Food

Image via Ammazza.

Ammazza Pizzeria and Restaurant is set to re-open its original Edgewood location on Tuesday, March 19. The eatery has been closed for nearly two years after two cars slammed through their storefront in less than a month.

Rather than let the bad luck dismay him, Owner Hugh Connerty viewed the unfortunate accidents as an opportunity for growth. According to restaurant materials, the new space is entirely renovated and has expanded to the building next door, upping the restaurant’s square footage from 5,000 to 8,000.

The new kitchen houses four custom-built, copper-tiled pizza ovens and boasts a new dough room where patrons can watch as chefs prepare their dishes, restaurant materials indicate. The renovations also include a new bi-level patio and a stand-alone bar.

Overseeing the kitchen is Executive Chef Sean Dwyer, who has been with the Ammazza team for years. He is known for his attention to detail and commitment to using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, according to restaurant materials.

The chef’s updated menu will offer seasonal, made-from-scratch pizza featuring cured meats from local charcuterie Spotted Trotter, topped with house-made mozzarella, restaurant materials indicate. It will also highlight their house-made pastas, antipasto and dolces, along with both kid- and vegan-friendly options. Ammazza will also be offering an extensive beverage program of craft cocktails, beer and small-production wines.

The restaurant will officially open for business on Tuesday, March 19 at 5 p.m., and be open every day for dinner. Ammazza is located at 591 Edgewood Ave.

Image via Second Self Beer Company.

Atlanta’s Second Self Beer Company is partnering with the Museum of Desgin Atlanta (MODA) to name and design a label for their newest brew.

The competition is now open and people can submit their ideas and artwork online. Entries may be submitted digitally to beerdesign@secondselfbeer.com. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m. on March 25, according to brewery materials. Interested artists are encouraged to stop by Second Self’s taproom for a complimentary sample of the unnamed beer for a little inspiration.

The winner will be announced in late march and will receive a cash prize of $500, along with a MODA membership and season tickets to MODA’s 2019 Design Conversations, which hosts discussions presented by nationally acclaimed designers. Competition guidelines include:

• All entries must be submitted digitally.
• Designs must adhere to printing and bleed restrictions via provided template.
• There is a four-color limit. It can be PMS colors or CMYK, but no more than 4 colors total.
• Second Self’s official logo must be included on the final design and cannot be changed. It is included in the template.
• MODA’s logo must be included on the final design and cannot be changed.
• All designs must include the phrase “Crafted in Atlanta, Ga.”
• No graphic or offensive imagery is allowed.
• Vector: eps, ai, etc.
• Applications must be filled out and included with each submission, as submissions without accompanying applications will not be considered.
• Entrants may only submit one entry.

Click here for a full list of guidelines.

Second Self will also be hosting a launch party to celebrate the winner later this spring, with prizes given out for the top three finalists, according to brewery materials.

Image via Lazy Betty.

Lazy Betty, Candler Park’s newest eatery, is set to open Tuesday, Feb. 26. Offering a la carte dining for walk-in guests and two tasting menus available by reservation, the restaurant is dedicated to modern techniques and interesting approaches to well-known favorites and more unique fare.

“After hosting preview supper club dinners last year and working to conceptualize our space, we are excited to open our doors and get cooking,” Executive Chef and Partner Ron Hsu said in a statement. “Lazy Betty has a great team, and we are proud to offer something new and special in Atlanta.”

Lazy Betty’s approach aims to be both inspirational and educational. The reservation-only ten-course Chef’s Tasting Menu offers an intimate look at the thought process behind and preparation of a rotating menu that changes with the seasons, showcasing refined dishes representative of different cuisines crafted with purpose, according to restaurant materials.  Courses featured on the opening tasting menus include Charred Spanish Octopus with fermented black bean and Pearson peaches; “Steak and Eggs” with wasabi and ponzu-scented jus; Cauliflower “Bone Marrow” with onion marmalade; and Foie Gras with “preserved” gooseberries and petite salad.

The kitchen will be guided Hsu, whose experiences include Michelin-starred Le Bernardin and Le Colonial, and Aaron Phillips, whose spent time at Le Bernardin, Jean-Georges’ The Mark Restaurant, and The Four Seasons Hotel.

Lazy Betty’s dining room seats 28 with the chef’s counter and lounge area adding space for another 18. There are plans for a large, 25-seat patio to be opened soon. The restaurant is located at 1530 DeKalb Avenue NE, according to Lazy Betty Materials. Click here for more information.

Image via City Tap.

City Tap, a small chain of gastropubs across the east cost, recently opened its newest location in Midtown Atlanta.

Overseen by Executive Chef Greg Gettles, the food menu is designed to pair with their craft beers, including many local favorites like Monday Night, Orpheus and Wild Heaven, alongside many others from across the country and around the globe, restaurant materials indicate. Food offerings include wood-fired pizzas, rabbit pot pie, goat cheese and apple ravioli and other inventive dishes.

Located at 848 Peachtree St., the restaurant boasts a 10,000 square-foot dining area with a covered patio, a mezzanine with a full bar and two private dining spaces, according to City Tap materials. The main dining area seats 100.

Currently serving happy hour and dinner, City Tap is open from 3pm to midnight Monday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays, restaurant materials indicate. Lunch and brunch service will be coming over the next few months.

Mayor Bottoms announces the More than Mac campaign. Image via Facebook.

Last week Mayor Kiesha Lance Bottoms announced the launch of her More than Mac campaign to fight food insecurity and hunger in Atlanta.

While the partnership between the city, Kroger and the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) is working to solve very serious issues, it actually started with a joke. Many might remember last Christmas, when Bottoms was chastised for her mac and cheese presentation, the administration says the good-natured social media ribbing sparked debate about a very real problem many in Atlanta face every day.

“Many struggle daily to find adequate food for their families and themselves,” Bottoms said in a statement. “It is my hope that our More than Mac campaign will help bring awareness to the disparities facing our communities and serve as a step toward eradicating hunger in Atlanta.”

From Feb. 1 to Feb. 16, customers at the 28 Atlanta-area Kroger locations will be able to round up their tabs at the register, with all proceeds supporting the ACFB. Right now, the food bank supports 29 counties across Atlanta and north Georgia distributing over 60 million meals to more than 755,000 people annually, according to city materials. Food pantries, community kitchens, childcare centers, night shelters and senior centers are also supported through the ACFB.

“We are thrilled to be able to work with Mayor Lance Bottoms, Kroger, and other Corporate Partners as we work to end hunger in our community,” Kyle Waide, CEO of the ACFB said in a statement. “It takes lots of food, people and big ideas working together to end hunger, so that no one in our community worries about where their next meal is coming from.”

Image via King of Pops.

King of Pops – Atlanta’s premiere popsicle makers – have released a new icy treat to celebrate the Super Bowl.

Called the ATL Classic Cola Float, the popsicle is inspired by the classic ice cream float as well as the city that gave it its name.

“We were pretty excited for the Super Bowl to come to Atlanta. For me, it was more about showing the world how great our city is than the actual game. We wanted to make a pop that is a classic dessert with strong Atlanta roots,” Steven Carse, co-founder of King of Pops said in a statement. “We added some local organic grass fed milk and fresh ginger to King-of-Pops-ify it.”

The treat makers recommend the popsicle be enjoyed as an upgrade to your beverage of choice while watching the big game. Drop the pop into your favorite porter, root beer or soda to guarantee the ultimate flavor experience.

The new popsicle is available throughout the city at retailers including Earth Produce & Garden, the Candler Park Market, The Oakhurst Market, The Grant Park Market and many others.

Image via Slutty Vegan’s Facebook.

Slutty Vegan, the popular social media-driven “ghost restaurant,” has found a permanent home on the West Side.

The ribbon was cut at 1542 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. in Westview on Sunday, and over 1,200 customers showed up to get their fill of vegan fast food according to the restaurant’s Facebook. “Thank you to everyone who came out to support, the post reads. “Unfortunately, at this time we have to cut the line.”

The restaurant’s popularity isn’t surprising. Slutty Vegan grew a base of dedicated followers through an Instagram-powered delivery service, according to 11 Alive. Users would send a direct message to place their order, and arrange for a later pick up.

The service grew in popularity through word-of-mouth and became successful enough for Pinky Cole, the driving force behind Slutty Vegan, to launch a food truck, the TV station reports. The continued success of the food truck, and the groundswell of loyal customers allowed Cole to open the physical location.

Pinky Cole. Image by Derek Prall.

The restaurant specializes in variations of 100-percent plant-based burgers, but also offers meat-free takes on the Philly cheese steak and po-boys, according to the resturant’s website. All of the food and toppings offered are 100 percent vegan, but Cole says they might convince even the most ardent carnivore to expand their horizons.

“Once you have one of our burgers, once you have one of our sandwiches, it’s going to change your mind,” Cole told 11 Alive. “It may not change you from eating meat completely, but it’s going to expand your mind to see and start having the conversation and seeing food in a different way.”

Second Self’s Taproom. Image by Annalise Kaylor, courtesy of Second Self Beer Co.

An Atlanta brewery is serving up peaches in Portland with a side of shade.

Before the 2018 MLS Cup where Atlanta United challenged the Portland Timbers, local brewers Second Self Beer Co. challenged Portland’s Widmer Brothers Brewing to a bet over the outcome of the game, according to brewery materials. Loser brews the winner’s beer.

Since Atlanta United was victorious, Widmer Brothers will brew Second Self’s peach IPA, fittingly named “United, They Conquered,” materials indicate. The brew will be available in Widmer’s taproom over the next few weeks.

Although the jab is all in good fun, the bet has a greater purpose. Second Self says all proceeds from the beer will be donated to Soccer in the Streets, an Atlanta-based organization that helps cultivate healthy communities through sport, classroom sessions and hands-on activities.

“It made sense to enter this bet with Widmer, a craft brewery we really respect within the industry, as they represent the Portland Timbers,” Second Self Co-Founder Jason Santamaria told Atlanta Loop. “We were excited by their idea of donating proceeds to Soccer in the Streets, and hope they enjoy some king peach in their beer.”

Image via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning to avoid eating raw cookie dough and other un- or under-cooked baked goods this holiday season.

Yes, uncooked cookie dough is delicious, and it’s often difficult to keep your hands out of the mixing bowl – especially this time of year; however, the CDC warns raw dough can contain bacteria that cause potentially life-threatening disease.

In 2016, an outbreak of E. coli infections linked to raw flour made 63 people sick, and the raw eggs used to make pastry dough or batter carry Salmonella.

To stay safe, the CDC encourages bakers (and bakers helpers) to follow safe food handling practices, included but not limited to:

• Do not taste or eat any raw dough or batter, whether for cookies, tortillas, pizza, biscuits, pancakes, or crafts made with raw flour, such as homemade play dough or holiday ornaments.
• Do not let children play with or eat raw dough, including dough for crafts.
• Bake or cook raw dough and batter, such as cookie dough and cake mix, before eating.
• Follow the recipe or package directions for cooking or baking at the proper temperature and for the specified time.

Even though it’s tempting, think about the potential consequences of licking that spatula.