Chef Joey Ward, the Atlanta restaurateur behind Southern Belle and Georgia Boy, is getting ready to launch two new concepts in Atlanta, including Bar Belle in Poncey-Highland and Southern Belle Chicken Co. at 225 Central Avenue in downtown Atlanta.
The first concept, Bar Belle, will open on a renovated side patio connected to Southern Belle and Georgia Boy in Poncey-Highland, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The second concept, Southern Belle Chicken Co., will open inside CTR Food Works, the food hall planned as part of the redevelopment of the CNN Center into a mixed-use complex known as The Center. Both projects are expected to open in summer 2026. Customers can expect a more casual approach across both concepts, with walk-in service, counter ordering, and a focus on approachable food and drink offerings.
Bar Belle will operate as a first-come, first-served cocktail bar designed for patio service. The concept will feature cocktails, raw bar items, and rotating small plates, including a signature A-Town Burger. The space will be accessible via Southern Belle or a dedicated patio entrance, creating a more open and flexible entry point than at Ward’s existing fine-dining restaurants. The concept is intended to serve as a more casual neighborhood bar within the Poncey-Highland corridor…