Park neighborhoods. Long before the current trend of artisan pizzas took over the Atlanta scene, Fritti, has been plying its trade in what was then a quiet corner of the Old Fourth Ward. Fritti’s inviting patio, just a block away from the Beltline offers authentic Neapolitan pizzas, with my favorites being the arancini appetizer and their Regina Margherita pizza. Servers are happy to offer a wine pairing from their all-Italian list.  309 North Highland Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30307 Phone: (404) 880-9559 Brunch wouldn’t be complete for many without a cocktail or two, and The Albert - a casual bar with an open kitchen and great pub food have a number of great libations on their list. Try the In The Shade cocktail, a great alternative to a mimosa that features gin, prosecco, citrus and hints of vanilla. On the food side of the menu, try their bacon waffles served with bourbon caramel syrup and topped with their popular smoked wings. The Albert’s popular diner burger gets a brunch twist on the weekends with a fried egg, bacon and barbecue hollandaise. 918 Austin Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30307 Phone: (404) 872-4990 For those that prefer to DIY, a trip to Savi Urban Market, nestled between the two previous restaurants will allow you to create your own gourmet meal option for dining along the Beltline to take in the Atlanta skyline views. The market carries produce, fine cheeses and assorted beverages including a hard-to-find ginger beers made by Bruce Cost and local beer ice cream purveyor, Frozen Pints. Sandwiches in the deli are a cut above your typical corner store with house roasted meats and Holeman and Finch bread. 287 Elizabeth St NE Atlanta, GA 30307 Phone: (404) 869-1818 Energetic restaurant TWO urban licks sits directly on the Beltline and pairs its soulful Sunday brunch menu with live blues. Their patio offers skyline views and plenty of people watching to go with popular dishes including salmon chips, brioche beignets, pork belly and creamy grits with smoked gouda and double smoked bacon. 820 Ralph McGill Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 Phone: (404) 522-4622 An afternoon on the Beltline wouldn’t be complete without a popsicle from Poncey Highland’s own King of Pops. They’ve grown from a single popsicle stand on Highland Avenue to locations throughout the Southeast. Look out for their stand along the Eastside Trail and check out their fall flavors Apple Pie a la Mode and Pumpkin Pie. Bernina and Elizabeth St Atlanta, GA 30307 Phone: (404) 507-6774

Here in Atlanta, it’s pretty safe to say that a lot of us love some coffee. There are local coffee shops a-plenty and you’d be hard-pressed not to find a Starbucks within a mile of any given location. But a new coffee concept has arrived in Atlanta: Whynatte (a word play combo of “why not” and “latte”). Whynatte is a canned premium coffee drink that you can buy in a four pack and take on the go. This latte in a can is more than just a morning energy boost; while the drink itself does not contain any alcohol, it has been specially formulated to mix well with a slew of alcohols, which makes it the perfect pick-me-up mixer. Mix your own at home, or order it at one of the many Atlanta bars that embraces Whynatte. Whynatte has come a long way from its inception in 2005. What started as a shot of Jagermeister dropped in a latte and swallowed in one gulp, is now the base for hundreds of drink recipes embraced all around the country. “We knew that we needed our own latte, specifically made for mixing, we just had no clue how the hell to make it,” shares Jesse Altman, one of the primary creators of the business. Whynatte started simply as a passion for Jesse and his two friends. “We never set out to make Whynatte a business, we just wanted to make it a cocktail that people ordered by name. Regardless, we were spending more time on the Whynatte than we were our real jobs, and it came time to either let it go, or figure out how to make it our real jobs.” It’s clear which route they took. Whynatte is a local favorite in town, sponsoring tons of events and even putting on some of their own. And while its primary use is as a tasty mixer for creative beverages, it is also a great tasting boost on its own. If you’re feeling creative, try some recipes of your own (I did!). Whynatte also shares tons of recipes on their website, where you can also purchase a case or two of the canned coffee beverage. Whynatte is also available for purchase at several Atlanta locations including Kroger, Taco Mac, and local package stores. Photos by Johnny Cheng Photography

It’s not uncommon to walk into a supermarket and feel overwhelmed by the amount of choices available fighting for your attention. Any type of  produce desired can be found year round and can be shipped from all over the world. We’re lucky in Atlanta that we have a number of small grocers bucking that trend to offer local goods and a friendly neighborhood environment. Typical corner stores are heavy on the processed snacks and sugary sodas but the brother and sister owners of Boxcar Grocer ( 249 Peters Street Atlanta, GA 30319 404-883-3608) felt that the area surrounding their Castleberry Hill location was ready for something more. Allison and Alphonzo Cross envisioned a store that would support local farmers, specialty food products made in Georgia and African-American owned businesses. They’re happy to bring in local produce cultivated by purveyors including Truly Living Well and serve ready to eat healthy dinners by Tassili’s Raw Reality. Patrons to Boxcar Grocer will find the freezers stocked with made in Atlanta gelato from Honeysuckle and ice cream from High Road Craft. They source a refreshing homegrown watermelon drink Cui as well as serve coffee roasted locally by Batdorf and Bronson on the Westside. The Candler Park Market (1642 McLendon, Atlanta, GA 30307 (404-373-9787)  is slightly larger than your typical corner store yet still is a far cry from a big box store. They pride themselves on serving craft beer that you’ll likely not find on the shelves at the supermarket and offer refillable glass growlers that are great for parties and good for the environment. You’ll often find local breweries featured including Monday Night Brewing and Athens’ Terrapin Beer Co. Neighborhood residents enjoy finding local produce that ranges from fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms, and apple cider in the fall. Candler Park Market stocks frozen treats from the King of Pops as well as gourmet ice cream with grassfed dairy from Jeni’s. If you’re not in the mood to cook, the market features an excellent deli at the rear of the store. It’s a serious upgrade of the typical grocery store fare with, fresh market salads, homemade soups (think smoked tomato bisque and spicy coconut corn, not chicken noodle) and burgers made with grassfed beef and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. In the evenings from 7-10 through the end of the year, you’ll find Jarrett Stieber, a chef who’s worked in the area’s top kitchens, cooking up fine dining small plates in a relaxed atmosphere.  Recent dishes in his Eat Me, Speak Me dinner events include fried chicken with crowder peas, waxed beans, watermelon radish and black sesame puree, and catfish with turnips, baby bok choi and pickled ginger broth. These are just two of number of locally focused markets that I enjoy in the city. You’ll also find locally sourced fare at Savi, Star Provisions, Sawicki’s, Oakhurst Market, The Mercantine and Urban Cannibals.