Whole Foods To Open Restaurant in Midtown Store

ATLANTA, GA -- Whole Foods grocery is opening a full-scale restaurant inside its Midtown store on Ponce De Leon Avenue, Patch has learned.

The eatery will be called Roast and serve a fast-casual menu featuring Brazilian cuisine with a serve-yourself option for bowls, local media reported this week.

The changes come during turbulent times for the Austin, Texas-based company. Whole Foods is in the midst of closing several stores around the nation, including one in Augusta.

The Ponce location just underwent major renovations late last year. The new restaurant will be a new reason to visit the store, which is just across the street from one of Midtown's most popular developments, Ponce City Market.

Read more: Ponce City Market added to historic places

The menu will change with the seasons and be feature plenty of vegetarian and vegan choices, according to Quentin Arndt, the grocer's prepared foods coordinator for the South.

Speaking to Atlanta Magazine, Arndt said, "We’re putting a fast-casual spin on a typical Brazilian churrasco concept. Customers will select a protein and build out their very own fire-roasted bowl incorporating sautéed greens, grains, and signature sauces. Vegetarian and vegan items will also be available. Our menu items will change seasonally, and customers can expect some exciting menu collaborations.”

Roast will reportedly open in May in the adjacent space that was formerly Staples.

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