One thing that Atl-iens can all agree on is that Atlanta is an exceptionally large city, there’s so much to get into and do here, plus the patio scene has exploded beyond the ones we’ve highlighted in the city. So, we went on another Adventures in Patios, this time to highlight Hidden Gems and OTP patios in areas around Atlanta so no matter what neighborhood you live in, there’s one near you to try. Are you ready to take a tour of our fair city?
Chiringa
Happiness is a day at the beach, and we all need a little beach right now. That’s what you’ll get at Chiringa in Alpharetta; it’s like walking into a surfside bar with a beautiful, expansive patio! From the sweetness of perfect plantains, to healthy blackened fish tacos, to meaty wings, flavorful bowls, and the perfect beach drink, Chiringa has serious eats, warm beach vibes and breezy cocktails. Can you smell the salt in the air and a warm ocean breeze? We can too.
When you get to you the fly-up window, we’d recommend their Frozé, which is one of the best in the city. Plus, if you’re hungry, you should stop by on Wednesday for 75-cent wings, which are Caribbea- inspired with spicy jerk and sweet on the back. You won’t forget these! And please don’t forget to order a side of plantains. They’re sweet, crisp on the outside in spots, and have the perfect salt-and-pepper dusting. Finally, meal-wise, their Core 57 bowl is healthy and hearty decked out in avocado, beans, rice, and plantains. Pro tip: Douse it in the cilantro sauce and mix away.
Chiringa is located in Alpharetta City Center, 34 S. Main St. Alpharetta, GA 30009. Chiringa.com
Jekyll Brewing City Center
Through the thick forest of palm trees, you come upon a tree that’s been uprooted and the limbs are twisted into the soft sand below your feet. There are small black bugs scurrying along the waterline where the gentle waves are afraid to come up any farther. When you look down the surf line, you notice that there are at least 50 other trees in contorted formations. One reaches to the sky like a skyscraper, the other one next to it fans out into what almost looks like a peacock. Have you been transported to a Martian moonscape? You’d think so, but, no, you’re in the most beautifully unique place on earth: Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island on the Georgia coastline. This is the beach vibe that you get when you go to Jekyll Brewing in Alpharetta City Center. The rooftop deck and bar is one-of-a-kind with an Airstream in the middle! Up there, you can grab a drink right from the window or sit along its side.
Our two-part experience brought us unique food and beer options inspired by the island with an array of tasty treats. We’d recommend of the bites: fresh fried pork rinds that literally come still popping to the table with homemade hot sauce; their Mike’s wings, which were so much chicken; plus they have a fun take on a charcuterie plate! Meal-wise, go light with their Lite Bowl topped with salmon and loaded with sweet potato and avocado! Yum! Jekyll has a ton of beer options; John loves the Southern Juice, and I’d recommend the Redneck Christmas Stout. Not a beer drinker? Opt for the Hardly Seltzer in multiple flavors, which is perfect for hanging out at the Airstream!
Jekyll Brewing City Center is Jekyll Brewing’s second location, 15 Academy St., Suite 1E Alpharetta, GA 30000. JekyllBrewing.com
Live! At The Battery Sports & Social
The pitcher comes up to the mound, and the crowd grows silent in anticipation. Here’s the pitch! The ball sails through the air, and with the crack of the bat, the ball is going, going, GONE. Next to Truist Park, home of the Braves, Live! At The Battery knocks it out of the park with margarita pitcher specials, fun cocktails, and an array of bites for any sports or social occasion. Really, the minute you walk up to the Battery, you feel the electricity that the stadium brings. Being literally a stone’s throw from Truist Park, it’s one amazing patio and sports enthusiast space. One of the best patios outside the perimeter, it is huge and has everything from game watching, live music, DJs, brunch, and everything in between. It’s a happening, fun place.
Go for the game, a night out, or brunch. We’d highly recommend the brunch with boozy cereal that’s a mix of Kahlua, almond milk, and cereal! Make sure to grab their simple yet amazing avocado toast called The Basic B*tch, which is just avocado, egg, bread, and pico, but perfectly seasoned. If you opt for game night or a quick bite with your honey, make sure to load up on delicious meatballs and crispy fried wings, then sip on one of their amazing margarita pitcher specials. Make a whole day of it!
Live! At the Battery complex is located literally across from Truist Park, 825 Battery Ave. SE. Suite 600. Atlanta, GA 30339. LiveAtTheBatteryAtlanta.com
Ph'East
Since it was a hot summer day, we opted for the little bit of shade on a patio around the corner from Truist Park. Far to our right, there’s a guy with his guitar singing the greatest '80s and '90s rock and pop hits. As he sings, people tap their toes, sip on bowls, dig into poke, and try new beers and cocktails at the recently opened Ph’East. Just outside Atlanta in the Battery complex, Ph’East has several hawker stalls that includes our new friends at Poke Burri and Lifting Noodles Ramen, as well as the Tap at Ph’East. We sipped, slurped, and noshed our way to an international journey outside America, right from Atlanta. These days, we could all use a little vacation, so join us on a little trip to Asian flavor and tiki islands. Do you have your passport?
Upon arrival, stop by Taps at Ph’East to sample their large array of craft beer from IPAs to stouts. Our recommendation would be the Scorpion Cocktail, which is a bright and balanced tiki-inspired cocktail. They have tiki cocktail specials every Tuesday for Tiki Tuesday! Then, head over to Poke Burri for their fantastic spicy tuna nachos or the unique sushi doughnut. It’s a fun way to eat your sushi with salmon, avocado and sriracha on the side for a little heat. Save room for Lifting Noodles Ramen and build your own ramen bowl with earthy kale noodles and an amazing pork broth. It’s delectable! Talk about a Ph’East.
Ph’East is located in The Battery Atlanta, 925 Battery Ave., Suite 1100, Atlanta, GA. PhEastATL.com
Cru Food & Wine Bar – The Battery
On a busy corner at The Battery Atlanta, there’s a wine oasis dotted with purple umbrellas, marble tabletops, warm vibes, and surrounded by several colors of delicate flowers and greenery. Cru Food & Wine Bar at the Battery Atlanta has mastered the art of superb wine procurement from magnificent Champagne and Smell the Rosés flights to a wide variety of dishes that complement the wine on their menu. We can’t think of anything better to pair your favorite vino with than a solid charcuterie or small plate, and even a succulent filet mignon. "Wine" not?
Start your wine journey with one of their many flights and pair it with one of their many shareable plates. We’d recommend the Smell the Rosé flight with the charcuterie board: Premiere Cru that has tons of meats and go well with the crispness of the wine. Of the small plates, we enjoyed the goat cheese beignets the most because they were a surprising sweet treat to go with a perfectly paired Cuvee Brut Champagne. Let’s not forget the meatballs or better yet, the delicious steak that you can pair with your favorite vino. Wine Oasis is right.
Cru Food & Wine Bar is located at 915 Battery Ave., Atlanta, GA, CruWineBar.com
Ocean & Acre
Land and sea come together in perfect harmony up at Ocean & Acre in the Halcyon Forsyth complex! The second you step onto their patio, you find you’re transported to a seaside village by the ocean, with tropical beach vibes, and even a fireplace made of shells to warm you up on the cool spring or fall nights. Paired with the ocean vibes, Ocean & Acre has an enormous seafood, oyster, and shellfish menu that screams salty air and rolling waves. Plus, we find that what really sets them apart is the innovative and truly unique menu offerings like Wagyu beef carpaccio, savory pork chops, tartare, hush puppies, and more. Like we said, perfect harmony!
Nothing says patio like tuna tartare with crisp nachos; it’s the perfect combo of avocado and tuna, plus the garlic aioli really elevated the bite. You won’t want to share. We know you’re feeling thirsty sitting outside, so we’d recommend the Night Herder. It may be a bourbon cocktail, but it drinks light, fresh, and lemony. It’s perfect with the lightness of the tuna and refreshing in the heat. You can also get an order of hush puppies to share, but these aren’t just fried balls of dough, no! They’re light and crisp with a fantastic sauce that has a great balance of flavors: earthy, slightly spicy, creamy, and peppery. Thinking about going during brunch? They have a fantastic Dutch pancake, breakfast polenta bowl, and even a solid steak and eggs. Staying for dinner? Why not try the Wagyu beef carpaccio or the stellar pork chop. You could stay all day on that patio!
Ocean & Acre is located in the Halcyon Forsyth complex, 6290 Halcyon Way, Suite 620, Alpharetta, GA 30005. OceanAndAcre.com
Barleygarden Kitchen & Craft Beer
Beervana DOES exist. Located on the end of the Avalon complex, with a large patio and rooftop bar, Barleygarden Kitchen and Bar has a legitimate stake in Beervana, but we hope you stay for the food because you’ll be in for a real treat. Once you’re at Barleygarden, sit yourself upstairs in the shade, watch the bustle of the people below and passersby, while sipping on a wide beer variety or a specialty cocktail. Stay hungry for a light bite or sandwich. This one was a heady adventure on a fun OTP patio. Grab a drink and stay a while.
We’d recommend checking out their extensive local, regional, and national beer menu where you can get everything from sours to stouts. They’re owned by Hop City, so they KNOW their beer and will even suggest a beer pairing with your food if you ask nicely. Plus, they have a fun cocktail menu with our favorite cocktail we tried: Never Say Die. On top of that, you can’t really go wrong with Barleygarden’s eats either, we’d recommendation the fried cauliflower, which was like having cheesy, fried goodness. If you’re looking for something lighter go with the brussels sprouts. A good, nutty, earthy, and cheesy little bite! If sandwiches are your thing, please get the Butcher’s Bun. It’s cheesy, creamy, garlicy, meaty perfection on a bun. Pair with your favorite craft beer!
Barleygarden is located in the Avalon complex, 900 Avalon Blvd, Alpharetta, GA 30009. https://www.barleygardenkitchen.com/avalon
Varuni Napoli – Hidden Gem
Tucked behind Varuni Napoli’s dining room sits a hidden garden patio with a leafy tree canopy, tons of shade, comfy couches, and a Koi pond. It’s a small oasis in the heart of the busy city that’s perfect for a date night or even after-dinner drinks and dessert. Sitting on the patio, we sipped on a white sangria while dining on delicious pizza and being pampered with the delightful desserts. It was the perfect early Saturday dinner. We didn’t even know they had a patio, so this was a delightful surprise to sit back there and just enjoy a peaceful spot. Just imagine the twinkle lights come on and you’re enjoying some vino with your honey. That’s the feeling you get from this hidden gem.
When you go to Varuni Napoli, you have to opt for a pizza, and we’d recommend the amazing Bastardo Pizza! What makes this pizza is the Nduja sauce, a spicy blend of Calabrian chili, oil, and mixed with pepperoni, sausage, pancetta, and dolloped on. It’s spicy, meaty, and perfection in sauce form. Ask for a white sangria to beat the heat both in the Bastardo’s sauce and sitting on the canopied patio. Save room for dessert because they have a dynamite tiramisu, rich and boozy with fluffly lady fingers and the bitterness of the dark chocolate. Delicimo. We did learn recently how much thought Luca puts into his ingredients, and his knowledge of Italian specialty and premium items like tomatoes, his procured dough items, and even timing of the pizza oven are down to a science. We wanted to send him a shoutout for how impressed we are with his love of making the perfect pizza! Brava!
Varuni Napoli is located in Midtown, 1540 Monroe Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30324 Varuni.us
Slow Pour Brewing
Upon entering Slow Pour Brewing in the quaint downtown Lawrenceville, you immediately are transported to a slower time where rocking chairs and lazy rivers were all the rage. It reminded us of sitting in a garden near my grandmother’s house in rural Nashville. You’ve got your vegetable and herb garden to the right and the twinkle lights hang above, lush landscaping and tons of patio furniture. We wish we had this patio closer to home. It’s one of the best brewery patios in Atlanta. Pro tip: Stay for the sunset; it’s spectacular with the twinkle lights! With the sun setting on us, we soaked in the last moments of the light.
Of the beer, we really enjoyed the Spirit of the Moment Stout, that was deep and rich, slightly boozy 12.8% with chocolate notes. This was Liz’s favorite. John’s favorite was the Nostalgia IPA because he loved the balance of drinkability and slight hop. We also enjoyed the lighter lager and all-day drinker, Commodore James. Plus, the Reap and Sow Saison was more on the sour side, but the right amount of spice. You can’t go wrong with any of their beers or their ambiance. Cheers.
Slow Pour is located near downtown Lawrenceville, 407 N. Clayton St., Lawrenceville, GA 30046. SlowPourBrewing.com
The Mill Kitchen & Bar
With views of the Roswell Town Square, The Mill Kitchen & Bar has a wraparound patio with rustic drop lights, bright patio umbrellas, and the fireplace centerpiece. The moment you arrive, you're greeted with beautiful stonework, rustic touches, and colorful flowers. You know you’re going to enjoy hanging out on this patio. From Southern staples to steak to expansive light bite menu, there’s a hint of something for everyone. They’re right; it’s really Southern fare with an upscale twist. You know how they say the bread indicates the caliber of the meal? The patio here is just a precursor to amazing food.
We’d recommend everything here—you heard us—everything. We were particularly impressed with the pimento cheese fritters, which were crunchy and creamy. The bacon jam really made it. Have you ever had a charcuterie plate with smoke salmon or Banh Mi ingredients? They have it! You can mix and match so many flavors—one of the best charcuterie boards we’ve ever had. Plus, the Tuna Tataki was fresh and light with a sweet watermelon pico, that ended spicy. On top of that, the grilled lamb lion was fantastic with perfectly cooked and seasoned lamb and some of the best tzatziki ever. EVER. Want something light and refreshing to wash it down? Try the Pineapple Dreams. Pineapple on top, sweet cherry on the bottom. Stir. Tiki dreams is more like it.
The Mill Kitchen and Bar is located at 590 Mimosa Blvd., Roswell, GA 30075. TheMillKitchenAndBar.com