Check out opentable.com and Resy.com for a more comprehensive list of Atlanta-area restaurants open for lunch and dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve-Eve 

The General Muir Christmas Eve Eve (and Eve) Dinners 
Emory/Druid Hills 

The General Muir kicks off the holidays with a “traditional” Chinese Christmas dinner, available Dec. 22 and 23 for dine-in service. The restaurant also offers a special holiday takeout menu.

Christmas Eve 

Aria
Buckhead

Aria will open from 4:30 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 24 serving the regular dinner menu. Reservations encouraged.

Carmel’s Feast of Seven Fishes Dinner
Buckhead 

Celebrate Christmas Eve by partaking in the traditional Italian-American dinner of Feast of the Seven Fishes at Carmel. The multi-course dinner will feature dishes like an Osetra caviar tart, striped bass, and crab-stuffed lobster. $95 per person, with optional drink pairings. Reservations encouraged.

Omakase Table 
Buckhead 

Indulge in Michelin-starred Omakase Table’s 20-course tasting menu for $295 per person on Christmas Eve.

The Southern Gentleman 
Buckhead

From 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., The Southern Gentleman will serve both brunch and dinner on Christmas Eve.

Le Colonial 
Buckhead 

Celebrate Christmas Eve at Le Colonial with festive food specials and the regular dinner menu.

MARTA Dining Guide: Doraville/Buford Highway
(Many restaurants on Buford Highway are open on Christmas Eve/Day.)

Your 3rd Spot
Underwood Hills, The Works

From 2-8 p.m. on Christmas Eve, families are welcome at Your 3rd Spot, an arcade-style restaurant, for a day that features a Christmas slide, photos with Santa, holiday craft station, and unlimited game passes for a $25 entry fee. Kids 3 and under, or 70 and older, receive complimentary admission.

Buena Vida Tapas Bar
Old Fourth Ward 

Celebrate Christmas Eve with a Spanish twist. Buena Vida will serve its regular menu, along with a few festive dishes.

Il Premio
Old Fourth Ward 

The Forth Hotel steakhouse will open on Christmas Eve serving its full dinner menu. Reservations encouraged.

Moonlight
Old Fourth Ward 

Head upstairs at the Forth Hotel to Moonlight cocktail bar with its skyline views for a holiday party on Christmas Eve. Reservations encouraged.

Little Bear
Summerhill

Little Bear returns with its annual Jewish Chinese Christmas dinner, taking place on both Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day. Reservations highly encouraged.

The Ashford on Dresden 
Brookhaven 

The Brookhaven restaurant will open for regular service on Christmas Eve.

Joey D’s Oak Room
Dunwoody

Joey D’s will open on Christmas Eve for lunch and early dinner from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Select
Sandy Springs

Decked out in its holiday finest, The Select will offer a three-course Christmas Eve dinner for $85 per person. There’s also a two-course kids’ menu for $42 per person. Vegan options available by request. Reservations encouraged.

Truth Be Told 
Roswell 

Truth Be Told on Canton Street will serve a festive pre-fixe dinner on Christmas Eve for $115 per person. Reservations required.

CRÚ Wine Bar & Bistro
Alpharetta, The Battery 

The Alpharetta and Battery locations of Cru Wine Bar will offer a Christmas Eve dinner from 4-9 p.m. The holiday menu, features three courses with dishes like lobster bisque, truffle-fondue tortellini, Barolo-braised short rib, and herb-roasted sea bass. Look for desserts, too, including molten chocolate cake and a Christmas crème brûlée. Reservations encouraged.

Cattle Shed Wine & Steak Bar
Alpharetta/Forsyth County

Cattle Shed Wine & Steak Bar at Halcyon will open for Christmas Eve serving a holiday menu, including bacon-wrapped scallops and Beef Wellington. Expect festive cocktails like a gingerbread martini and mistletoe margarita. Reservations encouraged.

Ocean & Acre 
Alpharetta/Forsyth County

The coastal cuisine-inspired restaurant at Halcyon will open on Christmas Even from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. serving its regular lunch and dinner menus.

Marlow’s Tavern
Multiple Locations 

All locations of Marlow’s Tavern will remain open until 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Stop by Santa’s Speakeasy at the East Cobb and Woodstock locations for extra festive fun.

Related: Get festive at these holiday pop-up bars around Atlanta

Christmas Day 

The Americano
Buckhead 

The Americano at The InterContinental Buckhead will open from noon to 7 p.m. for a prix-fixe Italian feast on Christmas Day. $100 per person. $50 for children 12 and under. Reservations encouraged.

Gypsy Kitchen 
Buckhead

The Buckhead Village restaurant will open from 4 to 7 p.m. on Christmas Day serving specials like Moroccan-spiced lamb chops with sumac tzatziki, seared scallops with saffron cauliflower purée, and duck breast with Manchego polenta and a port-cherry reduction.

The Waldorf Astoria: Brassica
Buckhead 

The Waldorf Astoria’s restaurant, Brassica, will open on Christmas Day offering a three-course prix-fixe menu from noon to 8 p.m. $180 per person. $95 per child. Reservations required.

The Sparrow
Midtown

The West Peachtree Asian tavern plans to open for lunch and dinner on both Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day.

Marcus Bar & Grille 
Old Fourth Ward 

From 1 to 6:30 p.m. on Christmas Day, Marcus Bar & Grill on Edgewood Avenue will host a Southern-inspired holiday buffet. Reservations encouraged.

Elektra 
Old Fourth Ward 

The Forth Hotel’s Mediterranean restaurant overlooking the rooftop pool will open on Christmas Day featuring holiday food and drink specials. Each reservation includes a s’mores and hot cocoa kit. Reservations encouraged.

Nakato
Cheshire Bridge

Nakato will open for dinner on Christmas Eve (3 to 9 p.m.) AND Christmas Day (1 to 9 p.m.). Reservations for sushi and hibachi highly encouraged on both days.

Holiday Takeout Service

Mary Mac’s Tea Room 
Midtown 

Mary Mac’s on Ponce will offer a family feast for takeout on both Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day, feeding up to 10 people. Dinner features dishes like turkey breast, smoked ham, Southern-style green beans, whipped potatoes, collard greens, sweet potato pie, and banana pudding. Order online.   

Ela
Virginia-Highland

The Fifth Group-backed Mediterranean restaurant offers a take-and-bake holiday feast feeding up to four people. The three-course dinner features dishes like feta-brined chicken, za’atar salmon, butternut squash and halloumi salad, and a mezze board for $120. The meal comes with Greek doughnuts for dessert. Order online.

Staplehouse
Old Fourth Ward

The Michelin-recognized restaurant and market will once again offer holiday meal kits that include Beef Wellington and optional sides like Robuchon potatoes, a kale Caesar, dinner rolls, and pecan pie. Order just the Beef Wellington ($120), or build a feast around the main. Order online to pick up by Dec. 23.

Wood’s Chapel BBQ
Summerhill 

Wood’s Chapel BBQ will offer Christmas catering, featuring rosemary and garlic roast beef, spiral ham, and apricot and maple-glazed duck, along with sides like cornbread dressing and butternut squash casserole, with gingerbread cheesecake for dessert. Check out the menu and order by Dec. 16 here.

Joey D’s Oak Room
Dunwoody

Grab Christmas Day dinner from the Dunwoody classic, including prime rib ($47), sides, the restaurant’s popular croissants with honey butter, and salad. A prime rib with sides costs $239 and feeds up to six people. Order online to pick up on Dec. 24.

The Select
Sandy Springs

The Sandy Springs restaurant will offer a Christmas feast for takeout this year to include Beef Wellington, herbed fingerling potatoes, and green beans, starting at $95 for two people. Order online.

Delbar
Alpharetta, Inman Park, Buckhead 

All locations of Delbar Middle Eastern Restaurant will offer harissa-spiced leg of lamb to reheat at home. The lamb feeds up to seven people. Order here to pick up at location of your choice.

The post Atlanta restaurants offering dine-in and takeout service on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Here’s what you’ll find in the way of produce at the farmers market this week: Bok choy/pak choi, carrots, radishes, turnips, apples, winter squashes, kale, sweet potatoes, mandarins/satsuma oranges, beets, sunchokes, arugula, eggplant, tomatoes, garlic,  khlorabi, lettuce/mixed greens, potatoes, microgreens, peppers, gourmet mushrooms (oyster, lion’s mane, shiitake), herbs (parsley, chives, green onions, rosemary), and tomatoes.

Look for these specialty items: Pecans, smoked salmon and trout, flowers (marigolds, sunflowers, cosmos, mixed flower bouquets), pastured pork, wild caught shrimp, eggs, goat + sheep cheese, milk, jam, chocolate, honey, oils, tea blends, cold pressed juices, hot sauce, vinegars, nut butters, spice blends, ghee, pickles, pasta, tortillas, apple cider, and bone broth.

Atlanta non-profit Community Farmers Markets (CFM) has been building community through farmers markets since 2011. Operating weekly outdoor farmers markets as well as rotating farm stands are strategies by which the organization addresses food access in Atlanta. CFM also offers educational programming in the community, financial incentives to make local food more affordable, and professional development for small businesses.

See y’all at the farmers market!

Broccolini Risotto Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 5 oz Oyster Mushrooms
• 1 bunch and 1 bag of broccolini
• 1 quart Lamb Bone Broth 
• ½ bulb garlic, 6-8 cloves
• ½ bunch of parsley
• 5-6 cups of water
• Salt and pepper
• 3ish cups of arborio rice
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• A dash of nutmeg
• 2 tbsp olive oil and butter 
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1.5 cups parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions:

1. Chop all of your fresh ingredients: onions, parsley, garlic, mushrooms, and broccolini. 
2. While chopping, heat 2 medium stock pots over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter to one and your stock, water, and some salt and pepper to the other. 
3. Add your onion, mushrooms, and broccolini stems to the stock pot with oil and butter and sauté until soft. Then add your parsley, garlic, and arborio rice. Mix until well combined and toasted slightly. 
4. Start to slowly add your stock about 2 ladles or ½ cup at a time, stirring continuously until the rice absorbs all of the liquid. Then add more stock until the liquid is gone and rice is al dente, but soft. 
5. Add the broccolini florets, chopped small, white wine vinegar, nutmeg, and parmesan cheese and stir to bring it all together. 
6. Garnish with herbs or more cheese and enjoy!

Harvest Pancake with Satsuma Compote Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 5 peeled and chopped satsuma 
• 5 pink lady apples, small dice
• 12 oz ginger granola
• 3 TB cane syrup
• 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, grated 
• 1 box of your favorite pancake mix
• 2 C non-dairy milk
• 3 TB oil of your choice, plus extra for cooking pancakes 
• 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice, 
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cardamom 
• pinch of cayenne

Directions:

1. Combine pancake mix, milk, oil, apples, sweet potato and spices in a large bowl, whisking together until a smooth batter is formed. 
2. In a large pan on medium heat, spoon 3 TBS amounts of batter and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. 
3. In a separate pan, heat the satsumas with the cane syrup until it begins to bubble, then turn on low heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 
4. Serve the satsuma compote over the pancakes, and then top with ginger granola. Enjoy!

You can also find the recipes for Broccolini Risotto and Harvest Pancake with Satsuma Compote on Community Farmers Markets’ Instagram.

The post This week at the Farmers Market appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Restaurant Reopening

Five months after closing, the Decatur location of Mellow Mushroom reopened this week – and with a new look. The West Ponce pizzeria received a much-needed exterior and interior refresh, a dedicated to-go entrance and pick-up area, and a revamped patio and bar. Expect a few new items on the menu in Decatur, too, including a couple of salads and cocktails. 

“This location means a lot to Mellow Mushroom, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to return with new energy, reconnect and deliver the best possible guest experience for the neighborhood,” Ahsan Jiva, Executive Vice President of Strategy said in a prepared statement.

Restaurant Openings

Check out this brief roundup of recent restaurant openings and announcements of upcoming restaurants you might have missed in November.

Airport Restaurant Opening

Celebrity pastry chef and TV personality Duff Goldman opened Duff Deli + Market on Concourse C at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Look for egg sandwiches, deli classics like hot pastrami and matzo ball soup, and baked goods such as Duff’s black and white cookies.

Restaurant Closures

Right on the heels of the announcement that Daddy D’z BBQ would close on Memorial Drive at the end of December, the owners of Agave in neighboring Cabbagetown announced they will close the Southwestern restaurant on Jan. 31, 2026. Daddy D’z and Agave have been part of the Memorial Drive and Boulevard corridors for 35 years and 25 years, respectively. While the owner of Daddy D’z property plans to sell, Agave’s owners cited the “current economic climate and unsustainable conditions” as reasons for their decision to close. Learn more about the history of Agave and the Cabbagetown restaurant’s building from Victoria Lemos of Archive Atlanta. 

Tomorrow’s News Today reports that the Beltline location of One Flew South closed at the end of November. Calls by Rough Draft to the restaurant went unanswered, the location appeared dark on a recent visit, and the Beltline location is no longer listed on One Flew South’s website or social media. The original location remains open on Concourse E at Hartsfield. Backed by Jackmont Hospitality, One Flew South opened in the former Hazel Jane’s wine bar space on the Eastside Trail three years ago. 

Coming Attractions

A Midtown location of Korean bakery-cafe White Windmill will open at 1331 Spring St. inside the Midtown Union building. White Windmill recently opened its first in-town location at Uptown Atlanta near the Lindbergh MARTA station. 

The owners of New York City bar Dead Rabbit plan to open The Irish Exit next year at Centennial Yards in South Downtown. Expect a drinks menu centered around Irish and local beers, whiskey, and cocktails, along with Irish pub food. The Irish Exit will join Wild Leap Brewery and Distillery, Khao Thai Isan, and Shake Shack at Centennial Yards. Check out Rough Draft for the latest restaurant and development news happening in South Downtown.

ATL Chef’s First Cookbook

Lazy Betty co-owner and chef Ron Hsu will debut his first cookbook in March. Called Down South + East: A Chinese American Cookbook, Hsu will share recipes for dishes he cooks at home, as well as those inspired by his Chinese-American upbringing in metro Atlanta. The cookbook will include a forward written by Hsu’s mentor and former Le Bernardin employer, Chef Eric Ripert. 

Hsu and restaurant partner and chef Aaron Phillip first opened Lazy Betty six years ago in Candler Park. The chefs relocated the tasting menu restaurant to the former Empire State South space in Midtown last year. Since opening in 2019, Lazy Betty has racked up numerous accolades, including one star from Michelin in its 2023, 2024, and 2025 dining guides. 

Merger

STHRN Hospitality Co., the group behind Westside Motor Lounge, partnered with the owners of Atlanta institution Midtown Bowl. STHRN plans to help the 65-year-old bowling alley on Piedmont Circle attract new patrons by giving it a brand makeover, including to its food, drinks, and events, and upgrades to the kitchen and sound system. 

RIP

Floyd “Sonny” Tillman, the founder of Sonny’s BBQ, has died. Tillman, who opened Sonny’s BBQ in 1968 in Gainesville, FL, was 96. Georgia features 14 locations of Sonny’s BBQ, including in Marietta, Buford, Jonesboro, and Lawrenceville. 

Santa Loves the Dogs

Skiptown Bar & [Dog] Park in Kirkwood will celebrate the holidays with a series of festive events this month. Look for a Howliday Market on Dec. 13 and a photoshoot with Santa and the Grinch on Dec. 20. 

ICYMI

From Atlanta to Alpharetta to Marietta, we’ve compiled a list of more than 30 holiday-themed restaurants and pop-up bars decked in good cheer, serving festive cocktails, dishes, and desserts from now until the New Year.

The post Dec. 11 Quick Bites: big restaurant closures, Mellow Mushroom’s return to Decatur, new Irish bar in South Downtown appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Dunwoody diversions

Dec. 10 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody. Yesterday was my birthday, and I had the chance to enjoy privileges usually reserved for toddlers or elderly people – getting to cheat on games and win, suffering public humiliation in the form of a song, being driven around town, and having people cut up my food –  that kind of stuff.

It was a great day, and as they say, I’d rather be one year older than six feet under.

Speaking of transitions, this week is full of them with news about Dunwoody High School’s tribute to a favorite son, the opening of Big Play, and the not-closing of CVS, a new Stage Door Theatre play that’s truly wonderful, and some of our dining team’s top stories of the year, which includes a Dunwoody favorite.

 Enjoy your Wednesday
Cathy 

Your future in nursing starts here. Herzing University–Atlantahas no wait lists and offers flexible learning, hands-on clinicals, and accelerated pathways. Train where you live and join Georgia’s next generation of nurses making an impact today.   SPONSOR MESSAGE

Big Play makes one

The Mount Vernon Shopping Center has big news this week, with the entrance of a big tenant and new life for a pharmacy that was supposed to be closing.

The long-anticipated Big Play, a family-friendly complex with bowling, laser tag, arcades, mini-golf, and a restaurant, will open on Dec. 11 at 5 p.m., according to an announcement by the company.

In related news, the CVS Pharmacy at the corner of Jett Ferry and Mt. Vernon roads will not close as previously thought, according to CVS officials.

It turns out Big Play purchased the shopping center and renewed the CVS lease. Here’s the story.

Fashion meets art at the High Museum!
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM

Experience Viktor&Rolf: Fashion Statements – a bold, breathtaking exhibition celebrating avant-garde fashion visionaries who blurred the line between haute couture and art. Only at the High, the exhibition’s sole U.S. stop.

➞ On view through Feb. 8, 2026.

Seacrest for the win

One of Dunwoody’s most famous sons will be recognized with the naming of the Dunwoody High School’s soon-to-be expanded stadium.

At its Dec. 8 board meeting, DeKalb County Board of Education approved in a 5-2 vote the naming of the stadium after “Wheel of Fortune” host and Dunwoody native Ryan Seacrest. 

The Seacrest Stadium will “recognize the contributions, achievements, and long-standing connection of Ryan Seacrest to Dunwoody High School and the broader DeKalb community,” according to the resolution.

  Read more about Seacrest and the campaign here. 

Your future in nursing starts here. Herzing University–Atlantahas no wait lists and offers flexible learning, hands-on clinicals, and accelerated pathways. Train where you live and join Georgia’s next generation of nurses making an impact today.   SPONSOR MESSAGE

A new twist on an old classic

Stage Door Theatre’s unique twist on “A Christmas Carol” engages the audience to use its imagination while spinning out a well-acted rendition of the holiday classic.

Adapted by local playwright Claire F. Martin and directed by frequent Stage Door collaborator Lauren Morris, the lyrical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella embraces the magic of theater with only seven actors on the stage playing a variety of roles.

Stage Door does a lot with a little, with the only scenery change indicated by a revolving appearance and disappearance of a fireplace, along with flowing curtains and artful lighting.

  Here is my review and information about show times and tickets.

Delicious dining news

Our dining team did a deep dive on its most-read dining stories for 2025, and NFA’s second location at the Avalon made the list, along with other mouth-watering stories.

One question I have, however, is when the expanded gas station location in Dunwoody will open? It appears to be finished, but I haven’t seen any action yet on the migration. I’m getting on that next week.

  In the meantime, here’s the wrap-up of the year’s top dining news.

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The post 🚪When one door opens…. appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

DeKalb Commissioner Ted Terry held a town hall meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9, to discuss a recently approved $45 million hangar expansion at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK), giving residents a chance to air their thoughts about the decision.  

Held at Brookhaven City Centre, Terry reviewed the process that led the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners to approve Sky Harbour’s plan to build out eight hangars on the east side of PDK to hold 16 corporate jets under a 50-year ground lease. Sky Harbour was the only applicant to a request for proposal (RFP) issued by the county in 2023. 

The county is following the PDK 2040 master plan, which calls for expansion. Residents have expressed their concerns about an increase in noise and environmental pollution.

The county estimates the contract over a 50-year period could bring in $576,607,163 in revenue: $211 million of which would go to DeKalb County, $230 million to DeKalb school system, and $67 million to the City of Chamblee.

As of now, the Sky Harbour contract is still being hammered out by DeKalb’s Chief Procurement Officer Michelle Butler. Terry said the contract has not been made available to the commissioners, and he will make the details public as soon as he receives them. 

“It’s very important to know what we’ve negotiated,” Terry said. 

Larry Foster, a 48-year resident of unincorporated DeKalb County, said PDK is already the least safe airport in the country in terms of runway incursions. At 103 runway incursions, PDK is about seven times higher than other airports, Foster claimed.  

“Approving the Sky Harbour contract will constitute the second-most damaging decision in the history of PDK Airport that impacts the health and wellbeing of the estimated one-tenth of DeKalb County’s residents who live within the approximately three to four mile radius of the airport,” Foster said. 

Sky Harbour claims the number of repositioning flights will drop by 50 percent, therefore reducing noise and pollution. The company will report its findings quarterly to DeKalb.

“I want to know what happens when they fail the 50 percent reduction compliance test,” unincorporated DeKalb County resident Beth Schissel said. 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines PDK as a general aviation airport, allowing a high volume of corporate/general aviation jet traffic, 10 flight schools, a robust helicopter community, and helicopter flight instruction.  

Brookhaven resident Anna Martin said she’s spoken to all of her neighbors, and “no one wants more planes coming through.”

“So here we have a new hangar being built for rich, pompous CEO jerks to fly in because they don’t like to fly commercial. That’s the truth of it,” Martin said. “I’m wondering if my husband and I might have to move.”

Terry is proposing to the DeKalb commissioners a moratorium on all new hangar development until the PDK master plan is updated, and an FAA ban on night flights except for emergencies. 

The PDK voluntary curfew encourages pilots to refrain from taking off or landing between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., yet Terry said one of his constituents emails him daily because she has been awakened by an airplane. 

“How do we reduce night flights? Can we ban them? Can we take that voluntary curfew and turn it into a permission structure where they have to get permission to fly at night?” Terry asked. 

Terry encouraged participants to attend the Airport Advisory Board meetings and report noise violations. A general grumbling came from the audience. 

Foster said the reason people aren’t calling in noise complaints is because “they know that it’s useless.” A woman in the audience shouted: “It’s a farce.”

Between the airport and the county, there are no ongoing annual general fund contributions to an environmental health and noise impact fund, Terry said. However, once Sky Harbour is up and running, the county will set aside $1 million dollars each year for residents who are experiencing high decibel levels of noise, he said.

Jamie Dutro served on the Citizens Advisory Committee for the PDK master plan. 

“We got sold down the river. We’re the ones who are going to suffer for it. What good is it that you get cancer, but the county’s going to pay for it?” Dutro said. 

The post Residents say they were ‘sold down the river’ over PDK airport expansion appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.