Chef Joey Ward, the James Beard semifinalist behind Southern Belle and Georgia Boy, is spinning his fine-dining cred into two laid-back projects this summer: Bar Belle, a walk-in patio cocktail bar attached to his Poncey-Highland restaurant, and Southern Belle Chicken Co., a fast-casual chicken stall planned for the new CTR Food Works downtown. Both are designed as more approachable offshoots of Ward’s tasting-menu world, swapping white-tablecloth pacing for lower prices and quicker service while keeping the same signature flavors that built his reputation.
Bar Belle brings a casual patio vibe
Bar Belle is set to open in Southern Belle’s renovated side patio in Poncey-Highland, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The space now has a metal roof and roll-up fabric sides so it can stay in play year-round. The menu, offered on a walk-in, first-come, first-served basis, will rotate and is expected to feature the A-Town Burger, fries, chicharrones, and a nightly raw-bar lineup. Ward told the paper he wanted "another avenue" to pull in neighborhood regulars and younger diners who might not be lining up for a full tasting menu.
Southern Belle Chicken Co. heads to CTR Food Works
Ward is also launching Southern Belle Chicken Co. as one of the chef-driven stalls inside CTR Food Works, the 11-vendor food hall taking over the former CNN Center atrium, as reported by DiningOut. The hall is being billed as a downtown destination, with a large central bar and programming meant to draw both visitors and locals, and developers are aiming for a mid-June public launch to sync with the city’s World Cup matches. Ward and his team said the food-hall setup made it possible to get open faster and at a lower rent than building out another full-service restaurant.
What the chicken stall will serve
The Southern Belle Chicken Co. menu will focus on chicken sandwiches built on a custom 6-inch bun from TGM Bakery, using Springer Mountain Farms chicken that is brined for 24 hours and coated in a proprietary breading similar to Korean fried chicken, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Diners can choose white meat, dark meat, or a half-and-half option, then layer on flavor profiles that range from Shanghai chili-crisp to a Mumbai butter-chicken sandwich. Sides will include kimchi coleslaw and fries. The stall is intended as a way to introduce more people to Ward’s cooking without the cost of his tasting-menu experience.
Ward's track record and the local angle
Ward’s move into more casual territory lands differently because his Poncey-Highland spots already have national attention. The James Beard Foundation lists him as a 2022 semifinalist, and Georgia Boy and Southern Belle have both been recognized by the Michelin Guide. The James Beard Foundation's list highlights Ward’s semifinalist nod, while the Michelin Guide has singled out Georgia Boy for its inventive tasting-menu format. Southern Belle’s 2019 debut put him on the neighborhood map, and these new projects are meant to stretch that footprint from patio regulars to the larger downtown crowd that CTR Food Works is expected to draw.
Bar Belle and Southern Belle Chicken Co. are pitched as lower-stress ways for Atlantans to get into Ward’s food, with patio cocktails and quick chicken sandwiches standing in for multi-course reservations. Ward’s team is set to share soft-open and launch dates soon. Until then, expect that revamped patio to be high on the list for locals hunting burgers, oysters, and jazz nights without the formality.
