By Tina Hunsicker | Vinings REALTOR® and Local Resident

If you’ve driven through Vinings Village lately, you may have noticed some changes happening at the former Stockyard Burgers & Bones location. There’s a new restaurant coming to Vinings — and I think it could be a great addition to our neighborhood dining scene.

Cotto Modern Italian is coming to Vinings Jubilee at 2850 Paces Ferry Road, bringing contemporary Italian dining, wine and cocktails to the heart of Vinings.

As both a Vinings resident and a REALTOR® who has worked in the Vinings real estate market for many years, I love seeing new businesses invest in our community. Restaurants, shops and gathering places are part of what makes Vinings such a desirable place to live — and Cotto represents the next chapter for a restaurant location many longtime residents will recognize.

From Noche to Stockyard to Cotto: The History of This Vinings Restaurant Location

The restaurant space at 2850 Paces Ferry Road has an interesting history.

Longtime Vinings residents may remember it as Noche, the lively Latin-inspired restaurant that was part of Atlanta’s former Here to Serve restaurant group.

After Noche closed in 2015, the space became Stockyard Burgers & Bones, which brought burgers, barbecue, bourbon and a casual neighborhood atmosphere to Vinings.

Stockyard became a familiar Vinings gathering spot, but now the restaurant’s former location is being transformed once again.

This time, the concept is Cotto Modern Italian.

Cotto’s own website now officially lists “Coming Soon: Vinings | Atlanta” at 2850 Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta, GA 30339, and Vinings Jubilee also lists Cotto Modern Italian as “Coming Soon” in its dining directory.

What Is Cotto Modern Italian?

Cotto isn’t an entirely new restaurant concept.

The existing Cotto Modern Italian is located in downtown Gainesville, Georgia, at 106 Spring Street.

Cotto describes itself as a contemporary, upscale Italian restaurant built around thoughtfully prepared food, fresh ingredients, gracious service and a lively bar.

If the Vinings menu follows the Gainesville concept, diners can expect an Italian menu that feels more contemporary than traditional.

The Gainesville menu includes Neapolitan-style pizzas, Italian entrées, antipasti and desserts, with dishes ranging from a classic Margherita pizza to grilled Italian sausage, lamb chops and Chianti-inspired beef dishes.

There are Italian favorites for dessert, too, including tiramisu, cannoli and panna cotta.

And Cotto appears to take its bar program almost as seriously as its food.

The cocktail menu includes drinks such as a Cotto Barrel Aged Negroni, Cotto Espresso Martini and Italian-inspired spritzes, along with a wine program designed to complement the menu.

That combination could make Cotto particularly well suited for Vinings — sophisticated enough for date night or a special dinner, but approachable enough to become a regular neighborhood spot.

The Restaurant Group Behind Cotto

Another interesting part of the story is that Cotto isn’t coming to Vinings from an unfamiliar operator.

Cotto and Stockyard are connected through the same restaurant organization, Fork U Concepts.

The restaurant group has developed several concepts around Georgia, including:

Stockyard Burgers & Bones — known for burgers, ribs, steaks and bourbon.

Taqueria Tsunami — a popular concept combining Latin and Asian flavors.

Silla del Toro — a Spanish-inspired tapas restaurant.

Forno Vero — an Italian and wood-fired pizza concept.

Southern Prospect — a Southern-inspired restaurant concept.

And now Cotto Modern Italian is becoming part of the Vinings restaurant scene.

So while Vinings is losing the Stockyard concept at this location, the restaurant group isn’t really leaving the neighborhood. Instead, it is investing in the space and bringing Vinings a different dining experience.

Why Cotto Makes Sense for Vinings

I think Cotto is an interesting fit for the Village.

One of the things that makes living in Vinings, Georgia so appealing is that we have something many Atlanta neighborhoods have lost: a recognizable village center.

You can meet a friend for coffee, have lunch, shop, go to dinner or simply walk around the Village without feeling as though you’re in a massive commercial development.

Vinings Jubilee remains an important part of that experience, with restaurants and locally oriented businesses creating a gathering place in the center of the community.

Cotto adds another dinner option to an already strong Vinings restaurant lineup, but its more contemporary Italian focus should give it its own identity.

And for Vinings residents, there’s something particularly nice about having another place for a good dinner and a glass of wine without having to drive to Buckhead, Midtown or West Midtown.

Restaurants Are Part of the Vinings Lifestyle

When people ask me about homes for sale in Vinings GA or what it’s like to live here, I always tell them that Vinings is about more than the houses.

Location matters.

Lifestyle matters.

And the ability to walk or take a very short drive to restaurants, shops and community events absolutely contributes to the appeal — and ultimately the desirability — of a neighborhood.

Vinings offers an unusual combination: beautiful established neighborhoods, proximity to Buckhead and major employment centers, easy access to The Battery and Truist Park, and a Village that still maintains its own identity.

New restaurants like Cotto help keep that Village vibrant.

Welcome to Vinings, Cotto

Restaurant spaces evolve just like neighborhoods do.

This one has gone from the Latin flavors of Noche to the burgers and bourbon of Stockyard and now to the pasta, pizza, wine and cocktails of Cotto Modern Italian.

I’m looking forward to seeing the finished renovation — and, of course, trying the food.

Welcome to Vinings, Cotto. We’ll save you a seat at the table.

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About Tina Hunsicker

Tina Hunsicker is a longtime Vinings resident and Atlanta REALTOR® with HOME Luxury Real Estate. With more than two decades of experience helping buyers and sellers throughout Vinings, Buckhead, Smyrna and the greater Atlanta area, Tina combines extensive local market knowledge with a strong understanding of the neighborhoods and lifestyle that make Atlanta home.

Thinking about buying or selling a home in Vinings, GA 30339? Contact Tina Hunsicker to talk about the Vinings real estate market, current home values and what makes this historic Atlanta community such a special place to live.

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