Mini food hall taking root soon in shuttered shopping center space

Like its northside brethren Chamblee, the City of Sandy Springs is expected to see a pint-sized version of a multi-cuisine food hall pop up soon in a space that previously served one function.

SocialBites, a 6,000-square-foot food hub with five different concepts, is scheduled to open in late July, occupying a two-level corner space at 6650 Roswell Road that formerly housed Mexican concept Huey Luey’s.

The mini food hall will take a two-level corner space at the Sandy Springs Village shopping center near the intersection of Roswell and Abernathy roads. Anchor tenant Goodwill operates next door in a 25,800-square-foot space, according to commercial real estate firm Mimms Enterprises.

Project leaders call SocialBites an innovative solution that “represents a new era in the dining space,” in that it will fill a remarkably large but vacant restaurant that already includes a functioning kitchen. The adaptive-reuse approach eliminates the need for ground-up new construction in an attempt to draw in a variety of diners for relatively affordable and often sharable options.

The conversion isn’t expected to take long. Renovations at the Suite 100 building that will house SocialBites began less than two weeks ago.

Expect four fast-casual food concepts from the Experiential Brands portfolio—The Original Hot Chicken, INKED Tacos, Flametown Burgers, and Pinsa Roman Pizza—on the ground floor, with two patios, including one with cornhole games and Adirondack chairs.

The second story will house BarSocial, a laidback lounge space with its own patio made for live music and private events.

SocialBites will differ from other food hall-style offerings around Atlanta by offering one point of purchase for all four food concepts, along with table service via a number system, eliminating the need for groups to wait beside different stalls until orders are prepared. “We wanted to create a place where it’s easy for families and friends to enjoy high-quality, craveable food while connecting with each other, without breaking the bank,” Aziz Hashim, Experiential Brands’ founder and principal, said in a concept announcement. 

Other SocialBites components will include life-size versions of classic games (think: Connect 4) and two large screens for watching sporting events. Trivia nights and bingo are also in the works.

SocialBites’ food offerings are summarized by project leaders as follows (edited for clarity and space):

• The Original Hot Chicken: Founded in Atlanta, The Original Hot Chicken is known for its unique chicken tenders and sandwiches that are pickle-brined, southern-style, cornflake-rolled, and made-to-order at six different heat levels. For vegetarians and vegans, Nashville-style Cauliflower Bites are on the menu, and the restaurant will also offer a southwestern salad that can be topped with Nashville Hot Chicken or the Nashville-Style Cauliflower.
• INKED Tacos: INKED Tacos, a Birria taqueria, serves meat options like carne asada, grilled chicken, birria, and hot chicken, in addition to vegetarian toppings.
• Flametown Burgers: Atlanta-based Flametown Burgers offers made-to-order premium beef burgers in several varieties, including candied jalapeno, queso bacon, and chipotle honey, paired with unique sauces.
• Pinsa Roman Pizza: Pinsa Roman Pizza dishes Roman-style pizza described as healthy, artisanal, and irresistible. The menu features a classic Margherita, a mushroom pizza featuring portobello mushroom sauce and gruyere cheese, and a Nashville Hot Chicken-inspired pie.
• BarSocial: The upstairs concept will see a full bar serving craft cocktails, wine, beer, boozy milkshakes, and other libations, with clustered, lounge-style soft seating. It can also be transformed into a private event space featuring a separate entrance and upstairs covered outdoor patio.

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