Quick Bites: The Pig & the Pearl opens, updates on Inman Quarter development, and more

• Photo by Todd Richards
• Pork belly at newly opened restaurant The Pig & The Pearl

Chef Todd Richards’ long-awaited “smokehouse-meets-raw-bar,” The Pig & The Pearl, is finally open at Atlantic Station. The ai3-designed, chef-driven barbecue concept offers everything from smoked oysters and sashimi to beef brisket and sausage. Sides range from mac and cheese to skillet cornbread. Craft cocktails created by co-owner Cindy Shera join 16 beers on draft, along with many canned and bottled varieties. Also look for a sizeable wine list and desserts developed by pastry chef Megan Brent.

Apparently some weird stuff went down at Urban Pl8 last weekend. According to reports, the eatery shut down in the midst of brunch service on Sunday due to a “kitchen catastrophe” that resulted in the entire kitchen staff getting sacked. While all existing customers were served, no new ones were accepted after approximately 1:30 p.m. In a Facebook update posted on July 29, the restaurant said it had re-hired a past employee and would be operating during its normal business hours this week.

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Last Word, the contemporary America restaurant from former Woodfire Grill owner Bernard Moussa, will reportedly debut in the former home of P’cheen International Bistro & Pub (701 Highland Ave.) by mid-August. Atlanta magazine has published renderings for the new eatery, which will feature Parish, Five & Ten, and Farm 255 alum Eddie Russell as chef. More than a dozen dishes with international influences and sustainable ingredients will add élan to this stretch of Inman Park, while cocktails by Brian Stanger, formerly of Abattoir, Top Flr, and Woodfire Grill—plus craft beers and a few select wines—will comprise the libations.

Virginia-Highland classic Highland Tap is embarking on an ambitious series of renovations beginning August 11 (H/T to What Now Atlanta). The owners will revamp the 25-year-old bar by installing a fresh draft system with 22 taps, aesthetic upgrades, and a patio spruce-up. The pub will then fete the transformation with a grand reopening, which will usher in updated menu offerings on August 20.

Joe’s on Juniper, the longstanding Midtown restaurant known for American classics, stiff drinks, and a deliciously rowdy patio scene, is getting a facelift. Parent company Metrotainment Cafes (Einstein’s, Hudson Grille, Garrison’s Broiler & Tap, Metrotainment Bakery, Sugar Shack, Cowtippers) has filed plans to expand the existing restaurant at 1049 Juniper St. by more than 3,000 square feet, doubling its size in the process. The renovation will demolish and capture the space nestled between Joe’s and neighboring concept Einstein’s; construction is slated to begin within a few months.

After fewer than nine months of operation, Bob, the kabob concept that shuttered in July at Irwin Street Market, will soon be replaced by a new concept called The Georgia Cafe, which will merge with Irwin Street Market’s existing lunch spot Picnic. As a member of Georgia Grown, the eatery will incorporate locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients prepared by chef Brian Burnett. According to Eater, the Southern traditional dishes will include favorites like barbecue chicken, cornbread, and macaroni and cheese.

Bellwoods Social House, the hip new boîte from Bite Bistro & Bar owner Leif Johnson, is now slated to open on August 10 at 1000 Marietta St., Eater reports. Interestingly enough, the news comes from beverage manager Arianne Fielder’s Instagram account, but excitement surrounds far more than just the drinks; Bellwoods will offer a a range of locally sourced, American bistro-style cuisine from Local Three alum Jason Morgan: think pizzas, wings, burgers, salads, sandwiches, and more.

The first Atlanta location of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Amelie’s French Bakery is now open on the Westside (840 Marietta St.). Its pastries, sandwiches, salads, soups, and more are made using a combination of imported French and locally sourced ingredients. Coffees from Magnolia Coffee and Smyrna-based Rev round out the offerings.