Metro Atlanta’s food calendar is overflowing this May, and food lovers have real reasons to get out of the house. From Georgia’s sweetest onion taking over restaurant menus across the city to a block party mixing Southern barbecue with Baja vibes, the next few weeks are packed. And two brand new concepts from one of Atlanta’s boldest hospitality groups are about to change the dining game in Midtown and West Midtown.
Georgia’s Most Beloved Onion Gets Its Own Restaurant Week
The fourth annual RealSweet Vidalia Onion Restaurant Week runs from May 15 to May 24, 2026, and it is already shaping up to be the biggest edition yet.
Shuman Farms, the family-owned operation based in Reidsville, Georgia, partners with top restaurants and chefs across the state to build special menus around one iconic ingredient. The event stretches from Atlanta to Savannah, Macon, Athens, Columbus, and beyond, giving food lovers across Georgia a reason to sit down and taste something a little different.
What makes Vidalia onions so special? It comes down to science and soil. Vidalia onions can only be grown within a 20-county region of southeast Georgia, where a rare combination of mild weather, consistent moisture, and naturally low sulfur content in the soil produces an onion that is noticeably sweeter and milder than any other variety on the market. That is not marketing. That is chemistry.
Participating restaurants this year include the Woodall and Table & Main among others, with chefs creating dishes that highlight the onion across every course. Past editions have featured everything from caramelized onion gratin and roasted onion flatbreads to cocktail-style appetizers and onion-forward desserts. Shuman Farms also donates $500 to a food-focused nonprofit chosen by each participating restaurant, making this week about more than just good food.
- Dates: May 15 to May 24, 2026
- Cities covered: Atlanta, Savannah, Athens, Macon, Columbus, and more
- Where to find participating restaurants: shumanfarmsga.com/restaurant-week
- Charity: Each restaurant selects a local food-focused nonprofit to receive a $500 donation
A Block Party That Blends Smoke, Spice, and Southern Heart
Two of Atlanta’s most loved food spots are teaming up again for a party that delivers on every front. The 2nd Annual Smoke and Spice Block Party brings Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q and Chichería Mexican Kitchen together at The Works ATL on May 16, 2026.
The concept is simple and brilliant. Slow-smoked Southern meats meet handcrafted Baja-inspired eats, all in one outdoor setting with live music and cold drinks. Your ticket covers unlimited food and two drink tickets, plus access to full-service bars and live entertainment throughout the afternoon.
Chichería Mexican Kitchen draws from the coastal flavors of the Baja region of Mexico, and one of its standout offerings is handmade, organic blue corn tortillas made fresh in-house daily. Put those next to Fox Bros. legendary smoked brisket and ribs, add craft margaritas and live music curated by both teams, and you have the kind of afternoon Atlanta food culture was built for.
There is something more meaningful here too. Fifteen percent of all profits from the event benefit Hogs for the Cause, a nonprofit that supports families fighting pediatric brain cancer. So every bite you take does a little extra good. Kids 8 and under get in free, making this one genuinely family-friendly.
Sweet Auburn Barbecue Brings AAPI Heritage Month to Life
On May 20, 2026, the Poncey-Highland neighborhood becomes the center of something much bigger than a food event. Sweet Auburn Barbecue’s Good Luck Smoke Show returns for its second year, running from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 656 N. Highland Avenue NE.
The event is hosted by siblings Anita and Howard Hsu, second-generation Chinese Americans who built Sweet Auburn Barbecue from a food truck in the historic Sweet Auburn Curb Market into two beloved brick-and-mortar restaurants. Their food has always told the story of who they are, blending Southern barbecue technique with the flavors of their Chinese American heritage.
This year’s lineup features more than 15 chef tasting stations anchored by Asian American and Pacific Islander chefs from across the country. Cocktails come from Minhwa Spirits, with beer and wine also available. The night includes lion dancers, live music, a rooftop DJ, and local artist booths shaping the evening into a full cultural block party.
A portion of proceeds benefits We Love BuHi, a nonprofit supporting small businesses and cultural vitality along Buford Highway, one of Atlanta’s most diverse corridors. General admission tickets start at $85. VIP tickets go up to $115 and include a signed copy of Chef Ron Hsu’s new cookbook, DOWN SOUTH + EAST. All tickets include unlimited select food and beverages.
Botanico Hospitality Group Is Bringing Two New Concepts to Atlanta
Atlanta’s dining landscape is about to expand in two very exciting directions, and Botanico Hospitality Group is responsible for both of them.
Partner Felipe Rivera confirmed plans for two distinct new venues. Botanico will open in Midtown Atlanta at 1106 Crescent Ave NE, taking over the former Lure space, with an August 2026 target date. The space is currently undergoing a full remodel. With around 150 seats, Botanico will operate as an upscale Latin concept that Rivera describes as “affordable luxury casual,” with a neighborhood restaurant feel at its core. Rivera previously ran a well-reviewed Botanico Kitchen and Bar on Pharr Road in Buckhead before closing it in 2021, and this Midtown revival is very much a homecoming.
The second concept is even more intriguing. Incognito, a modern cocktail bar, is targeting an early June opening at 1025 Howell Mill Rd NW in West Midtown. Few details have been released, which feels entirely on brand for a bar literally called Incognito. What is known is that the experience will lean modern and refined, the kind of cocktail bar that rewards curiosity.
Botanico Hospitality Group has strong roots in Atlanta’s Latin dining scene. Rivera and his partners also own Palo Santo, the acclaimed West Midtown supper club and rooftop that put the group on the map when it opened in 2022. They also operate ORNO Cantina and Parrilla in Bogotá, Colombia, a Mexican-style steakhouse and cantina concept that opened in 2024 and clearly inspired elements of the new Midtown location.
| Concept | Location | Neighborhood | Target Opening | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Botanico | 1106 Crescent Ave NE | Midtown | August 2026 | Upscale Latin Restaurant |
| Incognito | 1025 Howell Mill Rd NW | West Midtown | Early June 2026 | Modern Cocktail Bar |
Whether you are chasing the sweetness of a Vidalia onion done three different ways on a restaurant menu, throwing down at a barbecue block party on a spring afternoon, honoring Asian American culinary voices over a plate of something that hits deep, or getting an early reservation at what could be Atlanta’s next great Latin restaurant, this May has something real to offer. Atlanta’s food scene never sits still, and right now it is running full speed. What event are you planning to hit first? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
