Not only is the Braves lineup changing as the team returns to Atlanta, but the newly launched "Outfield Market" food hall is, too. NFA Burger, the popular Dunwoody area eatery that opened alongside seven other "stalls," has closed.
Unlike at their Dunwoody outpost where they offered their "classic" two patty smash-burger for $8, NFA at Truist offered a trio of exclusive smaller "NFA Minis" (slider-size burgers) sold as a single item for $14.
When we visited the stall on opening day, NFA founder Billy Kramer and COO Brett Crowder were hard at work trying to ensure that guests were having the same NFA experience at Truist as they might have or have had in Dunwoody. The stalls of Outfield Market, like other food establishments in the ballpark, may carry different names but are all operated in partnership with Delaware North, a huge multinational food service company.
Based on our visit, where a friend waited nearly two innings (after pre-paying) for burgers that when received were too burned to be eaten, it seems Delaware North may simply have been unable to execute to the standards and expectations of Billy and his team.
Something else we noted in our visit was the presence of H&F Burger a few feet from Outfield Market, and a partnership that has been in existence since Turner Field. Simply put, Truist Park's burger game is strong.
In place of NFA, the Braves have brought in Alex Brounstein and his Grindhouse Killer Burgers, another local burger spot, but one that offers the confidence and experience of already operating two successful locations elsewhere in Truist Park. The new Grindhouse, which debuted earlier this evening ahead of the Braves vs. Twins game, offers a single Grindhouse-style burger for $10.99, reportedly the cheapest burger in Truist Park. (The other Grindhouse locations in the ballpark offer only the double patty.)
When contacted about the closure, Kramer supplied the following statement regarding his departure from Truist Park:
“We were thrilled to have the opportunity to share the NFA Burger experience with Braves fans at Truist Park. Given all of the exciting things we have going on as a company, we have decided to focus our efforts on our new location at Avalon in Alpharetta. We wish our friends at Grindhouse and the Atlanta Braves the best of luck this season!”
The Avalon location Kramer references is opening on the green at the popular mixed-use development in Alpharetta where it is replacing the short-lived Israeli eatery Rina in a roughly 3,300 square foot space originally home to Goldberg's Bagel. The new Avalon NFA is reportedly on track to open in May, with Kramer also assessing other opportunities around metro Atlanta, too.
In addition to what is now three locations at Truist Park, Grindhouse also operates restaurants on Piedmont Avenue in Piedmont Heights, Memorial Drive near Grant Park, North McDonough Street in Decatur, Apple Valley Road in Brookhaven, South Lumpkin Street in Athens, and on the D and T Gates at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
A new Grindhouse Killer Burgers, complete with a rooftop deck, is slated to open on Chattahoochee Avenue near The Works on the Upper Westside. The restaurant, opening in place of a former SunTrust Bank, is currently on track to open late this fall, according to a source close to the eatery.
As a reminder, the Braves are also replacing Wahlburgers at The Battery Atlanta with a new location of Shake Shack, complete with a full bar. The new Shake Shack is slated to open later this June, ahead of the upcoming All-Star Game on July 15.
Did you have the chance to try NFA Burger at Truist Park before it closed? Do you plan to visit Truist Park this season? What moves can the Braves make to get back on track?
Please share your thoughts below.