Butter + Scotch Will No Longer Open at Delayed Origin Hotel
A promising new restaurant concept that aimed to revitalize the quieter blocks of South Downtown Atlanta has been canceled, leaving a significant gap in plans for the forthcoming Origin Hotel. Butter + Scotch, an all-day restaurant from the team behind Che Butter Jonez, was slated to anchor the hotel, but unforeseen challenges during the development process led to the decision to pull the plug on the project.
Butter + Scotch, which was poised to bring Afro-Caribbean and Southern-inspired flavors to Atlanta, won’t move forward as initially planned. This news marks a disappointing twist for a project that had garnered excitement from locals eager for new dining options in the area. Representatives of the restaurant made the announcement in an email sent on Sunday, confirming that the restaurant would no longer be part of the hotel’s opening.
Unforeseen Hurdles Delay Both Hotel and Restaurant
The setback for Butter + Scotch comes as no surprise to many familiar with the troubled history of the Origin Hotel project. Initially announced with much fanfare, the adaptive reuse of a former office building at 166 Pryor St. has faced delays for months. Detric Fox-Quinlan, the owner behind both the hotel and restaurant, had previously commented on the hurdles encountered by construction crews earlier this year. Despite these challenges, Fox-Quinlan had remained optimistic, assuring that the hotel would still be a major asset for South Downtown upon its eventual completion.
As of late November, the hotel has yet to open its doors, and reservations won’t be accepted until mid-January 2025. While Origin Hotel officials had initially hoped for an October 2024 opening, construction and permitting delays have continued to push back the timeline, leaving many to wonder when the long-anticipated property will finally be ready for guests.
Although Butter + Scotch will not be a part of the hotel’s offering, the restaurant’s team remains hopeful. “This is not the end of our story,” said Chef Malik Rhasaan in a statement. The team has hinted that they are exploring other locations within the city for their Afro-Caribbean and Southern-inspired concept. The restaurant had been highly anticipated due to its unique fusion of flavors from Rhasaan’s native Queens, New York, and Southern comfort food.
A Changing South Downtown
South Downtown, an area long known for its historical significance but lacking in recent development, was looking to Butter + Scotch as a catalyst for change. The Origin Hotel’s location at the intersection of Pryor and Mitchell streets was expected to breathe new life into the area, especially as it transformed a 1950s office building into a modern, boutique hotel with 122 guest rooms and suites. The project was seen as a rare large-scale, non-governmental investment in this part of Atlanta, with the hotel’s marketing materials boasting a blend of “dynamic cityscapes and Southern hospitality.”
The hotel, which will feature a private event space on its top floor, was also expected to highlight Atlanta’s rich history through design elements, including a wallpaper depiction of the Beaux Arts-style Terminal Station, which was demolished in the 1970s. Despite the cancellation of the restaurant partnership, the hotel’s developers remain committed to opening a restaurant within the property, though it will not feature Butter + Scotch.
The hotel’s location, about a block south of Underground Atlanta, positions it within walking distance of other recent downtown projects, including those by developer Newport and Atlanta Ventures. Although some parts of the South Downtown area have seen significant redevelopment in recent years, the Origin Hotel was expected to stand out as a major touchstone in the ongoing transformation.
What’s Next for the Origin Hotel?
With the restaurant concept now scrapped, the focus shifts back to the hotel’s eventual opening. A spokesperson for Origin Hotel confirmed that the property still plans to open a new restaurant near the time of the hotel’s anticipated debut. While the official completion date remains uncertain, officials have set their sights on late 2024 or early 2025 for the hotel’s opening.
The Origin Hotel is expected to compete with other high-end properties in the city, with nightly room rates ranging from $175 for smaller rooms to upwards of $600 for suites that can accommodate up to four guests. As the hotel prepares to open, many in South Downtown will be watching closely to see if it can live up to its promise of bringing new energy to an area that has been waiting for a revitalization.
For now, all eyes are on how the hotel will proceed without its planned restaurant concept. Will the new hotel restaurant bring the same excitement as Butter + Scotch, or will the development be missing a key element that had initially drawn so much attention? Only time will tell.
