Quick Bites: The Clermont Lounge FINALLY reopens, Bar Mercado debuts, Scofflaw Brewing Company celebrates one year and more

At last! After closing this year on New Years Day, the Clermont Lounge finally reopened this past weekend on Fri., Sept. 8. The infamous strip club was closed for nine months while upstairs Clermont Hotel was renovated. In a Facebook statement announcing the reopening, the business said: “We’d like to give a special thanks to city councilman and mayoral hopeful Kwanza Hall for all his hard work in helping to reopen the Clermont Lounge.”

Long-awaited Krog Street Market tapas concept Bar Mercado opens to the public Thurs., Sept. 14. The latest Castellucci Hospitality Group restaurant will serve dinner only during the first couple of weeks. Chef John Castellucci has a menu of teasers like lobster bocadillo and chicken and mushroom croquetas. Atlanta-based architecture firm Square Feet Studio designed the space, which formerly housed the Cockentrice.

Scofflaw Brewing Company celebrates its first anniversary this weekend with 30-40 brews and music at their family-friendly party. Raise a Basement IPA on Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. at their brewery (1738 MacArthur Blvd. N.W.).

This past weekend’s Chefs Collaborative Summit had to cancel events Monday due to Hurricane Irma but all the food for attendees did not go to waste. The conference, which focuses on promoting sustainability and building better food practices, donated all the unused food and beverages and then some to Second Helpings Atlanta, a nonprofit food rescue organization dedicated to fighting food insecurity and food waste.

Downtown’s Amalfi Pizza has a generous welcoming offer for Hurricane Irma evacuees. Families can enjoy a meal and pay “whatever they feel they can pay on the food portion of the bill.” Just ask for a manager and show a valid ID from areas affected.

More love for hurricane evacuees: All Concentrics Restaurants are offering 20 percent off food and beverages to anyone coming from Florida, South Carolina and the Georgia coast. Show your valid ID at ONE Midtown Kitchen, TAP, Parish or TWO Urban Licks for the savings.

LaGrange, Georgia is getting a new craft brewery. Wild Leap Brew Company (308 Main St.) will host their grand opening party on Sat., Sept. 23 with brews, tours and live music. Beginning Sept. 18, Wild Leap will also be available in Atlanta-area restaurants and bars.

Edgar’s Proof and Provision head mixologist James Wampler won the Punch Kings cocktail competition at Atlanta’s Cochon 555. In honor of his win, the Georgian Terrace hideaway (659 Peachtree St. N.E.) will be serving Wampler’s winning High Tea Punch from now until the end of the month. On Sept. 30, he takes his bourbon and chai-lemon concoction to compete against other city winners in Chicago.

Tickets for the second annual Atlanta Mac & Cheese Festival are now on sale here. Located at Walker Park in Edgewood, this year’s fest is scheduled for Oct. 7 and will feature local bands, dancing, food trucks, beer, wine and of course, tons of chefs whipping up their best mac and cheese for a cause. The event raises money for Neighbor in Need, a local nonprofit that keeps longtime residents in the Edgewood Neighborhood.

Diners have a little bit of say-so in the ambiance at Roswell’s Foundation Social Eatery, at least on Tuesdays. The restaurant has just introduced Vinyl Tuesdays, where guests are encouraged to either bring their own albums or choose from chef Mel Toledo’s collection to spin while eating and drinking.

Tailgating alert! Both the Buckhead and Sandy Springs locations of Henri’s Bakery and Caf̩ have team-themed cookies in the shapes of mascots, jerseys and footballs in the color of your favorite local teams including Georgia Tech, UGA, the Falcons and a number of other SEC and ACC teams.

Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United team owner Arthur Blank, who announced a commitment from his Family Foundation to match up to $1 million to the Red Cross last week for hurricane relief, has pledged another $1 million grant to be split between the Red Cross, United Way and World Vision. Donations to the Red Cross that will include Blank’s match should be made here; contributions to United Way can be made here; and contributions to World Vision can be made here.