Photograph by Amber Boutwell
As if eating out isn’t entertaining enough, you can now pair an inspiring meal in Atlanta with skeeball or bocce, ping-pong or bowling, carnival games or mini golf—even a ride in a $190,000 Porsche. The five “eatertainment” destinations on the list below all opened in the past four years—two of them since the end of 2017. And as exciting as the games at these venues may be, the food is no afterthought. We swear you’ll have as much fun eating as you will playing. Just be sure to let your meal digest before taking a hairpin turn in a 911 Turbo.
Photograph courtesy of Porsche Cars North America
Photograph courtesy of Porsche Cars North America
Porsche Experience Center Atlanta
If you don’t have a need for speed when you arrive at Porsche Experience Center Atlanta, you’ll almost certainly leave with one. The highlight of the one-of-a-kind facility is the 1.6-mile test-drive track where you can experience the thrill of driving a Porsche, test out its speed, and learn driving techniques through six challenging modules that are part of the track. The 90-minute, one-on-one ride with a Porsche Drive Coach does not come cheap—$350 for the 718 Cayman or 718 Boxster and $950 for the 911 Turbo and 911 GT3. But even if you don’t book the driving experience, you can still enjoy watching other drivers on the track at Restaurant 356, where the interiors are inspired by the design of Porsche’s first 356 car, built in 1948. Executive chef Robbie Pacheco (formerly of Wahoo! Grill) is responsible for a seasonal menu built on ingredients from local farmers, foragers, and artisans. Before leaving, you’ll want to cruise through Porsche’s Classic Car Gallery, explore its Driving Simulator Lab, and grab an espresso at the Carrera Café. 1 Porsche Drive, 888-204-7474
Photograph by Heidi Geldhauser/Our Labor of Love
The Painted Pin
Atlanta’s first boutique bar, upscale bowling alley, and entertainment venue, the Painted Pin opened on Buckhead’s Miami Circle in 2014 with 20 bowling lanes, traditional pub games, live bands, and “comforting pub and upscale alley” eats. The space takes cues from classic British design with a stylish mix of oversized chandeliers, Persian rugs, chesterfield sofas, and oak tables. As for games, you’ll find indoor bocce courts, shuffleboard, darts, ping-pong, vintage skeeball, and more. The menu includes ranch and cheddar pork rinds, meatball queso fundido, and fried oyster sliders from Chef Thomas Collins (formerly of ONE Midtown Kitchen and Parish). 737 Miami Circle, 404-814-8736
Photograph by Heidi Geldhauser/Our Labor of Love
Photograph by Heidi Geldhauser/Our Labor of Love
The Painted Duck
The Westside’s answer to the Painted Pin (both venues have the same owner) offers some different games than its sister spot—and it’s double the size. Here you’ll find 16 lanes of duckpin bowling (a variation on traditional 10-pin with smaller pins and balls) and two Belgian feather-bowling lanes (played with a wooden “cheese wheel” that’s rolled down a trough-shaped alley towards a feather). The Painted Pin also offers snookball (kind of like a combination of billiards and soccer) and knuckleball (described as the “adult version of whack-a-mole”). And there are more familiar games such as shuffleboard and air hockey. As with the Painted Duck, Chef Collins crafted the menu—and puts a modern twist on bar food by offering Duck Phat Fries and Duck Nuggets. For the hungriest of carnivores, there’s also the whole roasted Peking duck. The warehouse-like space is adorned with graffiti art and murals, and the spacious dance floor and wedding-style bands make it easy to celebrate any occasion—or none at all. 976 Brady Avenue, 404-352-0048
Photograph by Amber Boutwell
Punch Bowl Social
The two-story, 25,000-square-foot emporium, which opened at the Battery at SunTrust Park in March, includes eight bowling lanes, an arcade, and games such as shuffleboard, foosball, skeeball, bocce ball, and billiards. It also offers private karaoke rooms and cozy lounges (one with a fireplace and one with virtual reality games). And the menu is just as diverse as the entertainment. With Top Chef judge Hugh Acheson (of Empire State South, among others) as culinary advisor, the Southern gastropub serves fried chicken, lobster-bacon fries, an Almond Joy milkshake, and cold-pressed juices, as well as a full bar with craft cocktails and zero-proof ones. 875 Battery Avenue, 470-443-1443
Photograph by Amanda Greene
Photograph by Dustin Grau
The Roof at Ponce City Market
Right above the hustle of Ponce City Market, the Roof is an eatertainment destination with an impressive view. The rooftop includes Skyline Park, a mini amusement park with carnival games, rides, mini golf, and tiki and frozen cocktails; 9 Mile Station, a full-service restaurant where you can order from a European-inspired menu (think foie gras pate and market catch cioppino) and sip craft brews in a beer garden with panoramic views; and the newly opened RFD Social, where you can take the Skyline party indoors. RFD fills PCM’s iconic three-story tower and houses several concepts including the Parlour, a lounge decked out like a 1920s speakeasy (complete with poker, pool, and shuffleboard) where you can order classic cocktails at the bar. Given all of this, the Roof is the apex of Atlanta eatertainment. Seriously, what could be better than a boozy amusement park in the sky? 675 Ponce De Leon Avenue, 404-900-7900
