Pataaka opened Saturday at Spring Quarter in Midtown, and with it the development's retail space is fully leased, property representatives told the AJC. The modern Indian restaurant from Atlanta-based chef Anish Nair is the fifth to open at the mixed-use property at Spring and 10th streets, with a sixth already announced.
The run has been fast. Japanese restaurant Sozou opened earlier this month at the base of the office tower Ten Twenty Spring, the third venture in the development from married chefs Lisa and Fuyuhiko Ito after Celestia and Ishin by Ito debuted in October 2025. Habaneros, a modern Mexican concept from a Louisiana-based chain, opened its first Georgia location in June at Sora, the residential tower. And last week the AJC published a first look at the second location of longtime Buckhead staple Hal's The Steakhouse, opening next year in the Patterson House at Spring Quarter.
Pataaka takes its name from the Hindi word for firecracker, chosen to convey energy, warmth and celebration. Nair previously served as corporate chef for Savi Provisions and executive chef of Jai Ho Indian Kitchen. \"With Pataaka, we're looking forward to creating a destination for the neighborhood that celebrates the breadth of recipes and culinary traditions across India,\" he said. \"I've dreamed of opening this restaurant for a decade.\"
The menu is built around small plates for sharing: a chulbule jhinga tart made with tiger prawns and avocado mousse, oysters Rockefeller with spinach, paneer and fennel, lamb empanadas, shrimp malvani in a thick coconut curry, and old Delhi butter chicken. Beverage director Prrateek Chaudhary, who spent much of a 15-year career at luxury hotels in India, developed the drink list. The room seats 114 across an open double-height dining room, a patio and a mezzanine, with reservations available through OpenTable. 1020 Spring St. NW, Atlanta. 470-559-6258, pataakaatl.com.
Closer to downtown, LikeMinds — the pop-up occupying the former BrewDog space in the Krog District next to the Beltline — will extend its residency through the end of the year. Originally booked for a 120-day run, it plans to expand the menu, add brunch and host watch parties through football season, the baseball playoffs and assorted reality show finales.
Also worth noting for intown eaters: Eggslut, the Los Angeles breakfast chain whose first Georgia location sits inside the Moxy Atlanta Downtown hotel, will open a second metro location along the Beltline's Eastside Trail later this fall. And Emerald City Bagels, with shops on Glenwood Avenue and Auburn Avenue, earned a spot at BagelFest at New York's Citi Field on Nov. 15, its second appearance after taking second place for Best Showmanship in 2025.
Original reporting: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (2026-08-21)
