These Are The Winners Of GA's Restaurant Awards

ATLANTA, GA — The winners of the 2025 Georgia Restaurant Association Crystal of Excellence Awards have been revealed.

The Georgia Restaurant Association sponsored the GRACE Awards on Dec. 8 at the Georgia Aquarium. The GRA advocates for statewide restaurants on the culinary scene, and the yearly awards honor the excellence of those in the industry.

Philip J. Hickey Jr. took home the Lifetime Achievement Award. Hickey is co-founder of Cooker Bar and Grille and Green Hills Grille, according to the GRA.

He also served as president of Rio Bravo Cantina, chairman and CEO of Rare Hospitality International. (parent company of LongHorn Steakhouse, Bugaboo Creek Steak House and The Capital Grille) and chairman of O’Charley’s.

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According to the GRA, he is now the chairman of both Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q and Miller’s Ale House restaurants.

Award finalists were nominated by their peers in the categories of Restauranteur of the Year, Hospitality Hero of the Year, Restaurant Manager of the Year and Restaurant Employee of the Year.

Selectees were also made for the GRA Hall of Fame and the Georgia on My Mind People's Choice Award. The GRACE Academy chose the winners.

The academy selected the following winners:

• Restauranteur of the Year: Buckhead Life Restaurant Group
• Emerging Restauranteur of the Year: Blue Hound BBQ
• Industry Partner of the Year: Gas South
• Hospitality Hero of the Year: Fat Man's Cafe and Catering
• Restaurant Manager of the Year: Nathan Martin, Ted’s Montana Grill
• Restaurant Employee of the Year: Brian Boyle, Atlanta Fish Market
• Restaurant Employee of the Year: Presented posthumously to Traci Heller, Hudson Grille

People's Choice Awards were as follows:

• Favorite Neighborhood Hangout: 5Church, K5 Hospitality
• Favorite Born-and-Raised Beverage: Terrapin Beer Co.
• Favorite Eatertainment Experience: Your 3rd Spot, AMP Up1 Hospitality
• Uniquely Georgia Restaurant: Mary Mac’s Tea Room

Former Paradies Lagardère executive Claude Guillaume, LongHorn Steakhouse founder and Ted's Montana Grill co-founder George McKerrow and founder and CEO of Buckhead Life Restaurant GroupI. Pano Karatassos were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Karatassos also co-founded the GRA.

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