The people behind Grindhouse Killer Burgers are planning a new restaurant concept at the redeveloped Stein Steel Plant. The restaurant, for which owners Johnny Farrow, Alex Brounstein, and Merritt Lancaster are still mulling over a name, will offer standard bar fare and Gulf Coast seafood specials in a mostly outdoor setting along the Beltline.
“We’re going to take full advantage of the Beltline and the outdoor space,” says Brounstein, who was approached recently by Bridger Properties cofounder Merritt Lancaster about opening a restaurant in the new residential development. “We want to treat the Beltline like Atlanta’s boardwalk, and offer a casual, family friendly place for people to relax and eat good food.”
Canadian developer Empire Communities’ Atlanta affiliate EAH Acquisitions purchased the mid-20th century steel plant in Reynoldstown last year, and plans to develop it into townhomes and condominiums. The new two-story restaurant by Brounstein, Farrow, and Lancaster will serve as a home base for residents and a casual place to grab a bite and a beer for passersby.
According to Brounstein, the 9,000-square-foot restaurant will feature an indoor-outdoor bar, a large outdoor patio, and a covered outdoor seating area on the second floor. The design itself will be inspired by the steel plant as an homage to the people who worked there. All in all, it should seat about 150 people.
As for the fare, think bar food with a Gulf Coast twist: grouper sandwiches, fried seafood baskets, oysters, chicken sandwiches, and ceviche are all on deck, and the restaurant owners are in talks with chefs to develop the menu now.
To address the chillier winter months, when outdoor dining is less desirable, Brounstein says they’re planning a ghost kitchen concept to operate out of the same location, which will likely specialize in rotisserie chicken, delivered straight to your living room (or wherever).
Brounstein says they’re planning to open the new spot in the Spring of 2022, once they get their permits in order, complete the build-out, and land on a chef. Oh, and they’ll need a name. Stay tuned for that, too.
