The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
From Antiques Row to Parkview on Peachtree
In 2014, when Southbound opened in a renovated factory on Peachtree Road, Buford Highway was still the best-known dining destination around Chamblee.
But more recently, the area has been experiencing a growth spurt, becoming an affordable and even hip place to live, with a spate of new apartments, easy access to MARTA, and icons like Whole Foods and Taqueria del Sol opening in the past couple of years.
Along downtown Chamblee’s historic “Antique Row,” you’ll still find vintage shops and long-running places like local ice-cream favorite the Frosty Caboose.
A new outpost of Gus’ Fried Chicken, and relocated Himalayas Indian Restaurant offer more places to grab a bite. And close by on Peachtree Boulevard, Parkview on Peachtree is a mixed-use development that features a pair of exciting new restaurants.
From Antiques Row to Parkview on Peachtree, here’s a glimpse at five places to dine and drink in Chamblee:
Hopstix
Situated on Pierce Drive, in heart of downtown Chamblee,
Hopstix is an Asian brewpub from award-winning homebrewer Andy Tan that combines elements of a sushi bar and a beer bar with the atmosphere and service of a chefdriven restaurant.
Scene: Often buzzing from lunch to late, the contemporary open dining room features a sparkling exhibition kitchen, but the three bars — sushi, robata and beer — are usually the favorite places to perch and indulge.
Eat: Hopstix boasts that the menu “blends west with east, rural with urban, street food and fine dining,” and that means sliders and nigiri, a 14-ounce grilled rib-eye, and a beer-battered and fried spicy tuna roll dubbed a sushi corn dog.
Drink: A recent beer list included Ju Hua, a light, Asianstyle specialty ale brewed by Tan with chrysanthemum flowers instead of hops. But there are rice lagers, pale ales, IPAs, stouts and sour beers, too, plus guest taps, wine and clever house cocktails.
3404 Pierce Drive NE, Chamblee. 678-888-2306, hopstixbrewing.com.
Bluetop
Andy Lasky opened Bluetop in a former taxi stand on Peachtree Road in Chamblee in 2017. Serving both lunch and dinner seven days a week, the family-friendly concept combines fast-casual service with a menu that’s both quirky and comfy.
Scene: Find multiple places to drink and dine, including two bars, two dining rooms and a design that melds the indoors and outdoors with backyard picnic tables, bocce and cornhole, and sometimes live bands.
Eat: The signature Bluetop Burger combines grassfed beef, Jack cheese, pickles and special sauce, and there’s Bama BBQ with Alabama white sauce, but small bites, such as fried pickles, crispy hot wings, and nachos, are crowd-pleasers.
Drink: In addition to draft and canned beer, and a concise list of wines by the glass or bottle, there are both classic and adventurous drinks, including an Old Fashioned topped with a miniature waffle cone, and several “fatwashed” cocktails.
5362 Peachtree Road, Chamblee. 678-620-3490, bluetopchamblee.com.
Contrast Artisan Ales
Recently opened by Chase Medlin, the former head brewer of Twain’s Brewpub & Billiards in Decatur, Contrast Artisan Ales is a small, seven-barrel “own-premise” brewery located on Peachtree Road in what was once a car repair shop.
Scene: The cozy taproom is often crowded with people clustered around the granitetopped bar and cafe tables with stools. A large mural and other works by Atlanta artists Jagua Martian and Austin Blue give the space a vivid Technicolor focal point.
Eat: There are “fancy lunchables” and other snacks for sale, and nitro cold brew coffee on tap. Plus you can buy bags of Contrast Coffee beans, along with T-shirts, caps and other logo merchandise.
Drink: Among Medlin’s creations, Luminiferous is a bright, slightly hazy 6.8 percent IPA with Citra and El Dorado hops. Hypnotize Biggie Stout is a dark, rich American imperial stout, and an even richer Biggie variant is infused with concentrated cold brew Nicaraguan coffee. 5504 Peach tree Road, Ch a mb lee. contrastartisanales.com.
The Alden
Arguably Chamblee’s most ambitious new restaurant, the Alden marks the return of Atlanta chef Jared Hucks, who cooked in great kitchens around the world before coming home to open this very intimate place at Parkview on Peachtree.
Scene: The open, exhibition-style kitchen and chef ’s table is the focal point of a bright space with contemporary design elements, all of which allow guests to interact one-on-one with Hucks and his team, and opt for a tasting menu with beverage pairings.
Eat: Among the expertly executed main dishes, you’ll find Border Springs Farm rack of lamb with rosemary and mint jus. But smaller bites like the house focaccia with pimento cheese, and desserts like bourbon-banana pudding beckon, too.
Drink: House takes on classic cocktails, a strong selection of wines by the glass, and a welcome list of after-dinner drinks and digestifs, including ice wine and sauternes, complement the dinner and brunch menus.
5070 Peachtree Blvd., Chamblee. 678-395-6982, thealdenrestaurant.com.
Fúdo
Also recently open at Parkview on Peachtree, Fúdo is a contemporary Asian restaurant from husband and wife John and Grace Lee that offers a sizable menu of mostly shareable dishes, including small plates, tempura and sushi.
Scene: Suitable for a quiet lunch or late-night partying, the industrial-style build-out mixes concrete, steel and wood elements in a high-ceilinged space with tall windows, anchored by a backlit cocktail bar and a sprawling sushi bar.
Eat: A team of sushi chefs turns out beautifully imagined and constructed sushi rolls and artfully towering sashimi platters. But do try some of the more unusual pan-Asian dishes, such as donburi rice bowls with the likes of short ribs, fried kimchi and arugula.
Drink: The bar program features all sorts of Japanese sake, house cocktails such as the Zen with Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin and tequila blanco, Asian draft and bottled beer, and a surprising selection of wines by the glass and bottle.
5070 Peachtree Blvd., Suite A-100, Chamblee. 678-6917088, fudoatl.com.