Doc Chey's Noddle House was opened by Rich Chey in 1997. Chey is no stranger to the restaurant business. In 1995 he opened his first restaurant in the Atlanta area. Originally from the northeastern United States, Rich has modeled Doc Chey's after authentic China Town inspired noodle houses. Patch: What are some of your most popular dishes? Rich: We have dim sum, which are appetizers, soups, salads, noodle bowls and stirfrys. We just recently added a category that we call street food which are hand held items. Probably our most popular dishes are our noodle bowls. That's what we started with …

The Original El Taco opened its doors in Oct. 2008. A part of the Fifth Group family of restaurants, El Taco has a Mexican inspired flair in its decor and menu. Katie Pecharich is the general manager for the restaurant. Pecharich has been in the restaurant business since she was 14, helping in her parents' cafe in Illinois. Katie started as the beverage manager at El Taco in 2010 and moved to her current position in May of this year. Chef Scott Keefer learned a lot about food while working for five years at Echo, another Fifth Group restaurant. Under the tutelage of the executive chef there, …

Limerick Junction opened it's doors in 1988. Originally, the bar and restaurant was one of the only Irish establishments in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood. Gordon Kerr moved to Atlanta from Ireland in 1986. After bartending in Buckhead for a few years, and then managing Limerick Junction for close to eight years, Kerr took over full ownership of the restaurant in 2010. Patch: What are some of your most popular dishes? Gordon: Well Guiness is our number one seller. It's our forte and we even have numerous awards from the brewery. But you know Irish food is really good if you tweak it, …

Hector Santiago opened Pura Vida in April of 2001. Santiago was working at different restaurants in town and on a trip to the Highlands one day decided that the neighborhood would be a great place to open a Latin American restaurant. Instead he opened three. Pura Vida is actually three concepts in one. Pura Vida itself is a tapas restaurant. Super Pan takes over the lunch aspect, making sandwiches during the week. Burro Pollo picks up on the weekends as a burrito stand. All three of the restaurants operate out of the same building. Patch: What are some of your most popular dishes? Hector: At …

Jim Graddy and Bill Marrack opened Pig-N-Chik BBQ on May 9 of this year and the store off of Briarcliff Rd. is the duo's third location. Graddy and Marrack has been cooking pig since they were kids There are even pictures on the wall of the store of the pair cooking. So it's safe to say that barbeque has been in their blood their whole life. Rick Cooper, who is a neighbor of the owners, is the general manager for the barbeque joint. One day Graddy came over and asked Cooper if he wanted to get back into the food business. Rick's response; make me an offer I can't refuse. Patch: What are some …

Located at 870 N. Highland Ave., Diesel was opened by Justin Haynie in June of 2008. Haynie opened the restaurant and bar after returning home to Atlanta from living in Florida for five years. He found an ad on CraigsList and the rest is history. Patch: What are some of your more popular dishes? Justin: Well we can't keep in burgers and wings during football season. We have almost 20 plus toppings for our burgers. Stuff like roasted tomato goat cheese and fried green tomatoes. You can get more than just a bacon cheeseburger here. Our signature specialty burger is our venison burger which …

JavaVino has a great atmosphere for a cup of coffee, a glass of wine or a bite to eat. Located at 579 N. Highland Ave., JavaVino was opened in 2004 by the husband and wife team of Steve Franklin and Heddy Kuhl, who is a sixth generation coffee farmer. Kuhl's parents have a sustainable coffee farm in Nicaragua where the shop gets the majority of its beans from so from planting to pouring the coffee stays in the family's hands. The idea for JavaVino was formed by the pair when they were living abroad and visited the many European coffee houses which fused coffee, wine and food together. …

The brain child of Shaun Doty and Erik Maier, Yeah! Burger opened its doors in November of 2010. Shaun and Erik want to create a fast-casual dining experience that focuses on quality in regards to organic food, seasonality and also to be very sensitive to environmental issues, which according to Doty, are the duos personal passions. Doty has been in the restaurant business for 22 years. He started out as a dish washer in Oklahoma where he grew up and through the years he has owned, operated and partnered in several ventures in the Atlanta area. Patch: What are some of your most popular dishes…

Dark Horse Tavern opened its doors in 1984. Owned by Doug Landau, the tavern has recently undergone a complete revamping of its menu. For years Dark Horse focused mainly on the bar portion of its business but now has hired a new chef and added fresh, exciting dishes that may surprise many locals. Derek Banks started out at Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. From there, he met Walter Staib and worked at the famous City Tavern in Philadelphia. Coming to Atlanta for the summer Olympics, Banks has worked in many restaurants across the city and is now the executive chef at Dark …

Noche opened its doors in July of 1999. The Spanish and southwestern influence tapas restaurant and bar is a part of the Here to Serve Restaurant conglomerate owned by master chef Tom Catherall. Robert Tussey has been with Noche since day one. Starting out as a server in 1999, Tussey moved his way up to the general manager position in 2006. Noche offers patrons a fun and festive atmosphere with colorful decor, delicious food and a high-energy, full bar with over 50 different types of tequilas. Noche is also known for its margaritas. Patch: What are some of your specialties? Robert: Everybody …

Meet Rosebud with its hair down. The Family Dog, named after a local music collective in San Francisco where the Grateful Dead used to jam, is owned by Ron Eyester and his partner Jason Chenette.  The blue collar bar has only been open for a few months but Eyester hopes it will become the next evolution of Manuel’s Tavern. Eyester is originally from New York. After attending college at The Citadel in South Carolina, he started working with 101 Concepts and particularly the original Food 101 on Roswell Road. This is where he made the transition from just an employed chef to a restaurant …

American Roadhouse is a great place to catch breakfast in Virginia-Highland. Located at 842 N. Highland Ave., the American Roadhouse has been serving up breakfast, burgers and blueplates since 1989. Chris Peek has been the executive chef for the restaurant a little over a year. After starting as a dishwasher, Peek found that he had a love of food which he fostered as he earned his degree at Le Cordon Bleu. Marci Leonard is the catering sales manager for American Roadhouse while Ed Udoff is the current owner of the restaurant. Leonard has worked for Udoff for the past 12 years. Patch: How did …

When you’re craving authentic Italian cuisine, stop by La Tavola. Opened in 1999 and located at 992 Virginia Ave. N.E. in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood of Atlanta, La Tavola is the only Italian style restaurant in the area. Craig Richards, the executive chef for the restaurant, has spent a lot of time in Italy, honing his craft with trips to different provinces allowing him to learn specialized and authentic dishes. His ability to connect with Italian cuisine drives the food at La Tavola allowing the love and passion he has for the food and the culture of Italy to shine through. …

Morningside’s neighborhood restaurant is Rosebud. Located at the Indigo Coastal Grill’s old location off of N. Highland Ave., Rosebud has been feeding guests a creative fare of American cuisine with a bit of Southern flair for the past seven years. Owner and executive chef Ron Eyester is originally from New York. After attending college at The Citadel in South Carolina, he started working with 101 Concepts and particularly the original Food 101 on Roswell Rd. This is where he made the transition from just an employed chef to a restaurant operator. Rosebud, named after Eyester’s second love …

Manuel’s Tavern has been a Virginia-Highland staple for over 50 years. Started by Manuel Maloof on Aug. 6, 1956, the original bar was a delicatessen with fluorescent lights and linoleum tops. With a vision of recreating an English pub after serving in World War II, Maloof started to refurbish the building which eventually took over an entire city block. It was an instant hit. Throughout the years, Manuel’s Tavern has been a meeting place to talk about politics and policy. Manuel himself started his political career after an Atlanta columnist kept writing about a political barkeep who knew …

Atkins Park is a Virginia-Highland favorite. Chef Andrew Smith was born and raised in Georgia and attended the Art Institute of Atlanta for culinary school. The importance of local, seasonal, farm fresh food has been ingrained with his style of cooking which is evident in the menu he has helped shape for the past seven years at Atkins Park. Warren Bruno, the owner of Atkins Park, has been in the restaurant business for 42 years. He started as a bartender at 21-years-old and has since gone on to be involved with 12 different restaurants. His wife, Sandra Spoon, who helps run the business, has …