The November Hit List: Foundation Social Eatery, Bomb Biscuit, Rwby, and More

We were all very excited when chef Mel Toledo and his wife Sandy expanded upon his Roswell revival to include the Petite FSE mini cafe-market. Now half a year in, they’ve hit their stride.

If you want to hop on the tinned fish trend, this is the place to do it, accompanied by house-baked bread. For something unctuous and unique, the confit ribs are a must. The fresh pastas are luxurious and mostly autumnal in its savory comfort, but do go splitsies on a couple so you have room for entrees like a perfectly roasted chicken with bacon. The Blacker the Berry, a vodka cocktail with blackberry-thyme shrub and a smidge of absinthe, goes with everything, including the superb passionfruit tart.

Come for the smoky, cozy, wood-burning culinary vibes, and stay for the music. Seriously. Fogon’s roster of performers – playing Thursday through Sunday – are fantastic. The playlist and pace is unhurried, a double nod to Spanish tapas tradition and chef Julio Delgado’s Puerto Rican heritage. You’ll find elements of both: poppable corn fritters with swicy dippers, family recipe empanadas, then ham and cheese from all over Spain, hearth-cooked paella and pulpo, and excellent chilled tortilla Española by the slice.

But don’t ignore the other Latin influences: provoleta al Fogón, a queso unlike any other; and birria-style lamb shank barbacoa. And if you’re gathered ‘round and looking for wow, go whole hog – literally. A whole cochinilo (suckling pig) asado feast can be prepared with just 72 hours notice.

There’s more than one way to watch football. But outside of nabbing a suite at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Dantanna’s might just the only right way. A full menu and open-late kitchen offer glowed-up, well-sourced takes on traditional sports bar fare, which means you can get the double stacked and fully loaded tavern burger and Korean-fried lemon pepper wings up until 11 p.m.. There are beers on tap, but the 50 wines by the glass pair better with the steaks, wasabi-rubbed crab-topped tuna, and the bison burger with buffalo Brie.

And all go nicely with your favorite team’s win on the plentiful big-screens, but cigar aficionados have the added option to enjoy them in their own retreat. Discreetly tucked into a secluded corner of the restaurant is an independently owned- and -operated cigar lounge with Atlanta’s best selection.

Just when we thought this bomb already popped off, it brings more fire to ATL with both a Bib Gourmand nod from Michelin and props from the New York Times as one its top 50 restaurants across the nation. All this means locals like us should be praising the “Glori-Fried” powers that be that they just recently joined Resy.

Otherwise, what hope have we humble mortals for some not-so-humble biscuits? By that, we mean varieties like cheddar jalapeno, black pepper bacon, and deep-fried with cinnamon sugar. Pile country ham, sausage, fried chicken thighs, “melty” pimento or “The People’s Cheese” (American) on your pick. Our pro tip? Go ahead a duo of ham and jam for only $1.50 more than a solo biscuit.

Fans of the Lawrence will be glad to know that the space has officially entered its next phase. Helmed by its old owners, Darren Carr and Eric Simpkins, the menu preserves the seasonally driven, pan-European flair of the space, but with updates that make it a lighter little sister to its predecessor. From décor choices like rustic booth benches to an airy color scheme, Rwby – pronounced “Ruby,” per the unrelatedly Welsh alphabet – the vibe is brighter and more open.

For now, plates encourage sharing – it’s easy to split seared halloumi with pickled fennel salad, Hasselback patatas bravas, or a meze board. Pair the latter with an Amacord Spritz, whose cantaloupe Capeletti and melon-rind infusion are natural friends to prosciutto. For entrees, visit North Africa by way of harissa-seasoned wild salmon or Belgium via Flemish beef cheek stew cooked in Saison Dupont beer, all without leaving Midtown.

Great news for fans of this gorgeous high-end Greek mainstay: it’s still outrageously awesome. More than four decades of success haven’t dulled chef Pano Karatassos’ passion nor creativity, and it shows. For instance, the modern Greek tasting menu is a luxurious, seven-plus course, truffle-rife journey whose highlights include kaluga caviar with ouzo-cured salmon, their signature grilled octopus, and a trifecta finish of cinnamon rolled baklava, blueberry sorbet, and a flawless wild thyme honey loukoumade.

But don’t wait for a special occasion to go. Full vegetarian and vegan menus are available, as are assorted seafood and meat tastings. Bone-in ribeye, three-day marinated Australian lamb chops, and fish you can hand-pick from the on-ice display are all on demand, and let the staff pair your wine to unlock an appreciation of Grecian grapes.

Call 404-262-0702 for reservations.

Night owls deserve “real” food, too, and Octopus Kitchen burns the midnight oil – and hookah – for late-night revelers. While the kitchen of this seafood joint is open as late as 2 AM and serves brunch until 5 PM on weekends, it pays to be an early bird: first round of hookah’s on the house if you arrive before 6 p.m.

And the gifts keep on giving at this vibey spot. Let them know when you’re booking your Resy that it’s your birthday, and you’ll be toasting with a comped bottle of bubbles. Take a sip to brighten up a creamy corn and crab soup, wine-steamed mussels, garlic tiger shrimp, or some eponymous octopus sauteed or in an egg roll. Landlubbers have grilled chicken, lamb chops, and wings to choose from, but you can add surf, turf, or both to any entrée.

We love a good dad joke, but even more when it comes with some good dad food. This newcomer by chef Shaun Doty has both.

Part of a duo that includes the Italian American-inspired Best Sandwich House (“the Best and Wurst”) the beer hall portion – complete with a year-round patio overlooking the Freedom Park Trail – is big on American microbrews, European traditional beers, and sausages. Lots of sausages, specifically from Patak Meat Products right here in Austell. But the wings, and pimento pub cheese, are where the Southern influence ends, because the rest of the menu takes us north to Germany, Austria, Poland, and Ireland via bangers, currywurst, chicken schnitzel, and fish and chips. Even the Bavarian pretzels are imported from just outside Munich, because “There are some things you don’t mess around with,” Doty says. But coming full circle, the same can be said of a pork knuckle confit you won’t find elsewhere — a heritage Duroc shank simmered in duck fat for 12 flavor-imparting hours.

No reservations.

OTP-ers may be familiar with one of Marietta’s premier wine venues, but its ten-year anniversary is a good reminder that in-town isn’t the only game around town. Stem remains chic, intimate, and designed for flights and bites and meat and cheese. For example, the wine flight menu sorts affordable trios by taste profiles like green whites, bubbles, and spicy reds. Accompany them with seasonal small plates; new releases include bacon and onion flatbread with crème fraiche and garlic wings with Calabrian chilies and preserved lemon. But if you happen to find yourself near Merchant’s Walk on a Friday, Flights & Fondue is what’s up. It’s only $18 for two to share toasted bread, apples, crispy brussels sprouts, fingerling potatoes, and other veggies and savories for dipping into garlic- and truffle-laced molten Gruyère, Emmental, and fontina.

This new location isn’t a long way from its original location, but figuratively, it’s pretty darn far from that little house serving sandwiches and coffee in Sandy Springs. The fourth and latest addition to Ozzy Llanes’ collection is undoubtedly its most ambitious yet as his first full-service, full-bar restaurant, complete with seating for up to 60 and an outdoor patio. Wine tastings events are being planned as we speak, introducing his faves from Argentina, Spain, and Napa, and the introduction of charcuterie boards is a complementary element.

But of course, they’re wisely not messing with what ain’t broke. Its proudly Cuban roots remain on display via sandwiches with bread from Tampa’s 100-year-old La Segunda Central Bakery, the café con leche and cortaditos Atlantans now know and love, plus Cuban cocktails that range from classic mojitos to contemporary espresso martinis.

No reservations.