Atlanta Chef and Restaurateur Shaun Doty this week filed plans with the City of Atlanta to open The Wurst Beer Hall and The Best Sandwich Shop in Poncey-Highland. The restaurants are set to replace the Moe’s Southwest Grill, at 863 Ponce De Leon Avenue NE, which is poised to get redeveloped into condos.
Partnering with the property owners, who eventually plan to build a condo building at the site, Doty tells What Now Atlanta that The Wurst Beer Hall and The Best Sandwich Shop could eventually become permanent fixtures in the new development’s ground level.
“Ponce de Leon Avenue is on fire,” Doty said. “My enthusiasm for where the area is going is genuine. I’m an in-town guy, have been for 30 years. I’m excited to be a part of the area’s growth and introduce some new concepts to the neighborhood.” Doty said he plans on spending “significant time in the restaurant to make sure it’s an extraordinary experience.”
The Best Sandwich Shop will be home to Freedom Perk, a tiny espresso bar that will serve “a proper espresso” alongside breakfast sandwiches and other morning fare between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., Doty said. “I love coffee culture. We’ll be serving Batdorf & Bronson coffee. I’ve had a lot of success with them over the years. The coffee’s phenomenal.”
Doty tells What Now Atlanta that chef-driven sandwich shops are having a moment across the nation and are currently in trend. “I’m inspired by Philadelphia and its sandwich culture and the Italian spirt and cuisine.”
The Best Sandwich Shop, which will occupy a quarter of the space, will be designed for grab-and-go and delivery. The Wurst Beer Bar, which will open around 4 p.m., will be more for gathering and camaraderie, serving small bites, German specialities, and beer, all “affordable, fun stuff, but high quality.” The space will feel like a traditional beer hall with communal seating and some corky art pieces. In addition to the property’s existing patio, the area outback is going to be landscaped and turned into outdoor seating.
Doty is aiming to open The Wurst and The Best on September 1, 2022. in advance of Oktoberfest. The chef has a storied history with the Atlanta food scene having operated a successful fine dining eatery, his namesake Shaun’s, as well as three quick-service chains Chick-a-Biddy, Bantam + Biddy, and YEAH! Burger, as well as one-offs like ATL Taco and The Federal.
Doty wouldn’t be the first restaurateur to open a wurst-centric eatery in Atlanta this year. Charlotte-based The Good Wurst Company is coming to Buckhead.
[Editor’s note: this article has been updated with details from Doty.]
4 Responses
Shaun Doty is an asshat. He treats his employees like garbage. I wish him nothing but failure.
I want to go to there.
This will be the wurst place to eat.
It’s interesting that Dugan’s is going to become a chain restaurant, but this location is going the opposite way, from a chain to a locally-owned restaurant. If we don’t make an effort to shun the chains and support the locals, it won’t be that much longer that Ponce looks like Cobb Parkway.