Support Local Restaurants During Covid 19!

There's an old Yiddish saying which translates to: "You make plans...and God laughs." Well, it's not all that funny for many people right now but we will come through this and be dining once again in our favorite places!!! In the meantime, local restaurants are fighting for their lives! Not only will getting take out and delivery keep your family fat and happy, but it will help people in the meantime stay busy!

Is it Safe to do Take-Out and Delivery!?

OK, first and foremost: Is it safe to take out/get delivery? YES! ...with taking certain precautions. This is a SUPER THOROUGH article from Serious Eats. It's long but it covers EVERYTHING. In short, there are no guarantees in life but it would be a moonshot for the virus to transmit through foodservice.

What's Open for Take-Out and Delivery?

This is a great interactive map showing what's open for TO GO food, alcohol, meal kits and more.

The AJC has a very thorough list of open/closed restaurants.

Eater Atlanta has a great list of intown places open.

Also, reservation site, Resy, has a list here.

Buford Highway spots are open and will deliver! Check out this list from WeLoveBuHi!

How Do I Get Delivery?

If you don't have it, download these apps: OpenTable, Uber Eats, Door Dash, GrubHub, Zifty or Postmates, these are amazing ways to see what's open, get deliveries AND support drivers.

Things Covered on Atlanta Living 4.25.20

Justin Amick of the Painted Pin and Painted Duck distinguished drinkeries, duckpin bowling, and gaming parlor located in Buckhead and on the westside articulated the difficulty facing restauranteurs in the coming weeks and months.

Atlanta Restaurant Bingo Round 2 has begun! Submit your entries via our online submission form no later than 11:59 pm EST on May 4th, 2020. No need to submit receipts, just save them in case you win the prize giveaway. They'll announce the winners on Instagram Live 8 pm EST May 6th, 2020. This round, each prize pack is worth $400. They'll confirm your receipts and if everything is in order, they'll arrange to get you your prizes!

The community is giving back to heroic health care workers in all kinds of ways. In a new initiative, Felix Solaun and Bruce Griffith have partnered with Open Hand Atlanta and selected Murphy's to create the COVID-19 Clinician Meal Program to provide a regular meal support program to frontline staff in the emergency rooms and intensive care units (ICUs) at Piedmont Hospital.

Speaking of Open Hand, the organization now refocuses its efforts for their annual Dining Out for Life. This year Dining In for Life on April 27-May 3 encourages locals to "Dine In" with restaurant take-out, curbside pick-up or delivery to not only support Open Hand, but also step up to help support restaurant partners as they navigate changes necessitated by the evolving COVID-19 developments. Open Hand depends on funds raised by its signature events, such as Dining Out for Life, to continue to serve the community during this crisis by preparing, packing and delivering nutritious meals to the most vulnerable. Mark your calendar and do what you can!

Check out The Meal Bridge (created by local 16-year-old, Grey Cohen who Belinda interviewed on Atlanta Living) supporting restaurants and hospital workers during this time. Founded by an Atlanta family to help the local restaurant and healthcare industries, The Meal Bridge connects participating hospitals open to accepting meal donations with local restaurants providing take-out meals. The public can order meals (here) from restaurants, including Hampton + Hudson, Nina & Rafi and more, to deliver to Hospitals, which simultaneously generates needed business for restaurants and feeds healthcare workers.

Another platform similar to The Meal Bridge has launched: Scrubs Grub. #ATLFamilyMeal team, founded by Michael Lennox of Electric Hospitality, wants restaurant employees to receive free, delivered meals for the employee and their families! Their goal is to get 5,000 employees signed on over the next three weeks. Please forward this to your fellow hospitality contacts so we can spread the word! The restaurant/hospitality owner can provide their information to participate by clicking this link to sign up and we will be in contact with them to get their employee's meal delivery set up! Meals are delivered from Ladybird. For more information on the mission, check https://atlfamilymeal.org/.

Georgia's Tacos del Chavo was ranked best takeout in the state by Yelp! Yelp identified businesses in the restaurant category then ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews between January 1, 2019, and March 27, 2020. When available, all businesses on this list had a passing health score or a score greater than a B/80. Yelp also put together its own collections of restaurants offering takeout and/or delivery across 40 states and 100 metro areas, so there are plenty more restaurants to support.

And McDonald's thinks frontline workers deserve a break today. Free meals through 5/5 for all those to whom we are so grateful for right now.

Things Covered on Atlanta Living 4.18.20

Caller recommendations!

Vicky recommends The Old Courthouse Tavern in Fayetteville and Sabor A Mexico in Fayetteville.

Mike recommends in Duluth Sweet Octopus in downtown Diesel Taphouse in Buford.

Frank recommends The Roman Oven near Braselton and Rosati's Pizza

Debbie loves Amalfi and Greek restaurant Vas Kouzina is highly recommended

Adrian recommends Cross Creek Cafe is still open for food and liquor TO GO with some great golf vistas!

Suzy in Brooks, GA recommends in Georgia BBQ in Williamson

Other Things Happening!

Atlanta Restaurant Bingo Round 2 has begun! Submit your entries via our online submission form no later than 11:59 pm EST on May 4th, 2020. No need to submit receipts, just save them in case you win the prize giveaway. They'll announce the winners on Instagram Live 8 pm EST May 6th, 2020. This round, each prize pack is worth $400. They'll confirm your receipts and if everything is in order, they'll arrange to get you your prizes!

The community is giving back to heroic health care workers in all kinds of ways. In a new initiative, Felix Solaun and Bruce Griffith have partnered with Open Hand Atlanta and selected Murphy's to create the COVID-19 Clinician Meal Program to provide a regular meal support program to frontline staff in the emergency rooms and intensive care units (ICUs) at Piedmont Hospital.

Speaking of Open Hand, the organization now refocuses its efforts for their annual Dining Out for Life. This year Dining In for Life on April 27-May 3 encourages locals to "Dine In" with restaurant take-out, curbside pick-up or delivery to not only support Open Hand, but also step up to help support restaurant partners as they navigate changes necessitated by the evolving COVID-19 developments. Open Hand depends on funds raised by its signature events, such as Dining Out for Life, to continue to serve the community during this crisis by preparing, packing and delivering nutritious meals to the most vulnerable. Mark your calendar and do what you can!

Check out The Meal Bridge (created by local 16-year-old, Grey Cohen who Belinda interviewed on Atlanta Living) supporting restaurants and hospital workers during this time. Founded by an Atlanta family to help the local restaurant and healthcare industries, The Meal Bridge connects participating hospitals open to accepting meal donations with local restaurants providing take-out meals. The public can order meals (here) from restaurants, including Hampton + Hudson, Nina & Rafi and more, to deliver to Hospitals, which simultaneously generates needed business for restaurants and feeds healthcare workers.

Another platform similar to The Meal Bridge has launched: Scrubs Grub. #ATLFamilyMeal team, founded by Michael Lennox of Electric Hospitality, wants restaurant employees to receive free, delivered meals for the employee and their families! Their goal is to get 5,000 employees signed on over the next three weeks. Please forward this to your fellow hospitality contacts so we can spread the word! The restaurant/hospitality owner can provide their information to participate by clicking this link to sign up and we will be in contact with them to get their employee's meal delivery set up! Meals are delivered from Ladybird. For more information on the mission, check https://atlfamilymeal.org/.

Frozen pizza is in short supply! https://www.cnet.com/news/frozen-pizza-shortage-where-to-order-online-goldbelly/ Gio from Antico is shipping frozen pies but hurry he was just featured on the super-popular Barstool Sports viral One Bite Pizza Reviews so he might not be able to keep up with the demand. So far Antico the #1 frozen Neapolitan pizza in the US.

Things Covered on Atlanta Living 4.11.20

So far the top 3 things people are ordering in? According to Zifty, they are comfort-type items with cigarettes, ice cream, and ramen being the top three most-delivered items since the onset of the pandemic.

Special Guests on the show today!

Gio DiPalma from Antico Pizza and Gio's Chicken. Check out all of his amazing concepts here. Gio made an emotional observation that "Atlanta needs these restaurants and chefs to make it."

Ford Fry from Rocket Restaurants. Ford just reopened a few of his restaurants for TO GO options: For Superica (all locations) & Little Rey only: Curbside pickup orders are still available via online ordering or by calling the restaurants and Delivery options are available via local third parties only (no longer directly through the Superica & Little Rey websites). Superica (Krog & Buckhead only) Little Rey, JCT. Kitchen & no. 246: now offering closed container beer & wine to-go orders beginning at 5pm each evening (for pick-up only).

Many restaurants are acquiring Toast, a software where they can link an online ordering platform to their websites.

Listener Recommendations!

Paul in Atlanta recommended a Malaysian/Chinese place he thought was called Chinese Restaurant (?). I couldn't find it online.

Carlyle's Pizza Tavern in Roswell on Canton Street.

Richele in Roswell (Former classmate from The Walker School class of 88! Go Wolverines!) suggests Bistro VG doing massive carry-out business, Lucia's, Crabapple Tavern, Ceviche, Table and Main and Osteria Mattone, Crust Pizza and I Canita Cake are also worthy businesses to patronize.

Dee Dee in Sandy Springs recommended Bradley's which has great food and City BBQ in Sandy Springs is a fav.

Nick in Cumming recommends Nancy's Italian Kitchen--couldn't find it online :(

Tim in Loganville suggests Amalfi Ristorante--he got the take out for his anniversary. Ask for Salvatore!

Evette in Woodstock shouted out to Salt Factory Woodstock, Prime 120 steakhouse (with their famous grouper sandwich), Canyon's Grill, Vingenzo's, Partners 2 Pizza, Piebar, and Reel Seafood.

Georgia Diner in Duluth

Dave from Sandy Springs recommends Marlow's Tavern and Aurelio's authentic Chicago pizza is "the best pizza in the world" and they also get frozen ones. Also, Rumi's is now delivery.

Charitable Efforts to Support Restaurants

The tables have turned as Open Hand refocuses efforts for its annual Dining Out for Life event to a virtual event in hopes to join the community together to "Dine In" and do good for the generous restaurant partners that have supported Open Hand. Dining In for Life on April 27-May 3 encourages locals to "Dine In" with restaurant take-out, curbside pick-up or delivery to not only support Open Hand, but also step up to help support restaurant partners as they navigate changes necessitated by the evolving COVID-19 developments. Open Hand depends on funds raised by its signature events, such as Dining Out for Life, to continue to serve the community during this crisis by preparing, packing and delivering nutritious meals to the most vulnerable. Nonprofit staff and supporters will utilize online peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage their social networks to donate to their mission that Atlanta chefs and restaurant owners had hoped to help fulfill.

Check out The Meal Bridge (created by local 16-year-old, Grey Cohen) supporting restaurants and hospital workers during this time. Founded by an Atlanta family to help the local restaurant and healthcare industries, The Meal Bridge connects participating hospitals open to accepting meal donations with local restaurants providing take-out meals. The public can order meals (here) from restaurants, including Hampton + Hudson, Nina & Rafi and more, to deliver to Hospitals, which simultaneously generates needed business for restaurants and feeds healthcare workers.

Another platform similar to The Meal Bridge has launched: Scrubs Grub. #ATLFamilyMeal team, founded by Michael Lennox of Electric Hospitality, wants restaurant employees to receive free, delivered meals for the employee and their families! Their goal is to get 5,000 employees signed on over the next three weeks. Please forward this to your fellow hospitality contacts so we can spread the word! The restaurant/hospitality owner can provide their information to participate by clicking this link to sign up and we will be in contact with them to get their employee's meal delivery set up! Meals are delivered from Ladybird. For more information on the mission, check https://atlfamilymeal.org/.

Tuesdays have become the official Great American Takeout Day. On April 14, The Great American Takeout and The Coca-Cola Company are giving away more than 100 gift cards to restaurant supporters across the country. One grand prize recipient will win free takeout for a year in the form of a $5,000 gift card, while 100 more winners will receive a $50 gift card, all courtesy of Coca-Cola. For your chance to win, just post a picture of your takeout meal on Tuesday, April 14, along with the hashtags #TheGreatAmericanTakeout and #CokeSweepstakes. Be sure to tag @thegreatamericantakeout if participating on Instagram, or @TheGATakeout if entering on Twitter. Good luck!

Castellucci Hospitality Group has also partnered with Emory & Piedmont Hospital to provide meals for their fearless frontline ICU & emergency room volunteers & medical teams. On each CHG restaurant's online ordering page, there is now an option to add "Meals for the Frontline" to your cart ($15 - the cost of one meal) to gift a meal to these teams. For every Frontline Meal purchased, CHG will match with a meal donation & will be dropping off all meals to both hospitals at the end of each week.

For Atlantans who have lost jobs, Mission + Market is here to take one thing off their plate - the stress of not knowing where their next meal will come from. Each Thursday, the restaurant will provide a meal and beverage to all people who have lost their jobs. Secure your meal by sending a direct message to Mission + Market on Instagram every Wednesday. Guests can pick up their meals between 4 pm and 6 pm each Thursday through curbside service. Simply call the restaurant upon arrival and pull up at valet to receive the meal.

Open Hand is turning the tables on Dining Out For Life 2020 by inviting you to "Take Out & Dine In" and support our local restaurants with take-out, curbside pick-up or delivery. They are refocusing their efforts in hopes of joining the community together virtually to "Dine In" and do good for the generous restaurant partners that have supported Open Hand over the last three decades. Traditionally, Dining Out for Life has included thousands of people who have dined out for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner at their favorite restaurants, with each restaurant donating 25% of every bill to Open Hand Atlanta. This year, even though our restaurants are not in a position to make a donation, they would like to support Open Hand by asking our friends to place a take-out or delivery order (or several!) during the week of April 27 - May 3, and then make a donation to Open Hand on their behalf.

Easter At Home 2020

Check out this extensive list of Easter TO GO options (while they last, many are sold out)

Meal Kits TO-GO

Meal Kits! Cook at home like the pros! Cook burgers with kits from Grindhouse Killer Burgers, Grub Burger or Farm Burger. If you want to cook some pro-caliber pasta at home pick up a kit from newcomer Grana which is now open in Piedmont Heights or the new Lyla Lila in midtown.

And Meat! Tried to find meat at the grocery store to no avail? Brazilian Steakhouse, Fogo de Chao which is selling prepared meals as well as cuts of meat to cook at home--free delivery for $50+ orders! And The Castelucci Group is doing a steak to go concept this weekend! And STK Atlanta - Offering STK Steakhouse At Home Meal Kits including Dinner for 2 for $59.95 or Dinner for 4 for $99.95., available for call-in curbside pickup orders only. Guests can also receive $50 Dining Dollars with your $50 takeout order. Wine bottles available for to-go orders. Delivery is also available with Postmates and Uber Eats. For more information about takeout and delivery options, visit https://stksteakhouse.com/delivery/ or 404-793-0144.

Known for revolutionizing the "work lunch" for some of the nation's most influential teams, award-winning, Atlanta-based food tech startupSifted is one of many businesses that have quickly switched gears to kick-off a new business model in response to the current pandemic. Founded with the mission to offer chef-driven lunches to corporate offices in major cities (currently serving Atlanta, Austin, Denver, San Francisco, Phoenix & Seattle), Sifted quickly leveraged existing resources to launch two new, complementary business models to better serve today's social norms: Sifted Provisions, a program now offering chef-driven Provision Packs of fresh & shelf-stable groceries (available for next day, contactless pick-up in your area) to help stock your kitchen for weeks so you can skip the grocery store, and Sifted Kitchen, another branch of the company set to offer a curated selection of hand-blended spices to amp up your lunch hour (launching this month).

Craving sweets?

Everyone, especially during these times, needs a little sugar to get the endorphins going and keep you sane! Check this list out.

And don't go without your favorite gourmet popsicles! King of Pops is delivering!

Save Our Servers!

WSB's Mark Arum started a great page where you can Go Fund Me a number of Atlanta's servers who are out of work and need your help. And the gallery of photos of some of these young lads and lasses, ahem, is quite entertaining as well!

This piece talks about how One in six restaurant workers live below the poverty line, according to the Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank that studies low- and middle-income workers. Twice as many don't earn enough for their family to cover basic things like rent, food and healthcare. They need help fast!

Salt Factory Pub and Little Alley Steak in Roswell are combining kitchens that are offering limited menus to go. Salt Factory Pub in Woodstock is also still open for takeout (but their Alpharetta location is not yet).

Order from Murphy's limited to-go menu, which includes a $45 dinner for four with sides and your choice of a whole roasted chicken, braised beef brisket, or spinach and sausage meatloaf. They're also providing family dinners to-go and wine to-go from 9 am-9 pm. Order through DoorDash or Zifty. Murphy's also recently launched a GoFundMe for those who want to support the restaurant's staff.

Goldberg's Fine Foods is offering takeout of Jewish penicillin at all of its locations along with free delivery when orders are placed on the restaurant chain's website. Goldberg's Fine Foods, Multiple locations. goldbergsfinefoods.com.

Eat healthy during quarantine with KarmaFarm is offering drive-thru service with vegan combo meals under $20, pickups available 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday. KarmaFarm, 308 Pharr Rd NE, Atlanta. 404-307-7186, eatkarmafarm.com.

King of Pops is taking orders online for local delivery. King of Pops. 833-328-7677, kingofpops.com.

Lyla Lila will remain open and will also begin selling Pasta To-Go packages, cook-at-home meal kits made to serve four people. Each kit includes a pasta dish and salad, with additional daily specials available. Orders can be placed over the phone for curbside pickup. Lyla Lila, 693 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta. 404-963-2637, lylalilaatl.com.

Brick Store Pub will be open for a quasi-soup kitchen style, curbside service from noon until 8:00 p.m. We will be offering soup and sandwiches for donations only. If you can offer a donation, great! If you cannot, we'll still get you a meal. All donations, 100%, will be given to staff as we try to continue to support our people as best we can at this time. This is for people who are food insecure, worried about their next paycheck, and really need a break right now. Menu coming ASAP. Thanks and please be safe: ]

If you're feeling fancy, Kimball House has a home oyster pack that comes with a dozen oysters, a Toadfish oyster knife, fresh lemon, cocktail sauce, and a mini oyster cooler all for $55. They're also offering cocktails to-go and a curbside takeout menu with specials including confit duck leg, flank steak, cornmeal-crusted trout, and even caviar.

Antico Pizza is offering their world-famous pies shipped frozen to you! They last for 60 days. Link is here!

Bell Street Burritos is offering a host of special programs at all three of its locations, including selling tamales every day, beer-to-go, a retail market, free toilet paper with every $20 spent and, of course, curbside takeout service. Bell Street Burritos, Multiple locations. bellstreetburritos.com.

DAS BBQ will be closing its dining room and offering takeout with curbside pickup Wednesday-Sunday, 12-7 p.m. The restaurant will also be sending its vans and trucks to serve neighboring communities in public spaces, the schedule for which can be found on its website. DAS BBQ, 1203 Collier Rd NW, Atlanta. 404-850-7373, dasbbq.com.

Grindhouse Killer Burgers now offers delivery via DoorDash, as well as discounts for medical workers with their hospital badge or other medical ID. Grindhouse Killer Burgers, Multiple locations. grindhouseburgers.com.

Gypsy Kitchen is offering takeout with curbside pickup and delivery available, including bottles of wine. Restaurant industry workers get 50% off all orders. Gypsy Kitchen, 3035 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta. 404-939-9840, gk-atl.com.

Feeling Fancy?

Aria and Umi have pivoted to be more about comfort food.

Tamarind Restaurant Group is offering a 3-course family meal. We have taken many of your favorite dishes from Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft, Nan Thai Fine Dining and Chai Yo Modern Thai and have made them available as a family meal option available for curbside pickup and delivery. Each family meal serves 5-6 people. Choose one appetizer, one soup or salad and two entrees for only $80. Call 678-539-6181 to schedule an order for pickup at Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft . Delivery is also available to Midtown and Buckhead neighborhoods for a fee. We request 2 hours of advanced notice for deliveries. For any questions contact info@tuktukatl.com or call 678-539-6181

Arnette's Chop Shop will offer a four-course takeout menu for $60 per person or $220 for a family of four.

Bar Margot in the Four Seasons Hotel is offering takeout with pickup and delivery available until 9 p.m. each day, with different daily family meal menus for sale as well.

Le Colonial is now offering delivery via UberEats as well as takeout orders. Le Colonial Atlanta, 3035 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta. 404-341-0500, lecolonialatlanta.com.

Colletta is now offering curbside pickup of takeout orders. Colletta, 900 3rd St, Alpharetta. 678-722-8335, collettarestaurant.com.

Fogo de Chao is offering full meals-to-go as well as its Bar Fogo menu for takeout ordering with curbside pickup available. The Brazilian steakhouse is also selling fresh meat by the pound. Fogo de Chao, Two locations: Buckhead and Dunwoody. fogodechao.com.

La Grotta is offering takeout with curbside pickup, including wine, which is discounted 40% on bottles under $200. La Grotta Ristorante, 2637 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta. 404-231-1368, lagrottaatlanta.com.

Drive Thru's

Gusto Chamblee The fast-casual healthy-ish joint has a drive-thru location in Chamblee. It's efficient and easy to access off of Peachtree Boulevard. Right now, the regular menu is available as well as pints of chicken (2 for $15). Make sure to order the sweet potato chips fresh from the fryer.

Martin's in Mableton: there are 16 Martin's locations throughout the Atlanta area, which is great for those looking for an affordable biscuit. There are other comforting offerings here, too, including hot dogs with a variety of toppings and burgers.

Banshee has a new drive-thru menu available from 5-8pm. You can get comfort food such as chicken noodle soup, grilled cheese, bone broth, gnocchi, and more. They're also offering to-go cocktails, including mimosa kits.

Great Stories from the Restaurant World!

Check out how a New Orleans restaurant group pivoted to healthcare, saving jobs, serving rising needs.

And here is a great story about how The Staplehouse is now operating as a soup kitchen for restaurant employees affected by the virus:https://whatnowatlanta.com/staplehouse-now-operating-as-soup-kitchen-to-support-local-restaurant-workforce/

Gusto! has now raised $40,000 in dining bonds for their employees! https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2020/03/24/dining-bonds-coronavirus-atlanta-restaurants.html

Noble Prize nominee Chef Jose Andres is doing amazing things around Covid 19 (like he always does!).

Tropical Smoothie is donating 100,000 smoothies to frontline workers.

The Slutty Vegan is donating meals to Frontline workers.