The concept’s first Atlanta location is slated to open on Thursday, October 1
Brown Bag Seafood Co. will serve its first Atlanta guests this week, when doors open along Peachtree Street at the reimagined Colony Square, an iconic mixed-use destination in Midtown Atlanta. The counter-service restaurant, which specializes in quick, fresh, sustainable seafood, will initially offer take-out, pick-up, delivery and limited in-store seating, in addition to ample space on its 38-seat patio.
For restaurateur Donna Lee, who founded Brown Bag Seafood Co. in 2014, the upcoming opening is especially meaningful, marking the mini-chain’s first location outside of Chicago, where it operates eight restaurants. “We can’t wait to introduce ourselves to Midtown and Atlanta as a whole,” she said. “As we’ve prepared for this opening, we’ve felt more and more connected to this city, and it truly feels like a second home.”
Lee will keep most of her seafood-based menu intact in Atlanta, but also plans to incorporate local and regional elements, most notably in the restaurant’s rotating Daily Catch protein option ($10.55). Other choices on the menu include Grilled Salmon ($11.25), Crispy Cod ($10.85) and Curry Fish Cakes ($11.55), to name a few. Proteins are paired with a variety of creative “builds” like the Veggiebox or Greens & Grains, allowing for customization of every entrée. The eatery also features a Seasonal Special, which will debut as the Maui Mahi Burger, served with pineapple-cilantro slaw and fries ($14).
The 1,700-square-foot restaurant, designed by SGW Architects and built by Couch Construction, features a coastal design, accentuated by blue and yellow hues, marine rope décor and hand-painted signage. Guests can place orders at the counter with Brown Bag’s blue-bandana clad crew or order online and pick up at hand-crafted wooden shelves. Outside, casual picnic tables and yellow striped umbrellas provide open-air seating on the patio.
“At Colony Square, we’ve really been focused on the space between the buildings – creating a place where the community wants to gather from morning to night,” said Adam Schwegman, partner and senior vice president of leasing at NAP. “Brown Bag’s detailed focus on design and decor, unique culinary offerings and emphasis on elevating the consumer experience mirrors our vision for bringing the Art of Modern Life to the forefront of the redeveloped property. We are confident the concept will thrive within the Midtown community.”
Lee has spent much of September at Colony Square preparing for a successful opening and plans to remain highly involved in the location, especially in its first few months. “One of the most important things to me is making sure that the incredible, tight-knit team culture that we’ve built in Chicago is just as strong here in Atlanta,” she said. “You can teach someone how to cook our salmon from afar, but it’s a lot harder to teach people what it means to put on that blue bandana and be part of our team.”
Meanwhile, Lee and her team will work directly with Atlanta-based seafood distributors to build a local and fully sustainable supply chain. Since its founding, the company has partnered with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, committing to serving only sustainably sourced seafood. The restaurant has also become a member of the Midtown Alliance and plans to make community involvement and service a priority once it has its sea legs underneath it. In Chicago, the chain launched its “Feed the Frontlines” initiative in April, which continues to help provide meals for hospital staff, firefighters and other essential workers.
The opening of Brown Bag Seafood Co. signifies yet another milestone in the $400 million redevelopment of Colony Square, as the restaurant joins pre-redevelopment favorites 5Church Atlanta, Establishment, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A and Moe’s Southwest Grill, along with new eateries Freshii and Sukoshi. Still to come in the service-driven lineup at Colony Square includes American Barber (opening this fall), IPIC (opening soon), Holeman and Finch Public House (opening next spring), Rumi’s Kitchen (opening next spring), and Politan Row at Colony Square, the food hall opening next spring.
Brown Bag Seafood Co. opens Thursday, October 1 at Colony Square (1201 Peachtree St NE) in Midtown. Hours are 11:30am – 8:30pm Monday – Sunday. Order in-store or online for pick-up or delivery at www.brownbagseafood.com.
About Colony Square
At the corner of Peachtree and 14th Streets, Colony Square is not only the heart of Midtown, it’s the heart of Atlanta – an original icon at the very center of the ever-rising capital of the modern South. Today, Colony Square is becoming an icon of another kind, bringing the Art of Modern Life to Midtown. Featuring 912,000 square feet of Class A office, 160,000 square feet of best-in-class retail, a 466-room hotel and 262 luxury residences, the reimagined Colony Square will be known as a foodie haven; shopping and entertainment destination; sophisticated business hub; and an amenity-rich, arts-infused place to gather with community and soak up Midtown’s vibe. Open, walkable and transit friendly, the reimagined Colony Square, like all great city squares, will be seamlessly connected to the vibrant energy of the streets around it. To learn more about Colony Square, follow the Midtown destination on Twitter,Facebook and Insta
About Brown Bag Seafood Co.
Donna Lee founded Brown Bag Seafood Co. in 2014 with the mission to bring healthy, affordable and responsibly sourced seafood to the masses. The premium counter-service concept offers a seafood-driven menu with fresh, quality ingredients and an approachable format through a “design your own” ordering process and the option to dine-in or take to-go. Brown Bag Seafood Co. currently has eight locations in Chicago. To learn more, follow Brown Bag Seafood on Instagram and Facebook and visit www.brownbagseafood.com.
