Food Truck Park Opens Thursday

Food trucks are about to become an every day part of the eating scene on the edge of West Midtown.

The Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market opens today, April 26, at 1850 Howell Mill Road at 5 p.m., giving food truck fans a chance to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner from their favorite vendors seven days a week.

“As a member of the Atlanta food truck community, I recognized the challenge that our city’s food trucks face of finding consistent, popular locations that also are convenient for customers,” organizer Howard Hsu said in a news release.

Do you enjoy Food Trucks? Who is your favorite? Tell us in the comments area below.

“The Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market is our answer to that; we are confident that establishing this destination will increase exposure, drive business and continue to encourage the city’s young entrepreneurs to develop their street food concepts.”

Hsu, the co-owner of Sweet Auburn BBQ, worked with Brian Harvin and Anita Hsu to develop the idea for the Food Truck Park on the 3-acre site.

The venue will also be home to Thursday night live music performances, a weekend farmers market and monthly events designed to showcase local artists. 

Attractions will include bocce ball courts, horseshoes and a playground, as well as places to sit and picnic. Free parking will be available.

Food truck supporters in Atlanta have worked for years to get to win acceptance for the mobile food operators. Some have faced hostility from nearby bricks and mortar restaurants and questions about safe food handling.

on Wednesday evenings is not returning in 2012, according to a Facebook post. Main Street Parking, the organizer, cited "permitting issues and other unforeseen circumstances."

Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market will feature many popular food trucks, including:

• Sweet Auburn BBQ
• Yumbii
• King of Pops
• WOW Truck
• Happy Belly
• Honeysuckle Gelato
• Nana G’s Chik-n-Waffles
• Yum Yum Cupcake
• Munch Truck
• Mighty Meatballs
• 90vc
• Tex’s Tacos
• Tastee Truck
• Fry Guy
• Yoli’s Street Food
• Champion Cheesesteaks
• Hail Caesar
• The Pickle
• Rolling Reuben’s
• Pressed For Time Paninis
• Mobile Marlay

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Also today, is hosting a scotch dinner featuring Diageo Master of Whisky Kevin Mulcahy at 8 p.m. Come enjoy a four-course menu with whiskey pairings priced at $39. The restaurant located at 710 Peactree Street also is now offering a new late-night bar menu after 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays. See here for more details.

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at 1151 West Peachtree Street is ready to celebrate a decade of serving up delicious food and good times in Midtown. On Friday, April 27, Carolyn's will be hosting a thank-you celebration benefiting the Atlanta Fire Foundation.

Throughout the day, the retro-minded restaurant is reducing food prices to their original opening rates, offering specialty drinks and revealing a revamped dinner menu.

In the evening, Carolyn’s will heat up the stage with a live band, complimentary appetizers from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and prize giveaways to celebrate 10 successful years serving Atlanta. For an additional boost to late-night guests, Carolyn’s will serve complimentary homemade pizza from 11 p.m. to midnight to keep the party going.

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Georgia’s Rose Acre Farms recently donated 43,200 eggs to West Midtown's to help families struggling with food insecurity.

“Rose Acre farms is a third generation family business, and we are proud to be partnering with Atlanta Community Food Bank to provide much needed protein to the most needy in our community, especially during the Easter holiday season," said Bob Niewedde, of Rose Acre Farms, in a statement.

Atlanta Community Food Bank currently distributes more than 30 million pounds of food and other donated grocery items each year to more than 700 nonprofit partner agencies in 38 counties in Metro Atlanta and North Georgia.

“Donations of nutrient-rich foods like eggs are particularly important as so many of our neighbors are continuing to face difficult times,” said Bill Bolling, executive director of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, in a news release. “We are so grateful to our area egg farmers and the United Egg Producers for their partnership once again this year.  Thousands of hungry people in our community will have quality food as a result.”

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On Saturday, April 28, Yogli Mogli will open in the former Cold Stone Creamery Space at Atlantic Station. See Yogli Mogli’s Facebook page for free coupons. This comes a week after the new Yard House opened at the mixed-use development.

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Also Saturday, the third annual Food Blogger Bake Sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at located at Ansley Mall. All proceeds go directly to Share Our Strength, an organization leading the charge to end childhood hunger.

Cook's Warehouse has also offered up a stack of coupons good for 10 percent off any regularly priced item in the store. If you can't make the bake sale, please consider making a monetary donation and see here for more info.

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The 115 Chick-fil-A restaurants in the Atlanta area, including the one at 1197 Peachtree, will host a “Date Knight” for mothers and sons on Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. During this special evening, moms and their sons are encouraged to spend some time together while they enjoy dinner, great conversation and several medieval-themed activities.

Every mother-son pair will also receive a tray liner with questions and topics to get the conversation started, and a take-home booklet that provides ideas for future dates and questions that both moms and their sons can ask each other.

Seatings are available at 4:30, 5:30, 6:30 or 7:30 p.m., and reservations are required. The activities of the evening are free, minus the cost of food. Visit www.mothersondate.com to make a reservation.

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The Spence is now hiring and should be opening soon. The Richard Blais American cuisine concept will open in May at 75 5th Street. The 4,000 square-foot establishment will seat around 100 and is expected to be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Speaking of opening, the new Watershed on Peachtree, formerly known as Watershed and located for years in Decatur, is set for a May 24 opening at 1820 Peachtree Road.

And good news as the recently opened The Lawrence at 905 Juniper Street now has its liquor license.

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On the subject of alcohol, and King of Pops have teamed up to create a winning combination to beat the heat – cocktails and popsicles – with new “Poptails” available now. The alcohol-infused popsicles, inspired by classic cocktails, will be sold at all four Corner Tavern locations, including the West Midtown Corner Tavern at 1133 Huff Road in. 

The frozen frenzy begins with the following Poptails, each $5:

• Loaded Arnold Palmer – A southern staple with vodka, sweet tea and lemonade
• Strawberry Margarita – Tequila and strawberry, tiny umbrella not included
• The Bourbon Cowboy – A handheld version of the popular Corner Tavern specialty cocktail with bourbon and orange
• The Virgin – The non-alcoholic King of Pops signature Chocolate Sea Salt ($3)

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Also on the edge of the westside, Tomorrow's News Today reports that Carizma Restaurant and Lounge will be opening in the former London Bistro location at 1950 Howell Mill Road. It will open Tuesday, May 1 and will be giving away free tapas-style sampling meals to the first 100 people to come to the lounge.  

The barbecue/nightclub concept will feature either a DJ or live jazz and blues on certain nights.

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As they have been all month, , located inside the W Atlanta-Midtown, is giving diners a break on corkage costs these final days of April. Rather than charging the regular corkage fee of $15, the Midtown restaurant is reducing the fee to $1 through Monday, April 30.

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The NBA playoffs begin this weekend just as Philips Arena welcomes RED, the arena's brand new restaurant concept that will be open before, during and after games and other ticketed events. Menu items have been designed in collaboration with Buckhead Life Restaurant Group and Levy Restaurants.

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A belated congratulation to The Vortex Bar and Grill Midtown, which last week celebrated its 20th anniversary. They did so with a first-ever eating challenge that was a big success.

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And finally there will be plenty to eat for sure when chefs from all over the South help create the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival May 10-13. It will be based out of the in Midtown and the food fest will be divided into three major sections with nightly theme dinners, daily seminars and a spectacular tasting tent.