Atlanta Coffee Shops

👀😍NEW coffee shop alert!

Follow Atlanta Coffee Shops (ACS) for more coffee shop openings around Atlanta and subscibe to the ACS newsletter for more (link in bio!)

Gonggan (gonggan / 공간) soft opened its first Atlanta-area location earlier this month and is currently operating on a Friday to Sunday schedule as it ramps up operations.

The Korean café is known for its unique desserts and lattes, with those having visited their Los Angeles or New York locations recognizing some of the items on the menu. The Atlanta-area location in Duluth pays homage to Gonggan roots of building out beautiful and unique spaces (swipe for photos of the interior and the quirky furniture), but is also working at the local level with roaster(s) for its espresso program. In Atlanta, Gonggan is collaborating with Chamblee’s Kin Coffee Co. (kincoffeeco) for the espresso program, with a Guatemalan single origin coffee on espresso; the coffee shop is currently working on a different roast with Kin Coffee Co. to unveil in the coming weeks.

The pour-over / hand brew coffee program at Gonggan focuses on some of the best-known Korean specialty coffee roasters, such Momos Coffee (Busan, South Korea), Fritz Coffee Company (Seoul, South Korea), and Clarimento Coffee Roastery (Seoul, South Korea). Gonggan will, over time, present more Korean roasters in its shop (both as pour-over options as well as on retail shelves for sale). If you’ve ever wanted to try some incredible coffees from Korean roasters, Gonggan is setting the stage in the Atlanta-area for excellence.

Gonggan means “Space” in Korean, and co-founder / operator of Gonggan, BJ Kim, explains: “Our name was inspired by the phrase: ‘A place that fills the empty spaces in life.’ To us, “space” is more than a physical environment—it’s where people connect, interact, and experience something meaningful together. That idea felt deeply aligned with what we want Gonggan to represent.”

At the link in bio, read more about Gonggan’s opening in Atlanta, see more photos, and read the Q&A on how this coffee shop came to Atlanta and what else to expect in the coming months.

😍 The Clarified Espresso Martini (CEM) & a unique cocktail omakase experience in Atlanta … 😍

Follow for behind the scenes coverage at Atlanta coffee shops and subscribe to the ACS newsletter (link in bio!) for occasional updates.

The cocktail omakase experience at Lucky Star () in West Midtown started in June 2025 and is currently in its second iteration for late summer. ACS was on location for a media preview of this experience and caught up with the Beverage Director, Kirk Gibson, in late August 2025.

The star of the 6-course omakase experience is the clarified espresso martini—both in presentation and taste—and with the rotary distiller on the “Tools of the Trades,” Lucky Star finally put it to good use. On the making of the cocktail, Kirk Gibson writes:

“We start by making a cold brew with vodka as the base, adding approximately 10% ground coffee by weight and letting it sit for at least 3 days, but typically 1-2 weeks. We then distill it in our BUCHI Rotovap, which is lab equipment that distills things at low temperatures. We boil off the alcohol which captures floral and roasty notes and leaves behind tannins and bitterness. We then re-dilute it to be 80 proof and combine it with a white creme de cacao and a creme de peche.”

You can find the rest of the Q&A with Chef Jason Liang () and Kirk Gibson () about menu development and this experience at the link in bio.

Pictured in this carousel:

(1) The final touches (torches?) of the Clarified Espresso Martini (CEM)
(2) Final presentation of the CEM
(3) Course 1—Blueberry
(4) Course 2—Watermelon
(5) Course 3—Corn (read the Q&A why this cocktail, a take on The Painkiller, is special)
(6) Course 4—Uni Martini (palate cleanser)
(7) Course 5—Pecan (served with uni ice cream 🍨 )
(8) Course 6—Espresso —another view of the CEM
(9) BTS of the CEM
(10) BTS of the CEM

The cocktail omakase experience runs at Lucky Star three nights a week, with 6PM and 8:15PM seatings on Wednesdays & Thursdays, and 6PM seatings on Saturdays. Book via Resy experiences for $85/person—linked in the blog post.

😍 A 5 Star Hotel in Atlanta that is partnered with a local Atlanta-area coffee roaster… ☕️

Follow if you love exploring the local coffee scene in the Atlanta area and subscribe to the ACS newsletter—link in bio—to get occasional updates about the Atlanta coffee scene in your inbox…

Opened in December 2024, Brasserie Margot () is the latest addition to the food & beverage program on premises of the 5 Star Four Seasons Hotel () in Midtown Atlanta. The elevated space is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is helmed by Executive Chef Jon Novak, who brings a wealth of experience from renowned kitchens, including Michelin-starred destinations.

At the heart of the approach at Brasserie Margot for both food and coffee is working closely with trusted local purveyors and vendors to source fresh and seasonal ingredients. With respect to coffee: Brasserie Margot is partnered with Rev Coffee Roasters () out of Smyrna, GA for its drip and espresso offerings. The espresso blend is custom-made by Rev for Brasserie Margot; this Margot blend consists of 80% Guatemalan, 15% Brazilian, and 5% Peruvian coffees.

The interior space of Brasserie Margot is stunning. Walking up the grand staircase from the hotel entrance to Brasserie Margot, you are welcomed to a gorgeous setting with attentive service. Walking in to get seated, one passes the jewel-box bar that also serves as a coffee counter; a Faema E61 espresso machine is the centerpiece here.

Ordinarily, visits to luxury hotels are outside the scope of ACS, but the thoughtful local partnership with made this visit a highlight; a special thanks to Caren West PR () for coordinating and hosting this recent visit in early February.

Breakfast (7AM to 11AM) and lunch (11AM to 3PM) is served daily at Brasserie Margot.

Swipe through this photo set to see the interior—with warm layered textures and moody lighting—designed by the renowned Smith Hanes Studio. The extended carousel also features an elegant cappuccino, French toast, and breakfast Bourguignon.

📍 75 14th Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30309