Nikolai's Roof Bogies Down with Lunch for Golfers in Full Course Classic Golf Tournament Benefiting Atlanta Community Food  

Bank on May 20

Spring showers washed the 26^th Annual Full Course Classic for the Atlanta Community Food Bank from its original April 15 date to Tuesday, May 20 at Roswell's Settindown Creek Golf Course. With tax day long past, golfers can concentrate on swings, putts and their box lunches from event sponsor Nikolai's Roof. They'll find Nikolai's Roof noshes waiting for them at the 19^th hole - the post-tournament reception. Count on ACFB to score as the biggest winner of the sold-out tournament. The day's food, game and camaraderie will provide financial assistance to the ACFB's annual distribution of 45 million pounds of food and groceries to partner agencies in 29 metro-Atlanta and North Georgia counties.

Get Stoked for Barbecue: Smokebelly Opens in Buckhead May 21

When anyone asks Smokebelly executive chef Darrell Rice what he's been smoking, he lays out a litany: pulled pork, sliced brisket, sliced turkey breast, sausage, baby back ribs and a rotation of specialty cuts like pork belly, leg of lamb, beef cheeks, smoked alligator and other wild game that are all within this dry-rub guru's spectrum. Inhale tantalizing smells and flavors generated by low-heat smoking methods when Smokebelly, which is brought to you by the team behind The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails and Tin Lizzy's Cantina and Trey Humphreys (the Fur Bus, A Social Mess and the Pool Hall), officially opens in Buckhead at 128 East Andrews Drive on Wednesday, May 21. Stalkers of smoky goodness can add fresh fish, vegetarian fare and "skinny fixins" like watermelon smoked feta salad and barbecue lettuce wraps to their repertoire. Smokebelly's menu lays out upwards of 10 house-made sides plus Southern-rooted snacks, barbecue tapas, appetizers, sandwiches and salads. Quenchers include 20 craft beers on tap, artisanal liquors and handmade craft cocktails. Smokebelly's own house band rocks on cue and welcomes other musicians to join in. A vintage feel extends through the dining room, bar and patio where guests can enjoy lunch and dinner daily. Guests also can spread out on "The Lawn," a 1,500-square-foot patio with faux grass that seats an addition 160. Info: 404-848-9100.

Stay On Top of New Ideas with Nikolai's Roof Chef de Cuisine Stephanie Alderete at Grant Park Farmers Market May 25

From the dining room at Nikolai's Roof atop downtown's Hilton Atlanta, chef de cuisine Stephanie Alderete can see Grant Park, a mere three miles away and home to the Grant Park Farmers Market where she'll be leading the celebrity chef demo at 11 a.m. this Sunday, May 25. Alderete will prepare charred asparagus salad with Calabrese feta and egg yolk emulsion. Shop a little, learn a lot and nibble your farm-fresh finds all the way home.

RA Sushi Nicky's Week "RA"cks for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital May 25-31

We're Tootsy maki-ing a big deal about Nicky's Week at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant in Midtown because helping St. Jude Children's Research Hospital accomplish its lifesaving mission is so huge. All across the U.S., RA Sushi locations will offer a special Nicky's Week menu from Sunday, May 25 through Saturday, May 31. Order up any of these items and relish them knowing that 100 percent of sales goes straight to St. Jude. Choices include edamame, Tootsy maki, shrimp nigiri, pork gyoza, chicken yakitori, garlic citrus yellowtail tapas, plus a variety of select beverages. The inspiration behind the effort is Nicky Mailliard, a St. Jude's patient and nephew of one of RA Sushi's founders. The 13-year-old inspired many RA Sushi employees during his brave battle against brain cancer in 2005. Since the inception of Nicky's Week nine years ago, RA Sushi has raised more than $1.3 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Explore the South by Fork and Glass at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival May 29-June 1

Fill your tank with Southern foods, libations, fine dining and learning opportunities -- without loading up the gas card (chaa-ching) for a mega road trip. More than 100 award-winning chefs as well as sommeliers and beverage innovators are carting their skills to Midtown where the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival straddles streets over the weekend of Thursday, May 29 through Sunday, June 1. Name drop? Us? Twist our spoon. Shaun Doty, chef/owner of Bantam + Biddy and Chick-a-Biddy, pairs bird and brew in his Bantam & Beer cooking demo and joins Orpheus Brewery for a fast-casual Connoisseur's Breakfast. Gunshow's Kevin Gillespie leads Hillbilly Cuisine, and Orpheus Brewery's Jason Pellet joins in the Southern craft brewers class. Ford Fry and his team of Adam Evans (The Optimist), E.J. Hodgkinson (JCT. Kitchen & Bar), Andrew Isabella (No. 246) and Joe Schafer (King + Duke) take on Empire Breakfasts. JCT. Kitchen & Bar is hosting an oyster roast/fish fry/Floribama-ish Pig Out Coastal-style dinner on May 29. On Friday, Gunshow's Kevin Gillespie and Aria's Gerry Klaskala contribute to the About South dinner at the Atlanta History Center. Visit the tasting tents and set off on culinary tasting "trails" through bourbon, craft beer (including Orpheus Brewery), Southern wines and food favorites (look for the Ray's Restaurants tent where Mike Fuller will spoon up samples of Parmesan scallops with lobster risotto) provided by a line-up of 100 plus chefs. Between learning, tasting, dining and the connoisseur experience, there are so many ticket options from which to choose! Thankfully there's a planning worksheet to organize your thoughts before you click here to buy tickets.

#foodgram

Photo by Brandon Amato

Bar Meatball is on a roll in the restaurant's new subway-tile look food truck, popping up at festivals and food truck hot spots around the ATL. Sliders? Check. But the truck does double duty to crank out some mean ice cream sandwiches. Pick your sides: chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter or double chocolate. For the middle, choose vanilla, peanut butter chip, chocolate or spumoni ice cream. Destined to be summer's smash hit at $5 each.

What's New on Pinterest

Patriotic plates begin with Memorable Recipes. Our latest Pinterest board honors Memorial Day with American classics, cocktails, groovy grillers and red, white and blue all-stars. Hang the stars and stripes high and salute the men and women who have lost their lives serving our nation.