Valenza Archives - Atlanta Magazine

Where to brunch on Easter Sunday in Atlanta

Carly Cooper - March 19, 2018

Easter is early this year, so don't forget about your brunch reservations. Here's a quick roundup of metro Atlanta restaurants offering specials on April 1.

Neapolitan pizzeria, Vero, to open in Brookhaven next month

Carly Cooper - August 4, 2015

Late next month, Michel Arnette, owner of Haven and Valenza, will open a Neapolitan pizzeria called Vero. Located on Dresden Drive in Brookhaven, Vero will be led by Valenza's executive chef Matt Swickerath and offer small plates, salads, and pizzas made with ingredients sourced from Naples.

Diner-era restaurant, the Royal, to open in Chamblee

Carly Cooper - January 26, 2015

Haven and Valenza founder Michel Arnette is opening a "classic American restaurant" called the Royal in Chamblee later this year. It will be located in the old Brown Auto Service on Peachtree Road, which was previously a gas station. The food will be inspired by the 1950s and ‘60s diner-era, while the atmosphere will have a “warm and cozy retro vibe.”

Food-focused events worth noting

Carly Cooper - May 31, 2013

Buford Highway Farmers Market tour, cooking class, and dinner
Lobby Bar and Bistro’s chef Russell Hays is hosting a tour of the Buford Highway Farmers Market, followed by an Asian-focused cooking class at the restaurant using ingredients purchased at the farmers market. This six-hour event begins at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 22 and concludes with dinner complete with wine pairings. The cost is $65. For reservations, call 404.961.7370.

The Spence anniversary dinner
Richard Blais is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Spence with a five-course, wine-paired dinner on Sunday at 6 p.m. The meal includes crab toast with lemon curd and caviar, uni spaghettini and lobster, country fried dry aged duck, and more. It costs $150; reservations are available by calling 404.892.9111.

Watershed on Peachtree anniversary picnic
It’s been in the Atlanta area for 15 years but only in Brookwood for one; Watershed on Peachtree is celebrating both with a Southern-style anniversary picnic Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. There will be chicken gumbo, Low Country shrimp, a performance by Zydeco T, a photo booth, and a complimentary Champagne toast. The cost is $35 and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Atlanta Community Food Bank. For reservations, call 404.809.3561.

Festa Della Republlica at Valenza
Valenza is commemorating Festa Della Republlica, Italy’s Independence Day, with a patio party on June 12 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.. Chef Matt Swickerath will be serving small bites prepared on the Big Green Egg. The $25 cost includes beverages. For reservations, call 404.969.3233.

Rediscovery: Haven

Christiane Lauterbach - June 1, 2011

After almost eight years in business, Michel Arnette’s Brookhaven restaurant Haven is at the top of its game—a smooth hangout for an affluent clientele who enjoy a Buckhead-level experience without the party-mentality aggravation. Haven’s habitat, in a pioneering multiuse development with upmarket townhomes and attractive shops that still feel like a microcosm of the good life, turned out to be an excellent business decision for Arnette. The young Buckhead Life Group veteran (Pricci, Veni Vidi Vici, and Buckhead Diner) is always on Haven’s floor, sporting flashy fitted shirts and sincere smiles.