Atlanta-based Bantam + Biddy, the casual, family-friendly eatery featuring regional, all-natural and pastured poultry from chef-restaurateurs Shaun Doty and Lance Gummere, will open its next location in Downtown Chattanooga, at 728 Market St., this fall. The restaurant, whose name refers to two poultry breed sizes, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and will also offer a full espresso bar along with alcoholic beverages.
Bantam + Biddy is the first restaurant planned for the Market City Center property opening in mid-September from developer Boyd Simpson of The Simpson Organization.
“We are thrilled about becoming part of the growth that Downtown Chattanooga is experiencing and supporting the local entrepreneurial culture in the city’s Innovation District,” said Bantam + Biddy co-owner and executive chef Shaun Doty. “Our restaurants are very entrenched in the neighborhoods where they are located, so the true sense of community in Chattanooga really spoke to us. We look forward to providing Southern favorites made with seasonal, local ingredients that guests can feel good about eating.”
Mr. Doty’s extensive culinary expertise in Atlanta (The Federal, YEAH! Burger, Shaun’s, MidCity Cuisine, Mumbo Jumbo) is the driving force behind Bantam + Biddy’s menu of local free-range and pastured chicken and Southern diner-inspired dishes. Although his career has spanned the globe, he is most passionate about creating simply prepared contemporary fare.
Lunch and dinner selections at Bantam & Biddy include a “meat-and-two” option, as well as chicken-centric entrées, salads and sandwiches. Breakfast brings build-your-own biscuits, fried chicken and cheddar waffles and pastured three-egg omelets and burritos. There is also a carry-out counter for grabbing a meal on the go, including the “Family Meal” (choice of whole rotisserie chicken, meatloaf or 24-ounce herb-roasted pork loin with a family-sized organic green salad, cornbread, choice of dressing, three sides and a half-gallon of freshly brewed tea) that serves three to five people for under $50.
The new Chattanooga restaurant, designed by Tim Nichols, is going to seat 62 guests indoors and an additional 18 in the building’s air-conditioned atrium. Mr. Nichols’ decor features classic wood bead board, bright ceramic tile and rich pecan wood for casual atmosphere within Market City Center’s retail, office and residential community.
“I’m very proud to announce Bantam + Biddy as our first restaurant tenant,” said Mr. Simpson. “The chef-driven concept and Shaun’s all-encompassing restaurant industry experience really impressed us, and it’s been a pleasure working with him.”
Recently dubbed one of the nation’s most startup-friendly cities by Fortune.com, Chattanooga was a natural fit for Mr. Doty and his team. The restaurant’s location is part of the city’s Innovation District, a vibrant and walkable area containing Chattanooga’s main downtown public spaces and a host of coffee shops and eateries linked by attractive streets, a bike share program and a free downtown electric shuttle. Anchoring this district is the Edney Innovation Center, which serves as a connecting point, support base and catalyst for the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, said officials.
“Bantam + Biddy will be a great addition to City Center and to the Innovation District,” said Kim White, president and CEO of River City Company, the economic development engine for Downtown Chattanooga. “Downtown Chattanooga has long enjoyed excellent restaurants and exceptional chefs, and we are excited to add another eatery to that list.”
The restaurant also has three Atlanta-area locations at Ansley Mall, Avalon and Lenox. For more information, visit bantamandbiddy.com. For additional updates, follow the restaurant on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.