Quick Bites: Paper Crane Lounge comes to Staplehouse, Krog Street Market gets a candy shop, Manny

Food news roundup

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Photo credit: Courtesy Paces Properties
COMING SOON: Grant Park's new Woodward Avenue development will include a Jimmy John's and Manny's Grant Park Pub.

There is a new cocktail club in town and it’s in a very special place. Paper Crane Lounge, now open upstairs at Staplehouse, is a good spot to try the Crossing, a quad malt whiskey aged in charred oak barrels, in collaboration with the Staplehouse team and ASW Distillery. Proceeds from each bottle benefit The Giving Kitchen.

Krog Street Market is getting a candy shop. Sweet Inman’s Candies by the Daniel Richards Group opens late November. No chocolate at this place, but you will find bulk confections, cotton candy, soda pop, and other old school favorites.

Part coffee shop, part outreach, Refuge Coffee in Clarkston has found a new brick-and-mortar home. Work has begun at 4170 East Ponce de Leon Ave. for a kitchen to expand the food menu. Refuge Coffee provides jobs and job training to refugees.

The new Paces Properties development at Woodward Ave. and Boulevard will be anchored by family friendly Manny’s Grant Park Pub from the grandson and namesake of late proprietor Manuel Maloof, who founded North Highland Avenue beloved Manuel’s Tavern. “I’ve wanted to open a neighborhood ‘go to’ for years,” said the younger Manuel Maloof in a press release. “I love the area ... There has been an incredible need for more family-friendly local gathering spots, and we think Manny’s will be that spot for a fun night out for drinks, a hang out to watch the game and a place for a solid meal, celebrations or a private event.” The development is composed of 5,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space.

Five new restaurants are coming to The Hub retail center downtown at Peachtree Center: Beni’s Cubano, make-your-own salad spot Salata, Vietnamese concept Bep Eatery, Southern Candy Company, and Taste of India. “Downtown Atlanta is the city’s cultural core, and an important part of that experience is food,” said Amy Fingerhut of CBRE who leased the restaurants.

Lactose intolerant? No problem! Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams introduces its first dairy free ice cream today, Nov. 10. The vegan dark chocolate truffle ice cream is now available at all Jeni’s scoop shops nationwide.

It’s that time of year when Yebo Beach Haus packs away the surf gear and transforms into Yebo Ski Haus. Ski lodge d̩cor comes complete with new menus packed with South African flavor. Warm up with beer cheese fondue and ostrich bolognese.

Midtown’s Torched Hop Brewing’s beer will soon be available in cans. Going forward, the brewery will release a new beer every few weeks with 100 four-packs available for purchase on site. The first release is Tribunal IPA on Sat., Nov.18. Will you score a pack?

Sandy Springs’ Food 101 celebrates its 18th birthday next week. The restaurant at 4969 Roswell Road now has Ron Eyester (formerly of Rosebud) as executive chef and manager.

Eat and drink for a cause! The good folks at Local Three (3290 Northside Pkwy) are sending some love out to Napa and Sonoma Community Foundations. Fire Aid ATL on Sunday begins at 6 p.m. with more than a dozen Atlanta chefs (including Gerry Klaskala and Mike Patrick) serving food and wine flowing from California and beyond. DJ Yvonne Monet provides the tunes.

Midtown newbie Al Forno’s is now serving lunch. From 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. order salads and sandwiches like grilled cheese with cotto ham and Manchego in addition to their Neapolitan pizzas.

Finalists for the 2018 Good Food Awards have officially been narrowed down from 2,057 entrants to 279. Winners in the 15 categories will be announced Jan. 19. Georgia finalists include: Radio Roasters, Sweet Grass Dairy, Richland Distilling Company, the Woodsman and Wife Cheese, Xocolatl, MtnHoney, Swarm Chasers Apiaries, Oliver Farm Artisan Oils, and A&A Alta Cucina Italia.

Bring your four-legged buddy to the brewery this Saturday. Second Self opens its doors to pooches along with Red Bandana Pet Foods. A portion of Saturday’s proceeds benefit Georgia English Bulldog Rescue. They will have it all food trucks, swag bags, silent auction, and of course, beer!

Downtown’s Hard Rock Caf̩e hosts the annual BARocker bartending competition next Thurs., Nov 16. Bartenders from across the East Coast compete at 7 p.m. for a chance to travel to the final round in Orlando in January, where they’ll compete with finalists from around the world. Hard Rock encourages guests to join in the fun of cheering the mixologists on.