Quick Bites for May 15: Restaurant closures, lots of Westside restaurant news, Slutty Vegan update

Another Westside restaurant closure

Bastone, the Italian restaurant and mozzarella bar owned by Chef Pat Pascarella, closed after three years at the corner of 8th Street and Howell Mill Road. The restaurant took over the space previously occupied by Bocado in 2022, with Pascarella saying at the time that Bastone would be his most ambitious restaurant to date. Read more here. 

Marcel, Cooks & Soldiers renew leases on the Westside

Speaking of Westside dining. After a slew of restaurant closures along Howell Mill Road and neighboring streets, a May 14 press release announced that Marcel will be sticking around Westside Provisions District for another 10 years. The Michelin-recommended steakhouse, owned by Ford Fry, just renewed its lease. Fry also owns Little Sparrow and Bar Blanc at the complex. 

The statement also mentions the renewal of the lease for Cooks & Soldiers across the street from Westside Provisions District. And, word is that Chef John Currence will open a location of his restaurant Big Bad Breakfast in the former Cultivate Food & Coffee space on the other side of Howell Mill Road in Buckhead. 

Slutty Vegan news

Slutty Vegan will reopen on May 24 in Westview, and with a new look. You may recall we previously reported that this location was temporarily closed for renovations after Slutty Vegan founder, Pinky Cole, regained control of the company earlier this year. 

Cole briefly lost control of her company “after a rocky 2024,” telling People magazine, “I was chasing something that I couldn’t catch for so many reasons,” and that she “wasn’t the operational person.” Since taking back the Slutty Vegan brand in March, she’s formed a new company under the Ain’t Nobody Coming to See You, Otis LLC, inspired by “The Tempatations” mini series, and closed Slutty Vegan locations in Duluth and on the campuses of Spelman and Clark Atlanta. Bar Vegan, a cocktail bar and restaurant founded by Cole and her Slutty Vegan partners, closed on May 5 after four years at Ponce City Market.

NFA Burger opens in Alpharetta

Just a reminder that NFA Burger opened today at Avalon in Alpharetta. Diners can expect counter service, a simple bar program, and a nearly identical food menu. (Instead of Schmoops cinnamon sugar twists, the Avalon location will serve cups of frozen custard.) For drinks, think margaritas, and down the line, a bourbon cream.

Dunwoody drive-through dilemma

Dunwoody residents and business owners for and against the proposed drive-throughs for Raising Cane’s on Ashford Dunwoody Road and Zaxby’s on Perimeter Center West had their chance to speak during the May 13 Dunwoody Planning Commission meeting. After some back-and-forth from the commission over rezoning and special land use permits, both applications were deferred until the next meeting in June. Read more from Rough Draft’s Cathy Cobbs.

One night only

Peruvian restaurant Tio Lucho’s in Poncey-Highland teams up with critically acclaimed Athens restaurant Puma Yu’s on May 18 for a special dining event. The dinner, hosted on the patio at Tio Lucho’s, mixes Peruvian dishes with Thai dishes from Puma Yu’s. (Think fire-roasted whole chicken, chili- and lime-glazed shrimp skewers, papaya salad and sticky rice, and a wedge salad with huacatay ranch dressing.) A $100 ticket includes dinner for two people and guaranteed seating at 7:30 p.m. this Sunday.

New Taiwanese group dining experience

A new group dining experience just debuted this week at Lucky Star, the Star Metals Taiwanese cafe and cocktail bar from Brush owners Chef Jason Liang and John Chen. Served family style, the ban-dou (Taiwanese street banquet) features 12 dishes and feeds between four and six people. The menu includes dishes like ume tomato salad, a beef scallion pancake wrap, oysters, three-cup chicken, lobster club sandwiches, and caviar bumps. Expect mochi doughnuts and pineapple cake ice cream for dessert. Reservations are required. $79 per person. 

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