Courtesy of Abbi Williams, Red Door Design Studio
A new, wine-centric Mediterranean restaurant called Under the Cork Tree is set to open in the Prado shopping center in Sandy Springs in October. Created by the owners of casual seafood spot Hammocks Trading Company, Under the Cork Tree will serve 200 wines by the bottle and 30 by the glass, as well as an array of tapas and entrees. William Sigley, a Here to Serve Restaurants veteran and currently executive chef at Hammocks, will lead the kitchen, serving paella, Moroccan tagines, pastas, braised lamb, couscous, and flatbreads baked in a wood-burning oven.
The restaurant will have two sections: a dining room with a glass-enclosed private area and farmhouse table, and a more casual tapas bar with red leather couches and tile mosaics. The full menu will be available in the dining room, but only the tapas menu will be available at the bar and lounge. Patio seating will also be available.
“The name comes from the story of Ferdinand and the Bull,” explains co-owner Lake Sheetz. “Ferdinand wanted him to fight but the bull just wanted to sit under the cork tree and smell the flowers. We’re embracing the notion of taking the time to fully appreciate your experiences—and smell the flowers, wine, and spices.”
Her husband, co-owner Jason Sheetz, will lead the bar program, offering a rotating selection of European and local beers, such as Orpheus, Red Hare, Second Self, and Jekyll. Cocktails will include popular items from Hammocks Trading Company and standards like the Moscow mule. There will be an emphasis on tableside sangria as well.
